Paul Geer "The Music Man" was convicted by a federal jury after a two-week-long trial on two counts of coercing and enticing two separate children to travel across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual activity and two counts of transporting the children across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with those children. The jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on two additional counts.
"The evidence at trial proved that, while Geer was a teacher at the Family Foundation School in Hancock, New York, he imposed various disciplinary sanctions on students that were tantamount to torture. The sanctions Geer imposed on students included depriving children of food or forcing children to eat food that had been regurgitated, binding children in rugs and leaving them in isolated rooms for extended periods of time and forcing children to perform forced physical labor. "
Read the full Press Release from the US Attorney's Officer HERE.
3/5/25 News 12 with Erin Lawlor: https://www.wbng.com/2025/03/05/watch-family-foundation-school-alumni-share-their-story-following-arrest-paul-geer/
Listen to "Meet the Music Man" HERE.
Read Liz Ianelli's memoir about The Family School "I See You Survivor" HERE
Watch Jon Martin Crawford testify to Congress about FFS HERE
Read the Catskills Reporter's ongoing series about FFS HERE
Get ready to hear all about the trial once Paul's 2 week period to try and overturn the conviction has passed. Until then please help us protect this case.
THANK YOU to all of you, without whom this would never have been possible. And as always, to all Survivors out there, #ISeeYouSurvivor
Hey stranger danger, remember us?
We’ve been on Blackout for the last few years primarily because the podcast and all you epic humans tuning in from across the Globe have been successful!
I dig that it seems weird to go dark when things are working, but gander a google for “Paul Geer” and you’ll see that the Federal Govt has finally charged the “Music Man” from my personal vortex of hell “the Family Foundation School” for just 3 of his many victims who came forward from his 30 year reign of terror, and yes we all hope that more of his victims will have access to Justice in the future .
For those that arent caught up on this predator, checkout our interview with Liz and Liz titled “Meet The Music Man” from 2020.
We pushed for YEARS for the NY Child Victims Act which opened the statute of limitations for child victims of SA in civil court.
Those cases have finally arrived in Federal Criminal Court in the “USA vs Paul Geer”. Currently, the jury is deliberating so we are keeping our mouths SHUT as we have for the last few years to protect this process.
Troubled remains a free, non monetized podcast by Survivors, for Survivors and the general public. Our goal is still to raise awareness with the goal being Justice and accountability for the past as well as legislation and reform in the present and for the future.
To this day, a quarter million NEW child victims are abducted, trafficked, detained and tortured in coercive behavior modification facilities nationwide.
For the thousands of Survivors from the Family School specifically, we see you survivor. As soon as the verdict is in we will posts updates about the trial and if you would like your voice included please send audio Recordings to our email TheTroubledPodcast@gmail
We’ll use as many clips as possible, but they may be edited for brevity or content.
FFS Survivors who would like to submit a character witness statement for Paul Geers sentencing (which is months up to a year out) we are happy to forward you that email or you can contact the James T Foley Courthouse in Albany (which is also how you would purchase the trial transcript which is 5 cents a page, altho please note that we do plan to host our copy publicly once received).
For ANY Survivor who hopes to be involved in ANY civil or criminal cases in the future, PLEASE PLEASE hear this “anything you say publicly on any podcast, in any article or even on any of your social media platforms CAN absolutely be used as evidence in any court.”
We have a lot to say about how Survivors testimonials were used in Federal Court this time but we and EVERY FFS Survivor (or anyone related to any active case) should seriously stay shhhed until the verdict is announced to avoid jeopardizing our collective access to Justice.
We’ll be seeing you again very very soon, but until then #iseeyousurvivor
Last week, the first volume of the report on the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigation was released. Last year, the first Indigenous Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, created the initiative after the discovery of 215 unmarked graves of Indigenous children by Canada’s Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in May 2021. If YOU are a Survivor of Institutional Child Abuse (w/in the so-called "Troubled Teen Industry": Conversion Therapy, Wilderness Therapy, Bootcamps, Boarding Schools), or one of our allies, it is imperative to support the Indigenous Communities of Turtle Island through this review and reconciliation. Please center, elevate and amplify Indigenous Survivors and Advocates.
READ Indian Country Today's coverage for a summary and follow for more information.
The National Boarding School Healing Coalition is requesting people who attended a boarding school or are a descendent of a boarding school attendee to submit their written testimonies to the House of Natural Resources Committee by May 26. Email submissions to HNRCDocs@mail.house.gov and CC NABS at info@nabshc.org.
