A UK court has issued an arrest warrant for Shaun Cooper, a senior member of Lighthouse, the controversial life-coaching group exposed in the BBC podcast A Very British Cult. Cooper, a director of Lighthouse International Group Holdings Trading LLP, failed to appear in court despite multiple summons.
This is the first time authorities have taken legal action against a senior Lighthouse figure. The Insolvency Service’s investigation revealed that between 2014 and 2022, Lighthouse received over £2.4 million in income while failing to declare any assets. The High Court shut down the company in March 2023, citing fraudulent financial practices.
Cooper, along with fellow directors Paul Waugh, Chris Nash, and Warren Vaughan, was ordered to assist in recovering assets to repay creditors. However, he allegedly left the country, citing depression and anxiety, providing only heavily redacted medical notes. Judge Sebastian Prentis dismissed these claims, questioning how Cooper was well enough to travel but unable to comply with the court’s demands.
Lighthouse has dismissed the investigation as “corrupt and invalid,” accusing authorities of bullying. While Warren Vaughan has cooperated, Paul Waugh and Chris Nash have refused, claiming PTSD. Cooper’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Authorities continue their efforts to hold Lighthouse’s leadership accountable for alleged financial misconduct.
