Unseen - The Disturbing Alien Pyramid Cult of Georgia | The Case of Niki Lopez & The Nuwaubian Nation | UNSEEN

Episode Date: October 27, 2025

“There’s a pyramid in the cow pasture” - In 1986, Niki Lopez lives with her family at 717 Bushwick Avenue, home to a secretive group called the Nuwaubian Nation in the heart of Brooklyn–alarmingly, in 1993, the whole community vanishes without a trace. Nearly ten years later, on May 8th, 2002, over 200 federal agents prepare to storm a seemingly “ancient Egyptian” compound in rural Putnam County, Georgia. Inside, nearly 200 families live under the control of Nuwaubian Nation leader, Dwight “Malachi” York. In order to get justice for all the victims before it’s too late, it’s up to Niki to escape, confront her past, and expose the truth behind one of the darkest cases in American history. Niki founded her organization “What’s Your Elephant”, which aims to empower individuals from all walks of life to use the arts to tell their stories: https://whatsyourelephant.org/ - Written, directed & edited by Matthew Rice Researched by Bianca Yzabelle Tan Voiceover by William Akana Produced by Alexandra Salois & Salim Sader - Sources The Nuwaubian Nation, How I Escaped My Cult: Freeform, 2025 United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors, People Magazine Investigates: Cults: MMXVIII Discovery Communications LLC, 2018 Nuwaubian Nation, FOX5 Eyewitness News, 1998 Waco: The Inside Story, Frontline PBS, 2018 Mysteries Behind Closed Doors: The Dr. Malachi Z. York Case (The Untold Story), ImperialSevens, 2012 Open House visits to the Nuwaubian compound Tama-Re, Jay Humphrey, 2024 Getty Images Instagram, Niki Lopez The Waco Massacre: 30 Years On | DARK SIDE OF THE 90'S, VICE TV, 2023 Local Artist Shares Her “Elephant” to Help Empower Women, NBC 6 South Florida, 2019 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Say, wave in the camera. What's your name? Pay attention to these children. They are just two of hundreds of kids who were reported missing by their parents between 1993 and 2001. This footage shows where the kids were found, a 400-acre compound isolated in a rural part of the state of Georgia, where normally no outsider is allowed entrance.

The footage shows massive pyramids, a towering sphinx, and strange monuments. Inside, everyone appears happy, waving at the can. But behind the smiles, these people are hiding a disturbing secret. When the local sheriffs investigated the missing children, they were met at the gate by armed men. While what really went on inside the compound remained a secret for decades, doctors in Georgia started noticing an alarming pattern, multiple hospitals admitting dozens of children from the compound, as young as 11 years old, who were pregnant. The FBI quickly got involved, planning a raid on the compound to save the hundreds of children living behind the gates. But the FBI was afraid of having a repeat of the attack in Waco, Texas, a cult raid which saw dozens of young children murdered and sparked mass hysteria.

The FBI would have no idea what they were up against until one seven-year-old girl escaped the compound before it was too late. She was the only one who could expose the truth. It's 1977 in New York City. Two-year-old Nikki is living with her mother in a small apartment in Queens, New York, a neighborhood riddled with crime and violence. There was a lot of gangs. There was drugs everywhere. Heavy on crime, heavy on murder, especially on Bushwick Avenue.

Every day, as Nikki's mom leaves her work, she experiences the brutality of the streets of New York. She thinks about little Nikki. This is not the world she wants her to grow up in, but with little money, the single mom doesn't have many options. But one day, everything changes when Nikki's mother is approached by a man in a long white garment. He hands her a book and points at the address printed on the cover.

That night, she becomes filled with curiosity and reads the book cover to cover, finally feeling that her prayers and hopes for a better life are being answered. Immediately, she decides that she will visit the man the next day. As she walks down the street, she proceeds with her usual caution, but as she approaches 717 Bushwick Avenue, she feels the air around her begin to change. Slowly, she hears the faint sound of a choir singing. As she walks in, she sees children laughing, playing, and running around freely in beautiful garments. She comes face to face with an entire community, a community who preaches about their struggle

while lifting each other up. After this first meeting, a new routine starts for the young mother. She begins attending the gatherings regularly, finally finding. finding a place that feels like home. Slowly, the streets of New York feel safer with the help of this new community, and as the years go by, Nikki's mom starts to change. She finally sees a future for her and her kids, one that is hopeful and full of possibilities.

