You’ve probably seen the clips. Maybe it was a slow-motion dance in a hospital room or a tearful TikTok Live that felt a little too raw for the algorithm. If you’ve spent any time on social media over the last few years, the name Taylor Frankie Paul has likely crossed your screen, usually accompanied by words like "swinging," "arrest," or "Mormon." But when you search for a Taylor Frankie Paul wiki, you often get a dry list of dates and follower counts that doesn't actually explain how a mother from Utah became the center of a global pop-culture firestorm.
She's polarizing. People either find her refreshingly honest or see her as a cautionary tale of what happens when "clout" becomes a primary motivator.
Born on May 23, 1994, Taylor grew up in the world of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). That's a huge piece of the puzzle. You can't understand her brand without understanding the cultural backdrop of Utah County. It's a place where aesthetics matter, where large families are the norm, and where the pressure to project a "perfect" life is incredibly high. Taylor leaned into that—until she shattered it.
The Rise of Momtok and the Soft Swinging Scandal
Before the headlines, Taylor was just a high-performing lifestyle influencer. She married Tate Paul in 2016, and they had two children, Ocean and Bayou. Her content was typical for the "Momtok" niche: clean kitchen counters, cute outfits, and coordinated dances with other blonde, photogenic mothers in Draper, Utah.
Then came May 2022.
Everything changed with a single TikTok. Taylor announced she was getting a divorce. In the days that followed, the internet basically broke. She didn't just say they grew apart; she admitted to "soft swinging" within her friend group. For the uninitiated, she defined this as swapping partners for everything except full intercourse, though she admitted she crossed a "boundary" by going further with one of the husbands in the group.
It was scandalous. It was messy. It was exactly what the internet wanted.
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The fallout was immediate. The "Momtok" circle, including influencers like Miranda McWhorter and Camille Munday, scrambled to distance themselves. Most denied involvement. Taylor, meanwhile, became the villain and the victim simultaneously. She stayed in the spotlight while others went quiet. That's the thing about Taylor; she doesn't run from the fire. She usually brings marshmallows.
Legal Troubles and the 2023 Arrest
If the swinging scandal was the peak of her social notoriety, February 2023 was her personal rock bottom.
News broke that Taylor had been arrested in Herriman, Utah. The details were grim. During a domestic dispute with her boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, things turned physical. According to police reports and bodycam footage that eventually leaked, Taylor threw several objects, including a metal chairs, which allegedly hit one of her children.
She faced multiple charges, including domestic violence in the presence of a child and aggravated assault.
The internet's fascination turned into genuine concern and, in many corners, outrage. This wasn't "fun" reality TV drama anymore. It was a serious legal and family crisis. Taylor later entered a plea deal, pleading guilty to one count of aggravated assault—a third-degree felony—while other charges were dismissed or held in abeyance pending the completion of specific requirements like therapy and domestic violence classes.
She was incredibly candid about this period afterward. She talked about her struggles with alcohol and the "dark place" her mental health had reached. It’s rare to see an influencer show the mugshot and the recovery process with that much transparency. Whether you think it's authentic or just good PR, it kept her relevant when anyone else would have been "cancelled" into oblivion.
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The "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" Era
By 2024, the chaos of Taylor’s life had been codified into a Hulu reality series: The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
The show was a massive hit. It followed the "Sinners and Saints" dynamic of the Utah influencer world. Taylor was the undisputed star, even as she navigated a high-risk pregnancy with Dakota. The series showcased the tension between her desire to be a "good" mother and her inability to fit into the rigid structures of her religious upbringing.
The show wasn't just about Taylor, though. It brought back the "Momtok" drama, showing the fractured relationships between her and her former friends. It highlighted a specific subculture of Utah—women who are spiritually connected to their faith but culturally rebellious.
Key Life Facts (The Quick Version)
- Age: 31 (as of mid-2025)
- Hometown: Salt Lake City / Draper area, Utah
- Children: Three (Ocean and Bayou with Tate Paul; Enso with Dakota Mortensen)
- Relationship Status: Currently with Dakota Mortensen, though they've had a famously on-again, off-again dynamic.
- Religious Status: Culturally Mormon, though she has been open about her "excommunication" or distancing from the formal LDS church.
Why the Taylor Frankie Paul Wiki Stays Trending
People search for her because she represents a specific kind of modern paradox. She is the "relatable" influencer taken to the absolute extreme.
Most influencers curate a life that makes you jealous. Taylor curates a life that makes you feel better about your own, while still being glamorous enough to watch. It’s a "car crash you can't look away from" but with high-end skincare and trendy home decor.
There's also the religious angle. The LDS church is often seen as a black box to outsiders. Seeing a woman openly talk about drinking, sex, and divorce while living in the heart of Mormonism is fascinating to people. She’s a disruptor. She’s showing the cracks in the "Stepford Wives" facade that dominated Instagram for a decade.
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Honestly, her staying power is impressive. Most influencers who hit a scandal that big disappear. Taylor just leaned into the "villain" arc and came out with a streaming deal.
Moving Forward: Recovery and Motherhood
The most recent chapters of the Taylor Frankie Paul saga are focused on her third child, Enso, born in early 2024.
She has documented the challenges of postpartum life, her sobriety journey, and her attempts to co-parent effectively with Tate while building a life with Dakota. It's a lot. She’s been open about her therapy and the work she’s doing to move past the 2023 arrest.
Is she a role model? Probably not in the traditional sense. But she is a case study in digital-age resilience and the power of radical transparency. She realized early on that if you tell your own story—even the ugly parts—you take the power away from the tabloids.
If you're following Taylor's journey or looking to understand the "Momtok" world better, the best approach is to look at the intersection of religious culture and social media fame. The pressure to be perfect often leads to a spectacular break, and Taylor is simply the person who did it the loudest.
Actionable Insights for Navigating the Influencer Landscape:
- Differentiate between "Lifestyle" and "Reality": Taylor’s content shifted from lifestyle (aspirational) to reality (confessional). Understanding this shift helps you see why her engagement stayed high even during legal troubles.
- Verify Social Media Claims: When deep-diving into Utah influencer drama, remember that "soft swinging" and other terms are often used loosely. Always look for primary sources or direct quotes from the individuals involved rather than Reddit rumors.
- Observe the "Redemption Arc": Watch how Taylor uses her platform to document her recovery. It’s a masterclass in crisis management through vulnerability.
- Contextualize Religious Influencers: Understand that for Mormon influencers, "breaking the rules" has much higher social stakes than it does for secular creators, which is why the backlash—and the support—is always so intense.
The story isn't over. With more seasons of her reality show likely on the horizon and her kids growing up in the public eye, Taylor Frankie Paul will continue to be a central figure in the conversation about what it means to be a "mother" on the internet today.