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1
00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:08,280
We're wired like pack animals.
2
00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:11,240
You know, we enjoy
the company of other people.
3
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:14,640
We never do well alone
and we never do well alone
4
00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:16,800
in addiction recovery,
that's absolutely true.
5
00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:20,440
I would almost guarantee
historically that
6
00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,840
at least one of those clients
that you can see is dead.
7
00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:25,920
- Feel it.
- At least one or two.
8
00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:27,520
You get used to it.
9
00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:29,520
We don't feel very good
about that. We know better.
10
00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,000
Like, I'm I'm looking at
this girl just thinking,
11
00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:33,560
who's that girl?
12
00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:38,280
And she looks familiar.
Is she alive?
13
00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,520
He took everyone's desperation
and everyone's fear and said,
14
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,480
"I'll take care of it.
Trust me."
15
00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,000
And then he
people's children.
16
00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:55,440
In this country,
we've been having
17
00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,080
this war on drugs
for ever.
18
00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,440
But we don't know
how to treat anyone for it.
19
00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:03,400
For the millions
who fight addiction.
20
00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,200
A chance at true recovery
feels like an answered prayer.
21
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:09,800
In L. A. County, there are
more treatment centers
22
00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:12,080
than anywhere in the world,
23
00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,080
not just in the United States,
but in the world.
24
00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:19,440
But an organization called
Community Recovery, L. A.
25
00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,880
or CRLA for short, promises
that their addiction treatment
26
00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:25,400
is the best there is.
27
00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,920
At first it seemed amazing
helping a lot of people,
28
00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,400
and that's what it seemed
like it was in the beginning.
29
00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:34,160
It was about the vision
of what we were doing.
30
00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:35,520
Its founder asks members
31
00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,640
for complete commitment
and total trust.
32
00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,400
I was willing to do pretty much
whatever they asked of us.
33
00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:45,040
Nobody would talk to outsiders.
You bought it.
34
00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,000
We don't tend
to think of addiction
35
00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:49,640
and cults as going together,
36
00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:54,400
but that's a perfect space
for a successful cult.
37
00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,880
Now members of CRLA are
revealing how a center promising
38
00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,520
to pull them
out of their dark hole.
39
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,040
Buried them in it.
40
00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:05,600
I drank the Kool-Aid.
41
00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:07,160
It turned people into believers.
42
00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:08,720
And that's what you need
43
00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,360
to have some sort of cult
is true believers.
44
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:17,120
I went to rehab to get better,
and I came out...
45
00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:19,960
worse.
46
00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,560
Butterflies to me represent transformation
47
00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:46,760
and becoming your truest,
best, most beautiful self.
48
00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:48,520
They fall off all the time,
though, and I have to
49
00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,760
re-apply tape and stick them
down all the day.
50
00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:59,120
My name is Amanda
and I am a survivor and thriver.
51
00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,960
I did AA from the age of 26
52
00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,400
and I had been on benzos
for three and a half years.
53
00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,720
I tried to go out
and drink normally
54
00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,680
and I ended up binge drinking.
55
00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,440
And so I was like,
I'm an alcoholic.
56
00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:18,520
Recovery is huge in L. A.
57
00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,120
These days,
there is a treatment center
58
00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:22,720
in every corner.
59
00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,960
The market is saturated.
Half this town is sober
60
00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:28,920
and we're just waiting
for the other half.
61
00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,960
Some of the treatment centers
have 200 plus thread sheets.
62
00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:39,840
You can sit in the Jacuzzi,
you can get your massage.
63
00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,240
The problem, though, is that
a lot of the treatment centers
64
00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:51,080
are charging 50, 60, 70, 80,
$90,000 I mean...unbelievable.
65
00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:58,760
"We want to make it
as simple as possible
66
00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:00,720
by offering a
no-strings-attached
67
00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,160
treatment for 90 days.
68
00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:05,360
Yoga Time.
Nightly Meditation.
69
00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:09,960
12-Step Programs.
Eating Habits. Wellness.
70
00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:15,880
This sounds like a place that I
would want to go to. Absolutely.
71
00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,680
It was really hard
for a long time to stay sober.
72
00:04:18,840 --> 00:04:20,560
You know, I was able
to put a year
73
00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,680
together six months,
nine months.
74
00:04:23,840 --> 00:04:27,960
But after I got my year
and I relapsed, I was like,
75
00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:32,920
I need to go to treatment,
but how do I get in to a place
76
00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:37,360
when I don't have health
insurance or $40,000 in my bank?
77
00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:39,680
How am I going to afford
a 90 day stay
78
00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:45,920
at a Malibu place
with a pool and a chef?
79
00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:50,320
So I ran into a friend of mine,
an ex.
80
00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:52,440
We reconnected,
started dating again.
81
00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:57,360
And he happened to be working
at the time at CRLA.
82
00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:58,800
So Amanda reached out to me
83
00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:00,800
and I couldn't think
of any other resource
84
00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:02,520
or any other place
that would take her in
85
00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,320
without money or insurance
Other than CRLA.
86
00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:10,560
Shoot enough heroin, and you
too, can have this view.
87
00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,080
Smoke crack. Yeah.
88
00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,800
Smoke some crack and this can
all be yours.
89
00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:22,360
I admitted into CRLA in,
I believe it was August of 2014.
90
00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,360
Prior to that, I'd been in jail
91
00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:26,360
for about three
and a half months.
92
00:05:31,840 --> 00:05:34,560
It's Hollywood.
You know, there's so much
93
00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:36,760
that people are drawn to
on television.
94
00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:41,680
Oh, my goodness. This used to be
an after hours club right here.
95
00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:44,360
Oh, my gosh. This is crazy.
I think we should go back here.
96
00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,040
This is all the offices,
so I'll show you.
97
00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,800
This is the entire block
that Sierra owned on Melrose,
98
00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:55,960
a prime real estate
in Los Angeles.
