FATHER OF LIES - Michael Aquino

This 2020 short documentary examines the life, work, and alleged crimes of Lt. Col. Michael A. Aquino, a U.S. Army psychological operations officer and founder of the Temple of Set, a religious organization established in 1975 after his departure from Anton LaVey's Church of Satan. It covers his military career, including roles in psyops and counterinsurgency, and the controversies surrounding him, such as the 1987 Presidio child abuse allegations where he and his wife were investigated but not charged, and claims of involvement in satanic rituals. The film draws from archival footage, interviews, and public records to portray Aquino as a figure at the intersection of occult practices and military intelligence, while addressing debates over his influence on esoteric Satanism and the lack of convictions in related cases.