London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

Man had 20 wives as young as nine and married his own daughter

Man had 20 wives as young as nine and married his own daughter

A cult leader in Arizona has been accused of ‘marrying’ up to 20 women and girls as young as nine, including his own daughter, FBI documents have revealed.

Samuel Rappylee Bateman, 46, was the leader of a small group of polygamist Mormons known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS).

After assuming control of the small group of around 50 followers in 2019, Bateman allegedly ‘began to proclaim he was a prophet’ and declared his intention to marry his own teenage daughter, according to an FBI affidavit seen by the Salt Lake Tribune.

In a series of allegations outlined by the FBI, Bateman married up to 20 women- ‘many of whom are minors, mostly under the age of 15,’ and forced them to engage in sickening acts of incest, pedophilic group sex and child sex trafficking.

In one shocking incident cited in the document, Bateman instructed three male followers to have sex with his daughters, one of whom was just 12, while he watched.

Bateman allegedly claimed the girls had ‘sacrificed their virtue for the Lord,’ and went on to say: ‘God will fix their bodies and put the membrane back in their body.

‘I’ve never had more confidence in doing his will. It’s all out of love.’


Samuel Rappylee Bateman declared himself a prophet and forced his followers to engage in sickening paedophilic acts

He was arrested while transporting several underage ‘wives’ in the back of a filthy trailer

Bateman’s downfall finally occurred in September this year, when he was arrested by local police while transporting underage girls across state lines in a squalid, unsecured trailer furnished with a couch and a bucket for a toilet.

He was initially stopped after a state trooper saw ‘children’s small fingers moving in the gap of the rear trailer door’ as he pulled up behind the vehicle.’

According to local media, his SUV contained two women and two girls under the age of 15. In the trailer were three girls, all between the ages of 11 and 14 years old.

Following the incident Bateman was arrested and charged locally with three counts of child abuse, although he later posted bail and was released.

However, he was soon arrested once again by federal agents who charged him with three counts of destroying records after he instructed followers to delete communications sent through an encrypted private messaging system and demanded all women and girls obtain passports.

The FBI have since conducted a number of raids on Bateman’s two homes and placed nine girls into protective custody, although their current wherebouts are unclear

U.S. Magistrate Judge Camille Bibles ordered that Bateman remain behind bars while the case winds through the courts. She noted Bateman is a pilot and survivalist who has followers and international contacts who might help with financial or other resources on a moment’s notice. She said she also was concerned about young girls in vulnerable positions.

‘Courts have a tremendous interest in protecting people who cannot protect themselves,’ she said.

Nine of his underage victims were taken into protective custody following his arrest, although their current whereabouts are unknown

FBI agents have since raided Bateman’s two homes and are gathering evidence against the cult leader


Bateman’s group were originally an offshoot of the FLDS, a larger group run by Warren Jeffs, another convicted paedophile currently serving a prison sentence in Texas for sexually abusing two girls.

The splinter group consider themselves separate from Jeffs’ version of the FLDS church, The Tribune reports, although a photo of the former leader was found hanging in a bedroom in one of the houses raided by the FBI.

They have called themselves Fundamental FLDS, and have also been referred to by others as the ‘Samuel Bateman group’ and ‘Samuelites.’ They consider Bateman their leader, and refer to him as ‘father.’

In the warehouse that was raided Tuesday, there was a Post-it note left behind.

‘Samuel Rappylee Bateman,’ someone wrote in black Sharpie. ‘I am here to do your will.’

Under a row of hand drawn hearts, they wrote in capital letters: ‘I LOVE YOU FOREVER.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×