False Prophet: Conniving Samuel Bateman Duped Followers Into Thinking Former Cult Leader Warren Jeffs Died In Prison

The conniving polygamist cult leader accused of sexually abusing his underage ‘wives’ managed to recruit followers by falsely claiming he was the reincarnation of their deceased leader Warren Jeffs – who’s alive and well in a Texas prison, RadarOnline.com.

Samuel Bateman, 47, shamelessly tricked members of his resuscitated Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) and picked up where Jeffs left off – using scripture to wed and allegedly sexually abusing 10 underage girls that made up his harem of more than 20 wives.

“Bateman proclaimed himself to be the successor of Warren Jeffs, the former leader of the FLDS who is known to his followers as “Uncle Warren,” the federal indictment filed against Bateman states. “Jeffs was reported to have up to 78 wives, including minors.

“Bateman’s followers and co-conspirators would then ‘bear testimony’ to another potential to convince them that defendant Bateman was the Prophet and doing ‘Uncle Warren’s’ will,” the indictment obtained by RadarOnline.com states.

But after Jeffs was arrested in 2006 and remained behind bars until he was sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing two girls, ages 12 and 14 --- the radical splinter group that he formed after bolting from the Mormon church.

As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Jeffs, now 67, began his reign as the FLDS leader in 2002, where the mild-mannered looking creep tyrannically ruled over his brainwashed followers and married about 70 women – 24 of whom were underage.

The FLDS was adrift, for the most part, without its leader until Bateman, one of his most trusted followers, stepped in to take over.

Jeffs remained in control of the flock and in 2010 issued orders from his Texas prison for his followers to practice abstinence. But according to an investigation by The Salt Lake City Tribune Jeffs feel silent and followers in Nebraska decided to pray directly to God because they wanted to have children again.

Bateman seized on the opportunity, and told followers Jeffs died prison and now their former leader now speaks through him. Bateman then began demanding money and wives as he set up a compound – known as Short Creek-- in Colorado City, Arizona.

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Since 2019, Bateman amassed more than 20 wives -half of them under 18 – which he recruited by shuttling between the states of Nebraska, Utah, Colorado, and Arizona visiting followers known as “Samuelites.”

Bateman was slammed with a 51-count federal indictment accusing him of sexually abusing his underage brides – one as young as 9-years-old -- and taking his child bride across state lines to engage in sexual activity, along with have group sex session with adults and children, court documents show.

Bateman remains behind bars following his arrest in September 2022 where he was accused of destroying evidence in the federal investigation. The new indictment also names six co-conspirators who helped him abuse the girls.