The National Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) has put together a suggested outline for written testimony for individuals to follow if needed:
YOU can support the first targets of the US' Historic prevalence of mass, for-profit, legal, child abduction, detention, trafficking and torture schema by sharing this brief update episode and ALL of the links below to help make sure that ALL Survivors of the Residential Schools for the Indigenous are aware of their opportunity to submit testimony. We are disheartened that after centuries of Survivors speaking up, and a year of investigation, the US Government is allowing mere days for Survivors to step forward and share traumas they may have kept locked away for decades. STILL, raise awareness for this update in #everychildmatters and then do the following:
Podcast on this Friday!
Welcome back to Troubled, a podcast by/for Survivors of Institutional Youth Abuse.
THANK YOU for being here for the third season of our Independent self archival project. Two seasons bootlegged together over a cell phone, recorded in an old Prius wasn't too much for you? Well, masochism may pay off here as we embark on our most personal missions yet and play the cards we've held closest throughout the collective crucible of advocacy in a time of Covid.
Super quick 31st birthday catch-up with Amanda Householder, who just filed a lawsuit against her parents, Boyd and Stephanie Householder, owners of Circle of Hope Girls Ranch AND their complicit and culpable cohorts - Agape Boarding School for Boys, Agape Baptist Church and Berean Baptist Church. We won't be getting into the nitty gritty of the details today, out of respect for Amanda, but we HIGHLY recommend you read the Kansas City Star Article "I was born into this." Daughter of Missouri reform school sues parents over abuse" by Judy Thomas and Laura Bauer, two rare gems of journalistic integrity. It is incredibly difficult to find ethical media allies of this caliber and we would just like to thank these women for how they have treated Survivors of Institutional Abuse throughout the last year of consistent coverage in Missouri. We wish they weren't an exception, but we are infinitely grateful they're both committed to exposing this crime against humanity as it plays out in their backyards.
Forgive us our ADHD and self-defense, in this and every episode. We look forward to exploring the specific traumas of ourselves and our peers who were forever altered relationally by peer-on-peer attack therapy, but we'll also briefly address it in this update.
We hope that Survivors will see other Survivors making moves and taking names as invitations or challenges to do so themselves. We hope that you will join us on the frontlines at every fork in the road. We also understand that for a historically invalidated community, and collectively gaslit community, that it can be triggering to see the mic passed to the next advocate. Often we can feel as if we are being spoken for, or over, or disregarded entirely. But every opportunity for a Survivor to speak, is an opportunity for Survivors to be heard. If we believe that we are stronger together, then we cannot continue to allow our community to reenact our trauma. MANY Survivors are neurodiverse, many of us experience RSD (Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria) - especially since it's the most common symptom of ADHD. Even if we don't have RSD dialing up the perception of rejection, we HAVE been abandoned, excluded, silenced, and otherwise pariah-ed to the point where you don't even need 'confirmation bias' to perceive the world as wholly unsafe, as well as the people in it. I dig it. I'm living in this world with you.
PLEASE let us be aware of how we deflect and project ourselves onto the world around us. We cannot move towards an exclusionary policy as we curate our collective movement.
Please join us in advocating for youth rights to liberate all kids in cages, from the border, through foster care, to the ToughLove so-called Troubled Teen Industry.
Until next time, #iseeyousurvivor and THANK YOU to all of our allies
It has officially been one year since the death of 16 year old foster child, Cornelius Frederick.
Look back on Lakeside with Corn's Case Manager, and the Director of Case Management, Meghan Folkerson.
Please join us in reigniting this campaign for justice.
Read National Juvenile Justice Network's Shut Down Sequel: Progress Report HERE: https://www.njjn.org/our-work/shut-down-sequel-progress-report
More Info on our website HERE: https://talktroubled.org/justiceforcornelius/
#justiceforcornelius #shutdownsequel #sayhisname #blacklivesmatter
UHS (owner of Provo Canyon) is currently under a 5 year Federal Observation Probation due to a recent $117 million settlement with the Department of Justice so that, even though they were guilty over everything below, they can continue to extort our tax dollars.
