In a recent development, a court in Samara has sentenced Svetlana Lada-Rus, an exiled cult leader, to an eight-year prison term. Lada-Rus, who was initially trained as a music teacher, first attracted public attention in the 1990s when she established an occult healing center in Samara. The trial that led to her sentencing has brought to light allegations of her organization’s involvement in cult activities and other potential illegal activities.