Say Hi To The “Transgender-Vegan-Anti-Artificial Intelligence-Murder-Death-Suicide Cult”
With friends like this…
Your Name Is Ziz?
The police have arrested three people from a group called the Zizians. The Zizians are a small group of people from California. They are described as a transgender-vegan-anti-artificial intelligence-murder-death-suicide cult. The leader, Jack "Ziz" Lasota, and two others, Michelle Zajko (a Russian last name) and Daniel Blank, were arrested in Maryland. They may be connected to crimes in different states, including California and Pennsylvania.
If you saw this in the mountains, how would you describe it to your family and friends?
Their Crimes
The police believe that members of the group were involved in several murders. To be involved means to be a part of something. One of the crimes is the killing of a U.S. Border Patrol agent. Another is the death of Zajko’s parents in Pennsylvania. Both her parents were shot in the head. Investigators think the group lived together and followed their leader’s ideas, which included unusual beliefs about the brain. They would sleep with one eye open thinking one side of the brain would sleep while the other was awake.
They knew that stealing their mother’s car was wrong. But, to them, they didn’t want to be involved in the bigger crime of missing the “End of Year Sale” at Euphoria!
Fifty Seven? Wasn’t One Enough?!
Jack Lasota is the leader of the Zizians. Lasota used to work in technology and believes in strange ideas about thinking and the brain. Some people say Lasota’s group is a cult. In 2022, Lasota faked his own death and pretended to be dead but was later found alive. To pretend means to act in a false way so you can trick people. Police say Lasota has encouraged others to commit crimes against themselves and others. For example, one of them, Michelle Youngblut and others attacked their landlord and stabbed him 57 times. He lived. He shot and killed one of them and walked to his neighbors house. When he arrived he had one eye hanging out of his head and a sword in his back. After time, he healed and returned to a normal life. Later, another member of the cult returned and cut the landlord’s throat so he couldn’t be a witness in court.
Although they were in their 70’s the two brothers still liked to pretend that they were superheroes.
What Does Neo Have To Do With This?
The Zizians have very different beliefs. Two out of the original six or seven members of the group committed suicide. They practice veganism and follow strict rules. They also believe in unusual brain theories. Some members of the group think they can change reality, like in the movie the Matrix. Many members use different names, making it hard for the police to track them.
This mansion is unusual but many of us would like to live here - or at least visit.
How Many States?
Now, the police are working on many cases. Lasota and others are in jail and will have trials. The police are still trying to understand all the crimes. People who knew the Zizians are worried about their ideas and actions. More details may come out in the future. Here, the word detail means all the pieces of information and facts. So far, they are charged with six murders: in 2022, two in Pensilvania, in 2025, two in Vermont and also in 2025, 2 in California.
Sally only wanted the short version of the story, but Alice gave her all the details for three hours.
Bonus: Today’s Idiom
For my more advanced readers, have you ever heard anything like this? I never have. When I read the headlines about the transgender-vegan-anti-artificial intelligence-murder-death-suicide cult, I knew I had to share it with my people. Let’s talk about this in the comments below. They were all women except for one man. Many people would not expect this level of violence from a group of ladies. If you were around them you need to “keep an eye on” them - for sure.
The idiom, “keep an eye on” is more advanced English. It means to watch something carefully and pay attention to it.
Please take the quiz for this story here: https://newyorkenglish.net/blog-3-1