麻原彰晃 (Asahara Shoko) was the founder and leader of the Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo. Born in 1955, he gained notoriety for promoting a blend of Buddhism, Hinduism, and apocalyptic beliefs. Asahara claimed to have spiritual powers and attracted many followers during the 1980s and 1990s. In 1995, Aum Shinrikyo carried out the deadly Tokyo subway sarin attack, which resulted in 13 deaths and thousands of injuries. Following this incident, Asahara was arrested and later sentenced to death for his role in the attack and other crimes. He was executed in 2018.