Shoko Asahara

Shoko Asahara was the founder and leader of the Japanese doomsday religious movement Aum Shinrikyo. Established in the 1980s, the group combined elements of Buddhism, Hinduism, and apocalyptic beliefs. Asahara attracted followers with promises of spiritual enlightenment and a mission to bring about a new world order. However, the group became infamous after 1995, when they carried out a deadly sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, causing widespread injuries and deaths. Asahara was arrested, convicted of multiple crimes, and executed in 2018. His leadership left a lasting impact due to the group's violent actions and underground influence.