‘Trust Me: The False Prophet’: Inside Naomi’s escape from Samuel Bateman’s FLDS cult—and her life now
The recently released Netflix documentary 'Trust Me: The False Prophet' brings to light the deeply disturbing exploits of cult leader Samuel Bateman. The four-part documentary made by Christine Marie and her husband, Tolga Katas, describes in detail the coercion and manipulation used by Bateman to have relationships with over 20 women, whom he described as his 'spiritual wives.' Furthermore, several of these wives were legally underage at the time of being related to the disgraced polygamist and the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, or FLDS. Among the manipulated women was Naomi.
The documentary reveals that Naomi was in her early 20s when she was lured in by Bateman to become one of his wives. The fact that Naomi had a rigid Mormon upbringing didn't help much. Also nicknamed 'Nomz,' she became the 13th wife of Bateman after being deliberately harassed and worn down by the cult leader. According to one of Naomi's relatives, she was mentally exhausted by the time of her marriage to Bateman. They also revealed, "She only thinks what he’s planted in there; she doesn’t have a mind of her own anymore." Naomi quoted the reason she married him: "Heavenly Father impressed me to tell you that you belong to my family."
Back on August 28, 2022, Bateman was apprehended while transporting multiple women in the trailer of his truck. Although Naomi herself was with Bateman at the time, she ended up defending him and also instructed the other girls not to cooperate with the law enforcement officers. She eventually remarked in the documentary, "In our minds, we’re like celebrities (or choosing to live a life totally dedicated to God)." When the FBI showed up at Bateman's residence a month later and put him away, Naomi evaded capture for a while and tried to retrieve the minor girls, acting upon instructions from Bateman, who was in jail by then. However, she ultimately turned herself in and ended up serving 21 months in prison.
In the aftermath of this disturbing chapter in her life, Naomi has turned a new leaf and is living her life as a free individual. Although her exact whereabouts are unknown, she is studying Psychology for her college degree and has an active social media account. She has even modeled for Katas and traveled across several states, making new friends and reconnecting with old ones. Summing up her rehabilitation journey, Naomi wrote on her Instagram profile, "This past year has been nothing short of a transformation. I’ve been in awe of how much there is to experience, how much I’ve changed, and how far I’ve come. It has been a journey of healing, allowing myself to feel everything I am going through: happiness, sadness, love, anger, laughter, disappointment, accomplishment, rejection, and acceptance… it’s truly liberating.”
