RADIO ROW BBC star ‘tried to recruit colleague to join brainwashing CULT that takes £1,000s from victims’

EDUCO has been accused of coercive control and brainwashing

The Sun, UK/January 18, 2025

By Ryan Merrifield

A BBC star is accused of attempting to recruit members to an organisation alleged to be a "messianic cult".

Former Radio Derby presenter Pam Sidhu departed her regular evening slot in November 2023 before the broadcaster launched an investigation into her ties to controversial group EDUCO.

Founded by Irish-born self-help guru and businessman Dr Tony Quinn in the 1990s, the pseudo-religion has previously been accused of coercive control and brainwashing.

It reportedly charges thousands of pounds for mindfulness-style seminars around the world, promising to reprogramme the mind like a computer.

Attendees have previously claimed they were encouraged to remortgage their homes to afford the extortionate fees and that it targeted vulnerable people.

Millionaire Dr Quinn previously said he could cure cancer through positive thinking, with some former members saying they believed he was Jesus Christ.

In 2010, Dr Quinn was sued in the Irish High Court for alleged sexual assault, battery and fraudulent misrepresentation - claims he denied.

ALLEGATIONS

Referring to Sidhu, a source close to the group told The Sun: “I’ve been trying to raise concerns about her for the last two years.

“Her and her husband were the Manchester recruiting team for EDUCO.”

The source said he initially contacted multiple people at the BBC but was continually “fobbed off”.

Sidhu, who worked on a freelance basis, made a one-off return to the broadcaster’s local network when she covered for another presenter in August this year on BBC Radio Nottingham.

The source said: “That’s when I escalated the complaint to the BBC and got a meeting with bosses.”

The broadcaster carried out due diligence into her activity with EDUCO and it's understood did not see any issue.

The Sun has seen evidence the BBC's safeguarding department was alerted but the concern was eventually downgraded to its investigations team, before a meeting with the whistleblower was held in September last year.

The BBC then told them via email that the case had been closed.

And while we understand the broadcaster has no current plans to work with Sidhu, it has not ruled out doing so in the future.

There is no evidence she left her Radio Derby show due to the allegations.

'VICTIM'

A former colleague of Sidhu's - not from the BBC - has told the Sun she was recruited to EDUCO by the presenter after they met in 2018.

She described herself as "very vulnerable" at the time and over several months was persuaded to attend a £4,000 seminar in the Bahamas in February 2019 where she met Dr Quinn himself.

She said he was described as "the light of the world" and it was made clear "the more people that join, the more... people will awake".

"Now, when I think about it, after getting treatment, it's all delusional stuff," she said.

Referring to Sidhu, the victim said: "She made me talk to my brothers and some of my friends to join. She wanted me to become a recruiter."

She went on to say: "Every time they had a meeting, they would never call it EDUCO. They were very careful not to leave a trace.

"They specifically told us to not google Tony Quinn."

She continued: "I was very delusional. I felt like he had something to offer to the world and he was special, because he was transferring this sort of energy onto other people."

The victim said the group used Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) techniques and hypnotism, and she was encouraged to do the next level seminar, costing £20,000.

She would often attend meetings in London on Sidhu's behalf, she claimed.

Describing the BBC presenter, she said: "She thinks that she's very special, and she has this special power, and her intuition is on point."

But they have not spoken since 2022.

The victim was involved with the group for around two years, before she suffered a mental breakdown.

By that point, she had spent thousands on products from the group, usually on credit cards as well as loans from her brother, and is currently homeless.

"That experience had a profound impact on my life," she explained.

She has since been diagnosed with schizoaffective and bipolar disorder.

She claimed EDUCO encouraged her to stop taking antidepressants and prevented her seeing a psychiatrist.

Every time they had a meeting, they would never call it EDUCO. They were very careful not to leave a trace.They specifically told us to not google Tony Quinn

Sidhu's spouse, Ranjeev Singh Sidhu, has EDUCO listed in the education section of his LinkedIn profile.

In 2009, a testimony attributed to him was left on the now-archived EDUCO Success website.

It said: “It would be truly amazing if one day every school child were taught the basics of EDUCO - it would give them the edge in their lives.”

Pam Sidhu’s X account describes her as a “mindfulness teacher” and in June 2020 she commented on a video posted on the EducoWorld Facebook page, saying: "Very inspirational."

On November 4 2023 she posted on X announcing she would no longer be hosting the Radio Derby evening show.

She said: “It’s a wrap!! After 2 years of covering the evening show at @bbcderby last night was my final evening show!

“From next week there’s a new schedule and the evening show will now be regional.

“It’s been a real honour and privilege to highlight local talent and give local people a voice.”

She is currently a presenter on Sabras Radio.

The Sun has approached Pam Sidhu and Ranjeev Singh Sidhu for comment.

The BBC did not wish to comment.

Cult expert Richard Turner who runs To Think Again, a therapy service for victims, has raised concerns about EDUCO.

He said: "If you search for EDUCO online the term ‘cult’ comes up repeatedly and therefore there is a huge red flag waving in the sky.

"There seems to be claims that Tony Quin is a God-like character (A common feature of a controlling group) who members worship and numerous comments referencing financial exploitation, the group causing mental suffering, making false claims and promises and fraudulent activity.

"If I knew somebody who was involved with Educo I would be seriously concerned for their wellbeing."

A VICTIM of another cult spoke to The Sun about his experiences with the Hope City Church.

Richard Turner was a victim of Hope City Church - a cult that "brain-washed" members to hand over all their money.

He was working for a modern slavery support charity at the time that had links to the ominous Hope City Church group and was accidentally drawn in.

Richard said he was in a vulnerable place and easily latched onto the groups teachings.The cult used the technique "love bombing" where Richard was told how pleased they were he had joined them.

However without such "love" a members self-esteem is lowered without it, leading them to feel worthless without it.Richard even began to starve himself for weeks becoming ill in a confused bid to feel closer to God, before being humiliated by the leaders for being “too obsessive”, despite that being their teachings.

At one stage he was dating a long-term member who had been advised to cut off her own mum - and the couple were even assigned ‘accountability partners’ who reported back everything they did whilst together.

They weren’t allowed to ever kiss and were forbidden from ever sleeping in the same building.

Some members were tricked into giving so much money they couldn't afford to pay for food.

One handed over £15,000.It was Richard’s parents who eventually saved him - he moved home and stayed there for weeks.

Despite having a short relapse, attending more sessions, he was eventually shunned by the group after raising concerns and was able to finally escape.

To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject click here.