How a vegan cult leader became centre of murder investigations in US

In the tech-savvy Bay Area of California, home to some of the world’s sharpest minds, a fringe group called the 'Zizians' has emerged as a chilling cautionary tale. Led by Jack Amadeus “Ziz” LaSota, 34, a self-styled philosopher and militant vegan, the cult has been linked to multiple murders across the US.

 

What started as an offbeat intellectual journey within the rationalist community—a movement known for debating artificial intelligence, ethics, and decision-making—has spiralled into something sinister. LaSota’s extremist ideas and call for violent action against meat-eaters have left the US reeling.

 

A rationalist-turned-radical leader

 

LaSota, who identifies as a woman, was a promising computer scientist before being drawn to the rationalist movement, which focuses on applying logic and reasoning to solve global problems. The movement has its roots in institutions like Berkeley’s Center for Applied Rationality (CFAR) and the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), both of which have been instrumental in AI safety research.

 

 

Described as "brilliant yet unconventional," LaSota stood out even in a community known for embracing eccentricity. LaSota dressed in all black, adopted the name “Ziz” from a comic-book villain, and promoted extreme veganism, including the belief that meat-eaters should face “Nuremberg trials.” 

 

LaSota's stance unsettled many within the community. "Ziz clearly had a lot of unique and extreme ideas before encountering the rationalist community," said Zvi Mowshowitz, a board member of CFAR, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. By 2019, the rationalist community formally distanced itself from LaSota, with CFAR banning her from events.

 

However, LaSota continued building a cult. The Zizians took shape—comprising young, intelligent individuals who shared her radical views.

 

A trail of violence

 

US authorities suspect that the Zizians have played a role in at least six murders across different states, including a US Border Patrol agent shot dead in Vermont in January 2024.

 

The group's influence extended to individuals like Daniel Blank, a 26-year-old computer scientist who cut ties with his family after joining the Zizians. His father, Alexander Blank, believes his son was “programmed by the cult.”

 

LaSota herself faked her own death in 2022, with an obituary claiming she had drowned in San Francisco Bay. However, months later, she was spotted at a crime scene, proving she had orchestrated her disappearance.

 

The saga reached a dramatic climax when LaSota and two associates were arrested in Maryland in February 2024. They were found trespassing on private land, armed and dressed in black. Facing charges of trespassing, obstruction, and illegal possession of firearms, LaSota maintains her innocence, even complaining in court that the jail was not providing vegan meals.

 

The rationalist dilemma

 

The rationalist community now grapples with the unsettling reality that a faction born from within has veered into violent extremism. Discussions abound on forums like LessWrong, where members analyze how an openness to unconventional ideas may have inadvertently fostered a breeding ground for radicalization. 

 

"This openness to strange ideas and unconventional lifestyles has allowed for many smart people to build innovative and inspiring communities that couldn’t exist elsewhere," The Wall Street Journal quoted Ben Pace, co-founder of the current iteration of the LessWrong forum, as saying. However, Pave also acknowledged the potential for such environments to harbour harmful subgroups. 

 

While LaSota has not yet been charged with murder, investigators are piecing together her links to the killings, and further charges could follow. The US legal system will now decide whether LaSota was simply an extreme ideologue or a mastermind behind a series of brutal crimes.