For years, Samuel Bateman lived among the tight-knit fundamentalist Mormon community of Short Creek, Utah, presenting himself as a prophet chosen by God. By the time he was arrested in 2022, he had taken more than 20 wives, at least 10 of them minors, the youngest just 9 years old. In December 2024, a federal judge sentenced him to 50 years in prison. Now, the Netflix docuseries Trust Me: The False Prophet examines his crimes and the people — survivors, an undercover investigator, and a mother who risked everything — whose lives were forever changed by his abuse of power.

Who Is Samuel Bateman?

Bateman grew up within the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), a polygamous breakaway sect historically based in Short Creek, on the Utah-Arizona border. When FLDS leader Warren Jeffs was convicted of child sexual assault in 2011 and sentenced to life in prison, he largely went silent from behind bars, halting the approval of marriages and banning followers from having children. The vacuum he left created an opening for men like Bateman.

Around 2019, Bateman declared himself a new prophet and assembled a breakaway group of roughly 50 followers. He claimed divine authority to take wives and began spiritually marrying women and girls. He admitted in his guilty plea that his intent in marrying underage girls "was to engage in sexual activity" with them, and "he did so on a regular basis."

At his December 2024 sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Susan Brnovich called the harm to his victims "absolutely immeasurable" and described the children as having been reduced to "sex slaves." Bateman, 48 at the time, said nothing when given the chance to speak. He had pleaded guilty in April 2024 to conspiracy to commit transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping and received 50 years in federal prison.

The Undercover Investigation

The case against Bateman was significantly built on evidence gathered by Christine Marie, a cult psychology expert and former anti-polygamy activist who had once been victimized by a man claiming to be a prophet. She spent a decade studying the psychology behind cult control before moving to Short Creek with her husband and filmmaker Tolga Katas. Because she was not considered an apostate by the FLDS community, she was granted unusual access to Bateman's inner circle.

In November 2021, Marie captured audio of Bateman openly admitting to sexual crimes involving underage girls — a recording that proved pivotal to the federal case. Katas documented hundreds of hours of footage, all of which was turned over to the FBI. Marie runs a nonprofit in Short Creek called Voices for Dignity and still lives in the community.

The Kidnapping Plot and What Followed

While already behind bars in November 2022, Bateman orchestrated a kidnapping plot. Eight minors disappeared from state custody and were later recovered by police in Spokane, Washington. Eleven of his adult followers were ultimately convicted on charges related to the child sexual abuse conspiracy.

Among those sentenced: Moroni Johnson, an early follower who had pressured his wife Julia to give four of their daughters to Bateman as wives, received 25 years (beginning May 2025). LaDell Jay Bistline, who brought his ward Naomi "Nomz" Bistline into the sect, received a life sentence. Torrance Bistline, another follower of Bateman, was sentenced to 35 years.

Where the Survivors Are Today

Julia Johnson, whose courageous decision to secretly meet with Christine Marie in July 2022 helped unravel the conspiracy, is no longer with her husband. Director Rachel Dretzin calls her "the heroine of the film" and notes she remains in contact with Marie.

Julia's daughter Moretta was a minor when she became one of Bateman's most devoted wives. She was arrested for her role in the kidnapping plot and served approximately a year in prison. Since her release, she has left the community entirely, married, and started a family. "Prison set me free," she said.

Naomi "Nomz" Bistline, one of only two adult women to testify against Bateman in court, also served time for the kidnapping. She still lives in Short Creek but is actively working toward leaving, pursuing music, writing, art, and fashion. Christine Marie is her godmother.

"Prison was the best and worst thing that happened to me," Nomz said. "It forced me to start thinking for myself. It forced me to start questioning things."

Despite his 50-year sentence, Bateman continues making daily phone calls to remaining followers from prison. "That communication with him is like an IV of indoctrination," Marie said. Dretzin noted that the vast majority of adult followers still believe in Bateman, while all of the minors have separated from him — largely because they were removed from the community and placed in foster care, where they gained enough distance to see what had been done to them.

About the Docuseries

Trust Me: The False Prophet is a four-part docuseries directed by Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Rachel Dretzin, who also directed Netflix's Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, the 2022 series about Warren Jeffs. Trust Me: The False Prophet is streaming now on Netflix.

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