Frederick Lenz found dead off Long Island home
[May 1, 1998]

Frederick Lenz, guru to up to 5,000, was found deceased April 15th floating in the waters off his Long Island home. Tests found over 150 sedative pills in his body. Lenz's female companion Lacy Brinn and his three dogs had also been drugged, but were alive. According to Brinn, Lenz fell off a dock and could not be rescued. Lenz had long been accused of using mind control on his disciples, pushing his own form of Buddhism. But even over the past year he sought credibility, teaching college Shakespeare courses and launching a Westchester-based software company.