Inside the Walmart of ghost tours
Lance Zaal is building an empire of America's undead. He's also making a host of enemies among the living.
Lance Zaal, the 42-year-old CEO of US Ghost Adventures, is the controversial kingpin of America's rapidly growing ghost tour industry. Zaal owns and operates the most haunted mansion in New Orleans' French Quarter, Lalaurie Mansion, which he purchased for an undisclosed sum. His company, USGA, has expanded across the country, opening ghost tours in over 250 cities and employing more than 1,000 guides.
Zaal has also acquired several other haunted landmarks, including the Lizzie Borden House in Massachusetts and the Villisca Axe Murder House in Iowa. He sells paranormal gear through the brand Ghost Daddy, including items like the Sinister Speaker and Devil's Marble MK2. Despite his success, Zaal has amassed a reputation for being vindictive, predatory, and a bully.
He has faced numerous lawsuits and allegations of copyright infringement, defamation, and misclassification of employees. Zaal's origins are marked by a difficult childhood, including homelessness and bullying, which fueled his interest in the supernatural. After serving in the Marine Corps and earning an MBA, he launched his ghost tour app and eventually built his empire in the ghost tour industry.
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