Latest news with #Hildebrandt
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Chilling Footage Inside Home Where Former Mormon Influencer Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt Carried Out Heinous Abuse Revealed in New Docuseries
The heinous crimes of former Mormon influencer and are set to be laid bare in an upcoming docuseries that will showcase their 'disturbing' relationship as family members reveal how the pair carried out the shocking abuse inside the former family counselor's home. Investigation Discovery will release 'Ruby and Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence' on Sept. 1. The four-part docuseries will dive into the 'motivations' that sparked therapist Hildebrandt to influence mommy vlogger Franke to physically abuse her children inside Hildebrandt's $5 million Utah dwelling. The show, which will air on HBO Max, will shine a light on the ConneXions program, the same program Hildebrandt used to assert her power in the Mormon community and influence the members. It will also offer up shocking police footage of the discovery of Franke's daughter Eve, then 10, who was starved and abused inside a closet. Police arrived at the horrifying scene after Franke's son Russell, then 12, miraculously fled the dwelling and ran to a neighboring home, where security footage showed him asking the residents to give him food. During their search of the property, law enforcement officers discovered torture devices, including rope, handcuffs, and cayenne pepper paste. The series will also present Hildebrandt's niece, Jessi, who will lay bare the lifetime of manipulation she saw her aunt carry out until her arrest. 'Delving into Hildebrandt and Franke's relationship from both women's respective rise to power and extensive influence within the Mormon community to their eventual arrests in 2023, the docuseries charts the magnetic connection between the two and how the melding of Franke's strict family values with Hildebrandt's controversial beliefs created a microcosm of control, manipulation, and brutality that led to the devastating emotional and physical abuse of the Franke children,' a press release shared with read. The press release noted that viewers will see extensive 'archival and police footage,' as well as insight from local journalists who covered the case. 'The disturbing alliance between Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt has captivated and horrified the public, and this docuseries peels back the layers of that relationship through exclusive interviews with family members, former clients, and experts to explore the broader implications of family vlogging and the devastating impact of family abuse,' said Jason Sarlanis, president of Investigation Discovery. 'Ruby and Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence' will premiere over two nights on Sept. 1 and 2, from 9 to 11 p.m. ET on ID. It will also be available to stream on HBO Max. The trailer for the upcoming series begins with footage of the moment Russell begged a neighbor for food after he fled the house. In the background, the 911 call that the neighbor placed is played. 'He is obviously covered in wounds, Ruby Franke is his mom's name,' the 911 caller said, before the clip cut to a video of the mommy vlogger. The trailer then cut to a various people branding Hildebrandt 'insidious' and even a 'cult leader.' 'This was a wolf in sheep's clothing,' someone else in the trailer said. The five-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home in which the pair carried out the horrifying crimes and were arrested belonged to Hildebrandt and was located in Ivins, UT. Both Franke, 42, and Hildebrandt, 55, pleaded guilty to the charges against them and, in February 2024, they were each sentenced to four consecutive prison terms, which could see them serving up to 30 years behind bars. Police video footage revealed officers combing through the dwelling, with one almost breaking down in tears when he discovered a terrified Eve inside the tiny closet. Both Franke and Hildebrandt were held without bail while they awaited the start of their December 2023 plea hearings—with the latter opting to list her home for sale for $5.3 million just weeks before she was sentenced. However, the dwelling was swiftly taken off the market after a judge ruled that Hildebrandt had to wait until her sentencing before selling it. Once listed, the property then sat on the market for quite some time, until it seemed to have finally had a pending sale in March 2025. However, it was put back on the market in May 2025. It might well be that the home's links to the horrifying crimes of Franke and Hildebrandt made buyers shy away—despite being described in its listing as having 'stunning features and finishes that will take your breath away.' According to Franke's former husband, Kevin, and their two older children, Shari and Chad, all of whom had moved out of the family home when the YouTube star was arrested, the mother of six had moved into Hildebrandt's home not long before her arrest, along with her two youngest kids. Not long after the extent of his wife's crimes was revealed to him, Kevin filed for divorce, which was finalized on March 20. According to local news outlet KSL, Kevin was awarded full custody of their four children who are under the age of 18, as well as sole ownership of the $1.3 million Springville, UT, home he once shared with Ruby. Additionally, Kevin was awarded ownership of a 2.8-acre plot of land in Scofield, Carbon County. Related Articles Food Network Star Anne Burrell's Cause Of Death Revealed After Chef Was Found Dead Inside Her Brooklyn Home Kylie Kelce Reveals Surprising Things She Has Banned in Her $6 Million Home Nicole Kidman Applies for Residency in Portugal—but Husband Keith Urban Is Missing From the Documents