"The government alleged that between January 2006 and December 2018, UHS facilities admitted as patients federal healthcare beneficiaries who were not eligible for inpatient or residential treatment because their conditions did not require that level of care, while also failing to properly discharge appropriately admitted beneficiaries when they no longer required inpatient care. The government further alleged that UHS facilities billed for services not rendered, billed for improper and excessive lengths of stay, failed to provide adequate staffing, training, and/or supervision of staff, and improperly used physical and chemical restraints and seclusion. In addition, UHS facilities allegedly failed to develop and/or update individual assessments and treatment plans for patients, failed to provide adequate discharge planning, and failed to provide required individual and group therapy services in accordance with federal and state regulations." Full Department of Justice Public Statement
Even though we all know exactly who UHS is, they are not only surviving, but thriving.
Currently, UHS has finalized an application to expand in Oregon. Survivors & Supporters Assemble.
The public is invited to submit "comment" to Oregon as they decide whether or not to approve a 50 million dollar UHS expansion (NEWCO). PLEASE organize, activate and amplify to recruit mental health and human rights organizations to submit public opposition to this notoriously abusive and fraudulent company from further causing harm to Oregonians. There's a reason the OHA rejected their previous application, and sure promises of a blood money dump into the local economy is not enough to pay for the silence of those they've harmed. As an individual, if you have personal experience with UHS, please also submit comment. We highly recommend posting a public testimonial on YouTube so that public awareness can reach a critical mass. However you choose to advocate, please remember that in order for your public statement to be officially counted and effective in Oregon, it MUST be submitted via the contact information below.
To the care of Pamela Krecklow PAM.L.KRECKLOW@dhsoha.state.or.us
OHA
800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 465
Portland, OR 97232
We highly recommend checking out CCHR (Citizens Commission on Human Rights) International's public comment HERE for an excellent summary of advocates concerns AND the perfect example of what Oregon needs from organizations opposing.
Our favorite part about the hearing (included in this podcast) is that the "local allies" UHS cites are not only present in the public hearing, but in OPPOSITION. It says a lot when all your supporters (with one exception) are your employees or your paid Goon/Transporter/Kidnapper.
Please rate/write review for Troubled wherever you cast your pods (in particular on itunes) so that other allies can find us.
UHS is a GIANT in the troubled teen industry, it is imperative that they not be allowed to expand their empire.
May the force be with us #nomoresurvivors
TW/CW: Season 2 EP2 was recorded between Jeneen Miller of Pieces of Victory and Miranda Sullivan from Troubled, shortly after they met in Missouri during the November Right to Rights Rally. Mental Health and technical difficulties have kept this long awaited treasure from you, minimal updates to the content are included in the Outro.
Pieces of Victory is a Show on YouTube that features many of our Survivor friends and Heroes. Jeneen's book (which is unfortunately totally true) is also available, and we highly recommend it.
Everything is on the table, getting dished and dissed.
What do "statutes of limitations" for abuse say about our society? How does r*aping little gay boys convert them to heterosexuality?
We discuss Conversion "therapy" Torture in the USA, and Jeneen's good friend, advocate and Survivor, James Swift (aka Fifi Frost). Catch them both on Netflix's Haunted Season 2 EP3 and read James' Memoir "Rusted Rhistestones".
We remember all the Survivors who came before us, who recruited us to the movement they created, and who LITERALLY gave their lives to this and us. Michele Ulriksen was the first Survivor to write about Victory Christian Academy in her book, Reform at Victory: a Survivor's Story. She is also responsible for recruiting her Victory Sister, Jeneen, to the frontlines. This is all for her. This is all for them. And for the children today, so that someday, there will be #nomoresurvivors
RESPECT to our Sh-eros in public office, Senator Sara Gelser of Oregon and Representative Keri Ingle of Missouri. We see you, we hope to vote for your for higher office STAT.
For regular updates on Agape Boarding School or Circle of Hope Girls Ranch as it pertains to the investigation and leaks which would put us 6-feet-under if we didn't run through our allies, SUBSCRIBE to the Kansas City Star and don't miss out on any of the coverage that will contribute to Judy Thomas' upcoming Pulitzer.
It's time to relaunch #justiceforcornelius - hit us up if you're ready. It's been a year, since Cornelius Frederick was murdered on video for throwing a sandwich. It's been a YEAR and neither Lakeside, Sequel, Bain, or the anyone within the "Troubled Teen Industry" have answered for this "collateral commodity hiccup".
#NOJUSTICENOPEACE
Socials @TalkTroubled
www.TalkTroubled.org
Please Rate & Write Review on iTunes
This is the recording of the Senate Hearing on HB557 & HB560, by Rudy Viet & Keri Ingle. Survivors and Supporters converged again in Missouri to stand up for the thousands of children who have been abused in religious residential programs. The House Hearing videos are on our YouTube for those who have yet to see them (the Senate was audio only).
