What is Ruby Franke's net worth? Fortune explored in wake of 8 Passengers creator's arrest

Utah-based Momfluencer Ruby Franke, who was arrested on suspicions of aggravated child abuse on Wednesday, August 30, started her YouTube journey in 2015 with the channel titled 8 Passengers alongside her husband, Kevin Franke.

Ruby’s channel was based on family vlogs featuring her six children - Shari, Chad, Julie, Eve, Russell, and Abby - as well as Ruby’s husband. 8 Passengers had amassed over 2.2 million subscribers before abruptly being removed or deleted from YouTube earlier this year for unknown reasons.

In 2022, Ruby created a new YouTube channel titled ConnecXions with a therapist Jodi Hildebrandt. As stated on allfamousbirthday.com, the 41-year-old momfluencer built a net worth of approximately $5 million, which she did through her content creation over the years.

The now-deleted channel 8 Passengers was frequently criticized for showcasing Ruby and Kevin’s questionable and disturbing parenting methods. Ruby allegedly starved her six-year-old daughter when the child forgot to take her lunchbox with her to school. Moroever, the mother refused to take the lunch to her.

In 2020, viewers of the channel contacted local child protective services when Ruby’s teenage son claimed that she took away his bedroom as a punishment for pranking his siblings. Her son claimed that he was forced to sleep on a beanbag at the time for seven months.

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Details on Ruby Franke's problematic YouTube content and her recent arrest

Both 8 Passengers and ConneXions' content were criticized

Though the channel 8 Passengers is now deleted, searching the term on YouTube brings many search results where other YouTubers have made content accusing Kevin and Ruby Franke of abusive behavior. However, the duo denied being abusive with the kids and said in an interview with Insider that they only teach their children about the consequences of their actions.

The content on her channel ConneXions, which claims to share videos about parents counseling, has also been criticized by netizens.

Ruby Franke’s business partner on the channel, Jodi Hildebrandt, also has a questionable career record. In January 2012, the Utah Clinical Mental Health Counselor Licensing Board put Jodi’s license on probation for 18 months after she discussed a patient’s addiction with p*rns in front of the elders at a Mormon church without the patient’s permission.

Jodi and Ruby’s ConneXions raised concerns straight away, with viewers labeling the channel a “cult.” ConneXions described itself as a support group for moms and claims to:

“help treat those lost and stranded in the darkness of distortion — which addictions, fear, sadness, and all other self-destructive behaviors derive from.”

According to ConneXions, Jodi Hilderbrandt aims to spread life teachings worldwide and help everyone with healthy, connecting, and meaningful relationships. She also encourages viewers to recommend their program to family members.

However, netizens criticized their content as damaging and reflecting extremist and authoritarian rhetoric. In one of the videos, Ruby and Jodi said that parents should not shower their children with unconditional love.

Another video showed Ruby Franke giving multiple reasons as to why children should not be listened to. She also added that kids don’t deserve to have privacy. Both Jodi Hilderbrandt and Ruby Franke have also allegedly made openly racist, ableist, homophobic, and transphobic remarks in their videos.

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Ruby Franke's Wednesday arrest

Ruby Franke was arrested on Wednesday in Utah’s Ivins around 9:30 pm. As per the Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department’s statement, a child allegedly crawled out of a window at an Ivins residence and ran to one of the neighbors’ houses to ask for help as well as food and water. When the neighbors reportedly noticed that there was duct tape on the child’s ankles and wrists, they contacted the police.

Authorities took the child to a hospital for treatment pertaining to malnourishment and severe wounds. According to officials, another child was rescued from the same residence in a similar physical condition and was also rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Ruby Franke was connected to the incident when it was found out that she filmed a video for her YouTube channel just a few days prior. Police documents cited that Ruby had been present in the house and had knowledge of the malnourishment, neglect, and abuse.