99
00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,760
I couldn't really
believe my luck.
100
00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:02,360
I felt like I had fallen
out of a frying pan into,
101
00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:03,880
like, a feather bed,
102
00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,600
like I was just living
in the lap of luxury.
103
00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,400
Jodie Sweetin from "Full House"
worked here.
104
00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,160
I think a famous basketball
or something player.
105
00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:18,600
Celebrity Rehab, luxury.
106
00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:23,160
Malibu, Melrose.
That was very alluring.
107
00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:25,400
We were doing
a creative writing class
108
00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:27,480
with the guy
who wrote "Cool Runnings"
109
00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:29,720
while he was strung out
on methadone in the '90s.
110
00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,040
And because I had spent
so much time in jail
111
00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:38,160
prior to going there, I was just
so grateful to be there at all.
112
00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,600
In 2012, Community Recovery
113
00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,400
is one of the nation's
fastest growing rehabs,
114
00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,560
with multiple locations
across California
115
00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:50,880
plying a simple,
but compelling, innovation.
116
00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:55,320
The method of CRLA
was pretty genius.
117
00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:57,960
A lot of rehabs out here
are 30 days.
118
00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:02,840
90 days increases your chances
to stay sober.
119
00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,480
Although the longer stay comes
with a higher price tag,
120
00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,120
CRLA has a novel program
for that too --
121
00:07:09,280 --> 00:07:11,680
a scholarship for clients who
can't afford
122
00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,560
treatment on their own.
123
00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,840
I just thought that the
"scholarship" part of CRLA
124
00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:23,720
was more of a we want
to help more people.
125
00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:26,960
But CRLA's most
revolutionary idea
126
00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:29,040
is its long term care program,
127
00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:33,960
designed to set addicts up
for life beyond recovery.
128
00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:38,320
After 90 days of being there,
you could apply to be an intern,
129
00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:39,800
either in, like, operations
130
00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,160
or clinical
or the insurance department.
131
00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:47,160
That was the allure of CRLA
is come do 90 days,
132
00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,920
go to our sober living,
become an intern
133
00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,760
and then end up
working for CRLA.
134
00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:54,840
So it was like an at extreme.
135
00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:57,160
I'm going to get a job
out of this at the end?
136
00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,840
Compared to any other
treatment center I'd been to,
137
00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,280
it seemed like the most
innovative approach to treatment
138
00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,000
at the time.
139
00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,600
CRLA's innovative approach
is all about communal healing
140
00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:10,520
as the key to recovery.
141
00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,520
It's the vision of founder
Chris Badham,
142
00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,320
a practicing therapist
and rehab veteran
143
00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:21,960
who previously owned two centers
in California,
144
00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:26,160
and with CRLA is disrupting
the rehab paradigm.
145
00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,560
It's a very much a community
environment that we hope then
146
00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,440
is porous to the rest
of the larger communities.
147
00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,440
You don't need to have in that
model a lot of professionals.
148
00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:36,840
You need to have some.
149
00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,840
But more and more,
we have the client base
150
00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,040
that's creating
the whole community effort.
151
00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:43,600
And I love that idea.
152
00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,640
It's almost like the whole thing
is organizing itself.
153
00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,240
It's like too good to be true.
154
00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:53,760
There are so many
different opportunities,
155
00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:55,960
like you could work
in the art department,
156
00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,560
you could work for
the restaurant he was opening,
157
00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:00,880
you could work
at the recording studio he had.
158
00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:02,640
You could work
at the coffee shop.
159
00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:07,000
And then within like a month
or so, you're on payroll.
160
00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:10,040
Hiring recently treated clients
to run the business,
161
00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:11,600
keeps them under his wing
162
00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:15,320
while also welcoming new clients
into a rehab environment
163
00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,800
that feels more like a family
than a facility.
164
00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,200
The opposite of addiction
is connection.
165
00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,360
The reason that CRLA seemed
so effective at the time
166
00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:29,640
was because people
did find community there.
167
00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:37,280
But looking back on it
was really kind of a genius
168
00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,760
but sinister way
to keep people dependent.
169
00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,000
You walk into this environment
and it's a little different
170
00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,040
than if you've been in treatment
before that lifts you.
171
00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:47,840
And it's like,
Oh, there's the connection.
172
00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:49,200
And literally,
neuro-biologically
173
00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,560
you're changing,
and you're more valuable.
174
00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:53,480
And that's a huge, huge thing.
175
00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:55,160
You need to be a part
of this community
176
00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:58,960
because this community
is going to keep you sober.
177
00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:00,960
You need this community.
178
00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:12,480
Let me show you this.
It's a clip of Bathum in action.
179
00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,160
Doing his magic.
- My name is Jimmy Doyle.
180
00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:21,760
I'm a certified addictions
treatment counselor.
181
00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:24,720
I moved up the ranks
really fast to the point
182
00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:30,520
where I became a counselor
in a year, maybe?
183
00:10:30,680 --> 00:10:32,240
As I moved up the ladder,
184
00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,000
I started interacting
with Chris more and more.
185
00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,640
I think one of the things that
makes us amazingly different
186
00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:39,480
is how committed our folks are
187
00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,480
and how much they just are here
for you and making that happen.
188
00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:44,440
And it's easy to say that.
189
00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,760
It's 29 seconds in
and I'm drinking the Kool-Aid.
190
00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:49,520
We've created
a treatment community.
191
00:10:49,680 --> 00:10:50,600
We've created a place
where people
192
00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:52,560
can both live and get better.
193
00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,000
What he's referencing
is therapeutic communities.
194
00:10:56,160 --> 00:11:02,160
So a therapeutic community was
this very out there, 24/7.
195
00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:04,760
it was influenced by communes.
196
00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:06,400
That's why it felt revolutionary.
197
00:11:06,560 --> 00:11:08,840
It doesn't sound revolutionary
to somebody
198
00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:10,640
to oh, their community
they all live there.