Nikki, now seven years old, starts to become more and more aware of her mother's faith, and for the first time since her mom's discovery, she tags along to a sermon with her. Nikki's mom watches her daughter as she enters, seeing her child carefree and surrounded by such peace and joy brings tears to her eyes. Behind the safe community is one man who made it all happen. It's charismatic preacher, Dr. Dwight Malachi York. He could walk in this room and get along with everybody.

We knew how to bring people together, and that was his personality. The community, known as the Noobian Nation, had its roots in New York City back in the 1960s. At the time, the city was an even more dangerous place to live, especially for African Americans who faced daily discrimination and violence in the years following segregation. Racial tensions were high, and the streets of New York were no less forgiving, muggings, drug deals, and violent crime were a part of everyday life. So for many, the new community offered more than just a spiritual and cultural liberation. It was a safe haven for black residents in New York and across other cities along the East Coast.

For people of African descent, our history, our culture, were literally, savaged my slavery. So who are we? Here come Malachi York and says, oh, I have an answer to that. You are the original man, the Asiatic black man, the Mexico, all the freedom of civilization

and God of the universe. And York says, why can't we have our own communities? They're consciously planned for people of African descent. And if you're not black, you don't belong in this room. All right now.

It's a black fan. York was an accomplished speaker who spent decades building this community. He often spoke about fighting for black Americans and had ties to the Black Panther movement. On the side, he was also a musician, producing his own smooth jazz, funk, and disco records. He was an artist, an activist, and most importantly, the leader of the Noobian nation. His message of self-empowerment and strength only grew stronger into the 80s, and that's when, in 1986, Nikki's family takes a big leap of faith. At just 11 years old, Nikki officially moves into the compound in Bushwick, New York.

Along with her two younger siblings, she's promised a roof over her head, protection, and the assurance of a better, brighter future. It was an exchange from the hard-knocked life of being on the streets to moving into a community that was completely secured and protected by our own people. But with their new lives come new rules, new customs, and ultimately, a completely new way of life. My wardrobe change, how we ate changed. We would study the Quran. We learned Arabic from Arabic teachers. The spiritual leader is particularly fond of Nikki and her siblings and makes sure they're well fed, properly dressed, and kept entertained. He pays them close

attention, greeting them warmly, checking in on their well-being and ensuring they're included in community activities. For Nikki, the attention feels comforting, special. In a way, she's found a new father figure to look up to, someone both protective and powerful. A little after I joined the community, my mom became one of his wives. That meant I was one of his children and I looked up to him. That's my dad. Dr. Malachi Dwight York is the center of the Naubeian Nation. He is revered as their leader and their savior.

He is the provider of safety and hope. By this point, there's over a thousand members and their community center in Bushwick is becoming increasingly crowded. It comes to a point where it's clear to York that they've outgrown the city streets and a new chapter needs to begin. A physical state. With our own passports

and our own tax system, I'm talking about our own nation. But no one tells us what to do but us. Dwight York decides to build a new home for his congregation, and it will be over 900 miles away from New York, in the rural farmlands of Putnam County, Georgia. We're driving cross-country. You see the rural areas that we were in accustomed to seeing.

We pulled onto the property, and it was just open land. It was amazing. The property was out in Putnam County in a very rural area, a little over 400 acres. Isolation was very much a factor. They were coming to Georgia. They were going to form them. their own nation, not subject to the laws of the United States.

