I've heard that the ROAC may be a cult-like spinter group of Orthodoxy but I haven't seen any proof of this.
VERY BRIEFLY AND HOPEFULLY WITHOUT POLEMICS; As probably one of the only people who have actually met any of the hierarchs or priests of the ROAC, outside of Anastasios and Philip (Mor Ephrem) I can tell you that yes we used to have a bishop that likes to have-cult like control of people. He, however was retired and then later excommunicated. He still has a group of about 20 people that do whatever he says and could be defined as a cult. He gave many people in North America a bad impression of the ROAC.
Now ROAC, it is mostly made up of Catacombniks in Russia that have come together with an administration and hierarchy granted to it by Russia. A number of factors like the Cyprianite union, Abp Mark of Germany wanting New York to control the Church in Russia (Whereas the bishops in Russia thought that what ROCOR, at that time called the Orthodox Church IN Russia, should naturally be governed by Russian bishops in Russia) and start talks with the MP ended up in a break in communion. Post communion, ROCOR claims to have defrocked the bishops, but since it was after the synod of the FROC/ROAC and ROCOR were in communion, this would not be canonically legal.
We do not have any bishops that are considered cult leaders and I know we have at least 300 parishes, but the ones that remain catacomb communities or not listed in our index nor are they registered with the government and this choice is both honored and allowed. Estimates have been put at 1,000 communities, but I cannot verify that number. The stories of our Catacomb Archbishops Serpahim and Anthony would bring you to tears how they were beaten and left for dead many times, but by the GRace of God the persevered and have guided their flocks for over 50 years.
