Bistline speaks with EW about what happened off camera, the lessons she learned in prison, and how she’s spending her time these days.

Where is Naomi Bistline now? The False Prophet wife on the ‘necessary betrayal’ that helped her escape Samuel Bateman

Bistline speaks with EW about what happened off camera, the lessons she learned in prison, and how she's spending her time these days.

By Derek Lawrence

Derek Lawrence

Derek Lawrence is a former associate editor at **. He left EW in 2022.

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April 15, 2026 5:08 p.m. ET

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Naomi "Nomz" Bistline in 'Trust Me: The False Prophet'. Credit:

Naomi "Nomz" Bistline was expecting the worst when she agreed to appear in Netflix's* Trust Me: The False Prophet*, a four-part Netflix documentary from director Rachel Dretzin about the rise and fall of Samuel Bateman, a Utah resident who created his own offshoot of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS).

After anointing himself a prophet, Bateman took dozens of "spiritual wives," many of whom were underage. Bistline was around 19 when her cousin and caretaker, LaDell Bistline Jr., "gave" her to Bateman. She became one of his most devoted wives and followers, but has since broken free of his influence. She's the only wife of Bateman's to be interviewed for *The False Prophet*.****"It was a really scary decision," Bistline, who is now 27, tells *EW*. "I went back and forth, and there was times I'd call the producers and just cry, like, 'I don't know if I can take this.' But they were very supportive, talked me through it, and I'm really glad that I did it. Shortly before I was released from prison, I made a commitment that I would do whatever it took to stop Sam and people like him, because I know that I'm not alone in this. I was willing to put my pain and comfort aside."

Bistline grew up in Short Creek, Utah, believing in the lessons of FLDS founder Warren Jeffs, who, in 2006, was arrested and sentenced to life in prison for the sexual assault of two underage girls, both of whom he claimed to be his wives.

In 2016, cult expert Christine Marie and her husband Tolga Katas, a videographer, moved to the area and embedded themselves in the local sect while recording the community's efforts to rebuild and recover following Jeffs' arrest.

But the couple soon began documenting the ever-growing "Samuelite Group," led by Bateman, who invited Marie and Katas into his home to record. During their time with Bateman and his wives, Marie and Katas collected what they believed to be evidence of child abuse, which they took to the FBI.

Bateman was arrested in August 2022 and his home was raided the following month. He was later found guilty of conspiracy to commit transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. In December 2024, he was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

LaDell, Bistline's cousin, was sentenced to life for transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity, among other crimes.

Bistline, too, served time. After Bateman's arrest, he ordered her and some of his other followers to kidnap eight of the underage girls who had been moved to foster care after being rescued from his home. Bistline helped transport them from Arizona through California and into Washington, where they were found by law enforcement. She pleaded guilty in August 2024 for conspiracy to tamper with an official proceeding, serving a total of 21 months.

As *False Prophet* continues to top Netflix's streaming charts, we talked with Bistline about her journey, what happened off camera, and what her life looks like now.

**: What have the last few weeks been like for you?**

When the trailer dropped, it was a lot of pressure, and I went up and down, like, was this the best thing? And then when [the show] actually dropped, I didn't expect this much support. Honestly, I expected more hate; I was bracing for it. And I was okay with that because I didn't want other people to go through what I went through, and so I'm going to talk about it and bring this awareness. But I've been getting a lot of support — except from the [FLDS] community.

**You wanted to speak out for others, but when you were first asked to take part was there any trepidation?**

I remember talking to Tolga and he said, "Ten years from now your story will be just as important, but it won't be as publicized, and if you want to make a big impact for the world, now is the time to do it." So that night I thought more about it, and my name has already been smeared online, so maybe it would help set the record straight.

During filming, I didn't want to name drop, because I felt like, when they're ready, they can tell their story — if they ever want to. But I don't wanna speak for the other victims, because that's up to them.

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**What emotions did you feel as you watched the series for the first time?**

I've only watched it all the way through once, and I think that's enough for me. It was quite emotional and overwhelming, and I cried a lot through it. Even now seeing the footage of me, I relate to that girl so much, but I'm so disassociated that it's hard for me to handle it. I cry for her.

