Please note that this article discusses sexual abuse.
Netflix is keeping us thoroughly booked and busy right now! Alongside The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson and Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom, we’ve also got a culty follow-up to the harrowing Keep Sweet and Obey.
The director of that documentary, Rachel Dretzin, returns with the story of how cult psychology expert Christine Marie and her videographer husband, Tolga Katas, infiltrated Warren Jeffs’ successor and helped bring him to justice. Trust Me: The False Prophet shines a spotlight on the crimes of Samuel Bateman, exposing them in chilling detail.
At the centre of it all is Christine Marie, an LA-based woman in pink cowboy boots with an uncanny talent for getting people to open up. What’s her own history with cults? How did she manage to infiltrate this dangerous group? Here’s everything you need to know.
Who is Christine Marie?
Dr Christine Marie, known simply as Christine Marie to members of the group, is a cult expert whose career path was shaped by her own experiences with a “false prophet,” as she describes him.
Her dedication to the field stems from deeply personal trauma. Marie reveals in the documentary that she was a victim of “cult-based human trafficking,” forced to engage in sexual acts with men selected by her prophet.
After escaping the cult, Marie pursued her education, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University in 1989, followed by a master’s and PhD in psychology, with a focus on media psychology.
Why did Christine Marie move to Short Creek?
Marie and her husband moved to Short Creek with the goal of supporting and assisting members in need. She recognised that the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) community in Short Creek would be struggling in the aftermath of their prophet, Warren Jeffs’ imprisonment.
To further her mission, Marie founded Voices for Dignity, a nonprofit dedicated to “promoting online kindness and compassion, and contributing resources and advocacy for marginalised populations as well as survivors of public shaming, dehumanisation, and stigmatisation.” Through this organisation, she became a key advocate for members of the FLDS community following Jeffs’ arrest and conviction.
How did Christine Marie meet Samuel Bateman?
In the documentary, Marie explains that she first began helping Bateman through her organisation, as he was going through a divorce and facing financial struggles. However, he soon returned with a new wife, despite Jeffs' strict rules forbidding new marriages. Over time, Bateman began appearing with multiple wives, some of whom appeared to be very young.
Gradually, Bateman grew more trusting of Marie and her husband. He insisted that her documentary focus solely on him, portraying him as the new prophet. He even claimed that Warren Jeffs was actually dead and that he was speaking through him.
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Then, in 2021, Bateman invited Marie for a ride in his Bentley, where she found herself seated alongside three young women, including a minor. Already suspicious of his behavior, Marie was horrified when Bateman began revealing details of what she later described as “ritualistic sexual abuse” occurring within the community. The other passengers were allegedly among the victims. Despite the obvious danger, she sneakily grabbed her phone and started recording him.
Did the police help Christine Marie?
Once home, Marie called the police to report what she had learned. Authorities requested additional evidence, ideally witness statements, particularly from a minor.
Following this, Marie and Katas began working as informants for the FBI, frequently visiting Bateman’s community in Short Creek to monitor potential victims.
Eventually, Julia Johnson, an FLDS member, approached Marie for help. Her four daughters had been given to Bateman in spiritual marriages. She believed that what was happening wasn't right, despite her husband Moroni's devotion to Bateman. Marie helped convince Johnson to share her inside knowledge of Short Creek with the FBI, setting the stage for Bateman’s eventual apprehension.
Bateman was initially arrested during a traffic stop on 28 August 2022, after a witness noticed small hands protruding from a trailer. Police discovered the girls inside and took him into custody, though he was later released on bond. Marie and Katas played a critical role in the FBI’s subsequent raid of Short Creek: they arranged for Bateman to be alone at a warehouse for questioning while Marie stayed with his wives at the house to prevent violence. Agents seized phones and computers, and the couple provided footage showing Bateman attempting to delete evidence following his first arrest.
Bateman was taken into custody again pending trial, and all minors were placed in a group home under social services.
Did they find out that Christine Marie was the informant?
At the group home, one of the young girls discovered a torn-up paper listing the names of the FBI informants, including Christine Marie, Tolga Katas, and Julia Johnson. When the older wives learned of this, they began contacting the informants to express their anger and threaten them.
This escalated into a plot to kidnap the younger girls from the group home, sparking a high-stakes manhunt to ensure their safety.
The man behind the sinister cult.
Where is Christine Marie now?
Christine Marie and her husband continue to live in Colorado City, where they run an animal sanctuary. She remains active as an author, educator, and public speaker, and has developed a course on critical thinking, cult psychology, and coercion, which she continues to teach.
In 2024, Marie was awarded the Harriet Tubman Peace Medallion by the Freedom Express Awards in recognition of her work.
She continues to assist former members of Samuel Bateman’s community. The documentary highlights her close relationship with Nomz and the support she provided after Nomz’s release from incarceration. She helped Nomz obtain a psychology degree like herself.
On her personal website, Marie announced that in conjunction with the release of Trust Me on April 8, she is launching a fundraiser for survivors of Samuel Bateman. Named the Dream Fund, it will be overseen by an accountant from Voices for Dignity.
“Our hope is to provide these survivors some unexpected blessings to be able to something positive and wonderful, whether it’s move to a new house, put a down payment on a car, travel to Disneyworld, take dancing lessons, or who knows what else?” Marie writes.
Watch Trust Me: The False Prophet on Netflix.
For more information about reporting and recovering from rape and sexual abuse, you can contact Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222.
If you have been sexually assaulted, you can find your nearest Sexual Assault Referral Centre here. You can also find support at your local GP, voluntary organisations such as Rape Crisis, Women's Aid, and Victim Support, and you can report it to the police (if you choose) here.
