Disgraced Self-Help Guru Attempts Comeback.
SCIUTTO: Well, back now with "The Pop Lead." In a new CNN film, see the twisted side of the billion-dollar self-help industry. Spiritual retreats, motivational speakers. In 2009, James Arthur Ray was a leading self-help guru until one day at his sweat lodge in Arizona, one of his personal transformational challenges went too far and three people died. Ray went to prison, but now he's out and CNN's Sara Sidner explains how Ray is trying at the least to make a comeback.</s>VIRGINIA BROWN, KIRBY BROWN'S MOTHER: A state trooper came to my door and said, do you know Kirby Brown?</s>SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She did. Virginia Brown is Kirby's mother and that day she learned her daughter was dead.</s>BROWN: She was cooked to death. That's how she died. This beautiful woman who was drunk on life and had friends all over.</s>SIDNER: Kirby's life ended while she was trying to improve it. The surfer and avid horseback rider wanted more, a life partner and help growing her business. That's when she found self-help guru James Arthur Ray.</s>JAMES ARTHUR RAY, MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER: And I can help you. I really can.</s>SIDNER: The motivational speaker had already built a multimillion- dollar business launched by the popular movie "The Secret" and appearances on "Oprah," "Larry King" and the "Today" show.</s>BROWN: She really was very taken and signed up immediately.</s>SIDNER: She reached one of the highest level workshops, a retreat, which cost her her life-savings. $10,000. (</s>On camera): During the five-day retreat at this campground outside Sedona, Arizona, participants were challenged to shave their heads, go on a 36-hour trek into the desert without food or water. And ultimately end up in a steaming hot sweat lodge. All in an effort to transform their lives. (</s>Voice-over): It was in the sweat lodge where it all went wrong. Hot rocks doused with water creating steam and temperatures well past 100 degrees. Courtroom testimony revealed that people were screaming, throwing up, crying, and babbling. Others were passed out. 19 people ended up in the hospital that day. Mother of three, Liz Neuman, died at the hospital. James Shore, a father of three, pulled one person to safety right past James Ray. Shore went back into get Kirby Brown. According to witnesses, they lay dying inside the tent feet away from Ray.</s>BROWN: What did James Ray do to my life? He blew up my life.</s>SIDNER: A jury convicted James Ray of negligent homicide. He served 20 months in prison. After his release, Ray told CNN this about the sweat lodge.</s>RAY: I didn't know nor did anyone know that anyone was in a death -- a life or death or situation.</s>SIDNER: He's now making another run at success as a motivational speaker as documented in the CNN Film "Enlighten Us."</s>RAY: I was involved in a terrible accident and I lost three friends. People that I really cared about.</s>BROWN: These three good friends that he left in the dirt unconscious and did nothing to help them. Those were his three good friends?</s>SIDNER: After her daughter died at Sedona, Virginia Brown started a nonprofit organization called Seek Safely, an educational tool to protect those interested in self-help. The $11 billion industry is not regulated.</s>BROWN: I want this story of her death to be that cautionary tale that will save other people's lives.</s>SIDNER: Sara Sidner, CNN, Sedona, Arizona.</s>SCIUTTO: The CNN Film "Enlighten Us," it airs this Sunday night at 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN. And I want to give you an update now regarding the covert heroes of World War II we introduced to you on Tuesday. My colleague Jake Tapper, the House has now voted to award a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor to members of the OSS. That's the Office of Strategic Services. These men and women many now in their '90s were the precursors of the modern day CIA. The legislation will now head right to the president's desk for his signature. That's it for THE LEAD. I'm Jim Sciutto, in for Jake Tapper. We turn you over now to Wolf Blitzer who was in "</s>THE SITUATION ROOM." WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, breaking news. Trumpeting the deal. President-elect Donald Trump displaying his classic off- the-cuff style --