Jodi Hildebrandt

Jodi Nan Hildebrandt (born 1969) is an American former counselor and former YouTuber convicted of aggravated child abuse.

On August 30, 2023, Hildebrandt and her business partner Ruby Franke were arrested in Washington County, Utah, and charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse of two of Franke's children. Hildebrandt pleaded guilty to four counts, and was sentenced to between four and 30 years in prison on February 20, 2024.

Early life and education Jodi Hildebrandt was born to Jay D. Hildebrandt and Florence Haynie in 1969. Her parents were devout members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her father was a pilot with the United States Air Force.

Hildebrandt attended Canyon del Oro High School and played on its girls' basketball team. She was part of the high school's 1986–87 team, which finished with a 28–0 record and captured the school's first state championship in girls' basketball.

After graduating, Hildebrandt attended Ricks College and played on its women's basketball team for the 1987–88 season. In 1988, she transferred to Utah Valley Community College, which she attended for one year.

In 1996, Hildebrandt graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in English language and literature. In 2003, she graduated from the University of Utah with a Master of Arts in educational psychology. Her master's thesis was titled "Experiences of Latter-day Saints women and how their culture influences their manifestations of sexuality."

Counseling career In 2005, Hildebrandt became a licensed counselor in Utah. In 2012, she became the director of LifeStar Utah County, a franchisee of a national company based in Utah that specializes in psychiatric and psychological treatment of pornography and sex addiction. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that, because of the case, Hildebrandt was no longer on its Family Services' referral list.

Hildebrandt was a business partner of family YouTube vlogger Ruby Franke. and created a joint Instagram account called Moms of Truth,

As a result of Hildebrandt's criminal convictions, the Utah Department of Commerce's Division of Professional Licensing revoked her clinical mental health counseling license on May 10, 2024.

Arrest and conviction

Utah v. Franke/Hildebrandt On August 30, 2023, Hildebrandt and Franke were arrested in Ivins, Utah, and two days later, both were charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse, a felony. According to a statement from the Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department, the arrests were triggered after Franke's 12-year-old son, who appeared emaciated and had "open wounds and duct tape around the extremities", escaped through a window of Hildebrandt's house and asked at a neighboring house for food and water.

Franke and Hildebrandt were held without bail. Hildebrandt surrendered her license as a counselor pending resolution of the court case and a disciplinary investigation. After the arrest of Hildebrandt and Franke, YouTube banned both from the platform. After pleading guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse, she was sentenced in 2024 to four consecutive terms of one to 15 years, the maximum for each count under Utah law. Prison sentences in Utah are indeterminate, with a minimum and maximum time frame. The offender must serve the whole sentence unless the Board of Pardons releases them sooner. However, under Utah law, consecutive sentences cannot run beyond 30 years unless the offender has a maximum life term. Her first parole hearing is scheduled for December 2026.

Lawsuits On January 22, 2025, Michael Tilleman, the husband of a former Connexions Classroom client, sued Hildebrandt and Franke in federal court for business fraud and promoting a "methodology that encouraged child abuse among their clients". Examples of the claims Tilleman made include that the two women "engaged in a racketeering enterprise by advertising and selling fraudulent services and encouraging others to perpetuate illegal and harmful acts—specifically child abuse, child torture, and psychological abuse" and that the concepts taught in the classes "ultimately led children to 'extreme danger'".

Kevin Franke later sued Hildebrandt for emotional distress and negligence.

Depiction in media Heather Locklear portrays Hildebrandt in the Lifetime film Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story.

Hildebrandt is also featured in the true crime television series The Curious Case Of..., which explores high-profile criminal cases and controversial figures. The episode examines her career as a self-help counselor, the allegations of abuse, and the legal proceedings that followed.

The 2025 Investigation Discovery/HBO Max documentary series Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence explores the relationship between Franke and Hildebrandt. In December 2025, Netflix released a documentary, Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story, about Hildebrandt and Franke.