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
New docuseries explores Ruby Franke's 'twisted dynamic' with Jodi Hildebrandt: See trailer
Viewers will learn more about the "twisted dynamic" between infamous mommy vlogger Ruby Franke and business partner Jodi Hildebrandt in a new docuseries from Investigation Discovery. "Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence," set to premiere in early September, combines exclusive interviews, commentary, as well as extensive archival and police footage to offer "unprecedented insight" into Hildebrandt's rise to power within the Mormon community through her life improvement program ConneXions and how it led her to Franke. The show, specifically, will chronicle the women's "doomed partnership" and the "dangerous, disturbing results of unchecked influence to reveal the physical and psychological impact of their abusive actions." Franke, who ran a popular YouTube channel called "8 Passengers" with her family, and Hildebrandt, Franke's counselor-turned-business partner, were arrested and convicted of child abuse after two of Franke's six children were found abused and malnourished. "The docuseries charts the magnetic connection between the two and how the melding of Franke's strict family values with Hildebrandt's controversial beliefs created a microcosm of control, manipulation, and brutality that led to the devastating emotional and physical abuse of the Franke children," Investigation Discovery said in a news release. Here's what we know about "Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence," including how to watch it. Who is Ruby Franke? And what did she do? Ruby Franke, 43, is a former mommy vlogger who lived in Springville, Utah, with her husband Kevin and their six children. The couple ran a popular and now-defunct YouTube channel called "8 Passengers," which showed snippets of the family's daily life online to an audience of millions beginning in early 2015. Franke later became the subject of widespread criticism online for her parenting choices, particularly her discipline methods that some considered borderline abusive. The pushback intensified when Franke co-founded ConneXions with Hildebrandt, a family counselor turned business partner. Many found that the "parenting style" the pair promoted was extreme and harsh. The frequent inclusion of what has been called homophobic, racist and transphobic comments did not help their popularity. In one often-referenced example, Franke told viewers that children do not deserve, and should not receive, unconditional love. Both women were arrested and initially charged with six counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse in September 2023 after two of Franke's six children were found abused and malnourished, the office of Eric Clarke, the Washington County Attorney in St. Georiga, Utah, announced at the time. They both pleaded guilty in December 2023 to four of the six counts as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, USA TODAY previously reported. Franke and Hildebrandt were sentenced to prison time ranging from four to 60 years in February 2024 and are currently serving their respective sentences. What will be in 'Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence'? The four-part docuseries "underscores Hildebrandt's manipulative and dangerous tendencies and how when combined with Franke's strict family values, they created an environment rife with manipulation, control, and abuse," according to Investigation Discovery. "Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence" does feature "extensive interviews with former clients." Jessi Hildebrandt, Hildebrandt's niece, and others, including local journalists as well as current and former members of the Mormon faith, will also offer "additional and exclusive insight" throughout the docuseries, the TV network said. Jason Sarlanis, president of Investigation Discovery, said in a statement, "The disturbing alliance between Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt has captivated and horrified the public, and this docuseries peels back the layers of that relationship through exclusive interviews with family members, former clients, and experts to explore the broader implications of family vlogging and the devastating impact of family abuse." Watch 'Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence' trailer How to watch 'Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence' The four-part Investigation Discovery docuseries will premiere over two nights, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, at 9 p.m. ET/midnight PT. Episodes will be available to stream on HBO Max.
