In the rural prairie town of Richmound, Saskatchewan, an abandoned school became the unlikely stage for a 21st-century crisis. When Romana Didulo, a cult leader who calls herself “Queen of Canada,” arrived with her followers and turned the school into her royal court, the town was thrust into a surreal standoff.

In this episode of Crime Story, investigative journalist Rachel Browne sits down with Crime Story host, Kathleen Goldhar to uncover how online extremism bled into everyday life and divided the town. 

You can listen to more incredible tales of true crime every week on Crime Story. Find more Crime Story episodes in your favourite podcast app, or here: https://link.mgln.ai/CSxCQOC

A shocking RCMP raid on the Kingdom of Canada's Richmound school brings the years-long standoff to a dramatic climax. Arrests, legal maneuvering, and a final eviction decide the fate of Queen Romana and her followers.

It's Election Day in Richmound. The town votes for a new mayor in a desperate battle to heal the divide caused by Queen Romana's cult. Amidst the high-stakes political maneuvering, the cult's true danger is revealed through one vulnerable family.

Clowns burn a flag, the Mayor plugs a sewer, and Richmound turns on itself. The conflict moves to the ballot box when a local gives cult members voting rights via a property deed, setting the stage for a dramatic mayoral election that could see the town taken over.

An unexpected victory quickly unravels when a hidden network of cult supporters in Richmound is exposed. Violent conflict erupts between neighbors, revealing a dark side to the divided community as the battle for the town escalates.

Rachel Browne explores the true identity of "Queen Romana," a serial hustler and QAnon influencer who mobilized her "digital soldiers" with "Royal Decrees." We track her chaotic cross-country "Royal Tour" and find out why it ended in Richmound.

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The prairie town of Richmound is shattered when "Queen of Canada" Romana Didulo and her cult occupy the local school. As the mayor struggles, locals organize a tense protest against the cult's intimidation and death threats, revealing deep divisions in the community.

Hear all episodes of The Cult Queen of Canada now on CBC True Crime on YouTube, or hear all eps now, ad-free, on CBC True Crime Premium on Apple Podcasts.

Coming February 23. A tiny Saskatchewan town faces a surreal crisis when a cult leader calling herself “The Queen of Canada” occupies an abandoned school. As neighbours turn on each other, a retired teacher leads resistance in a story about what happens when online extremism spills into the real world. Hosted by Rachel Browne.

Hear episodes early and ad-free by subscribing to CBC True Crime Premium on Apple Podcasts.

Former Smallville star Allison Mack is headed to court to be sentenced for her role in NXIVM, the sex cult that lured successful women with promises of personal growth—only to enslave, blackmail, and brand them. When the judge hands down his sentence—three years in federal prison—Allison must begin to unravel the beliefs she once evangelized, parsing what was true and what was manipulation. Journalist Natalie Robehmed sits down with her to explore how she got here: from child actor to TV star to a pivotal moment in Albany that changed everything.

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After Smallville ends, Allison Mack leaves behind her life in Brooklyn to move full-time to Albany, where she immerses herself in Keith Raniere’s teachings. But when a fellow NXIVM member urges her to consult Keith about her deepest insecurities, boundaries in their relationship begin to blur. Soon, Allison is invited to join a secretive women’s group within NXIVM—one that promises empowerment but demands submission.

Allison Mack gives a disturbing order to her first slave—and in doing so, crosses a new line. As her devotion to Keith deepens, her daily life begins to mirror his control: 500 calories a day, cold showers, obsessive self-surveillance. But it’s not just her own body she polices—it’s others’ too. As DOS grows, and brandings multiply, concerned family members start stepping in, and rumours spread.

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