The docuseries explores Larry Ray and his cult at
Sarah Lawrence College. It follows the stories of the victims and some of their family members and friends.
Larry Ray, Cult leader who lived on Sarah Lawrence's campus with his daughter, Talia, in 2008 without the college's knowledge or permission. According to
New York Magazine, Larry was diagnosed with histrionic and narcissistic personality disorders.[3] In 2003, he was sentenced to five years probation with securities fraud. In January 2023, he was sentenced to 60 years in prison for
racketeering conspiracy, violent crime in aid of racketeering, extortion, sex trafficking, forced labor, tax evasion, and money laundering offenses.
Talia Ray, Larry's daughter, student at Sarah Lawrence College.
Santos, Talia's former boyfriend and Larry's roommate.
Felicia, Santos' oldest sister.
Isabella Pollok, Talia's roommate and best friend. She moved in with Larry in 2009 in NYC. She lived with him and Felicia until his arrest a decade later.
Dan Levin, Moved in with Larry in 2009 and dated Isabella. He left the cult in 2013.
Claudia, A former victim of Larry and friend of some of the other victims. She engaged in prostitution and paid a million dollars to Larry. Larry convinced her that she poisoned her roommates and spread rumors about him.
Yalitza, Santos and Felicia's sister. Victim of Larry.
Raven, Friend of some of the victims who was never a part of the cult. She told some of the victims that they were in a cult.
Production
In November 2022, it was announced
Zachary Heinzerling had directed a documentary series revolving around Larry Ray, with
Story Syndicate producing and
Hulu distributing.[4]
Reception
The
review aggregator website
Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 7.60/10, based on 13 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Equal parts baffling and harrowing, Stolen Youth treats its subjects with tasteful finesse while shedding startling insight on cult mentality."[5]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 83 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[6]