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Twisted Yoga just exposed the shocking dark secrets hiding behind a global yoga cult. The three-part documentary premiered on Apple TV March 13, 2026, revealing how young women seeking enlightenment fell under the control of a reclusive Romanian guru accused of sex trafficking and rape. What happens when spiritual practice becomes psychological manipulation.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Premiere Date: March 13, 2026 on Apple TV with 7-day free trial
- Series Length: 3-part docuseries directed by Rowan Deacon, award-winning filmmaker
- The Guru: Gregorian Bivolaru, Romanian spiritual leader, faces charges of human trafficking, kidnapping, and rape
- Platform: Apple TV subscription service, $12.99 per month; streaming globally
From Wellness Quest to Cult Nightmare
Twisted Yoga follows young yoga students from around the world searching for inner peace and spiritual purpose. They attend legitimate-seeming yoga studios specializing in tantric rituals, practicing meditation and breathwork. What begins as genuine self-improvement slowly transforms into something sinister. Gregorian Bivolaru, the charismatic founder of the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA), summoned select female students to his Paris apartment for secret initiations.
The victims describe a methodical psychology of indoctrination. Each step pulled them deeper. They surrendered their egos, IDs, and sim cards. They were taken to secret locations. They were groomed for rituals they believed were spiritual but were actually forms of sexual exploitation.
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Ashleigh Freckleton, a former Bachelor Australia contestant, became one of the documentary’s most compelling subjects. She joined Tara Yoga Centre in London in 2018, seeking direction after a romantic breakup. Freckleton describes the calm and healing she felt practicing yoga at first. The school taught her about channeling telluric energy flowing from the earth through her body.
But the school had a darker purpose. Freckleton was gradually lured into increasingly intense commitments. Eventually, she was transported to a secret house in Paris, groomed for a transfiguration ritual with Bivolaru himself. Unlike many survivors, Freckleton had a happy childhood and normal support system. Her story reveals that anyone can fall victim to cult manipulation.
The Psychology of Consent and Power
| Element | How It Was Weaponized |
| Spiritual Surrender | Teaching victims to surrender ego, making them compliant |
| Ancient Yoga Practices | Using genuine benefits to mask exploitation and abuse |
| Tantric Rituals | Framed as enlightenment but actually sexual coercion |
| Terminology | Using spiritual language instead of rape, trafficking, coercion |
Director Rowan Deacon deliberately avoided true crime sensationalism. Instead, she and executive producer Suzanne Lavery crafted a psychological exploration of power and belief. The series examines how victims used spiritual terminology rather than legal language. What was actually rape, they called a transfiguration ritual. What was trafficking, they called initiation.
Producer Lavery explained the crucial shift: “If you take away that terminology, and then you’re looking at it from a legal perspective… it’s challenging the belief system they had built up. It takes a long time to disentangle the narratives you’ve told yourself or been told.”
“The power of belief is no less effective than other forms of more structural power.” The victims weren’t trapped by financial control or age. They were trapped by ideology, dogma, and psychological manipulation. A happy, healthy person could still fall victim.
— Rowan Deacon, Director of Twisted Yoga
Why It Took So Long for Justice
Bivolaru’s network operated globally for over 20 years. He operated schools in London, Paris, and cities worldwide, attracting thousands of devoted followers. Bivolaru was wanted by Interpol since 2016 for sexual exploitation charges in Romania. Yet he continued teaching, summoning women to his Paris apartment, facing no consequences until November 2023. French authorities finally arrested him during a massive police operation.
He now faces organized kidnapping, organized abuse of weakness, human trafficking, and rape charges. Bivolaru denies all allegations. He awaits trial in France. The documentary chronicles how dozens of women gathered courage to speak out, collaborating with French detectives to build an international case against him. Their silence turned to testimony.
Is Twisted Yoga Available to Stream Right Now?
Yes, all three episodes are now streaming on Apple TV as of March 13, 2026. The series is available globally on Apple TV with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. After that, Apple TV costs $12.99 per month. The documentary can be watched on iPhones, iPads, Apple TV 4K, Mac, Samsung Smart TVs, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and other supported devices. This is an Apple Original production with exclusive streaming rights. Will you watch the documentary that reveals how a seemingly peaceful yoga practice became a nightmare?
Watch the Official Trailer
Sources
- The Guardian – Exclusive feature coverage on how enlightenment turned into a dangerous cult
- Apple TV Press – Official announcement and production details about Twisted Yoga
- Variety – Director Rowan Deacon interview on sexuality and spiritual exploitation