199
00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:12,960
It was unheard of.
200
00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,560
CRLA's commune style
approach takes off.
201
00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:22,040
By 2015,
just a few years after opening,
202
00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:24,200
Bathum expands to Colorado
203
00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:29,240
and opens dozens more facilities
in the greater L. A. area.
204
00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:30,640
Including multiple businesses
205
00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,120
launched
by the community itself.
206
00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:40,120
It was like a commune meets
a kibbutz.
207
00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:42,400
It was like, oh, my God.
208
00:11:42,560 --> 00:11:45,000
Like they would open
a barbershop
209
00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:46,760
because one kid was a barber
210
00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:48,160
and so they'd open
a barber shop.
211
00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,440
They opened a music studio.
212
00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:52,360
It was pretty much
your entire life
213
00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,800
would become CRLA
once you started working there.
214
00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:58,760
When I got there, they were just
beginning construction
215
00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,360
on a recording studio
and that really interested me.
216
00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:04,840
I came up with this idea
217
00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,000
that I would be
the creative music director.
218
00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,080
I read my proposal aloud
in front of the whole community
219
00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:13,400
and it was approved.
220
00:12:13,560 --> 00:12:16,080
I even compared Chris to like
the Steve Jobs
221
00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,320
of the treatment industry,
222
00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,400
and I thought
that what he was building
223
00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:22,360
would become
the industry standard.
224
00:12:27,560 --> 00:12:30,280
Bathum works nonstop
in the community.
225
00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,480
Finding jobs
for those in treatment.
226
00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,080
Overseeing
the women's-only facilities.
227
00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:37,600
And running therapy sessions.
228
00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:39,600
They referred to him
as the wizard.
229
00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:42,840
He was wacky.
He was unconventional.
230
00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,640
But I just thought
he was a character.
231
00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:49,080
Chris had a lot of, like,
interesting hobbies.
232
00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:53,160
He would often be seen
throwing knives with clients,
233
00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,520
flying drones around,
234
00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:58,440
letting people
drive his electric car.
235
00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:02,160
And I think that he wanted
to seem interesting
236
00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:05,000
and just be seen
as this outlier.
237
00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:11,840
I was in some trainings
in indigenous medicine
238
00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:13,840
that were
very community organized.
239
00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,400
I was with the shaman in the
Four Corners area of Mexico
240
00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:19,000
and he said diseases
were becoming more complex
241
00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:20,960
and we're going to need
a bigger medicine.
242
00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,200
And that that's what I think we
got when we're talking about
243
00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,720
community as a treatment model
is we got a bigger medicine.
244
00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:32,760
Chris wanted to offer
a more holistic treatment.
245
00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,880
He would do the sweat lodges
which required us
246
00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:41,280
in our bathing suits
to sit in a dark,
247
00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:46,200
small space
with him in his underwear.
248
00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:47,840
I wanted to learn from him,
249
00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:52,120
and I wanted him to take me
under his wing, basically.
250
00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:54,760
Bathum is free to shape
his treatment program
251
00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,560
away from the prying eyes
of regulators.
252
00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,600
Because like a lot of drug rehab
centers in California,
253
00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:04,160
CRLA does not
have state certification.
254
00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:11,400
The culture when it comes
to medicine, treatment,
255
00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:15,080
rehabilitation in California
in general tends
256
00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,560
to be quite accommodating
of metaphysics,
257
00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:20,440
sort of woo-woo wellness.
258
00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:23,400
There is a reason
why so many cultish groups
259
00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,280
were founded in California.
260
00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,480
The organization brought sobriety
261
00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:30,680
and successful withdrawal
from heroin
262
00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,840
and other drugs
to hundreds of followers.
263
00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,400
Traditional institutions
in general are thought
264
00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:40,160
to be trying to control you
in a dark and sinister way,
265
00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:44,120
and thus the alternative path
is the best one to take.
266
00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,200
One early group offering an
alternative path through rehab
267
00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:51,920
was Synanon, formed
in Santa Monica in 1958.
268
00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,120
When you think about the power
that a single person
269
00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:57,560
or a small group of people
can have over 500 residents
270
00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:01,080
in Synanon, it just seems
to scare our community.
271
00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,480
Much like Bathum,
Synanon leader Chuck Dietrich
272
00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:05,880
felt his calling was to build
273
00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,160
utopian communities
to save young addicts.
274
00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:11,320
But over its 30-year history,
275
00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,920
its utopia in California
descended into cult rule.
276
00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:19,640
He ordered that all male
members undergo vasectomies,
277
00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,200
that women and men
shave their heads,
278
00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,680
that members change partners
swap them for new mates.
279
00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,560
The segment of society
that has done more to hold
280
00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,600
Synanon back
has been the media.
281
00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:33,800
There are definitely parallels
between Chuck Dietrich
282
00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,760
and Christopher Bathum
in the addiction space.
283
00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,600
That's a perfect space
for a charismatic leader
284
00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:44,200
to take advantage because
there's so little oversight
285
00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:47,560
and people are
so hungry for help.
286
00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:55,280
Inside the CRLA family,
Bathum is more
287
00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:57,600
than just a charismatic guru.
288
00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,480
He knows their struggles firsthand.
289
00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:02,240
The one thing that kind of
attracted me to him
290
00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:04,840
is he's just a drug addict.
Like at the end of the day,
291
00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:07,200
like he'd been down
all these paths.
292
00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:09,280
He was doing
the real work
293
00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:11,560
better than anyone else
could do it.
294
00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:13,120
If it was easy,
we'd call it stopping.
295
00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:15,840
You know, addiction isn't easy
and it's trickier
296
00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:18,000
than we want it to be,
and it's incredibly clever.
297
00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:19,640
And it's, you know,
part of who we are.
298
00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:21,000
So it's not that easy to stop it
299
00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:24,320
when we're not
in the right space.
