Ruby Franke & Jodi Hildebrandt: The Cult of “Righteous” Abuse

What happens when faith turns into fanaticism — and motherhood turns into control? In this searing Hidden Killers commentary, Tony Brueski unpacks the disturbing psychology behind Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt , the duo whose “spiritual discipline” of children became a criminal horror show. Ruby’s journey from YouTube mom to convicted abuser isn’t just about narcissism — it’s about moral addiction. She craved righteousness the way others crave power, and Jodi knew exactly how to feed that need. Together they built a belief system where cruelty became holiness, obedience became worship, and children paid the price. Tony explores the cult-like dynamic between leader and follower, the shared delusion ( folie à deux ) that turned ideology into torture, and the deeper question of why authoritarian faith systems flourish online. This is the story of how conviction curdles into control — and how easily “doing good” becomes the justification for doing harm. #RubyFranke #JodiHildebrandt #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #8Passengers #TrueCrimePodcast #ReligiousAbuse #ParentingGoneWrong #CultPsychology #UtahCrime Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872