Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal (Netflix)Two of the main characters in the series are Christian YouTubers Sam and Nia Rader. Their story begins as every relationship does — in love and with plans for the future. The young Texan couple found their footing when they went viral for a video of them performing “Love Is an Open Door” from the Disney movie “Frozen” while driving. The couple hit the jackpot: family vlogging. However, before and during their online fame, Sam used Ashley Madison to have numerous affairs with women who weren’t his wife, Nia.
For years, Sam kept up the charade that he was the devoted, loving Christian husband to Nia and father to their two children. However, this changed when Ashley Madison was hacked. In the data leak, Sam’s affairs and use of the dating service were exposed.
At first he only told part of the truth. In a YouTube apology video posted to the couple’s channel, Sam said at the time, “As you may have seen, my name has been associated with an Ashley Madison account. I’m here to clarify some of this with you guys, ‘cause I owe it to you: I did make the account. I made the account two years ago. This is an issue that is in our past. This was before I got onto YouTube.”
He denied ever having an affair on the website and said, “The account was opened out of pure fleshly desires and out of simple curiosity.” Even Nia bought into that story.
But in the docuseries, Sam admits, “What I said in the video was mostly, pretty much, just all lies. It was just, ‘Protect yourself, man.’”
Ultimately, it’s revealed that Sam had been cheating throughout his relationship with Nia through Ashley Madison, at “massage parlors and strip clubs” and “two emotional relationships” with Nia’s own friends.
The couple is still together and have reconciled despite Sam’s infidelities. “Nia, she decided she would give me a second chance,” Sam said. “I’ve learned continuing to deeply be in love takes work. There’s a lot of things that I really do regret, but I don’t regret, you know, the hack.”
Nia told Netflix, “I believe that marriages can be healed. It’s worth fighting to fix your marriage.”