Police Arrest Alleged Leader of "Roko's Basilisk" Cult Linked to Multiple Murders
Over the weekend, police managed to apprehend Jack "Ziz" DeSota, a mysterious figure who allegedly leads a group called the "Zizians" who are tied to a mind-boggling cross-country string of murders.
At the heart of the bizarre debacle is AI researcher Eliezer Yudkowsky and his LessWrong forum, which played host to the semi-obscure internet theory known as "Roko's Basilisk." First posited on the site in 2010, the theory-cum-thought-experiment proposed by a user called "Roko" centers on an otherwise benevolent future artificial superintelligence — symbolized by the mythological basilisk that can kill with a mere glance — that would torture any human who was aware of its future possible existence but refused to work toward that goal (the theory caused a minor online panic, as users fretted that simply learning about the theory was dooming them to a future of horrific punishment.)
A militant vegan, Ziz and her ilk tie their stringent belief in animal rights to a hodgepodge of political and philosophical stances. The only true lineage one can trace their beliefs to is Yudkowsky's concept of Rationality, a popular Silicon Valley mode of thought that champions rational thinking over all else — though to be clear, Zizian rationalism seems, from what we can parse anyway, to be a far cry from the researcher's belief in using rational thought to approach problem-solving and decision-making.
In fact, the group's ideological stew seems to have repeatedly led to brutal killings. Law enforcement officials and armchair investigators alike are ablaze after Ziz's astonishing arrest in connection to the slaying of a Border Patrol agent in January and five other killings connected to her purported followers — including the double murder of one of the followers' parents on New Year's Eve in 2022.
While the public is just now learning about this bizarre alleged cult and its mysterious leader — who apparently faked her own death back in 2022 and who once, per documentation from an online detractor, claimed to be "suffering from Basilisks" as a code for ethical anxiety — folks on LessWrong have been warning about the Zizians for years.
In a nearly two-year-old post, for instance, a user cautioned that "some people in the rationalist community are concerned about risks of physical violence from Ziz and some of her associates."
"Over the past few years," the post reads, "Ziz has repeatedly called for the deaths of many different classes of people."
For most of us, this bonkers story is only now coming to light. For those who are aware of and ascribe to rationalism — and those, of course who were close with any of the people allegedly killed by the cult's members — this unfolding tale has likely gone on for far too long.
More on Zizians: Members of AI Fringe Group Arrested for Two Killings
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
7 hours ago
- Fox News
Patel promises FBI coming for anyone assaulting cops as Los Angeles erupts over ICE raids
Following violent anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles on Saturday night, FBI Director Kash Patel warned "if you assault a law enforcement officer, you're going to jail—period." "It doesn't matter where you came from, how you got here, or what cause you claim to represent," Patel told Fox News Digital. "If local jurisdictions won't stand behind the men and women who wear the badge, the FBI will." President Donald Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to Paramount, California after immigration authorities driving in the area were pelted with rocks, stones, and concrete — shattering government vehicle windshields. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks shared a photo of one Border Patrol agent's bloody hand, which was injured by a rock flying through the windshield. Federal sources said agents could have been killed by the flying debris. "Doesn't matter where you came from, how you got here, or what movement speaks to you. If the local police force won't back our men and women on the thin blue line, we @FBI will," Patel wrote on X. The bureau has an entire force dedicated to immigration, with its highest concentration in Los Angeles. Several arrests have already been made for assault on a federal agent, Banks confirmed. The fiery Paramount protest marked the second consecutive day of substantial violent riots in Los Angeles. On Friday night, more than 1,000 Los Angeles rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE agents, slashed tires, and defaced buildings. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said protesters would not slow ICE agents down, and cautioned rioters. "If you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Noem wrote in an X post. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said the agency is seeking information regarding the identity of those throwing rocks at vehicles conducting critical law enforcement operations, noting "it is only a matter of time." "One of the perpetrators in this video is wearing a helmet, and we're going to use our investigative tools to locate the individual," Bongino wrote in an X post. "I strongly suggest you turn yourself in, it's only a matter of time."
