Amanda Brady was inside Liana Shanti’s community for about eight years, from January 2017 to April 2025. She signed a declaration under penalty of perjury on January 20, 2026, and it was filed in the federal civil case on March 27, 2026 as ECF 84-2 (Life Mastery Network LLC v. Haygarth, No. 1:25-cv-00297, D. Haw.). It responds to statements Liane Wilson made in her own sworn filings, ECF 60 and ECF 63.
A declaration is a witness’s sworn account, not a court finding. Every quotation below is word for word from the declaration, with the paragraph and page where it appears. Quotation marks inside a quotation are shown as single marks.
Eight years of membership
“I was directly involved in Liana Shanti’s online community beginning in January 2017, and my involvement continued through April 2025. Over the course of approximately eight years, I participated extensively in her programs and community, including Facebook group discussions, Signal group and private chats, Instagram live sessions and Q&As, and private direct-message conversations across Instagram, Facebook, and Signal. I purchased numerous programs totaling tens of thousands of dollars and, most recently, was a paid subscriber to her application, Liana Life.” (¶ 2, pp. 1–2)
The website
“In many direct interactions with Ms. Wilson beginning in 2022 and continuing through to 2024, she spoke on numerous occasions about her creation and authorship of the website known as ‘Exposing Family Cults,’ which she later renamed ‘Exposing Family Abuse.’ These statements were made both publicly to members of the broader community and privately to me.” (¶ 4, p. 2)
“In private communications, she informed me in advance when she intended to upload content about specific individuals, indicating direct awareness of, and involvement in, the timing and substance of postings.” (¶ 5, p. 2)
Naming people on Instagram
“[F]rom 2022 and ongoing through 2025, Ms. Wilson repeatedly posted extensive sequences of negative, insulting Instagram stories about Paula Haygarth, Byron Horvath, and Stefanie Horvath on her @lianashanti account, often in rapid succession and over sustained periods of time.” (¶ 8, p. 3)
“In my own direct experience, after I was removed from Ms. Wilson’s community in April 2025, she posted hundreds of Instagram stories about me and other members who removed at the same time, on her @lianashanti Instagram account, containing defamatory content intended to damage my reputation.” (¶ 9, pp. 3–4)
How the group worked
Wilson told the court that she had been “mislabeled as a ‘cult leader’” (ECF 60, ¶ 5, p. 9, PageID.874). Brady swore:
“Based on my firsthand experience as a participant in Ms. Wilson’s community, the group functioned as a high-control environment characterized by significant influence over members’ behavior, beliefs, and social interactions.” (¶ 10, p. 4)
“In her community, Ms. Wilson clearly positioned herself as the primary authority within the group and exercised control through narrative management, public and private shaming, and the promotion of fear or reputational harm toward individuals who questioned her or left the community.” (¶ 11, p. 4)
The letters of support
Wilson filed letters of support from community members (ECF 60, ¶ 7). Brady swore that the way they were gathered was not transparent. Wilson pleaded guilty to concealing bankruptcy assets; Brady uses the words “bankruptcy fraud” in her declaration:
“The community was not clearly informed that the letters were intended for use in connection with her probation hearing for a proceeding in which she had been convicted of bankruptcy fraud. Instead, the request for letters was framed as a response to vague ‘attacks’ or defamation, leading contributors to reasonably believe the letters were for a different purpose.” (¶ 13, p. 5)
“Millions and millions”
“Ms. Wilson regularly framed this period as financially and energetically beneficial to her, publicly asserting that she was making ‘millions and millions’ and that the attention from those she referred to as an ‘abuser group’ was fueling her success.” (¶ 14, p. 5)
Why members left
“I directly observed increasing dissatisfaction among students related to Ms. Wilson’s conduct toward members, including coercive pressure to remain financially invested, escalating financial demands, and punitive treatment of individuals who questioned her authority or attempted to disengage.” (¶ 16, p. 6)
Complaints
Wilson told the court she had “never received a complaint of extortion from any student or client” (ECF 63, Fact 15, p. 6, PageID.924). Brady swore:
“I directly observed that individuals who raised concerns, questioned Ms. Wilson’s conduct, or attempted to complain were promptly removed from the community.” (¶ 23, p. 8)
“[C]omplaints were not documented or preserved in any formal manner, and members were aware that raising concerns would result in expulsion and reputational harm.” (¶ 24, p. 8)
“Memories” of abuse and the “psychic” sessions
“In particular, I witnessed instances in which students who had not previously identified themselves as abuse survivors began to report supposed memories of abuse only after participating in Ms. Wilson’s community and teachings.” (¶ 26, p. 9)
“Additionally, Ms. Wilson regularly conducted ‘psychic’ question-and-answer sessions, both within closed community spaces and publicly on Instagram, during which she affirmed or confirmed abuse narratives for students.” (¶ 27, p. 9)
Cutting off family
“I also observed Ms. Wilson consistently communicate to members that their husbands and intimate partners were unsafe, spiritually corrupt, or obstacles to personal healing and growth.” (¶ 31, p. 10)
Leaving Canada
Wilson told the court that the statement that she influenced women to leave their countries was “false and reckless because it wrongfully accuses me of routinely inducing women to violate custody orders and uprooting children across borders” (ECF 63, ¶ 23, PDF p. 20 (p. 7 of her declaration), PageID.938). Brady swore, and described her own move:
“I am personally aware of no fewer than six women who relocated themselves and their families from Canada to the United States following sustained influence and pressure within Ms. Wilson’s community.” (¶ 34, p. 11)
“Ms. Wilson repeatedly conveyed that there was a narrowing ‘window’ to leave, stating on multiple occasions that the end of 2021 represented a critical deadline to do so.” (¶ 34, p. 12)
“Ms. Wilson conducted private Signal sessions with a number of women who were actively planning to leave Canada, including myself. During these sessions, Ms. Wilson discussed which U.S. states purportedly held the best ‘energy,’ strategies for dealing with ex-spouses or co-parents, and considerations related to border crossings.” (¶ 35, p. 12)
After a member left
“When a student was removed from or left Ms. Wilson’s community, Ms. Wilson routinely initiated a coordinated response that included a live group call framed as a ‘processing’ session.” (¶ 37, p. 12)
“Following these calls, Ms. Wilson would campaign publicly on her social media platforms, sharing private direct messages and personal information that had been disclosed to her in confidence while she was acting in a mentoring capacity.” (¶ 37, p. 13)
Source
Declaration of Amanda Brady, ECF 84-2, filed March 27, 2026, signed January 20, 2026: PDF on CourtListener. See also the companion declaration, Anna Kelley’s Sworn Declaration.