300
00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:28,520
Bathum being a former addict
just gave him more credibility
301
00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:30,200
that only another addict
302
00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,800
can understand
what you're going through.
303
00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:37,400
He was smart. He knew all
the information about addiction,
304
00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:38,920
about recovery.
305
00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:40,840
And I definitely want
to make sure you're okay.
306
00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,160
And if there's anything
we can do to make it work better
307
00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,000
for you now, we'll do it.
You know, it sounds like
308
00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:48,120
if you're in a stable place, great.
309
00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:50,600
You know, stability
is a good thing to keep.
310
00:16:55,520 --> 00:17:00,160
I was very out of it when I
came into community recovery.
311
00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:05,120
They knew I needed help
and I was just scared.
312
00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:09,200
I was prescribed Xanax
in my late teens.
313
00:17:09,360 --> 00:17:11,240
I was a zombie.
314
00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:16,400
I felt like, okay, this guy,
he knows what he's doing.
315
00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,200
I been the kids being loaded
a lot, you know?
316
00:17:19,360 --> 00:17:21,960
I'm okay with it.
I have very red eyes, too.
317
00:17:22,120 --> 00:17:24,200
I mean, my eyes don't water
very well, you know?
318
00:17:24,360 --> 00:17:26,960
And so since high school,
I've been, you know,
319
00:17:27,120 --> 00:17:29,000
I've been told I've been loaded
most of the time.
320
00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,560
I can't -- I'm having fun,
but I'm not
321
00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:35,400
chemically altered except
caffeine this morning.
322
00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:39,360
I definitely thought
he is totally out there
323
00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:42,920
because he wouldn't
look me in the eye.
324
00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:47,160
But the comfort of Chris
and him doing therapy with me
325
00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:53,880
and getting to know my past,
he felt like I could trust him.
326
00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:57,400
We're the perfect people to be brainwashed
327
00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:01,320
because we were told
that our brain was messed up
328
00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,520
and that we didn't know
our right thinking from wrong
329
00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:05,960
because we're addicts.
330
00:18:06,120 --> 00:18:07,800
When you get people
in their most desperate
331
00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:09,360
time of their life
332
00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:14,960
and you give them a reason
to live, like,
333
00:18:15,120 --> 00:18:18,080
of course everybody's
going to jump on board.
334
00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:22,160
It was the perfect place
for there to be a leader
335
00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:23,840
and a following.
336
00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:46,680
"Using the larger medicine
of community treatment,
337
00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:51,240
CRLA exists to heal
your trauma and addiction
338
00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:55,000
and provide you with the tools
to transform your life."
339
00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:57,120
Naturally, you want to be
a part of a community
340
00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,520
but a healthy one.
341
00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,960
Within weeks of being
introduced to CRLA's program,
342
00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:06,120
Amanda is a client fully
immersed in treatment,
343
00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,520
which includes multiple
group sessions a week
344
00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:12,600
on family dynamics
led by Bathum.
345
00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:14,400
Everyone's kind of looking
at you
346
00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,480
and you know what it feels like
if you're the person in there
347
00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:19,160
as a problem
in the middle of the family.
348
00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:21,680
Anybody ever feel that before?
349
00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:26,640
And when you feel that,
how does it feel?
350
00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:28,480
It doesn't feel very good,
does it?
351
00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:30,000
It was deep.
352
00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:31,840
You know, you're getting
to the core of your issues.
353
00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:34,320
And the program was great.
- Connection.
354
00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:35,880
And what you see in a community
like this
355
00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:39,080
is all those opportunities
for this kind of stuff,
356
00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:40,840
talking and being heard.
357
00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,560
You tend to bond with people
that you're in treatment with.
358
00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:46,520
People found like family
359
00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:50,560
there that they just
probably never had.
360
00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:52,840
When I first got to
Community Recovery,
361
00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,760
I couldn't stay sober
and my life
362
00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,760
was completely unmanageable.
I had nothing. I had no family.
363
00:19:59,920 --> 00:20:02,520
They brought me
into their family, you know,
364
00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,760
and I got told
that it was free treatment.
365
00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:09,960
And I think in the beginning
they absolutely cared.
366
00:20:10,120 --> 00:20:14,000
Like Amanda, Jill is also
offered a scholarship at CRLA
367
00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:18,560
and fast-tracked into a job
in the billing department.
368
00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,640
The guy who was doing
their insurance billing relapsed
369
00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,280
and ended up leaving.
370
00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:28,400
I ended up taking over
on the insurance.
371
00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:30,680
Many of the addicts
who come to CRLA
372
00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,800
don't have health coverage.
But curiously,
373
00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:37,720
Jill sees a flood of insurance
reimbursements come in.
374
00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,440
I'm getting checks in the mail
for the insurance department
375
00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:43,000
that are like
multimillion dollars.
376
00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:44,960
I think when you look
at big businesses,
377
00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:47,960
you don't really question
where the money's coming from.
378
00:20:48,120 --> 00:20:51,320
There was all these scholarship
clients and what we found out
379
00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:55,120
is that they all got
signed up for policies.
380
00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:56,640
Bathum, he was telling me
381
00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:02,320
to just make up
the insurance information.
382
00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:06,840
This is a application form.
383
00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,280
We would sign them up
for a policy.
384
00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:15,400
But the clients
had nothing to do with it.
385
00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,440
Signing patients up for
insurance without their consent
386
00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:22,280
is identity fraud.
But once clients have policies,
387
00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:23,960
Bathum can bill
the insurance companies
388
00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:28,120
for as much treatment
as he sees fit.
389
00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:32,360
We did things that were
not legal, that were not right.
390
00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:38,960
But at the time, it it seemed
like the right thing to do.
391
00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:40,240
You know, all the money
392
00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:45,560
I was pulling in
was letting him expand.
393
00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:47,480
You know why? Why?
Why are we even thinking
394
00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:49,920
about dictating having health
insurance companies
395
00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:51,480
dictating the length
of treatment?
