Where is Samuel Bateman now? True story behind Netflix’s ‘Trust Me: The False Prophet’ is spine-chilling
The four-part Netflix documentary 'Trust Me: The False Prophet' begins streaming on Wednesday and recounts the chilling tale of Samuel Bateman, also known as the self-proclaimed prophet who was arrested on charges of s**ual assault. Bateman, who described himself as the heir to another imprisoned cult leader, Warren Jeffs, belongs to a branch of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or FLDS. Both Bateman and Jeffs were polygamists, and the Netflix documentary chronicles the efforts of cult expert Christine Marie and her videographer husband, Tolga Kates, as they infiltrate Bateman's inner circle and his rise in the FDLS, also gathering evidence of his depraved acts of sexual abuse.
The official Netflix synopsis of the true-crime documentary reads, "Trust Me: The False Prophet follows cult psychology expert Christine Marie and her videographer husband Tolga Katas, who moved to Short Creek, Utah, to document and support a community in crisis. In 2011, Warren Jeffs — leader of the breakaway Mormon sect called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), whose members practice polygamy — was convicted of child sexual assault and sentenced to life in prison." The synopsis further reads, "His imprisonment left the insular community fractured and adrift. As Christine and Tolga got to know their new neighbors, a familiar face resurfaced: Samuel Bateman, a former rank-and-file FLDS member who now proclaimed himself a prophet and began to amass followers and take multiple wives, including minors."
Bateman was first arrested by the Arizona Department of Public Safety in August 2022 on charges of child endangerment, according to the FBI affidavit filed at the time. Shortly before his arrest, Bateman was pulled over by law enforcement officers who discovered three minor females traveling unsecured in a boxcar hitched to his vehicle. He was also arrested on the federal charge of destruction of records in an official proceeding, as well as a charge of destruction of records in a federal investigation back in September, 2022. It was also revealed during the court proceedings that Bateman had directed his followers in a phone call made from jail to delete his account in the messaging app Signal and to destroy other documents that were crucial evidence for the prosecutors.
He was ultimately sentenced to 50 years in prison in December 2024 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit the transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. As of this writing, Bateman is in prison. The documentary series is directed by Rachel Dretzin, who previously won an Emmy and has also helmed the 2022 Netflix documentary series about Jeffs titled "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey". 'Trust Me: The False Prophet' is exclusively available on Netflix.
