Entertainment
TikTok Star Calls Domestic Violence Arrest a Blessing in Disguise Amid Swingers Scandal
Clear Facts
- Taylor Frankie Paul, a Mormon TikTok star, was arrested on domestic violence charges following a swingers sex scandal.
- Paul, who is part of the Hulu reality series “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” reflected on her arrest and its impact, describing it as a “blessing in disguise.”
- Paul’s scandal involved a “soft swinging” lifestyle with her ex-husband and other married Mormon couples, which led to her divorce and subsequent legal troubles.
Taylor Frankie Paul, a prominent figure in the Mormon MomTok community, has opened up about her arrest on domestic violence charges in the wake of a notorious swingers sex scandal. Known for her viral TikTok videos featuring dancing and lip-syncing, Paul shocked the internet in 2022 when she announced her divorce from Tate Paul and revealed their “soft swinging” lifestyle.
In February 2023, Paul faced charges of domestic violence, which she now discusses candidly in the Hulu series “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” Paul described the experience as the most challenging period of her life.
“That one was super difficult,” Paul said, appearing with co-star Jessi Ngatikaura.
“That was the worst thing that I’ve gone through.”
Paul elaborated on the emotional toll of the incident, stating, “I did go more into depth on the show with that very emotional topic. But I felt like I have learned from it.”
Following her arrest, Paul was charged with aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse with injury, and criminal mischief. According to Herriman police in Salt Lake County, the charges stemmed from an altercation where Paul allegedly threw various objects, including a phone and heavy metal chairs, at her boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. One of the chairs reportedly struck one of her children.
Paul pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in August 2023, with the other charges being dismissed. Reflecting on the incident, she remarked, “Hitting rock bottom, there’s only one way to go, and it helped me to go up. So honestly, as bad as that night was — I think it was also like a blessing in disguise and maybe could have saved my life in a weird way, like, where I was just drowning in misery.”
The scandal surrounding Paul and her ex-husband involved a “soft swinging” arrangement with other married Mormon couples, where they agreed not to “go all the way” with other partners. However, Paul admitted to breaking this agreement, leading to her divorce and the subsequent fallout.
“That’s where I messed up, and I, obviously, am losing everything that I have,” Paul confessed during her 2022 TikTok livestream.
The revelations not only impacted Paul but also caused a stir within the MomTok community. Ngatikaura noted that the scandal led to widespread speculation and accusations against other members, causing friendships to fray.
“Since we were all, you know, kind of close friends on the internet, people just assumed everyone in MomTok was involved,” Ngatikaura explained.
“So it was hard to navigate everyone just all of a sudden throwing accusations at you because of misconceptions. And the friendship group definitely dissipated.”
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” delves into the aftermath of the scandal, exploring the effects on the women’s relationships and their faith. Paul expressed that the show provided her an opportunity to share her side of the story.
“I feel like it gave me an opportunity to kind of tell my side of the story, whether those who were involved were in it or not and those who were affected by it,” she said.
The series also highlights the impact on the husbands, with Ngatikaura noting that some felt insecure about their marriages after the scandal broke.
“I would say that a lot of the husbands in the group that didn’t know it was happening until the swinging scandal broke were like, ‘Oh my gosh, could that happen to me now?’” she said.
“And I think that kind of led into jealousy with the husbands, and you see some of that play out on the show.”
Despite the turmoil, Paul and Mortensen remain together and welcomed their son Ever in March 2024. The series, available on Hulu, promises to provide an in-depth look at the lives and relationships of these Mormon influencers as they navigate the fallout from the scandal.
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