The article presents a selection of case histories together with a summary of the salient points in the other cases. Using a standard form developed for assessing the validity of allegations in sexual abuse cases, the author concluded that false allegations of ritual sexual abuse occurred in three-quarters of the cases and true allegations in only one-quarter. This high rate of false allegations is unlike the author's clinical experience in other cases of child sexual abuse in which the rate of false allegations is much lower and similar to other published series. The article includes discussion of reasons for the high rate of false allegations. Although the amount and quality of information available for evaluation varies greatly in the cases reviewed here, the numbers are sufficient to say that the level of false allegations of RSA is much higher than the level of allegations of sexual abuse. The most disturbing cases were those where numbers of professionals believed allegations of RSA on the basis of inadequate evidence and formed an apparently unshakeable consensus view. References, appendix