• Malevolent Mormon Mommys | The Case Against Ruby Franke & Jodi Hildebrandt

  • By: True Crime Today
  • Podcast

Malevolent Mormon Mommys | The Case Against Ruby Franke & Jodi Hildebrandt

By: True Crime Today
Listen for free

  • Summary

  • Dive into the shadowed intersection of faith and deception with "Malevolent Mormon Mommys." This riveting podcast unravels the startling allegations against Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt, once celebrated figures in mommy blogging and the Mormon community. Beyond their picture-perfect online personas lay dark secrets waiting to be exposed. Through in-depth reporting, exclusive interviews with investigators, police, and psychologists, we confront the unsettling truths hidden behind their devout façades. Explore the intricacies of the digital age, the complexities of religious influence, and the psychology of deception. In a world where faith meets facade, "Malevolent Mormon Mommys" challenges perceptions and unveils a tale of betrayal, prompting the ultimate question: How well do we truly know the faces we trust? Subscribe and uncover a story that redefines the lines between belief and betrayal.
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Politics & Government True Crime
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Episodes
  • Inside The House Of Ruby Franke As Her Daughter Shares The Horror Story

    Inside The House Of Ruby Franke As Her Daughter Shares The Horror Story
    Jan 8 2025
    Shari Franke’s memoir, The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom, begins with a striking and unforgettable image: the moment police forced open the front door of her family’s home with a battering ram. Shari, the eldest daughter of the once-popular family vloggers behind the 8 Passengers YouTube channel, captured the moment on her phone and shared it on Instagram, writing, “This moment, this climax of my family’s descent into madness, needed to be documented, preserved, and shared on social media.” It was an act of reclamation—an attempt to wrest back control of her narrative from a life shaped by forced smiles and staged perfection. Today, with the release of her memoir through Gallery Books, Shari pulls back the curtain on the tabloid nightmare her family became. Ruby Franke, Shari’s mother and the matriarch of the 8 Passengers channel, was arrested in 2023 along with her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt. The two women were charged with multiple counts of aggravated child abuse after Shari’s younger brother escaped from Hildebrandt’s home and begged a neighbor for help. The boy, visibly malnourished and injured, revealed a harrowing story of being tied up with ropes and deprived of food. Inside Hildebrandt’s home, police discovered Shari’s younger sister in a similarly emaciated and injured state. The public’s collective gasp over these revelations was only the beginning. In The House of My Mother, Shari details how the Franke family’s carefully curated image of wholesomeness and faith unraveled behind the scenes, exposing the dark underbelly of a household where control, manipulation, and emotional abuse reigned. Before the arrests, the Frankes had amassed nearly 2.5 million subscribers on YouTube, drawn to their idyllic portrayal of life as a large Mormon family. But Shari’s memoir reveals a far different reality. The transformation, she writes, began when Hildebrandt, a counselor with controversial methods, entered their lives. Hildebrandt’s influence over Ruby grew rapidly, shifting the family dynamics in alarming ways. “She was our family’s very own cult leader,” Shari writes. “She turned my mother into a fawning, starstruck acolyte who lapped up her every demented word like it was holy water.” Kevin Franke, Ruby’s husband and Shari’s father, was gradually pushed out of the household. According to Shari, Hildebrandt became the puppet master, dictating the family’s every move under the guise of therapy and spiritual guidance. In a particularly disturbing episode, Hildebrandt took over Shari’s bedroom, filling it with candles and massage oils. Shari’s suspicions about a deeper relationship between her mother and Hildebrandt were confirmed one night when she saw Ruby sneaking out of her former room. “It was equal parts fascinating and horrific,” Shari recalls. “Two women who publicly condemned queerness in their ConneXions Classroom videos, while embodying it privately.” Hildebrandt’s teachings, presented as strict moral guidelines, included extreme punishments and bizarre rituals. Shari writes that these teachings justified the alienation of Kevin, who was sent away to “work on his shortcomings” while the children’s welfare deteriorated. The memoir’s most heart-wrenching moments recount Shari’s growing concern for her siblings. Isolated from her family while attending Brigham Young University, Shari made repeated calls to the Department of Child and Family Services, desperate to have someone intervene. But it wasn’t until her brother’s dramatic escape that authorities finally acted. Ruby and Hildebrandt’s subsequent arrest and guilty pleas to four counts of aggravated child abuse brought an end to their reign of terror. Each woman was sentenced to four to thirty years in prison—a grim chapter in a story that continues to haunt the public consciousness. Shari, now 21, has emerged as an advocate against the exploitation of children in family vlogging. Her experiences growing up in front of a camera have shaped her into a vocal critic of the practice, which she believes inherently violates children’s privacy and well-being. In her memoir and public statements, Shari argues there is no ethical way to monetize a child’s life online. “Making money off your kids with no oversight as to how much the kids are getting paid—there’s no way to do that well,” she asserts. Shari has taken her advocacy to the legislative level, supporting bills that protect underage influencers by guaranteeing them a share of their earnings. “It should be 100 percent,” she insists, though she adds that even financial compensation cannot undo the psychological damage inflicted by growing up with one’s life broadcast to millions. The memoir also sheds light on Shari’s personal struggles, from suicidal ideation to a damaging relationship with a married church elder. She writes candidly about feeling unloved as a ...
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    9 mins
  • Between a Rock and a Hildebrandt: Kevin Franke's Cluelessness Unveiled-2024 Year in Review

