​NEW Now you can listen to Fox News articles! A self-styled prophet who claimed over 20 “spiritual wives,” some underage, was unmasked after a couple infiltrated his inner circle and covertly recorded his activities for authorities. The chilling account of Christine Marie and her husband Tolga Katas’s undercover mission unfolds in the Netflix docuseries “Trust Me: The False Prophet.” It includes behind-the-scenes footage of the couple subsequently collaborating with law enforcement as informants. Their efforts aided in uncovering Samuel Bateman’s child sexual abuse network and played a role in the 2022 raid that resulted in his arrest, as well as that of several followers. Authorities state that Bateman sought to establish an FLDS offshoot in the nearby towns of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, according to The Associated Press. The fundamentalist faction broke away from the main Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints following the Mormons’ official renunciation of polygamy in 1890. POLYGAMIST CULT LEADER’S DAUGHTER ESCAPES, CLAIMS FALSE PROPHET ABUSED HER: ‘THE WORLD COULD SEE THE SHAME’. Bateman proclaimed himself the successor to Warren Jeffs, the self-styled prophet who arranged marriages for his followers—including underage girls—and had up to 80 “spiritual wives.” Jeffs was found guilty in Texas in 2011 of sexually assaulting underage followers and received a life sentence in prison. While incarcerated, he instructed his followers to stop marrying or procreating, then grew increasingly withdrawn, allowing Bateman to position himself as his successor. “I was shocked by so many aspects of Christine and Tolga’s ordeal,” Emmy-winning director Rachel Dretzin shared with Fox News Digital. “Above all, their ability to infiltrate the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)—one of the world’s most secretive communities—is astounding and rare.” It was very surprising that they had earned Sam Bateman’s trust, allowing them such deep access into the highly private world he had built.  

​NEW Now you can listen to Fox News articles! A man charged with masterminding a $2.25 billion Medicaid fraud scheme in Minnesota missed a required court hearing this week, leading authorities to issue an arrest warrant. Abdirashid Ismail Said, 29, skipped the pre-trial hearing in Hennepin County, resulting in the forfeiture of his bond, according to FOX 9, which cited the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. Attorney General Keith Ellison stated that his office is collaborating with federal authorities to find Said, noting, “A warrant has been issued for Said’s arrest after he failed to appear for a pre-trial hearing.” My Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is collaborating with federal law enforcement to find Said and make sure he is held accountable for his fraud. This is a profoundly frustrating setback, but I remain dedicated to doing all I can to hold Said and other Medicaid fraudsters accountable. Minnesota Betrugsskandal: Sechstes Familienmitglied, das mit AG Ellison gearbeitet hat, bekennt sich schuldig. According to FOX 9, Said posted a $150,000 unconditional bond to sidestep harsher terms like surrendering his passport, whereas a $50,000 conditional bond would have mandated it. Investigators expressed worries about Said’s flight risk due to family connections overseas, per FOX 2503. Prosecutors indicted Said on racketeering charges and several counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle linked to a scheme that allegedly bilked Minnesota’s Medicaid program out of nearly $11 million, according to the criminal complaint. The complaint claims Said ran the operation—from 2019 to 2023—by covertly managing various Medicaid-funded home health care agencies, even though a previous fraud conviction had prohibited him from participating in such programs. TRUMP ADMIN SECURES MINNESOTA COURT VICTORY IN MEDICAID FRAUD CRACKDOWN. Authorities stated that Said and his accomplices submitted Medicaid bills for unprovided services, inadequately documented ones, or those supported by falsified records.  

