Behind the Scenes: The Downfall of a Utah Therapist

Jodi Hildebrandt, a Utah-based therapist, lived a life of luxury before her arrest for child abuse. Her wealth came from ConneXions, a faith-based counseling program she founded. The program offered sessions on marriage, parenting, and life advice, mostly to fellow Mormons. A detective revealed that during a search of Hildebrandt’s home, they found a duffel bag with around $80, 000 in cash. Additionally, a book in her office listed about 46 clients she met weekly. Clients shared that they faced financial struggles while attending her courses. One client mentioned paying $175 per hour for individual sessions and $75 per week for group sessions, totaling around $2, 000. Another client revealed they paid more than their mortgage monthly to Hildebrandt, leading to significant debt. Hildebrandt’s friendship with YouTuber Ruby Franke began in 2019 through their church. Franke and her then-husband attended ConneXions classes to improve their marriage, which eventually ended. The two women started living together with Franke’s children until their arrest.In 2023, Hildebrandt and Franke were charged with six counts of child abuse. The arrest followed a report from Franke’s 12-year-old son, who escaped their home malnourished and with duct tape on his ankles and wrists. Both women pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse. Franke admitted to torturing her children and agreed to testify against Hildebrandt. Hildebrandt received a sentence of 4 to 30 years in prison. Hildebrandt is currently serving her sentence at the Utah State Correctional Facility. Her counseling license was revoked, and YouTube banned both women, deleting their associated channels. The case gained media attention, inspiring a Lifetime movie, a Hulu docuseries, and an Investigation Discovery series. Despite her claims of innocence, Hildebrandt’s actions have left a lasting impact on her victims and the community.