The Cult Queen of Canada from Uncover

A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against an overbearing state. So who is Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael really – a folk hero, a crook, a righteous rebel, a selfish conman? Today we bring you Part One of “Catching The Codfather” from GBH News. The whole series is out now; find it wherever you listen or visit https://www.wgbh.org/podcasts/thecodfather for more information.

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.