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
U.S. Border Patrol posts new photos of Hardin's arrest
CALICO ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — New photos from the U.S. Border Patrol show Grant Hardin shortly after being captured less than two miles from North Central Unit after a 12-day manhunt. Officials say Hardin stayed close to the prison, likely limited by high water around Moccasin Creek, which had previously hampered search efforts. He was captured just 1.5 miles from the facility on Friday, June 6 after dogs picked up his scent. U.S. Border Control assisted in Hardin's capture and posted photos of his arrest on Facebook. Officials with the Arkansas Department of Corrections have confirmed that Hardin will be transported to Varner Supermax Unit in Gould, the state's most secure prison. After his arrest, Hardin was briefly returned to the North Central Unit for identification and medical checks before being transferred to the higher-security facility, where he arrived the evening of June 7. Hardin will be interviewed in the coming days, according to Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion. Authorities say further updates will be shared if new details emerge. HISTORY: Grant Hardin's 12-day escape joins the state's most infamous escapes 'Arkansans can breathe a sigh of relief because violent criminal Grant Hardin is now in custody,' Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement via X. 'I am grateful for local, state and federal law enforcement and give special thanks to the Trump admin and [Secretary Kristi Noem], for sending Border Patrol who helped track and apprehend Hardin.' Hardin, a convicted murderer and rapist who once served as police chief in Gateway, gained the nickname 'Devil in the Ozarks' following a documentary detailing his crimes. He escaped North Central Unit in Calico Rock on May 25. Since his escape, Hardin has been charged federally and in Izard County. A $25,000 reward was offered, but it is unclear if anyone will receive 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Protesters and immigration authorities face off for a second day in LA area after arrests
Tear gas and smoke filled the air on the southern outskirts of Los Angeles on Saturday as confrontations between immigration authorities and demonstrators extended into a second day, and President Trump warned that the federal government may 'step in and solve the problem.' Gov. Gavin Newsom said the federal government was 'moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers' and warned that it would only escalate tensions. Additional details were not immediately available. 'This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust,' Newsom said. deployment. Local authorities 'are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment's notice,' the governor also said, and 'there is currently no unmet need.' On his Truth Social platform, Trump said: 'the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved' if Newsom and the Los Angeles mayor 'can't do their jobs, which everyone knows they can't.' Border Patrol personnel in riot gear and gas masks stood guard outside an industrial park in the city of Paramount, deploying tear gas as bystanders and protesters gathered on medians and across the street. Some jeered at officers while recording the events on smartphones. 'ICE out of Paramount. We see you for what you are,' a woman said through a megaphone. 'You are not welcome here.' One handheld sign read, 'No Human Being is Illegal.' Smoke rose from burning shrubbery and refuse in the street, and demonstrators kicked at a Border Patrol vehicle. A boulevard was closed to traffic as Border Patrol agents circulated through a community where more than 80% of residents identify themselves as Latino. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a message on social media addressing 'LA rioters' and warning that interference with immigration enforcement will not be tolerated. 'You will not stop us or slow us down,' Noem said on the X platform. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 'will enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.' Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers executed search warrants at multiple locations Friday, including outside a clothing warehouse in the fashion district. The action came after a judge found probable cause that the employer was using fictitious documents for some of its workers, according to representatives for Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney's Office. A tense scene unfolded outside as a crowd tried to block agents from driving away. Advocates for immigrants' rights said there were also migration detentions outside Home Depot stores and a doughnut shop. DHS said in a statement that recent ICE operations in Los Angeles resulted in the arrest of 118 immigrants, including five people linked to criminal organizations and people with prior criminal histories. Following the Friday arrests, protesters gathered in the evening outside a federal detention center, chanting, 'Set them free, let them stay!' Some held signs with anti-ICE slogans, and some some scrawled graffiti on the building. Among those arrested at the protests was David Huerta, regional president of the Service Employees International Union. Justice Department spokesperson Ciaran McEvoy confirmed that he was being held Saturday at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled Monday court appearance. It was not clear whether Huerta had legal representation. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for his immediate release. In a social media post, he cited a 'disturbing pattern of arresting and detaining American citizens for exercising their right to free speech.' The immigration arrests come as President Donald Trump and his administration push to fulfill promises of mass deportations across the country. Mayor Karen Bass said the activity was meant to 'sow terror' in the nation's second-largest city. In a statement Saturday, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons chided Bass for the city's response to the protests. 'Mayor Bass took the side of chaos and lawlessness over law enforcement,' Lyons said. 'Make no mistake, ICE will continue to enforce our nation's immigration laws and arrest criminal illegal aliens.' ___ Lee reported from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
