To thousands of people around the world, João Teixeira de Faria was known as John of God, a traditional Brazilian spiritual healer famous for performing miraculous medical procedures without anesthesia. But in 2018, it became clear that John of God was keeping a dark secret that would ultimately lead to his downfall. In this series, we follow a guru who built a holy empire, the criminal activity that made it possible and the powerful network of believers who protect him even to this day. Two-Faced: John of God is a story about the reach of global faith healing movements, the power of belief and just how far we will go before we question it all.You can also find this show en español wherever you get your podcasts. Just look for Dos Caras: Juan de Dios.

Latest episodes

Introducing Royal Swindle

July 16, 2026 · 3 min

Two Aussie lesbian lovers touch down in 1990s London and become the toast of British high society. They charm rich businessmen, England's horse-loving elite, and even Queen Elizabeth herself. But the glamorous duo are concealing a dark…
6: The Fall

March 4, 2026 · 46 min

The prosecution builds a unique case against John of God and takes him to trial, but was justice served? We hear from the victims, now several years since everything came to light, and the international spiritual community that is still…
5: Taking Down John of God

February 25, 2026 · 30 min

After the news breaks about the allegations against John of God for sexual assault, the government gets flooded with calls from other victims, launching a taskforce to take down Brazil’s most famous healer. See omnystudio.com/listener for…
4: Breaking the Silence

February 18, 2026 · 29 min

Journalists from Brazil’s largest news organization look into a Facebook post accusing John of God of rape. When they find other women with similar allegations, the journalists realize they have a much bigger story on their hands. See…
3: The Treatment

February 11, 2026 · 38 min

John of God offers various kinds of treatment at his spiritual hospital, but some visitors are chosen for special one on one sessions with him. One survivor tells us what happened behind closed doors. See omnystudio.com/listener for…
1: The Last Hope

February 4, 2026 · 28 min

People from all walks of life are drawn to the international healer from Brazil known as John of God. While true believers claim to be spiritually cured, others describe a secret living nightmare. Two-Faced: John of God is a production of…
2: A Healer is Born

February 4, 2026 · 29 min

We go back to John of God’s early life, to learn how he started his path as a healer, leading him to create a spiritual center for what would become his international movement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Introducing Two-Faced: John of God

January 20, 2026 · 3 min

For decades, João Teixeira de Faria — known as John of God — was revered as a spiritual healer who claimed to perform miraculous surgeries without anesthesia. Desperate people from around the world traveled to Brazil, believing he could…