**When Christine and Tolga were suddenly around all the time, what did you think of the constant recording? And, in retrospect, why do you feel like Sam was allowing them to film?**

He was very egoistic, and we were all on script, even when he would leave. We were saying whatever he wanted us to say, and so a lot of the real bad things were not on camera.

But, for me, it was very suspicious, and I did mention it to Sam one time and he really got after me and raised his voice. I didn't dare bring it up after that. He was like, "God told me to trust these people," and then we just went along with it. We didn't have any other choice.

Samuel Bateman in 'The False Prophet'.

**How do you think he was able to gain such power and control over people?**

What I recognized with all the other girls and women was, at first, we were very adamant that we hated him, and it would take months of coercion and him breaking us down, and there was one breaking point where you didn't care anymore. For me, that happened in mid-2021: he started threatening my family, and that was when I caved. And I noticed this with every one of the other girls — [he started] building them into what he wanted.

It wasn't discussed a lot in the documentary, but he had us doing these breathing exercises and insane affirmations every day, and we had to have cold showers every day, and if we didn't, there were severe repercussions. After I started asking about Christine and Tolga and questioning a little, he got really offended and sent me off to live in a trailer for three month. The other women would come bring food to me and take my laundry, and I had to stay out there and repent.

**In *False Prophet*, there's shocking footage of the women as they realize the FBI is outside of the house. Many of them seemed prepared to go to war, searching for pepper spray, wishing they had an AR-15. Thankfully it ended in a peaceful surrender, but what was that environment of chaos and fear like?**

I sometimes think back on that day and wish that I would have went out and hugged the FBI and thanked them. But sadly I didn't have the awareness that I could do that. I was in the shower when they first started screaming to come out, and nobody was going out.

As you see in the documentary, they're all defiant. I think Sam knew things that were going on, but none of us knew, and that morning he'd given me some things to put inside the backpack and said, "Keep it hidden." And I didn't know why or what. So when that happened, I threw some other clothes in the backpack and climbed out the back window, and I was going to run. But I thought of all the other girls and women and I couldn't leave them, so I went back in and left the backpack, and that was when Christine pushed me out the front door. But it was pretty chaotic and traumatic for all of us.

**What did it take for you to begin realizing what had happened to you and come out the other side?**

Being in [prison], I met so many other people, and they would tell me about their lives, and I started recognizing that my life was entirely different, and there was a whole big world out there, and it was fascinating. I remember not daring to question Sam, because, if I questioned him, then I would have to question Warren Jeffs. And it was really scary the day that I realized I was born and raised in lies. I even thought, *I'm smarter than Warren Jeffs and Sam Bateman, how could they have power over me?*

But there was a lot of threats on our lives, and I think that's why. After coming to this life-changing realization, it took months to accept it, and a lot of grief and loss and betrayal and very dark moments.

Naomi 'Nomz' Bistline on 'Trust Me: The False Prophet'.

**How were you feeling throughout the legal process against Sam? Were you eager to help see him punished?**

He took a plea, so we didn't get to testify against him, but we did testify against his male followers. One of them was my caretaker, and I still feel so disgusted and betrayed by him. As a child, I grew up confiding in him, trusting him, and he took that and sold me. So it's really hard for me to think about that.

But I do remember the day [Bateman] took the plea and feeling so angry and invalidated. I felt like in the movies when they go after the bad guy and they finally catch him and he takes the gun and shoots himself. I felt like it wasn't fair to any of us.

**What has the evolution of your relationship with Christine been like?**

I still feel like it was a very necessary betrayal. And now I'm very close with her. She's like a mom to me, and she's the one I turn to because my mom is still in [FLDS] and I'm not able to talk to her much. She's adopted me as a goddaughter, same with Tolga, who's the dad I always wished I had.

**What impact do you hope the series has had and will continue have?**

Especially people who are in toxic situations and relationships, I hope that they can see that you can make it out of it and you don't have to stay in this lost state. You can move on, you can have a good life. It takes a lot, but it's worth it. I'm still coming out of it. I'm still processing and learning and developing and growing every day, but my hope is that people see that it's possible to change and to recover.

**It's been a year since the documentary wrapped. What is life looking like for you today? What's next for you?**

I'm hoping to pursue a career in music. I still do a lot of artwork, study psychology. I write tons of poems. It's the way I let things out, process things. But I mostly have been really focused on singing. It really helps me feel at peace a lot when I just sing it out.

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.*

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