Before York starts building in Georgia, he decides to fully overhaul the Nauwabian nation doctrine, drawing from different cultures, religions, and mythologies from around the world to create a new identity for his community. He makes drastic changes to his appearance in his quest, one moment taking on a Western persona, donning cowboy hats and boots. Next, he claims to be an extraterrestrial being called Yannan, and even going a as far as calling himself Chief Black Thunderbird Eagle while wearing a feather headdress. He moves from one identity to the next until he lands on the perfect one that will define the

new Noobian nation. York gathers his followers for a sermon. There, he proclaims the true origin of the Noabians, that they are, in fact, descendants of ancient Egyptians from a different planet. His loyal followers welcome their newfound identity and quickly get to work. They begin building. A massive Sphinx head is erected, towering over the previously abandoned farmland. Artists are hired, murals are painted, and before long, dozens of elaborate structures and several large pyramids begin to take shape. With each new structure, the place transforms into something so bizarre and theatrical,

drawing more and more attention from their neighbors and passers-by. Dwight and his followers name it Tameray, Egypt of the West. If you were coming into Putnam County on Georgia Highway 142, all of a sudden there are pyramids out there in the middle of a cow pasture, it was very unusual. Have you seen their property out there? Oh, I've seen it. What do you think? I think it's kind of strange.

Though the neighbors are confused by the strange new community, the compound isn't disruptive. The ground stay tidy. There's no noise and no trouble. It's strange to look at, yes, but it appears harmless. But the truth is not what it seems, and what's really going on behind these walls is far more disturbing.

Two years after joining the Noobian community, Nikki finally feels settled in her new home. But then, one day, one of York's wives finds Nikki alone on the grounds. She calls her over urgently, leading her to a private room, and that's when the woman tells the young teenager something she never expected.

One of the wives, she had a conversation with me and said, York would be the person that would teach me about sex and she would help me and talk to me because, you know, these are things that you want to know as a growing woman. In a state of shock, Nikki doesn't know what to do or how to feel. She just listens. Maybe this is normal.

And every other young girl in the community gets the same talk from Dwight York as part of his teachings. After all, he is the respected leader, the prophet. One of the things that he told us is the person who takes your virginity, that's the person that you're always going to be connected to and loyal to. That's when the 45-year-old York comes in and locks the door behind him, leaving him and Nikki alone in the room. The young teenager looks at the man she calls her father.

Something feels wrong. Suddenly, a strong sense of fear washes over her. In that moment, the trust she once had in him shatters. And he was just like, it's not a big deal. Why are you making this a big deal? It wasn't something that I wanted to do, and he just kind of held me down and just did it. I was miserable. I used to write him many letters saying that I hated my life, and I wish I wasn't born,

but there's nothing I could do about it. This is someone who, for all of my life, was our leader, our master teacher. So when you have that ingrained in you, You don't want to leave. The world she thought she understood, the people she thought she could rely on, all feels different now. Everything has changed, and there's no going back. Nikki stays quiet, trapped by the rules, and by the eyes constantly surveying her,

making sure she stays loyal and doesn't disrespect the leader by going against his teachings. With no one to turn to, not even her own mother, it feels like there's nowhere else to go. It completely starts out with gaining their children. trust. Your parent is telling you that this is God and this is our Savior. So they believed they were supposed to do whatever they needed to do to please him. Nikki lives in fear, harboring a secret that she tells no one. Everyone in the community acts normally, praising Dwight York, worshiping their leader, not knowing the darkness this man possesses. But as a teenager grows up, something inside her tells her that she's not alone.

I started seeing the patterns of certain things. It started to remind me of how miserable I was when things started happening to me. York's power has only grown, unchallenged and out of sight. A part of Nikki knows she needs to escape to save herself and the other children, but the fear of leaving behind everything she knows, everything she has ever had, is strong. Having been herself a victim of Dwight York is one thing, but seeing the same thing happening to younger children is another. In spite of years of manipulation and grooming,

Nikki can still see how wrong everything is. Over time, she realizes that she needs to escape, not just for her sake, but for all the other girls who need to be protected. Being in a space that's supposed to be holy and pure and protected and happy, but we're miserable. Times keep getting worse and worse. and I was scared to leave because I'm not going to be protected.

