Parijat Ghosh 
Netflix just dropped a bomb on our watchlists, and it is as messy as a kitchen after a toddler bake-off. The four-part docuseries, Trust Me: The False Prophet, premiered on April 8, 2026. It dives deep into the chaotic world of Samuel Bateman, a man who looked at the notorious Warren Jeffs and thought, “I can definitely do that better.” Spoiler alert, he did not do it better. He just did it with more federal charges.
Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss
Samuel Bateman spent years as a loyal member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or FLDS for short. When Warren Jeffs went to prison for life, a power vacuum opened up larger than the one in a celebrity apology video.
Bateman stepped right in, claiming he was the chosen successor. He started his own breakaway sect called the “Samuelites” along the Arizona and Utah border. He gathered about 50 followers, moved them into a place called the “Green House,” and began his reign of absolute nonsense.
Undercover and Over It
The series stands out because it follows cult expert Christine Marie and her filmmaker husband, Tolga Katas. They did not just watch from the sidelines. They actually embedded themselves within the community to see what was going down.
There’s captured real footage, hidden conversations, and the kind of manipulation that makes your skin crawl. They went in thinking they might help a fractured community, but they quickly realized Bateman was running a full-blown criminal enterprise.
The Crimes Behind the Curtain
This is not just a story about weird outfits and long prayers. The documentary exposes how Bateman used religious authority to control and abuse his followers. He had more than 20 wives, and at least 10 of them were under the age of 18. Some victims were as young as nine years old. In 2024, Bateman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and transporting minors for criminal sexual activity. He is currently trading his prophet robes for a very standard orange jumpsuit.
Why You Should Care
Directed by Rachel Dretzin, who also gave us Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, this series hits like a freight train. It avoids cheap thrills and focuses on the psychological grip Bateman held over his victims. It features exclusive interviews with women who escaped and the people who helped bring him down. The show illustrates exactly how fear and isolation can make the impossible seem normal.
If you enjoy screaming at your television while eating popcorn, this is the binge for you. It is a tight, four-episode run that respects the survivors while exposing the monster at the center. Samuel Bateman tried to build a kingdom, but he ended up building a very detailed evidence file for the FBI. Stream it now, but maybe keep the lights on for this one.
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