USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change.A new Ruby Franke documentary is out. How to watch 'Evil Influencer.' Greta Cross and Amaris Encinas, USA TODAYDecember 31, 2025 at 9:05 AM 0 A new Ruby Franke documentary is out. How to watch 'Evil Influencer.' The Ruby Franke story is far from over.
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Greta Cross and Amaris Encinas, USA TODAYDecember 31, 2025 at 9:05 AM
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A new Ruby Franke documentary is out. How to watch 'Evil Influencer.'
The Ruby Franke story is far from over.
In a new Netflix documentary called "Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story," director Skye Borgman ("Unknown Number: The High School Catfish") aims to shed more light on Jodi Hildebrandt, the woman and business partner who mommy vlogger Franke worked closely with in the early 2020s.
Hildebrant was arrested alongside Franke for child abuse in 2023 and sentenced to prison in 2024. It was from Hildebrandt's home that Franke's son, Russell, escaped in August 2023, making his way to a neighbor's house to ask for help.
In an interview with Netflix's publication Tudum, Borgman said she was intrigued by how little attention Hildebrandt has received in the mainstream media.
"I'd heard about this story, and it was really just 'Ruby Franke, Ruby Franke, Ruby Franke,'" Borgman said. "Just the simple fact that this little boy escapes from Jodi Hildebrandt's house, where the abuse is happening – not from his mom's house. That, to me, was the simplest and the most diabolical part of the story."
"Evil Influencer" is one of many documentaries that recounts the Franke story. The first, "Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke" was released on Hulu in February. The Investigation Discovery docuseries, "Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence" released in September. The series can be streamed on HBO Max.
Here's what to know about "Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story" and how to watch at home.
Books: Shari Franke gives raw retelling of mom's abuse, Jodi Hildebrandt influence in memoir
How to watch 'Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story'
"Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story" is available for streaming on Netflix.
Do you need a Netflix subscription to watch the documentary?
Yes, viewers need a paid Netflix subscription to watch "Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story." A standard subscription with ads is $7.99 per month and a standard subscription without ads is $17.99 per month.
How long is 'Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story'?
The Netflix documentary is 1 hour and 41 minutes.
Watch the 'Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story' trailerWho is Jodi Hildebrandt?
Hildebrandt, 56, was a medical health counselor and YouTuber, known for founding ConneXions Classroom in Utah in 2007. ConneXions was an internet-based parenting program, providing clients with DVDs, worksheets and in later years, in-person events.
In 2022, Franke joined ConneXions and the two women launched a brand called Moms of Truth, offering parenting advice.
Borgman told Netflix's Tudum that while working on the documentary, she better learned how Hildebrandt interacted with Franke's family.
"It's like the 101 of how to get somebody to fall in line," Borgman alleged. "She uses threats and all these cult-y techniques and she isolates them. It really is just the methodology that she incorporates that really works to separate these people from anything that is positive in their lives."
Who is Ruby Franke?
Franke, 43, was a mommy vlogger who lived in Springville, Utah, with her husband Kevin and six children. The family ran a now-defunct YouTube channel called "8 Passengers," started in 2015. The channel garnered millions of subscribers, showcasing snippets of the family's daily life, in addition to skits starring the children.
Around 2020, Franke began to receive widespread criticism for her parenting choices, particularly her discipline methods that many viewers considered borderline abusive.
What happened to Jodi Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke?
Hildebrandt and Franke were arrested and initially charged with six counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse in September 2023 after two of Franke's six children were found abused and malnourished, the office of Eric Clarke, the Washington County Attorney in St. George, Utah, announced at the time. Both women pleaded guilty in December 2023 to four of the six counts as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, USA TODAY previously reported.
In February 2024, Hildebrandt and Franke were sentenced to four to 30 years at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City. As of December 2025, both women were serving their sentences. The first parole hearing for both women is set for December 2026.
What happened to Franke's children?
Shari and Chad Franke were adults at the time of their mother's arrest. In January, Shari released her memoir, "The House of My Mother," which features commentary, journal entries and more from the now 22 year old.
Chad, now 20, is the founder of REEZN, a clothing company that aims to inspire others to speak up and start fresh.
The four youngers siblings are in their father's care. Kevin was granted full custody of the children as part of a divorce agreement in early 2025.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Ruby Franke doc, 'Evil Influencer,' explores Jodi Hildebrandt
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Published: December 31, 2025 at 12:36AM on Source: ANDY MAG
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