I don't know anything on the outside. But some parts of me was like, I'm willing to go to the unknown. However, her mother doesn't see it that way. For her, the community is what saved her and her kids from the dangers of the world. So when Nikki gathers up the courage to confess her plan, her mom's reaction takes her by surprise. The side she has chosen is not her daughters. and that's when a campaign of intimidation and pressure begins, led mainly by York, but also by her own mother.

Despite the heartache, Nikki tries to stay strong, with no family on the outside to help her. She tracks down a former cult member, now living in Atlanta, who offers her a place to stay while she reaches safety. Meanwhile, York is furious to see one of his daughters trying to leave him. The betrayal is huge, and his pride is on the line. Nikki, by openly rejecting him,

has cornered him. That's when York takes an unprecedented decision. In an attempt to save face, Nikki is not leaving him. He is the one kicking her out. The day I left, I was scared and numb and feel like this is it. If I'm going to die, then at least I made that one thing that, that choice of my own, because I didn't have any choices. I had to do what I was told the whole time. Her mission is clear, exposed a disturbing truth about York's cult, and saved the children still trapped at the compound before it's too late. But unbeknownst to her, the FBI is already on it. For years, the FBI has been quietly building a case against the cult leader,

ever since they started receiving the most unusual phone calls from across the country, calls from parents who all had missing children. We would get calls from a mother or a father. My daughter's down there in a cult. I can't get in touch with her. I don't know what's happened. Can you try to find out for me? But I would go there.

There was always an armed guard at the gate. You know, they wouldn't let you on the property. At that time, I didn't know what was going on. Then, doctors from the surrounding area started sounding the alarm. They were uncovering a horrific pattern. girls, as young as 11 years old, were showing up at hospitals, pregnant. As they traced their locations, they all came from one place, the Nuwabian compound. While agents continue their investigation into York,

there's growing concern about the potential violence and innocent lives that could be lost if the FBI confronts the community leader directly at the compound. We had received information over the years that he had a stockpile of weapons. we were concerned about a shootout. York becomes increasingly aggressive and reckless, appointing armed guards to guard the gate, while the locals of Putnam County become even more wary of their strange neighbors

as things escalate. When I went by there one morning, they're marching around with guns, and I just don't think that's the thing to have. When you're met with armed individuals who claim that they're not subject to your laws, armed conflict is usually instantaneous. We're going after the leader of a cult.

How are we going to do this? How do you infiltrate a cult? It's clear that something sinister is happening at the compound, but with no witnesses willing to talk about it, authorities are left in a tough spot. Both the FBI and law enforcement in Georgia don't want to have a repeat of Waco. We have what appears to be a fire going on right now,

raging at the Branch-Divian compound. In 1993, in Waco, Texas, Just one year before the investigation on the Noabian nation leader Dwight York began, a 51-day standoff between the FBI and a religious group called the Branch Davidians ended in a deadly fire, resulting in 76 deaths, including 25 children. What began as an attempt to serve a search and arrest warrant escalated into one of the most tragic events in U.S. history. The aftermath sparked outrage in the media, with witnesses and survivors criticizing the government's handling of the situation.

Now faced with the same fear, authorities are deeply concerned about how to handle their investigation on York. For nearly a decade, they did everything to build a strong case against the leader, but what they really needed was a real victim statement, someone on the inside who knew what was going on to expose the truth. And that's when Nikki, the girl who had just escaped, decides to come forward. He took advantage of our work, our bodies, our minds. he had us fooled. He doesn't get to have the last say in that.

Finally, with the survivor on the record, authorities have enough evidence to make their move. On the morning of May 8, 2002, Sheriff Sills and an army of over 200 deputies, U.S. marshals, and FBI tactical agents get ready to bring in Dwight York. The difficult part is that they need to prevent York from rallying his followers to violently resist the police

upon entry. If this goes wrong, it could quickly turn deadly, and they know a lot of children are on the premises. That's when Sheriff Sills comes up with a plan. The first step will be closely tracking Dwight York, patiently waiting for him to leave the compound before the raid. The FBI had him under surveillance on the ground and by air support. Hours pass. The authorities wait and silence in fear of what comes next. Finally, the gates of Tameret open. They spot a leak, black car leaving, the FBI agents start following it, doing their best not to get spotted. We learned from radio communication that his vehicle had pulled into a parking lot of a grocery store. The SWAT team was there and the arrest teams. Our job was to make sure we could identify him.

