The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was created as a more rigid interpretation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more specifically to continue practicing polygamy after the LDS church stopped. Because there was never any structure within the FLDS, there have been battles for power since its inception, and the cult has always been rife with abuse and corruption. When Rulon Jeffs became the prophet and his son manipulated his way to the position at his death, the FLDS reached all-new levels of depravity. He was a lunatic regarded as the mouth of God, and the obedience of his followers was essential to their access to heaven. The entire cult is an example of the repeating cycles of abuse and a lesson that the only good cult is a Creep It Real cult.
Our sources for this episode include:
Breaking Free: How I Escaped Polygamy, the FLDS cult and my father, Warren Jeffs
Prophet's Prey: My Seven-Year Investigation Into Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints
by Sam Brower
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.