San Francisco Chronicle
12-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hildebrandt leads new Real American Freestyle wrestling signees
Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hildebrandt headlines a group of four women who have signed with Real American Freestyle wrestling. Hildebrandt became the fourth American woman to win a gold medal in Olympic wrestling when she defeated Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba in the 50-kilogram final last year in Paris. Other signees the new company announced Thursday are Olympic silver medalist Lucía 'Jami' Yepez Guzman, Audrey Jimenez and Zeltin Hernandez Guerra. They join Kennedy Blades, a silver medalist for the United States at the Paris Olympics, as the anchors of the women's division. 'Real American Freestyle was created to trailblaze, and these incredible women joining our roster are a critical part of that,' RAF commissioner Hulk Hogan said in a statement. Yepez Guzman, who is from Ecuador, was a silver medalist at the Paris Olympics. She also won gold at the 2023 Pan American Games, the 2021 Junior Pan American Games and the 2021 U23 World Wrestling Championships. Jimenez, 19, was a U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up. She was the first female to win an Arizona state championship in the boys division. She won the 2025 Senior Pan American Championships at 50 kilograms last month, with a win over Guzman Lopez in the semifinals. Hernandez Guerra is a Mexican who won gold at the U23 Pan American Championships last year. ___
Winnipeg Free Press
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hildebrandt leads new Real American Freestyle wrestling signees
Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hildebrandt headlines a group of four women who have signed with Real American Freestyle wrestling. Hildebrandt became the fourth American woman to win a gold medal in Olympic wrestling when she defeated Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba in the 50-kilogram final last year in Paris. Other signees the new company announced Thursday are Olympic silver medalist Lucía 'Jami' Yepez Guzman, Audrey Jimenez and Zeltin Hernandez Guerra. They join Kennedy Blades, a silver medalist for the United States at the Paris Olympics, as the anchors of the women's division. 'Real American Freestyle was created to trailblaze, and these incredible women joining our roster are a critical part of that,' RAF commissioner Hulk Hogan said in a statement. Yepez Guzman, who is from Ecuador, was a silver medalist at the Paris Olympics. She also won gold at the 2023 Pan American Games, the 2021 Junior Pan American Games and the 2021 U23 World Wrestling Championships. Jimenez, 19, was a U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up. She was the first female to win an Arizona state championship in the boys division. She won the 2025 Senior Pan American Championships at 50 kilograms last month, with a win over Guzman Lopez in the semifinals. Hernandez Guerra is a Mexican who won gold at the U23 Pan American Championships last year. Real American Freestyle events will feature matches at eight men's and four women's weight classes. The first is scheduled for Aug. 30 in Cleveland, with other sites to be named in the coming months. ___ AP sports:
Associated Press
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hildebrandt leads new Real American Freestyle wrestling signees
Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hildebrandt headlines a group of four women who have signed with Real American Freestyle wrestling. Hildebrandt became the fourth American woman to win a gold medal in Olympic wrestling when she defeated Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba in the 50-kilogram final last year in Paris. Other signees the new company announced Thursday are Olympic silver medalist Lucía 'Jami' Yepez Guzman, Audrey Jimenez and Zeltin Hernandez Guerra. They join Kennedy Blades, a silver medalist for the United States at the Paris Olympics, as the anchors of the women's division. 'Real American Freestyle was created to trailblaze, and these incredible women joining our roster are a critical part of that,' RAF commissioner Hulk Hogan said in a statement. Yepez Guzman, who is from Ecuador, was a silver medalist at the Paris Olympics. She also won gold at the 2023 Pan American Games, the 2021 Junior Pan American Games and the 2021 U23 World Wrestling Championships. Jimenez, 19, was a U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up. She was the first female to win an Arizona state championship in the boys division. She won the 2025 Senior Pan American Championships at 50 kilograms last month, with a win over Guzman Lopez in the semifinals. Hernandez Guerra is a Mexican who won gold at the U23 Pan American Championships last year. Real American Freestyle events will feature matches at eight men's and four women's weight classes. The first is scheduled for Aug. 30 in Cleveland, with other sites to be named in the coming months. ___ AP sports:
