Did TPTB create religions?

Are there any evidence out there that shows the TPTB has been in existence longer than most religions?

I have been a Christian most of my life but was not aware of the TPTB until a few years ago. Doing research on this, I found out that this nefarious cabal has been in power for centuries even millinniums. The rabbit hole goes deep down, the more you look.

And how is that most religions if not all have not mentioned this in their texts?