Bentinho Massaro (Trinfinity Academy)
Online 'enlightenment teacher' running Trinfinity Academy and various retreats. After follower Brent Wilkins' 2017 suicide and a major Be Scofield exposé, multiple wellness-press and academic critiques have characterised the operation as a high-control online cult.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — online 'enlightenment teacher' with documented suicide of a follower; pattern resembles parasocial NRM.
Profile facts
In context
Bentinho Massaro built a YouTube and Instagram following teaching enlightenment, manifestation, and 'Bentinho's truth'. After his follower Brent Wilkins' suicide in 2017 and Be Scofield's investigation, multiple ex-followers have publicly critiqued his teaching style — particularly his personal claim of enlightenment, dismissive treatment of those who leave, and the pressure to attend expensive retreats in Sedona and Costa Rica.
Key control doctrines
- Massaro as enlightened being
- Manifestation and 'truth' framework
- Dismissal of mental-health concerns
Recovery resources
- Be Scofield investigative archive — Long-running investigative journalism resource on parasocial-guru / online-coaching communities; substantial Bentinho Massaro coverage.
- A Little Bit Culty (podcast and community) — Ex-coaching-cult survivor community; covers parasocial-guru cases.
- Reclamation Collective — Religious-trauma-aware therapist network.
- ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) — General referral and cult-aware therapist directory.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation; BITE-model resources.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Notable public ex-members
- Multiple ex-followers in Scofield reporting
Legal cases & controversies
- Brent Wilkins' family commentary; no formal litigation
This profile is in progress — history, deeper BITE evidence and survivor voices are still being added. Contributions welcome via GitHub.
Timeline
- 2010+Massaro grows YouTube following
- 2016Trinfinity Academy launched
- 2017Brent Wilkins suicide; Be Scofield exposé
Sources
- Be Scofield, 'The Cult of Bentinho Massaro' (2017, The Daily Beast) search ↗
- Wired magazine coverage search ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗ runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-29Phase 1 Batch H: per-group recovery resources curated. 5 verified entries — Be Scofield archive, A Little Bit Culty, Reclamation Collective, ICSA, Freedom of Mind. Resource set tailored to parasocial-guru case.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
- Start herePick the reading path that matches your situation.
- PatternsDocumented control patterns with linked profiles.
- Financial controlCommon pattern in wellness, MLM, and coaching contexts.
- Online groupsMany wellness and coaching groups operate online-first.
- FamiliesHow families and close friends can engage with high-control members.
- RecoveryIf you have left or are preparing to leave.
You may also want to explore
Found something wrong on this profile?
We accept correction requests from anyone — current and former members, researchers, journalists, family members, and the listed organisation. Submissions are reviewed by an editor; we do not auto-publish.