​NEW Now you can listen to Fox News articles! Jurors in Tanner Horner’s murder trial viewed photos of his FedEx truck, the vehicle prosecutors claim was used to abduct 7-year-old Athena Strand from her driveway and ultimately kill her. On Friday, prosecutors displayed a series of images from inside the truck, where Horner, 34, murdered Athena in Texas on Nov. The year 2022, specifically the 30th. Horner pleaded guilty to the murder and awaits the jury’s decision on whether he will receive life imprisonment or the death penalty. Jurors viewed images of bungee cords and straps found in the truck, plus photos of investigators testing the vehicle for biological evidence. Horner initially said he accidentally struck Athena with his delivery truck, but he later confessed to abducting and strangling the girl while delivering a Christmas package to her father’s home in Paradise, Texas. Alise Amey, a former crime scene investigator with the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, testified that they recommended removing the truck’s floor because Athena had facial markings matching the floor’s pattern. “There were markings on the victim’s face consistent with the floor,” Amey stated. After removal, the large floor pieces were bagged in brown paper, Amey said. FOX 4 Dallas reported that as more crime scene photos were shown to the jury, the court’s video feed was blurred. GOT A TIP? Throughout the week, prosecutors presented jurors with hours of evidence, using opening statements to depict Horner as calculating, violent, and remorseless in Athena’s killing. “The first thing Tanner Horner says to Athena when he picks her up, puts her in that truck, leans down, and says, ‘Don’t scream or I’ll hurt you,'” prosecutor James Stainton told jurors during opening statements on Tuesday. FOLLOW US ON X. “I’m going to tell you right now.” One thing you’ll hear that you can’t unhear is the incredible fight in a 7-year-old girl. When she’s staring down certain death. WATCH: Tanner Horner admits guilt in slaying of Texas 7-year-old.  

​NEW Now you can listen to Fox News articles! Gunfire erupted in a Central California cul-de-sac following an hours-long standoff that resulted in a police officer being shot and killed, with authorities then running down the suspect. A neighbor’s video, obtained by Fox News Digital, captured the tense confrontation unfolding in Porterville, California, at 10:40 a.m. Local time Thursday… “Get down, get down,” officers yell in the video amid blaring sirens… SUSPECT IN CALIFORNIA DEPUTY’S KILLING STRUCK BY ARMORED VEHICLE AFTER PROLONGED SHOOTOUT STANDOFF: SHERIFF. During a news conference after the shooting, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux stated that the suspect, David Eric Morales, was ultimately killed when a law enforcement BearCat armored vehicle ran him over after he kept firing and refused to surrender. GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL. Boudreaux stated, “The suspect was lying face down on the ground in camouflage attire, still posing a threat.” The matter has been settled, with the suspect now deceased. He wasn’t shot. One of the BearCats ran him over and killed him.  

​NEW Now you can listen to Fox News articles! One of the South’s most iconic postcard destinations is grappling with rising worries about homelessness, encampments, and public safety, as critics caution that the problems are extending beyond Savannah’s picturesque streets to other charming Georgia cities. Now, a Republican legislator argues it’s time to “hold local governments’ feet to the fire.” Membru al legislativului statului. Houston Gaines, a congressional candidate, supports a bill that would compel cities such as Savannah, Athens, and Atlanta to more strictly enforce laws against illegal camping, loitering, and panhandling. “Through this legislation, we’re holding local governments accountable and ensuring they uphold the laws they’re required to enforce—whether on illegal camping, loitering, or panhandling,” Gaines stated to Fox News Digital. ONE OF AMERICA’S MOST PICTURESQUE CITIES STRUGGLES TO REGAIN ITS FAIRY-TALE STREETS FROM HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AND DRUG HOTSPOTS. FOLLOW US ON X. Gaines, an Athens resident, stated that the problem extends beyond obvious homelessness, evolving into a wider public-order and crime issue impacting business owners, homeowners, students, and visitors. “One of my constituents went on vacation and returned to find a homeless person had been using her pool all week,” Gaines noted. He also shared typical complaints from Georgia’s business and property owners. “Business owners arrive at their storefronts at 5:30 a.m. only to find someone sleeping on their front porch,” he said. Or someone had pooped right in front of their business. Bert Brantley, President and CEO of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, has noted that the impact is felt every day throughout the business community. “Our businesses, workers, and downtown residents expect our public safety system to identify those committing crimes and deliver consequences for those illegal activities,” Brantley stated in November 2024. Savannah subsequently enacted an urban camping ordinance that bans camping, storing personal property in public spaces, and obstructing sidewalks or traffic. Since the law’s implementation, the city reports 179 citations and 15 arrests from enforcement. Officials also report that 135 people have connected with service providers, about 30% of whom entered shelters following interactions with authorities. Gaines contended that local governments in other Georgia cities haven’t done enough, leaving residents and business owners to bear the costs. “Property owners and homeowners face major expenses and repercussions from installing security cameras or fencing, as do business owners like gas stations and storefronts,” he stated.