
Netflix reveals new prophet in FLDS sect after Warren Jeffs
Dokumentar følger religiøs gruppe i Utah, hvor ny leder overtog magten efter Jeffs' fængsling
Quick Facts
New Netflix documentary on the FLDS sect
The Netflix documentary 'Trust Me: The False Prophet' sheds light on the fundamentalist Mormon sect FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) in Short Creek, Utah, where a new prophet has taken power following Warren Jeffs' imprisonment. Cult expert Christine Marie has followed the fractured community and revealed how a new leader continues the tradition of control and abuse of power.
Warren Jeffs was convicted in 2011 of two counts of sexual abuse against underage girls - a 15-year-old and a 12-year-old - whom he had forced into marriage. He was sentenced to life plus 20 years for these crimes. From prison, he continued to lead the sect through letters and phone calls, but the documentary shows how a new prophet has gradually taken over actual power in the isolated community.
A broken community in the desert
Short Creek sits on the border between Utah and Arizona and has for decades served as the headquarters of the FLDS movement. The community is built on the principle of "celestial marriage" - marriage with multiple wives - and strict religious control. Following Jeffs' imprisonment, the community has split between those who still follow his directives from prison and those who have accepted the new prophet.
The documentary provides a rare insight into how religious sects maintain control over their members through psychological manipulation, social isolation, and threats of spiritual damnation. Christine Marie interviews both former members and people still living in Short Creek, painting a picture of a community in upheaval.
Polygamy and systematic abuse
The FLDS movement broke with the official Mormon church in the 1890s when the church abandoned the practice of polygamy. Since then, the group has practiced arranged marriages, where young girls - some as young as 12-14 years old - are married off to older men with the prophet's blessing. The documentary documents how this system has enabled sexual abuse and exploitation across generations.


