The group says it offers self-development, but people who have left say it's taken over their lives.

該組織說它提供自我發展的機會，但離開的人卻說它佔據了他們的生活。

They say they've been encouraged to hand over tens of thousands of dollars, separate from their family, and have suffered extreme harassment.

他們說，他們被慫恿交出數萬美元，與家人分離，並遭受了極端的騷擾。

One charity which helps break people free from abusive groups says it receives more calls about the organisation than any other in the UK.

一個幫助人們擺脫虐待團體的慈善機構稱，它接到的有關該組織的電話比英國任何其他機構都多。

Katrin Nye has been working on the investigation. It's been 18 months since Geoffrey Lee-Jones left Lighthouse International Group, a life-coaching company accused of being a cult.

卡特琳-奈一直致力於調查工作。傑弗裡-李-瓊斯（Geoffrey Lee-Jones）離開燈塔國際集團（Lighthouse International Group）已經有 18 個月了。

The 34-year-old sailor from Portsmouth initially got involved with the organisation for business mentoring, but soon he was on the phone to his mentor at all hours of the day. "I thoroughly enjoyed the conversations you and I had.

這位來自朴茨茅斯的 34 歲水手最初是為了業務指導而加入該組織的，但很快他就不分晝夜地與他的導師通電話。"我非常享受我們之間的談話。

At first, I was motivated, I was inspired, and I started working hard.

起初，我受到激勵和鼓舞，開始努力工作。

These calls then became more frequent, longer, more intense, more about deeper parts of your life.

隨後，這些電話變得更頻繁、更長、更密集，也更多地涉及你生活中更深層次的部分。

In time, I began to share traumatic things, things I found deeply painful." Geoff was encouraged to become part of Lighthouse full-time.

久而久之，我開始分享一些創傷性的事情，一些讓我深感痛苦的事情。傑弗在鼓勵下成為燈塔的全職成員。

That meant being on group phone calls every day, often led by Paul Waugh, their charismatic leader. "Many people who don't know me very well think I'm a mystic because I'm able to sort of feel things that no one else can." All these calls were recorded, then painstakingly transcribed.

這意味著每天都要接聽小組電話，通常是由他們富有魅力的上司保羅-沃夫（Paul Waugh）帶領。"很多不瞭解我的人認為我是個神祕主義者 因為我能感受到別人無法感受到的東西"所有這些電話都被錄了音，然後被認真地轉錄下來。

They began to take over Geoff's life.

它們開始佔據傑弗的生活。

They got longer and longer as we went.

我們越走它們越長。

So within six months, they're five to six hours." "And that's every day?" "Every day." "So, I would listen in at times.

所以在六個月內，他們要花五到六個小時。""那是每天嗎？""每天""所以，我有時會偷聽

The topics were getting more sinister.

話題越來越陰險。

Narcissists, you know, toxic parents.

自戀狂，你知道的，有毒的父母。

And then that's when I started worrying because I thought, he's literally being brainwashed all day, every day." People who have been part of Lighthouse have become isolated from family.

然後我就開始擔心了，因為我覺得他每天都在被洗腦。加入燈塔組織的人已經與家人隔絕。

Some move into shared houses.

有些人搬進了合租房。

And there's a financial cost, too.

這也是一種經濟成本。

In total, Geoff paid £131,000 to the organisation.

傑夫總共向該組織支付了 13.1 萬英鎊。

He sold his house to fund some of it.

他賣掉了自己的房子，以籌集部分資金。

Lighthouse says that any money paid is a self-investment.

萊皓思表示，支付的任何資金都是自我投資。

Erin, another former mentee, paid over £35,000. "I took out an interest-free credit card.

另一名前學員艾琳支付了 35000 多英鎊。"我辦了一張免息信用卡。

And the idea came from my mentor.

這個想法來自我的導師。

I started to feel as though I couldn't think anything unless my mentor said that it's a healthy thing to think." When people start to ask questions, things can turn nasty. "I'm telling you now, you've got to stop doing it.

我開始覺得，除非我的導師說思考是一件健康的事情，否則我什麼都不能想"。當人們開始提問時，事情就會變得很糟糕。"我現在告訴你，你必須停止這樣做。

It's not acceptable, OK?

這是不可接受的，好嗎？

Treating us as if we're trying to do you over.

把我們當做是要把你幹掉的人。

It's a cynical little old witch." Lighthouse does not like criticism.

這是一個玩世不恭的小老巫婆。"燈塔不喜歡責備。

People who have spoken out have been reported to the police.

發表意見的人已被報告給警方。

Lighthouse even contacted the employer of another critic to tell them she was unfit to do her job. "I consider Lighthouse a very classic example of a cult.

燈塔甚至聯繫了另一位評論家的僱主，告訴他們她不適合做這份工作。"我認為燈塔是一個非常典型的邪教例子。

Firstly, cults are started and led by a charismatic and authoritarian leader.

首先，邪教是由一個有魅力的專制領袖發起和上司的。

But they're also bullies.

但他們也是惡霸。

The structure is steeply hierarchical, but it's heavily isolating.

這種結構等級森嚴，但卻具有嚴重的隔離性。

Then you have this process of what I call brainwashing, or we could also call coercive control.

然後就是我所說的洗腦過程，或者我們也可以稱之為強制控制。

If you do this to people, you can then exploit them." Martin's daughter Mel is still part of Lighthouse.

如果你對人們這樣做，你就可以剝削他們。馬丁的女兒梅爾仍然是燈塔的一員。

She no longer talks to her family. "One feels so powerless.

她不再和家人說話。"一個人感到非常無力。

You feel, what can I do?

你覺得，我能做什麼？

What's it like having a child in Lighthouse?

有一個孩子在燈塔生活是什麼感覺？

It's as if my daughter's died because she's not my daughter that I know is not there anymore.

就好像我的女兒死了，因為她不再是我的女兒，我知道她已經不在了。

I'm sorry." One week ago, Lighthouse International Group was shut down as a business by a court over a lack of financial transparency.

對不起"。一週前，燈塔國際集團因缺乏財務透明度而被法院查封。

We put our allegations to their leader. "How do you feel, Paul, about the fact that so many people think you're running a cult?

我們向他們的領袖提出了指控"保羅，你對這麼多人認為你在經營邪教一事有何感想？

We're not running a cult because they don't know what a cult is.

我們不是在搞邪教，因為他們不知道什麼是邪教。

If you asked them what's the difference between a cult and a community that supports people, they wouldn't be able to tell you.

如果你問他們，邪教和支持人的社區有什麼區別，他們也說不清楚。

Why do you think so many people say it?

你覺得為什麼這麼多人都這麼說？

Because they're slurring us, they're smearing us.

因為他們在汙衊我們，抹黑我們。

That's exactly what they do.

他們正是這樣做的。

Are you going to carry on?

你還要繼續嗎？

Yes, we are carrying on.

是的，我們正在繼續。

Thank you.

謝謝。

We've had enough.

我們受夠了

No comment." Katrin Nye, BBC News.

無可奉告"。卡特琳-奈，BBC 新聞。