396
00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:53,560
What do they know about it?
397
00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:56,440
These are actual notes
that me --
398
00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:58,760
I have my initials
on these notes,
399
00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:01,760
their medical records,
all their therapy notes,
400
00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:03,400
everything.
401
00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:08,800
Someone coming in to CRLA
without any insurance or money.
402
00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:11,520
Was a gold mine to Bathum
403
00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,640
because we could sign them up
for an insurance policy
404
00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:21,040
and get paid up
to $100,000 or more.
405
00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:24,800
Yes. Is insurance fraud wrong?
Absolutely.
406
00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,760
Is that against the law?
100%.
407
00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:31,760
Do they deserve it?
Probably.
408
00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:33,800
No one's cryin'
themselves to sleep
409
00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,640
over insurance companies
getting ripped off.
410
00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,280
Fueled by the fraudulent cash
flowing in,
411
00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,160
CRLA is quickly growing
into an empire
412
00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:46,360
with more and more clients
going through treatment
413
00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:48,040
and then getting promoted
into staff roles
414
00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:52,480
to run the program, regardless
of their qualifications.
415
00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:54,760
He sent someone out to Colorado.
416
00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:59,080
It was like 20 years old
to go open up a bunch of houses.
417
00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:01,960
Like some people weren't even qualified
418
00:23:02,120 --> 00:23:03,880
to make a sack lunch
419
00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:06,520
and they were like
director positions there.
420
00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:08,200
You know, let's be real.
They're not like
421
00:23:08,360 --> 00:23:10,120
the best workers in the world.
They're fresh in recovery,
422
00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:13,360
and they often have
poor work habits, if any.
423
00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:15,080
And they need a lot
of either supervision
424
00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:17,640
or a lower expectation.
425
00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:20,560
We get enough that they that
they're you know,
426
00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,400
it's good it's a good exchange.
427
00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,480
Lowered expectations
can be dangerous in rehab,
428
00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:28,960
especially on security sweeps.
429
00:23:29,120 --> 00:23:32,400
You know, in other places,
they searched the clients rooms.
430
00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:37,280
They weren't doing those sort of
containment things at CRLA.
431
00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:40,760
Yes. Occasionally people
do sneak drugs in,
432
00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:45,840
but it doesn't happen as often
as it happens at CRLA.
433
00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:50,000
Almost 90% of CRLA staff
are recent clients,
434
00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:53,040
but despite the uptick
of drug use at the facility,
435
00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,080
Bathum doesn't change course.
436
00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:59,400
Instead, he creates even more
jobs for his recovering addicts,
437
00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,080
including some
in his inner circle.
438
00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,760
My first inkling that something
was sort of different
439
00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,960
was when I noticed
that all of his assistants
440
00:24:11,120 --> 00:24:17,560
and drivers were young women.
Those women didn't have a curfew
441
00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:21,040
and often didn't need
to be drug tested.
442
00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:23,560
I became his
personal assistant.
443
00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:27,000
Little tasks,
whatever he would ask me.
444
00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,840
The sheer volume of clients
that we had.
445
00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:31,640
You wouldn't notice
that one of them
446
00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:35,600
wasn't where
they were supposed to be.
447
00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:37,800
I brought drugs
into the treatment center,
448
00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:43,360
and I got high
and passed out in the bathroom.
449
00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:45,120
In the shower.
450
00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,880
By 2016,
the number of overdoses
451
00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:53,120
within the community is growing,
452
00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,120
along with the doubts
about the program's efficacy.
453
00:24:57,280 --> 00:24:58,680
And not every relapsing client
454
00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:01,640
gets a second chance
at sobriety.
455
00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:07,600
This is Mo.
He was incredibly charismatic.
456
00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:08,920
You got sweat
between your rolls?
457
00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:10,440
Yeah.
458
00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:14,840
He was kind.
He was raised well.
459
00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:18,000
He was a good guy.
460
00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,760
I remember that he had relapsed.
461
00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:26,640
He, unbeknownst to staff,
got another client's car keys
462
00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,760
and he overdosed in that car.
463
00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:37,080
This kid had no more life.
464
00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:40,760
And...
465
00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:42,760
We didn't help him.
466
00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:45,560
Felt like every couple of weeks
I was getting news that someone
467
00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:49,400
that we knew who'd been
through the program had died.
468
00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,040
I've probably worked at 30
different treatment centers
469
00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,000
in the last 10 years
and I've never seen
470
00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:57,640
that many clients die.
471
00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:06,800
Questions begin to swirl
around CRLA
472
00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:09,360
about the increase of relapses
473
00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:12,120
and why authorities weren't
being notified of overdoses.
474
00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:19,240
They should have called
the cops
475
00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:21,840
if he was holding drugs
in a treatment facility,
476
00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:23,600
why the didn't
they call the cops?
477
00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:25,720
Because maybe he would have
gotten another charge,
478
00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:29,520
but he might be alive today.
At the same time,
479
00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:33,000
the rumors were flying
about what Bathum was doing.
480
00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,080
So Bathum was working
behind the scenes,
481
00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,400
saying what to do
and what not to do.
482
00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:41,920
Rumors began to go around.
483
00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:44,800
Rumors about
Chris's own drug use.
484
00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:48,040
Look, if there's smoke,
there's probably fire.
485
00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:50,200
We're getting the sense
that something weird
486
00:26:50,360 --> 00:26:52,120
was was happening,
487
00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:54,600
and we didn't know
exactly what it was.
488
00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:56,680
But something's
not right.
489
00:26:56,840 --> 00:27:02,800
So many people,
so many people got hurt.
490
00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,120
And I hate that
I didn't see it sooner.
491
00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:10,920
I still feel guilty that
I didn't notice this sooner.
492
00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:12,920
I'm sorry.
493
00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,440
Can you give me a minute?
- Yeah.
494
00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:25,480
I hate that I did this.