To testify (instructions on socials) register HERE: https://www.senate.mo.gov/senatewitnesssystem/Start.aspx
More info on Circle of Hope, Agape Boys Ranch, Masters Ranch and the rest of the Lester Roloff IFB web visit our page on MO: https://talktroubled.org/right-to-rights-rally-missouri/
Please join us in ending America's predatory prevalence for mass, legal, for profit, child abduction, trafficking, detainment, abuse and sometimes murder. It's been a long road in Missouri, it's up to the Senate know - tune back in for the debates.
#iseeyousurvivor
READ THIS KANSAS CITY STAR UPDATE
Thank you to everyone who attended and/or support the Right to Rights Rally in Stockton Missouri this past weekend. We will be uploading the rally in it's entirety shortly after the video feed is uploaded to the (anti) COH & Agape YouTube Channel.
This episode includes both a BREAKING update on Circle of Hope as well as some BREAKING NEWS on Agape Baptist Boarding School & Ranch for Boys as reported by the Kansas City Star. If you have not yet caught up on the series that Star has been doing regarding multiple Lester Roloff / IFB "Troubled Teen Industry" behavior modification centers, deep dive and catch up. Agape's official response is included in this episode and they're correctly predict that Judy Thomas and the Kansas City Star are the next in line to join the lineage of investigative journalists who have secured Pulitzers for their part in exposing and closing abusive programs. How did the parents of the Agape boys not hear that as a cause for concern?
Agape misquoted an ex-staff and Pastor, James Clidence, who will correct the attempt to discredit him himself in this episode. Head over to Preacher Boys Podcast for an upcoming full episode between the Good Pastor and Eric.
Agape also attempted to bully trigger the "bitter boys" on the frontlines, forgetting that they're now men. Men who recognize plebian manipulations and refuse to be triggered by petty Troglodytes. Those men will respond for themselves. We are humbled to be a conduit and platform to project the voices of our brave Brothers who walk in the confidence that their Truth will not only serve the Self, but set multitudes of "others" free as we march forward.
Also, just to tickle a few twinging taints, we've included a two minute moment from Agape's Live Feed last night (11/18/20). While many of us who were raised, reared, trained and trampled by "Toughlove" may not be personally concerned about the lack of basic resources the Othello boys were afforded in this clip - keep in mind that Agape is now federally authorized to receive alien children. So, pretty sure there are standards of care for youth under Federal care. How do ya'll feel about your tax dollars being used to detain these kids in an unlicensed, unregulated, unaccredited Baptist reform ranch that has decades of abuse charges and only relocated to Stockton in order to flee criminal charges in California in the first place.
Who really cares about the boys? #iseeyousurvivor
Who cares about Rachael Kellso? A woman in her 30s, adopted from the Philipinnes, until her adopted parents abdicated responsibility by paying for the abuse of the 7 siblings in Agape, COH and other Agape spawned programs until they aged out. However, Rachael was legally committed into the custody of Boyd Househoulder and spent over 13 years at COH until she was "removed so that we couldn't use her against them". Now she is missing and even her biological sister and her attorneys cannot find her. Won't anyone ask #whereisrachaelkellso??
More on our website www.talktroubled.org
#freeouryouth
Trigger Warning: per usual, this episode will include descriptions of violence against children and delve heavily into the systemically racist foundation of United States fostercare
This is (hands down) our favorite episode and we could not be more thrilled to release it from the vault it's been waiting in since July. We are soo grateful to Erin McGuinness for her invaluable education.
Children's Rights began as a project of the New York Civil Liberties Union and, later, the American Civil Liberties Union, and in 1995 became an independent nonprofit organization. We have won landmark legal victories in Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Washington, DC and Wisconsin and engaged in advocacy efforts that are changing the way child welfare is practiced in the United States. Children’s Rights is proving that failing child welfare systems not only can be fixed, but can be made to run well.
Did you know that 53% of "black families" will be targeted and traumatized by a CPS intervention? We didn't either. It's time to face this Shadow and self educate.
And if you happen to notice where we edited content out, please understand that we candidly discussed open legal cases and this is why we waited to release this episode - we just couldn't wait anymore. Our allies with Children's Rights will update us on the content we have to shh until then.
So for those of you wondering what rights children have in the United States, join us.
Fall Benefit next week virtually: https://hopin.to/events/children-s-right-virtual-fall-benefit
https://www.childrensrights.org/
Twitter @ChildrensRights
#justiceforcornelius