What happened to Youtubers Sam and Nia in Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal? Explained

Netflix depicts the downfall of a website and its users in a new documentary series titled Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal. Released on May 15, 2024, the series follows the infamous 2015 hack of a dating website that exposed the identities of its users and destroyed the lives of many.

One of the people whose identity was leaked was Sam Rader, a Christian YouTuber who ran a family vlogging channel with his wife Nia. The two had initially found fame when a video of them lip-syncing to a Disney song went viral in 2014. Another video announcing Nia's pregnancy also went viral the following year.

However, the couple found themselves under a different kind of spotlight when Sam's name was leaked among others as a member of the dating website, Ashley Madison. With a tagline that said "Life is short. Have an affair," the website catered to married people and operated as a platform for adultery.

Sam and Nia appeared in the docuseries to talk about their experience. Despite his infidelity, Nia eventually forgave her husband, and the two remain happily married to date.

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Sam reveals why he cheated on Nia in Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal

Sam Rader in 'Ashely Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal' (Image via Netflix)

In the Netflix documentary series Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal, Sam Rader explains that he wanted “something exciting” in his life. Before they started vlogging, Sam came across the Ashley Madison website while working as a nightshift ER nurse.

Although he had no intention of leaving his family, he signed up as an elite member and chatted with women online. Sam admits in the documentary that he was satisfied with his wife but was looking for attention and validation from other women.

Sam claims that he deleted Ashley Madison after the couple started vlogging. Finding joy in their new YouTube career, Sam's desire for external validation from other women was apparently quashed. He explains:

"It just brought an excitement to my life that I may have been seeking signing up for Ashley Madison. The infidelity desires just stopped and during that period of time, I deleted Ashley Madison."

But unfortunately for Nia, that was not the worst thing that Sam had done.

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More secrets exposed in Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal

Nia Rader in 'Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal' (Image via Netflix)

After Sam's involvement in Ashely Madison came to light, Nia revealed that she felt angry and humiliated. When she confronted him, he told her that his infidelity never went beyond chatting online.

However, the docuseries reveals another secret of Sam's. For years during their marriage, Sam flirted with other people and engaged in two emotional relationships. He confessed that he even behaved inappropriately with some of her friends, causing one of them to cut off contact.

These emotional affairs hurt Nia more deeply than his transgressions with Ashley Madison. As a consequence, the couple decided to stay apart for a while.

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The aftermath of the Ashley Madison scandal

A still from 'Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal' (Image via Netflix)

After Sam's dirty laundry was revealed, the couple decided to put some distance between them. Sam moved out of the house in order to give Nia some time and space to sort out her feelings.

"I needed space. I just couldn’t be in the same room with him... I did not want to reconcile. At that point, I felt like it was over."

Eventually, Nia decided to give Sam a second chance. Since their reconciliation, the couple has worked on their marriage and stayed strong together. They also posted a video on their YouTube channel titled "Forgiven", now deleted, where the couple discussed the Ashley Madison leak and revealed that Nia had forgiven Sam.

Despite the fallout, Sam does not regret the hack. In the final episode of Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal, the couple revealed that the scandal was a blessing in disguise which brought them on the right track. Their present happiness is a result of the data leak that initially upended their lives.

Sam and Nia are now parents to four children together. Their YouTube channel has over 2.5 million subscribers, where they still post videos. In addition, the couple is also working to publish their book titled Sam and Nia Live in Truth: Public Scandals, Secret Vows, Restored Hearts.

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Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal is currently available to stream on Netflix.