Take me off camera.
495
00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:34,560
So many people got hurt
and I didn't know.
496
00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:43,920
You know,
we've had enough deaths.
497
00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,840
I think we've had
people -- seven -- die.
498
00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,200
Those motivate me a lot.
Those feel like loss,
499
00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:52,400
like losing all those
feel like we didn't do it.
500
00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:57,360
Inside CRLA,
the addiction recovery center
501
00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,200
that's built a cult
of community healing,
502
00:28:00,360 --> 00:28:02,600
a spike of overdose deaths
is raising doubts
503
00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:05,040
about Chris Bathum's methods.
504
00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:09,120
But he has an idea
to help them keep the faith.
505
00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:11,480
He knew how to muster
the troops, you know.
506
00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:15,680
And, and he knew exactly
what the he was doing.
507
00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:20,160
Chris started doing
an experiential program.
508
00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:22,840
They sent us on adventures
like to Colorado,
509
00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:28,200
where we went on
a 12-day camping trip.
510
00:28:28,360 --> 00:28:31,800
But upon landing in Colorado,
I still had like $600
511
00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:37,120
in my bank account from the work
that I was doing for Bathum.
512
00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:39,640
I went and bought drugs
off the street in Denver,
513
00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:42,200
a city I'd never been to
before in my life.
514
00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:45,120
And I, um,
I smoked some crack.
515
00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:47,400
I was very vulnerable when
it came to these sort of things.
516
00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:51,800
I hadn't developed
any of the tools.
517
00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,080
When staff relapsed at CRLA,
518
00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:57,000
Bathum returns them to treatment.
519
00:28:57,160 --> 00:29:01,400
This endless cycle of client
to staff back to client again
520
00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:04,600
stretches a rehab visit
well past 90 days
521
00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:07,400
and sometimes indefinitely.
522
00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:15,880
Bathum created this sort of
closed system
523
00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:19,640
where even if you achieved
your recovery,
524
00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:22,520
well, then you were going
to get a job that he controlled.
525
00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:24,320
You're going to relapse.
526
00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:26,680
It's one way that a cult
can establish
527
00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:30,800
these people are going nowhere,
they are locked in.
528
00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,120
While Bathum's field trips
may feel like freedom.
529
00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:35,240
They're all part of the cycle.
530
00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:38,520
Introducing opportunities
for the addict to use,
531
00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:41,960
sometimes encouraged
by Bathum himself.
532
00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,280
I only had like four
interactions with Bathum
533
00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:48,640
before he asked a staff member
534
00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:53,440
to take me off the grounds
to Costco.
535
00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:59,120
He told the staff that he was
going to buy me new glasses.
536
00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:01,160
When I got to Costco,
he was being very erratic
537
00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:05,200
and he was like,
"Alright, walk with me."
538
00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:07,320
We're driving. And I'm like,
"Where are we going?"
539
00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:09,920
Still didn't know.
540
00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:13,160
"Oh, I got us a room
at the Four Seasons."
541
00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:14,960
I just kind of like,
542
00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:21,040
"Okay, this guy is taking me
to the Four Seasons?" like.
543
00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:24,960
Everyone kind of knew
that there was something
544
00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:29,320
not right with Chris
with what was going on.
545
00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:35,480
But no one ever really
had anything concrete.
546
00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:38,240
Chris really had the pretense
that he was a therapist
547
00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,520
and he told everyone
he was a therapist,
548
00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:44,120
but he has, like,
no degree on anything.
549
00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:46,360
No one knew
he wasn't credentialed.
550
00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:48,680
Because, I mean,
what are you going to do?
551
00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:52,000
Go up and ask your boss
for his CV?
552
00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:54,560
Bathum didn't have a degree
in psychology.
553
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:56,040
He wasn't a therapist.
554
00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:58,880
He didn't even have
my level of certification.
555
00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:01,680
So it was completely made up.
556
00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:05,440
But at the time no one knows
Chris Bathum's secret
557
00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:07,960
including Amanda.
558
00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,160
I remember being very,
very, very nervous
559
00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:12,720
and having a sick
feeling in my stomach.
560
00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:14,520
But I went anyways.
561
00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:17,800
When we get to the Four Seasons,
562
00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:22,360
and he was like shuffling around
looking for the key.
563
00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:26,000
And a big straw
comes out of his pocket.
564
00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:28,680
And I look at it and I was like,
"What is that?"
565
00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,560
And he goes,
"Ha ha it's paraphernalia."
566
00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:35,280
And like,
right then it was just like,
567
00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:39,400
"Oh, my God. This guy is high."
568
00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:45,960
Everyone asks,
"Oh, why didn't you run?"
569
00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,560
But they weren't in the position
I was in.
570
00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:52,880
So I was like,
"Are you on meth?"
571
00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:54,160
He said, "Yes."
572
00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:55,760
And I was like,
"Oh my gosh, well,
573
00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:57,960
I'm crazy enough about drugs."
574
00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:00,040
That stuff scared me
and gave me --
575
00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:04,040
the thought of it
gave me anxiety.
576
00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:06,240
He lays down on the bed.
577
00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:10,840
And I sit at the end
of the bed.
578
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,160
Everything's processing.
579
00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:17,200
And then, you know.
580
00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:20,000
He stuck his fingers
inside of me.
581
00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:29,880
He -- I mean, I just --
I don't know.
582
00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:33,320
I don't really want to --
This is not my favorite subject.
583
00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:35,240
I just looked at him.
I said, "Are you a sociopath?"
584
00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:37,080
And he laughed.
He said,
585
00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,640
"Sometimes I think that myself,
but answer me this.
586
00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:43,560
Would a sociopath
want to help so many people?"
587
00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:55,480
Rumors began to go around.
588
00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:58,480
Rumors that maybe Chris is high.
589
00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:02,440
You know, that someone had found
meth in his Tesla.
590
00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:04,800
Maybe that he was hooking up
with some of the girls.
