Mike Warnke

Michael "Mike" Warnke (born November 19, 1949 in Ohio) became the best-known expert on the subject of Satanism until an investigation revealed his entire testimony and life were nothing but a hoax perpetrated on a willing public.

Warnke was the son of Al "Whitey" Warnke and Louise Warnke. In 1958, Warnke's mother was killed in a car accident in Tennessee. Three years later his father died leaving Mike Warnke an orphan. Mike was taken to foster parents in San Bernardino County, California where he graduated from Rim of the World High School in Crestline in June of 1965. In September of 1965, he enrolled at San Bernardino Community College but withdrew after one semester. On June 2, 1966, Warnke enlisted in the United States Navy as a hospital corpsman.

On August 27, 1966, Warnke allegedly had a religious experience where he received Jesus Christ into his life as his personal Savior. The following year, he married his first wife, Sue Studer. In 1969, Warnke went to Vietnam for a five-month tour of duty where he won a Purple Heart and five combat ribbons. He returned to the United States in 1970.

Shortly thereafter, Warnke received help from Congressman Del Clawson]] to get out of the Navy as a 'conscientious objector.' After his discharge, Warnke took up with San Diego evangelist Morris Cerullo and began to become known as a 'former Satanic high priest.' Warnke and Cerullo traveled the country with a 'Witchmobile' that demonstrated different pagan and Satanic practices. A falling out with Cerullo left Warnke on his own, and that's where he wrote the novel that made him famous.

In 1973, a new book appeared in the Christian press that purported to be Warnke's life story. "The Satan Seller" was written by Warnke with him from David Balsiger, another Christian author. The novel told the story of Warnke's orphaned childhood and his introduction into Satanism by a mysterious acquaintance from college named "Dean Anderson". The book then details Warnke's descent into sexual orgies, alcoholism, and drug dealing. He then ascended in the ranks of Satanism to the level of 'high priest.' Warnke is later removed from his perch by an attempted murder - a heroin overdose - that leaves him angry and disillusioned. He then joins the Navy, goes to Vietnam, and comes home as an evangelist. The story ends with Warnke happily married to Sue Studer in California.

The book launched Warnke into mini-stardom as he became a popular speaker around such Christian hangouts as Melodyland in Anaheim, California. Warnke then traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma to attend a nine-month Bible college. At this time Warnke was a practicing 'charismatic' Christian. After nine months, Warnke graduated from the Bible college.

But it was at this time that his professional life began an amazing climb while his personal life descended proportionally. In November 1975, a tape recorder was left on in an Indiana coffeehouse while Warnke gave his Satanic testimony. In a short period of time, the tape was turned into Warnke's first album, "Alive." In 1976, "Alive" was all over Christian radio. That same year, Warnke divorced his wife, Sue Studer, while he was having an affair with another Bible college graduate, Carolyn Alberty.

In 1977, Warnke released his second album, "Jester In The King's Court," and appeared on the cover of "Harmony" magazine, a Christian trade publication. The following year, Warnke's Vietnam experiences were publicized on "Hey, Doc!" But a disagreement with his record label, Word Records, and the artist and manager led to a three-year hiatus in Warnke recorded material. In 1979, he allegedly beat his now second wife, Carolyn Alberty, who left him and became a narcotics undercover officer. That same year, Mike Warnke met Rose Hall, a thrice-divorced mother of three from Kentucky. In 1980, Warnke moved to Kentucky to Rose's farm.

In 1982, Warnke began to tout his claimed academic achievements to all who would listen. As the 1980s progressed, the number of degrees Warnke claimed to have multiplied from two Bachelor's degrees to two Master's Degrees to a doctorate of philosophy. But the launching pad for Warnke's career was a May 16, 1985 story on "20/20" featuring ABC News reporter Tom Jariel. Warnke told of fingers being cut off, ritual sacrifice, animals being killed to use their blood in a sacrifice, and many other gory details. It is no accident that after Warnke's appearance on "20/20," he not only became an 'expert' on Satanism, he became a rich one. By 1989, Warnke and his wife were making over a million dollars apiece. He was frequently cited as an expert on the occult by Christian radio host Bob Larson and Chick Publications stable of authors.

To make matters worse, they were always in debt. The more money they made, the more they spent. Warnke did an outstanding job hiding his multiple marriages as well as his extravagance, but a couple of Christian authors decided to do an investigative report.

In 1991, "Cornerstone" magazine launched an investigation into Warnke's life and testimony. The same magazine had defrocked Lauren Stratford in 1988. Stratford was another fraud who claimed to have been deeply involved in Satanism. After this expose, "Cornerstone" journalists Mike Hertenstein and Jon Trott investigated Warnke. Their investigation included tax receipts for the ministry, interviews with over 100 personal friends and acquaintances of both Warnkes, and most devastatingly pictures of Warnke at the precise time he claimed to be a Satanist priest, alledgedly emaciated from drug use and sporting long fingernails and waist-length white hair. The pictures showed Warnke to be a typical 'square' of the mid-1960s. Among Warnke's other claims, easily refuted by Cornerstone, was that Charles Manson had briefly been a member of Warnke's coven, and attended several meetings. (Manson was in federal prison in Washington State at the time the alleged meetings occurred.)

Asked to respond, Warnke hid behind lawyers. Warnke never provided even one eyewitness who knew him to be a Satanist despite his claim that there were over 1500 members in his coven. In June 1992, "Cornerstone" relased the story at the annual Bookseller's Convention in Dallas. Initial response to the article was overwhelmingly against Warnke, but Word Records stated they would stand by their artist. Finally, with pressure building, Word fired Warnke from its label. On September 30, 1992, Warnke Ministries closed its doors. The fall came less than 100 days after the startling revelations hit the media.

In many cases, a figure like Warnke would gain sympathy from all the piling on. Instead, Warnke's fierce insistence that he had 'told all' only diminished his credibility further. In the spring of 1993, Warnke submitted to pastoral authority in the form of discipline and acknowledging prior infidelity in his marriages. Warnke disappeared from the scene until suffered a heart attack in 1997. By 2000, Warnke was attempting a comeback, limited to small churches around the Kentucky area.