In 2023, a group of Orwoll’s followers decided to purchase a 160-acre property in rural Arkansas. The chosen location was near Orwoll’s residence, affordable, had lenient building regulations, and was over 90 percent white, which influenced their decision. Orwoll claims to be a classically trained musician who previously performed with Shen Yun, a Chinese arts group run by the Falun Gong movement.
Return to the Land operates as a private members association requiring prospective members to verify their identity and heritage through several steps. Applicants fill out a questionnaire detailing their background and values, followed by a phone interview, with admission decisions made individually, Orwoll explains to WIRED.
The application for Return to the Land asks for ancestry details and responses to questions on social and cultural viewpoints,including foreign immigration, “transgenderism,” Covid-19 vaccines, and segregation. It also asks, “How often do you think about the Roman empire?” with varied response options. This initial stage leads to access to group chats on Telegram. Those wishing to move to Arkansas for community involvement undergo more extensive vetting, though details are limited to a “background check.”
Peter Csere, the group’s secretary, reveals to WIRED that there are 300 members nationwide, with interest from abroad as well. Orwoll, despite leading the project, currently doesn’t reside at Return to the Land. His homestead isn’t ready for his four children, so he lives nearby but plans to move in. Recent scrutiny of Orwoll’s past included videos with his former wife Caitlyn, now living on the compound. Orwoll, who condemns porn addiction, confirms his video appearances, attributing past actions to a lack of guidance during his early adulthood.
The community has raised around $330,000 from land sales, per the ADL’s Center on Extremism’s analysis, and has five fundraising campaigns on GiveSendGo. These raised over $185,000, with a new campaign aiming to fund national rallies for the model, already garnering over $88,000, including a $5,000 donation with the white supremacist “14 words” slogan. This funding allowed Orwoll to quit his job and focus on promoting the project across the US.