Jodi Hildebrandt, the founder of the ConneXions counseling program, was a high-profile Utah family counselor who kept her private life largely out of the public eye. She has two adult children who are estranged and later took in her niece, Jessi, who has accused her of prolonged physical and emotional abuse. Hildebrandt and collaborator Ruby Franke were arrested in August 2023 after a child escaped and sought help; both pleaded guilty to multiple counts of aggravated child abuse and were sentenced in February 2024 to four to 30 years in prison.
Inside Jodi Hildebrandt’s Family: Estrangement, Abuse Allegations and the Case That Led to Prison
Moms of Truth/Instagram; KUTV 2 News Salt Lake City/YouTubeJodi Hildebrandt in an Instagram video; Jessi Hildebrandt talking in a 2023 interview.
Jodi Hildebrandt, once a prominent Utah-based family and relationship counselor and founder of the ConneXions program, cultivated a public reputation as a parenting and couples adviser while keeping much of her own personal life private. Her fall from grace — chronicled in the Netflix documentary Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story and other reporting — culminated in criminal convictions after allegations of severe abuse involving children in her care.
Moms of Truth/ InstagramJodi Hildebrandt talking in a 2023 Instagram video.
Early Life and Career
Born in 1969 and raised in a traditional Latter-day Saint (LDS) household with six siblings, Hildebrandt served a mission in Puerto Rico and later trained as a family and relationship counselor. She launched ConneXions, a counseling program and multimedia brand that produced podcasts, videos and relationship workshops and that gained traction in Utah and online.
Sheldon Demke/St. George News via APJodi Hildebrandt at her sentencing hearing on Feb. 20, 2024, in St. George, Utah.
Personal Life and Estranged Children
Hildebrandt married in 1993 and divorced in 1996. She has two children from that marriage, but investigators and media reporting indicate both children are adults and estranged from their mother. In the Netflix documentary, a former client described how Hildebrandt rarely discussed her private history and once recounted feeling unwelcome at a family gathering.
Investigation Discovery/YouTubeJessi Hildebrandt in a 2025 interview.
Niece’s Allegations: Jessi Hildebrandt
In the late 2000s Hildebrandt took in her niece, Jessi (who uses they/them pronouns). After Hildebrandt’s arrest, Jessi publicly alleged extensive mistreatment while living in her aunt’s home, describing physical restraints, prolonged isolation and emotional and spiritual abuse. In interviews and a later Investigation Discovery docuseries, Jessi described practices they called the "Jodi Method," which they say stripped away aspects of their identity and caused long-term trauma.
Moms of Truth/InstagramRuby Franke and Kevin Franke with their 6 children.
“People were afraid of me to the point where I was afraid of myself,” Jessi said, describing isolation of up to 12 hours a day and instances of being forced to sleep outside in the snow.
Relationship With the Franke Family and Criminal Case
Hildebrandt developed a close working relationship with YouTubers Ruby and Kevin Franke, who ran the popular family channel 8 Passengers. She counseled the family, co-created the Moms of Truth social channels with Ruby, and in 2022 moved into the Franke household. That year Kevin and Ruby separated; in May 2023 Hildebrandt and Ruby relocated four of the Franke children to Hildebrandt’s home in Ivins, Utah.
Arrest, Charges and Sentencing
In August 2023 a then-12-year-old child escaped from Hildebrandt’s home and sought help from a neighbor, prompting police intervention. Investigators later discovered journal entries and other evidence documenting harsh discipline and abuse. Both Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke were arrested on aggravated child-abuse charges. Each pleaded guilty to four of six counts and, in February 2024, were sentenced to the statutory maximum of four to 30 years in prison.
Aftermath and Survivors’ Voices
Survivors and family members have described lasting harm and called for accountability to prevent those convicted from ever having access to vulnerable people again. Jessi has said the experience left them with severe, complex PTSD; they later relocated to Berlin and work as a tattoo artist. Investigative coverage and documentary reporting continue to examine how influence, religion, and online followings intersected with abusive practices.
Note: This article summarizes publicly reported facts from documentaries, law enforcement statements and media reporting. Some personal names and private details have not been publicly released.
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