Who is Jodi Hildebrandt? This is the woman behind Netflix's Evil Influencer

Call it a guilty pleasure, but following the picture-perfect lives of influencers is oddly entertaining. At the same time, those carefully edited videos sometimes make us forget that vlogging can also have a dark side. In the Disney+ documentary ‘Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke’, we already saw the shocking truth behind family vlogger Ruby Franke — and that turned out to be just the beginning.

Franke was assisted by life coach Jodi Hildebrandt, and her role went even further. In the new Netflix documentary ‘Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story’, her story is unraveled. With over 15 million views, viewers worldwide are quite shocked.

The story behind Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story

That things are seriously wrong in this story becomes clear in the first scene of the Netflix documentary. A twelve-year-old boy, emaciated, knocks on a door. Tape and plastic wrap are around his arms and legs. He asks the residents if they can call the police — not to report someone, but because he thinks he deserves his punishment. As soon as the police arrive, one thing is immediately clear: this is going to be a serious case.

The boy turns out to have escaped from the home of life coach Jodi Hildebrandt. He was staying there with his mother Ruby Franke and his younger sister, who was just as badly off as he was. The two women were convinced that the children were possessed by demons and that they needed to be driven out. The more the police discover, the clearer it becomes how much influence Hildebrandt had on Franke and her family.

She cleverly played into the strong Mormon culture in the state of Utah and built a system through her coaching platform ConneXions where her ideas were hardly challenged. The Franke family was not her only victim: other families also became increasingly entangled in her way of thinking, often with severe consequences. The escape of Franke's son put Hildebrandt in the spotlight for the first time — and revealed her true battlefield.

ConneXions: more and more victims share their stories

Jodi Hildebrandt is a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which plays a significant role in the state of Utah. In her youth, she goes on a mission trip for the church, and during her studies to become a therapist, she becomes increasingly interested in sexuality, sex addiction, and relationships. With her platform ConneXions, Hildebrandt focuses on couples with relationship problems.

She used elements from the faith to provide people with direction and support, but increasingly twisted them to fit her own beliefs. As her influence grew, followers became convinced that her words represented a higher truth. In reality, Hildebrandt delved deeper into the personal lives of her clients and gradually took control.

In the documentary, several victims share their stories. A clear pattern emerges: Hildebrandt's impact was devastating for many families. Her niece also speaks out and painfully clarifies that abuse and boundary-crossing behavior were not isolated incidents, but seemed to repeat themselves more often.

The link with Ruby Franke

That help with relationship problems is also what brings Ruby Franke into contact with Jodi Hildebrandt — and there lie opportunities. At that time, Franke has a successful YouTube channel, ‘8 Passengers’, with millions of followers. The two women quickly develop a close bond, and Hildebrandt's influence becomes increasingly visible in the vlogs. How this slowly unraveled can be seen in the Disney+ documentary ‘Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke’; a three-part series that is quite intense even for seasoned true crime viewers.

The collaboration goes further, and together they start the account ‘Moms of Truth’. Thanks to Franke's enormous reach, Hildebrandt manages to attract an even larger audience and further expand her influence. As the bond grows closer, the boundaries also blur. So much so that Hildebrandt moves in with the Franke family — a moment when, as the documentary shows, the situation quickly escalates.

Where is Jodi Hildebrandt now?

After the escape of Ruby Franke's son, she and Jodi Hildebrandt are arrested. An extensive investigation follows, and in the courtroom, it becomes clear how severe the abuse was. Franke apologizes during the trial, but Hildebrandt does not; she continues to insist that her actions stemmed from love and conviction.

In February 2024, both women are sentenced to prison terms of four to thirty years. What that exactly means requires some explanation. In the state of Utah, prison sentences are indefinite: there is always a minimum and a maximum duration. In principle, someone serves the maximum sentence unless the Board of Pardons decides that early release is possible. Hildebrandt's first hearing is scheduled for December 2026; her first moment when early release is theoretically possible. Whether that actually happens is still uncertain.

Anyone watching ‘Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story’ immediately understands why.

Image: Netflix