FBI agents hold their breath, waiting for the car door to open. As they wait hidden in the parking lot, hoping Dwight York has been the man in the vehicle this whole time. time. One miscalculation could risk the entire operation. If it's not York, they can't risk the leader discovering that they're coming for him while still protected at the compound. Then, the car door swings open. A man exits from the back seat. The surveillance team confirms it. It's Dwight York walking out of the car. Now is the time to strike. The agents make their move just as planned. With meticulous coordination, they quickly move out of unmarked vehicles, approaching York, who, surrounded by a swarm of armed agents, finally has nowhere left to run,

and the team makes an arrest. Now, it's Sheriff Sills' turn to complete his mission. He swiftly leads a convoy with dozens of local and federal officers into the gates of Tameret, but not without caution. Hundreds of innocent children and their families live on the grounds. Despite anticipation of resistance and retaliation, they enter without force through the main gates. As the deputy swarmed in, we created a big perimeter. The raid was a show of force involving hundreds of local and federal officers.

After years of fear, secrecy, and abuse, Tamaray finally comes to a quiet end. The operation is successful and without any violence. I remember thinking, you know what? We are going to prove this case. We are going to get some closure for such a sudden. many victims. Now, with York in custody in the Nauwabian compound disbanded, Putnam County Law Enforcement continues building their legal case against York with the FBI.

For nearly two years, they gather more witnesses, expert testimonies, and countless pieces of evidence. York absolutely did not want to go to trial because all his secrets would come out. At the beginning of January 2004, Dwight York's trial begins. He faces charges for several counts of child abuse, rape, secrecy and tax fraud. While York sits in the courtroom finally facing accountability for his horrific crimes, the survivors sit together hand in hand. Among the survivors is Nikki. She looks at York. He is no longer the self-proclaimed God and prophet she once knew. To her, he just looks like a regular

old man, his hair turning gray, and his body appearing frail in an orange prison jumpsuit. I hadn't seen him in three years. And I actually was kind of liberating because I felt like he can't tell me anything he can't make me do anything that was the first time of me getting my power back

Nikki stands with her head high nervous but with strength she walks toward the witness stand to testify against the man who once had so much power over her one witness would lead to the next in terms of identifying victims and in the end we identified and interviewed

At least 40 victims. After three weeks of testimony, on January 23, 2004, Dwight York is found guilty on 11 of the 13 counts and sentenced to the maximum penalty. Among the litany of state and federal charges against him, York pleads guilty to 74 counts of child molestation, the interstate transportation of minors for criminal sexual activity, conspiracy, and racketeering.

York is currently serving 135-year federal prison sentence on lockdown for 23 hours a day. He has exhausted all of his appeals, and that's where he will remain. Justice had been served for these victims. What that sentence does too is assures these people that they can now walk with their head high, pursue their dreams. After York's conviction, Nikki moves to South Florida

with a new lease on life. There, she pursues her GED and finds her passion as an artist with a mission to serve the community and empower others. In 2015, Nikki starts an organization called What's Your Elephant, which uses the arts as an avenue to challenge social norms. For the last 20 years, Nikki has positively influenced her community. Dwight York called himself a leader, but Nikki actually became one. Own it all.

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You win? Details at yamava.com must be 21-20. Please gamble responsibly. Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro. Hasbro is not a sponsor of this promotion. He had us fooled. He never cared about us. He took advantage of our work, our bodies, our minds.

now that he's in prison, he's living how he forced us to live while he took advantage of us. He doesn't get to have the last say in that. Her strength to stand up for herself and for others hasn't gone unnoticed. In 2004, after testifying against York, she received the Louis E. Peters Memorial Service Award, the highest civilian humanitarian award in the U.S. Through her determination to turn her pain into purpose, Nikki continues to work with underserved communities, supporting them to speak their truth and share their stories. Today, she stands as a true leader, proof that even in the darkest chapters, healing and purpose can emerge.