591
00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:06,760
And when I first heard
these rumors,
592
00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:11,080
I was just kind of like,
that's impossible.
593
00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:15,360
Early on, I thought,
"Well, see, that's why
594
00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:18,400
he shouldn't have
these girls as his drivers,
595
00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:20,360
because the optics are bad
596
00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,040
and those kind of rumors
are going to go around."
597
00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:24,720
You know, like,
look at the amazing work
598
00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:27,200
that's being done here.
There's no way that that
599
00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:29,520
this guy could be
doing any of that stuff.
600
00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:35,840
I knew that I had
to get out of there.
601
00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,840
I got my stuff and I left.
My mom picked me up.
602
00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,280
I was very manic in the car.
She knew something was up.
603
00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:45,840
And then I just -- I tell
my mom everything.
604
00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:49,360
You know, the one reason
why I was there is to clean up.
605
00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:57,400
And instead I end up
way worse than when I got there.
606
00:33:57,560 --> 00:33:59,440
Amanda isn't alone.
607
00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:01,480
Unbeknownst to the community,
608
00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:04,360
Bathum's abuse
has been going on for years.
609
00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:11,880
There were people that knew
and was turning the other way.
610
00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:17,000
Some time before Amanda's
hotel encounter,
611
00:34:17,160 --> 00:34:21,680
Bathum asked Hayley along
to view a prospective property.
612
00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:24,240
My anxiety was very bad
at the time
613
00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,840
and I didn't know
how to manage anything.
614
00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:28,440
So he said,
615
00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:30,360
"Hey, why don't you take
the Xanax?" And,
616
00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:35,240
"I've used before, but don't
worry, this isn't you using."
617
00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:36,840
This isn't a relapse for you.
618
00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:40,960
You actually need this,
and I can prescribe that to you.
619
00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:45,080
And he handed me Xanax.
620
00:34:45,240 --> 00:34:48,200
I remember him walking me
around the property and saying,
621
00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:50,880
Isn't this beautiful?
622
00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:54,080
And....
623
00:34:54,240 --> 00:34:59,000
We went up to a room and he
kinda demanded me
624
00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:00,480
to take my clothes off.
625
00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:05,800
And he ended up raping me.
626
00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:19,640
I just. I never thought.
627
00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:21,920
I thought that was stuff
you saw in movies.
628
00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:28,960
I didn't think that a real man
who called himself a clinician
629
00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:33,760
would do something like that to
a young woman that vulnerable.
630
00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:38,040
So I told my case manager finally,
631
00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:41,880
and my case manager
brought me into Chris' office.
632
00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:45,520
He just made a joke out of it
pretty much and out of me.
633
00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:48,280
And I didn't know
how to respond to it.
634
00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,640
I just felt
completely demolished.
635
00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:54,480
My heart felt broken
and I was crumbling.
636
00:35:59,920 --> 00:36:01,440
Soon,
word of Bathum's behavior
637
00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:06,400
starts to leak out of CRLA
and appear online.
638
00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:07,840
The stories catch the eye of
639
00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:12,240
LA Weekly journalist
Hillel Aron.
640
00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:14,640
When I started to look
into Chris Bathum's past,
641
00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:19,320
it was certainly a yarn that I
kept tugging at and tugging at.
642
00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:28,040
Chris Bathum had no training
to work in recovery.
643
00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:33,000
A scammer, convicted felon,
abused women,
644
00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:35,120
not to mention
the insurance companies
645
00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:36,960
were investigating him.
646
00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:39,240
So someone gave me
Chris Bathum's phone number
647
00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:42,400
and I remember he was very open
648
00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:45,640
and was looking forward
to being interviewed.
649
00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:48,840
So I went over
to his coffee shop.
650
00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:50,560
I turned my recorder on.
651
00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:09,480
After interviewing dozens
of former CRLA members,
652
00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:12,000
Hillel's exposé is published.
653
00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:22,840
I mean, I wrote the article
alleging sexual misconduct,
654
00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:25,240
sexual harassment,
sexual assault,
655
00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:26,960
sleeping with
some of his patients
656
00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:31,080
and giving them drugs, everything.
657
00:37:31,240 --> 00:37:35,320
Yet Bathum remains unfazed.
658
00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:37,840
He did not like the article,
659
00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:40,240
but he certainly
liked the title.
660
00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:42,560
He put the title "Rehab Mogul"
661
00:37:42,720 --> 00:37:46,080
ended up putting it
on coffee mugs and T-shirts
662
00:37:46,240 --> 00:37:48,880
and selling it
at his coffee shop Grounded.
663
00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:51,080
He didn't have anybody
to contend with,
664
00:37:51,240 --> 00:37:53,640
so he just went off the rails.
665
00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:56,400
Chris just had this, like,
God complex.
666
00:37:56,560 --> 00:38:00,480
And did he have these demons
in him from the very beginning?
667
00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:02,080
I don't know.
668
00:38:02,240 --> 00:38:06,320
His setup just made you believe
in him and his vision.
669
00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:08,400
He got people
to listen to him.
670
00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:14,320
Obviously there's strength
in numbers
671
00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:17,960
if it's just me
going up against him?
672
00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:21,640
I just knew that I had
to stick up for other women.
673
00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,800
I didn't want this
to happen to other women,
674
00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:27,320
and I was going to do
everything in my power
675
00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:30,480
to do my best to tell my story.
676
00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:44,960
It was all of a sudden,
like with a puzzle
677
00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:46,800
when you see like all the pieces
678
00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:50,480
and, like, like the minute
it all came together,
679
00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:53,760
I couldn't be there.
I left.
680
00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,080
Newly dubbed "The Rehab Mogul,"
Chris Bathum's
681
00:38:58,240 --> 00:39:01,480
standing in the community
he founded plummets
682
00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:04,680
amid revelations of his drug use
and sexual abuse
683
00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:07,480
of the clients who trusted him.
