The Dark Truth Behind Netflix’s TRUST ME: The False Prophet | Samuel Bateman

After Warren Jeffs's imprisonment, Samuel Bateman, a 'loser' with a brain injury from a car accident, capitalized on the FLDS community's lack of contact with Jeffs. He claimed to have received a vision that Jeffs had died and that he was the new prophet, establishing his own sect within the FLDS. This allowed him to assume power and control over followers who lacked external information.

Samuel informed others he received a vision on a mountaintop that Warren Jeffs had died in prison and that he was the new prophet. Warren Jeffs is alive and denounced Samuel. Many followers lacked internet access to verify this.

Bateman became obsessed with accumulating wealth and wives. He forced male followers to give him a percentage of their earnings and surrender their wives and daughters. He engaged in physical, mental, and sexual assaults, including making a follower have sex with his wife in front of their daughter to 'teach' how to please him. He took a 9-year-old as a wife and attempted to marry his own teenage daughter.

Morani Johnson, a former follower, detailed how Bateman took several of his wives and most of his daughters, funded his lavish lifestyle, and demanded humiliating rituals. A wife claimed Samuel took their 9-year-old daughter, who later wet the bed, enraging Samuel. Samuel bribed his own teenage daughter with $50, Doritos, and a plane ride to become his wife.

Bateman's crimes came to light when he was pulled over in Flagstaff, Arizona, with three underage girls (11-14) hidden in an unventilated horse trailer. This led to an FBI investigation. Initially, authorities faced challenges, as a police officer reportedly stated that calling a child a 'wife' was not a crime unless assault occurred, highlighting a gap in immediate intervention without direct proof of sexual acts.

On August 28th, 2022, Samuel Bateman was pulled over in Flagstaff after small fingers were seen poking out of a wooden horse trailer. Inside, three girls aged 11-14 were found using a bucket as a toilet. Christine Marie recounted a cop stating, 'It's not a crime to call someone your wife, even if it's a child. What is a crime is to do something with that child.'

Filmmakers Christine Marie and Toga, while producing 'Trust Me: The False Prophet' for Netflix, moved into the FLDS community under the guise of documenting their lives. They gained Bateman's trust, who was eager for camera time. Behind the scenes, they contacted authorities and covertly gathered evidence, including a recording of Bateman confessing that God told him three of his underage wives (one 13) needed to have sex with other men.

Christine and her husband made Samuel and his followers believe they were documenting their community. Samuel was eager to be filmed. Christine secretly recorded Samuel confessing that God told him three girls in the car with them, including a 13-year-old, needed to have sex with other men in the community, and he needed to watch.

After Bateman's initial arrest and bail, he directed followers to delete electronic evidence and secure passports. The FBI raided the community again, taking Bateman into custody and removing nine underage girls. Eight of these girls later vanished from state custody but were recovered in Spokane, Washington, with the help of Airbnb data. Several adult wives were arrested for kidnapping and obstruction. Bateman eventually pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including taking underage wives, orchestrating group sex acts, and conspiring to kidnap minors, receiving a 50-year sentence. Morani Johnson, who gave his daughters to Bateman, received 25 years.

Samuel instructed followers to delete Signal app evidence. Eight of nine girls vanished from group homes; their electronics suggested contact with adult wives via Signal. An Airbnb credit card led law enforcement to Spokane, Washington, where the girls were recovered. Naomi, Dona, and Moretta were arrested. Samuel pleaded guilty to taking underage wives, orchestrating group sex acts involving minors, transporting girls across states, and conspiring to kidnap them from state custody, receiving 50 years. Morani Johnson was sentenced to 25 years.