David Berry Knapp

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David Berry Knapp
Mayor of Rajneeshpuram
In office
August 11, 1982 – September 15, 1985
LeaderRajneesh
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPhilip Toelkes
Personal details
Born1948 (age 75–76)
EducationUniversity of Southern California (BS)
Lone Mountain College (MS)

David Berry Knapp, also known as Krishna Deva (born 1948),[1][2] is an American former disciple of Rajneesh and was mayor of Rajneeshpuram from August 11, 1982 to September 15, 1985.[3]

Early life and education[edit]

Knapp was raised in Chicago and Highland Park, Illinois. After graduating from Highland Park High School, he earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. Knapp began a Master of Science degree program in counseling psychology at USC and completed it at Lone Mountain College.[4]

Career[edit]

After earning his counseling degree, Knapp managed a mental health facility in Los Angeles called "The Family Home." Knapp also worked as a marriage counselor, drug and alcohol counselor, and academic counselor at Santa Monica College. Knapp earned a real estate broker's license in 1977.[4]

Knapp was introduced to the Rajneesh teachings in 1976 and stayed at the Pune ashram between 1979 and 1981. Due to his background in the real estate industry, with knowledge of municipality law and related business, he became involved with what would develop into Rajneeshpuram, a commune built in rural Wasco County, Oregon. In late 1982 he became a city official and later was named mayor of the new city.[5] In 1985, he became an FBI informant[6] and provided what the Bureau described as "essential" information to uncovering the criminal activities of the religious group.[5] Knapp admitted to being involved with the 1984 Rajneeshee bioterror attack.[6]

In 1986, he was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to filing a false petition with the Immigration and Naturalization Service and participating in a sham marriage.[7][8][5] Knapp entered the Federal Witness Protection Program,[9] and after serving his prison term, he relocated to El Segundo, California, and changed back to his pre-Sannyasin name.[10] Knapp refused to be interviewed for the documentary Wild Wild Country.[11]

References[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to David Berry Knapp.
  1. ^ Herzog, Kenny (2018-03-27). "Wild Wild Country: Where Are They Now?". Vulture. Archived from the original on 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  2. ^ Carus, W. Seth; Research, Center for Counterproliferation; University, National Defense (2002). Bioterrorism and Biocrimes: The Illicit Use of Biological Agents Since 1900. The Minerva Group, Inc. ISBN 9781410100238. Archived from the original on 2023-09-04. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
  3. ^ "Former Rajneeshpuram Mayor Sentenced To Prison". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  4. ^ a b "02-krishna-deva-fbi-statement.pdf" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  5. ^ a b c "'Wild Wild Country': Most Shocking Reveals From the Sex Cult's FBI Informant". The Daily Beast. April 2, 2018. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Jonathan B. Tucker, ed. (2000). Toxic Terror: Assessing Terrorist Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons. MIT Press. p. 129. ISBN 978-0262700719.
  7. ^ AP (25 November 1986). "AROUND THE NATION; Ex-Leader of Commune Gets 2-Year Sentence". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2018-06-13. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
  8. ^ "Ex-Rajneesh Mayor Sentenced". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. 1986-11-24. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on 2018-06-05. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
  9. ^ Judith Miller (2002). Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War. Simon & Schuster. p. 26. ISBN 0684871599.
  10. ^ "Where are they now?". Oregon Live. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  11. ^ Bryn Elise Sandberg (June 1, 2018). "'Wild Wild Country' Filmmakers Reveal the One Person Who Refused to Be Interviewed". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
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