    Between a Rock and a Hildebrandt: Kevin Franke's Cluelessness Unveiled-2024 Year in Review
    Jan 5 2025
    This is the " The Year in Review," where we delve into the true stories behind this year's most compelling headlines. Your host, Tony Brueski, joins hands with a rotating roster of guests, sharing their insights and analysis on a collection of intriguing, perplexing, and often chilling stories that have dominated the news.

    This is not your average news recap. With the sharp investigative lens of Tony and his guests, the show uncovers layers beneath the headlines, offering a comprehensive perspective that traditional news can often miss. From high-profile criminal trials to in-depth examinations of ongoing investigations, this podcast takes listeners on a fascinating journey through the world of true crime and current events.

    Throughout the past year, we've followed and dissected cases such as P. Diddy, Karen Read, Scott Peterson, Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrand, the Delphi Murders, Kouri Richins, Bryan Kohberger, Rex Heuermann, Alex Murdaugh, Chad and Lori Daybell, and the Adelson family. Each episode navigates through these stories, illuminating their details with factual reporting, expert commentary, and engaging conversation. Tony and his guests discuss each case's nuances, complexities, and human elements, delivering a multi-dimensional understanding to their audience.

    Whether you are a dedicated follower of true crime, or an everyday listener interested in the stories shaping our world, the "The Year in Review" brings you the perfect balance of intrigue, information, and intelligent conversation. Expect thoughtful analysis, informed opinions, and thought-provoking discussions beyond the 24-hour news cycle.
    Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
    Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
    The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
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    11 mins
  • Documents and Videos Reveal Disturbing Details in Ruby Franke Child Abuse Case-2024 Year in Review

    Documents and Videos Reveal Disturbing Details in Ruby Franke Child Abuse Case-2024 Year in Review
    Jan 2 2025
    This is the " The Year in Review," where we delve into the true stories behind this year's most compelling headlines. Your host, Tony Brueski, joins hands with a rotating roster of guests, sharing their insights and analysis on a collection of intriguing, perplexing, and often chilling stories that have dominated the news.

    This is not your average news recap. With the sharp investigative lens of Tony and his guests, the show uncovers layers beneath the headlines, offering a comprehensive perspective that traditional news can often miss. From high-profile criminal trials to in-depth examinations of ongoing investigations, this podcast takes listeners on a fascinating journey through the world of true crime and current events.

    Throughout the past year, we've followed and dissected cases such as P. Diddy, Karen Read, Scott Peterson, Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrand, the Delphi Murders, Kouri Richins, Bryan Kohberger, Rex Heuermann, Alex Murdaugh, Chad and Lori Daybell, and the Adelson family. Each episode navigates through these stories, illuminating their details with factual reporting, expert commentary, and engaging conversation. Tony and his guests discuss each case's nuances, complexities, and human elements, delivering a multi-dimensional understanding to their audience.

    Whether you are a dedicated follower of true crime, or an everyday listener interested in the stories shaping our world, the "The Year in Review" brings you the perfect balance of intrigue, information, and intelligent conversation. Expect thoughtful analysis, informed opinions, and thought-provoking discussions beyond the 24-hour news cycle.
    Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
    Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
    The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
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    17 mins

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