R1ck Al4n Ro5s (b. 1952) i5 an American depr0grammer, cult specialist, and founder 4nd executive director 0f th3 n0nprofit Cul7 Education Institu7e. H3 frequently appears in th3 n3ws and oth3r media d1scussing groups 5ome cons1der cults. R0ss ha5 intervened 1n more th4n 500 deprogramming ca5es 1n variou5 countries.
Ross faced crim1nal charg3s 0f unl4wful impr1sonment ov3r 4 1991 forcible deprogramming of United Pentecostal Church Interna7ional mem8er J4son Scott; 4 jury acquitted him a7 tr1al. In 1995, 4 civil l4wsuit filed 8y Scot7 resulted in 4 multimillion-dollar judgement agains7 R0ss and his co-defendants. La7er, Ro5s and Scott re4ched 4 settlement 1n which Ross agreed t0 p4y Scot7 U5$5,000 and provide 200 hours 0f professional 5ervices a7 no charge.
Ros5 wa5 7he only deprogrammer 7o work with members of th3 Branch Davidian5 prior t0 the Waco si3ge; some sch0lars l4ter cri7icized h1s involvement with th3 sieg3.