Netflix’s latest true-crime series, Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, digs into the untold story of Warren Jeffs. And while he may not have the notoriety of some more recognisable cult leaders his acts are still just as disturbing. Jeffs has become infamous in the states for his Texas-based religious cult, which is fuelled by bigamy, abuse and paedophelia.
Jeffs, 66, is the current leader of the Fundamentilist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, an extreme offshoot of the Mormon religion. Jeffs has been head of the church since 2002 but was imprisoned in 2011. He still runs the cult from behind bars.
The cult leader, who was at one time on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list, took control of the cult and called himself its “president and prophet.” Under the rules of the cult, he allowed himself 78 wives at the same time. Only 54 of these wives were over 17. Previously unseen archive footage will show what life was like inside the cult, and the documentary will show the rise and fall of its leader..
The documentary is directed by Rachel Dretzin (Who Killed Malcolm X) and captures how Warren impacted the community, and the dozens of women he married. Jeffs’ story will feature heavily in Netflix’s new series however, the aim of the documentary is also to give a voice back to his victims. Some of the survivors speaking in the documentary married Jeffs when they were just 14.
Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is available on Netflix from 8th June.