684
00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:09,120
Malibu rehab owner
is now accused
685
00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:11,440
of sexually assaulting
former patients.
686
00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:13,680
Bathum refused our requests
for an interview
687
00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:16,840
but sent an e-mail stating
"We are not going anywhere."
688
00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:20,760
Investigators think there are
even more victims out there.
689
00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:24,040
Although authorities launch
an investigation,
690
00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:25,520
CRLA's doors remain open.
691
00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:30,840
For two years,
people were saying
692
00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:32,680
that CRLA was, like,
under investigation.
693
00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:36,080
And I was like, "Is anything
ever going to come of this?"
694
00:39:36,240 --> 00:39:39,080
My mom found the lawyer
and was like,
695
00:39:39,240 --> 00:39:40,680
"Just meet with them."
696
00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:42,880
So I met with them
and then they were like,
697
00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:46,880
"If you know anybody else
that this happened to."
698
00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:50,880
And I'd heard a few stories.
So I contacted those women.
699
00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:55,960
I probably went through about
20 phone call interviews
700
00:39:56,120 --> 00:39:57,440
with various women.
701
00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:00,360
I think that the LAPD
and sheriff's department
702
00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:02,000
treat addicts and alcoholics
703
00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:06,920
almost as throwaway people
unless you really hit them hard.
704
00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:10,640
They are reticent
to investigate it.
705
00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:15,080
This case lingered for years,
longer than it needed to do.
706
00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:16,680
I've Shaun Gipson.
707
00:40:16,840 --> 00:40:19,720
I'm a deputy district attorney
and a lead prosecutor
708
00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:22,920
in the fraud investigation
and prosecution
709
00:40:23,080 --> 00:40:24,520
of Christopher Bathum.
710
00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:29,400
I have never seen such a group
of traumatized people.
711
00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:31,640
With testimonies mounting
and media pressure
712
00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:36,280
at an all time high,
in November of 2016,
713
00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:39,400
the FBI finally
close in.
714
00:40:39,560 --> 00:40:42,760
One day, I got the news
that CRLA had been raided.
715
00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:47,800
I remember feeling finally it
had been brought down.
716
00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:52,960
That was the day that I went
and testified against Bathum.
717
00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:56,920
Amanda, Haley, and 11
additional victims
718
00:40:57,080 --> 00:41:01,400
testify against Bathum
at the sexual assault trial.
719
00:41:01,560 --> 00:41:05,880
Litigation is hard,
especially trying to be sober.
720
00:41:06,040 --> 00:41:08,360
I'm I'm happy that
I went through with it.
721
00:41:08,520 --> 00:41:13,400
That was the goal, to make sure
that he didn't get away with it.
722
00:41:13,560 --> 00:41:15,760
That was probably the hardest
thing in my life
723
00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:18,560
that I've been through,
was going through a trial.
724
00:41:18,720 --> 00:41:23,360
And seeing him made me
so angry and hurt,
725
00:41:23,520 --> 00:41:27,440
but it also reminded me
that I had to do this
726
00:41:27,600 --> 00:41:30,080
and that it needed to end.
727
00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:36,480
Bathum is found guilty
of 31 counts,
728
00:41:36,640 --> 00:41:43,240
including rape and $175 million
of insurance fraud.
729
00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:45,080
Haley's testimony was,
in many ways,
730
00:41:45,240 --> 00:41:47,080
the killshot of that trial.
731
00:41:47,240 --> 00:41:50,680
Bathum will most likely spend
the rest of his life in prison,
732
00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:52,400
and I think Hayley
is a big part of that,
733
00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:54,760
and she deserves credit
for that.
734
00:41:58,240 --> 00:42:01,480
I've seen a wide variety
of cases.
735
00:42:01,640 --> 00:42:05,240
He's by far the worst.
I think Christopher Bathum
736
00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:11,080
is probably
the most diabolical defendant
737
00:42:11,240 --> 00:42:13,560
that I've ever had to look at.
738
00:42:13,720 --> 00:42:17,280
Bathum is sentenced to
52 years in prison.
739
00:42:17,440 --> 00:42:21,240
And won't be eligible for parole
until he's in his 90's.
740
00:42:22,640 --> 00:42:24,760
But the industry
he leaves behind remains
741
00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:29,240
largely unregulated,
one where charismatic predators
742
00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:33,240
still have access to people
at their most vulnerable.
743
00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:36,200
Basically, you and I could form
a rehab tomorrow
744
00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:39,880
with our German Shepherd
and call it a rehab.
745
00:42:40,040 --> 00:42:42,960
You know, the regulations
are pretty much a joke in there.
746
00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:44,360
They need to be tightened up.
747
00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:47,840
The industry as a whole
is still, I think,
748
00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:51,040
vulnerable
to cult of personality.
749
00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:53,960
I think there absolutely
could be another Bathum today.
750
00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:04,480
I'm at Vera's Sanctuary
for Women.
751
00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:06,800
There's about 18 women here.
752
00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:09,880
I just came to try to heal the
trauma of what happened to me.
753
00:43:10,040 --> 00:43:16,680
And if I have anxiety
or any thoughts or PTSD,
754
00:43:16,840 --> 00:43:18,320
I come out here
755
00:43:18,480 --> 00:43:24,600
and the plants, talking to them
even, helps me relax.
756
00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:28,480
I'm just now I feel
757
00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:32,240
like coming out
of the storm finally, you know?
758
00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:38,320
I knew that if I didn't try
to stand up for myself
759
00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:42,000
and for other girls,
that he might get away with it.
760
00:43:42,160 --> 00:43:47,480
And that was a really, really
big possibility at the time.
761
00:43:47,640 --> 00:43:48,840
The fact that he's off
the streets
762
00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:53,560
and can't hurt anybody else
is the goal.
763
00:43:53,720 --> 00:43:56,760
We succeeded in that.
So for that, I'm proud.
62168