Documentary enthusiasts and those curious about cults are eager to learn more about Frederick von Mierers, the leader of Eternal Values, who is the central figure in HBO's new docuseries Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult. This three-part series, starting this week on HBO Max, delves into the life of supermodel Hoyt Richards, who became entangled in a bizarre wellness cult led by a man who believed he was from another planet.
Who Was Frederick von Mierers?
Frederick von Mierers, born Freddy Miers on Christmas Day 1946 in Brooklyn, New York, was raised by his Jewish single mother, Dorothea Carroll. His father, who ran a dry-cleaning business, is not named, and von Mierers reportedly spent much of his childhood with an aunt. As a young man, he worked briefly as a model in the 1960s, adopting the name Frederick von Mierers and crafting a new identity as a New York socialite. He eventually secured a place in the Social Register, a prestigious list of America's elite. Much of his early life remains mysterious, as he falsely claimed his parents died in a car accident when he was a toddler and that he was raised by grandparents until age 16, after which socialite Earle Kress Williams became his guardian.
Formation of Eternal Values
Von Mierers began his journey as a spiritual leader by positioning himself as a trusted astrologer and claiming to be an alien 'walk-in' from the star Arcturus. He described a 'walk-in' as an alien energy that enters a human host, sent to lead Earth into a new era of enlightenment. He blended teachings from various spiritual traditions, including ancient Eastern religions, new-age philosophy, and doomsday prophecies, to attract followers among the rich and beautiful. He often recruited new members during beach trips, convincing them they were an elite class who would be saved by a UFO when the world ended in 1999. His teachings spread via a radio show and cable television program, and his notoriety grew with the book Aliens Amongst Us by Ruth Montgomery. Among his followers was supermodel Hoyt Richards, who claims von Mierers exploited him out of millions of dollars.
Cause of Death
Von Mierers kept his personal life private, enforcing a celibate lifestyle among followers. He died of AIDS-related complications on 4 February 1990, spending his final days bedridden in a North Carolina compound. His assistant Paul Hinton was the only follower aware of his diagnosis; others were kept in the dark, with some believing he was murdered, though these allegations remain unconfirmed. The cult continued for nearly a decade after his death but disbanded in 1999, with Richards' departure cited as a major factor. Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult premieres Tuesday, 2nd June on HBO Max.
