London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 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
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×