Taylor Frankie Paul’s Ex Dakota Mortensen Has New “Polarizing” Job

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Dakota Mortensen has a new gig.

Despite being investigated by police following accusations of domestic violence involving his ex-partner, Taylor Frankie Paul, 33-year-old [Name] has been revealed as a contestant on Alex Cooper’s upcoming reality show, Unwell Winter Games.

A new four-part series from Unwell will pit sixteen controversial celebrities against each other in both mental and physical challenges over four days. According to a press release, viewers can expect intense competition, surprising partnerships, and plenty of raw, unscripted drama – hallmarks of Unwell’s other shows.

I’m so excited about this new competition series launching on YouTube April 6th! Dakota will be going head-to-head with some familiar faces – you might recognize Demi Engemann from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Gleb Savchenko of Dancing With the Stars, Eyal Booker from Love Island, and Serena Pitt from Bachelor Nation. It’s going to be a fun watch!

The cast also includes Anna Delvey, Alissa Violet, Andrew Vetter, Cameron Jerrard, Dylan Kevitch, Ekin Su Cülcüloglu, Hallie Batchelder, Hannah Stocking, Huda Mustafa, Joe Amabile, Juliette Porter, Louis Russell, Niko Emanuilidis, and Saraya Bevis.

On March 16th, the Draper City Police Department in Utah told People magazine they are investigating a domestic assault involving Dakota and Taylor. The investigation started after both individuals accused each other of wrongdoing. Filming for the fifth season of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was temporarily stopped in late February due to an alleged argument between the two.

Taylor’s season of The Bachelorette was canceled after a video from 2023 surfaced online on March 19th, showing a physical fight between her and Dakota. The video appeared just days before the show was set to begin airing. A representative for Taylor stated she was thankful for ABC’s support and is focusing on keeping her family safe.

According to a statement released on March 19th, Taylor has been secretly enduring severe mental and physical abuse, along with threats, for years. She is now finding the courage to confront her abuser and is taking action to safeguard herself and her children from future harm.

Meanwhile, Dakota—who shares a son with Taylor—called their current situation “deeply upsetting.” 

In a statement released on March 19th, he said he’s become accustomed to false accusations regarding himself and their relationship, and he strongly rejects them. His priority is their son’s well-being, and he hopes Taylor will prioritize their child’s safety as well.

Dakota now has temporary custody of their child, meaning Taylor won’t be allowed to spend time with them until a court hearing on April 7th, according to a protective order obtained by People magazine.

West Jordan Police in Utah have confirmed to NBC News they are investigating another reported incident of domestic violence between Dakota and Taylor this year, making it the third such investigation in 2024.

TopMob News has contacted representatives for Dakota, Taylor, and the West Jordan Police Department for a statement, but they haven’t responded yet.

For a full timeline of the allegations made between Taylor and Dakota, keep reading… 

Taylor Frankie Paul, who gained popularity on TikTok as #MomTok, was arrested in Utah on February 17, 2023, following an altercation with her boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. According to court documents obtained by ABC 4 Utah, she allegedly threw metal chairs and a wooden playset at him while one of her children was present. She shares these children with her former husband, Tate Paul.

Court records show Taylor faces several charges, including aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence that injured a child, simple child abuse, and criminal mischief, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office and reports from TopMob News.

According to court documents, the police officer who arrived at the scene reported that Dakota said he had been arguing with his girlfriend. The officer stated that Dakota told him his girlfriend, Taylor, began hitting him when he tried to leave.

In August 2023, Taylor admitted guilt to a serious assault charge, a third-degree felony, as shown in court records obtained by the Salt Lake Tribune. Four other charges against Taylor were dropped and cannot be refiled.

For three years, the charge against her was put on hold. If Taylor followed the conditions of her agreement, it would then be filed as a Class A misdemeanor, according to court documents.

As part of her agreement, Taylor was required to undergo evaluations for both substance abuse and domestic violence, and to complete any treatment recommended by those evaluations, all within a three-year timeframe. She also had to avoid breaking any major laws.

Taylor and Dakota welcomed their son a week ahead of schedule. On April 4, 2024, Taylor shared a photo from the hospital on Instagram, writing about how much they adore him and expressing gratitude for how he’s brought their families together.

Taylor told TopMob News that the fight with Dakota was definitely their lowest point.

She explained that he supported her because he understood what was really happening, even the things no one else knew. “It was a terrible night, and I really regret it,” she said. Dakota had gone through a difficult time himself, so he truly empathized with her situation. He told her, ‘I want to help you get through this.’

As for the confrontation itself, she later said the incident had been building up. 

She revealed on the Viall Files podcast in September 2024 that she’d experienced an ectopic pregnancy a few months earlier, followed by a chemical pregnancy. While hesitant to attribute it solely to hormonal imbalances, she acknowledged that her hormones might be playing a role, saying she feels ‘pretty off.’

Taylor explained that she felt confused and upset after the events, leading her to drink. Dakota then picked her up and expressed his disapproval of her drinking.

I recall throwing objects, and I didn’t recognize my daughters who were on the couch. We had babysitters with us, so I believe they were upstairs asleep. Dakota apparently tried to tell me my five-year-old was there too, but I was so out of it that I didn’t even care, and I threw another chair.

The Hulu series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premiered in September 2024, and the first episode of its initial season showed footage of Taylor’s arrest in 2023.

Taylor publicly announced her breakup with Dakota in May 2025, following a revelation on the second season premiere of SLOMW. The show revealed Dakota had been unfaithful shortly after their son was born. Taylor shared the news on TikTok, stating, “Dakota and I are no longer together, and I wish him well.”

We were living together and so happy with our new baby, and I was starting to think about getting engaged,” she shared on the show’s first episode. “Then I found out he’d been lying to me the whole time.

In a season four episode of SLOMW, Dakota confessed to having an affair with a friend, Shinia Powell. During a FaceTime call with Taylor, Dakota admitted, “It was a mistake, and I probably should have chosen someone else. My biggest error was getting involved with someone who was already complicated, and that was really messed up of me.”

Taylor will be the next Bachelorette! She announced she’d be leading season 22 of the show during an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast in September 2025. This is a bit of a change for the show, which typically chooses leads from past seasons of The Bachelor.

You know, I’ve been following Taylor’s journey, and she really feels like this new phase is exactly what she needed. She actually shared that she sees it as a gift, a chance to start a fresh, exciting chapter. It’s so inspiring to see someone embrace change with such positivity!

Taylor shared that she’s faced criticism, judgment, and rejection, but believes those who truly get to know her will see she’s a sincere person with good intentions who deserves another opportunity at love.

Just before Taylor started filming season 22 of The Bachelorette, a conversation she had with Dakota aired on season four of SLOMW. During that conversation, Dakota apologized for his relationship with Shinia, admitting it was a mistake and a poor decision.

He explained that both he and Taylor had caused each other pain, but he still thought they loved each other deeply.

The couple acknowledged their relationship was unhealthy, and Taylor believed appearing on The Bachelorette could actually be beneficial, even if they didn’t end up together. She felt it would give them both a chance to step back, break their pattern, and begin to heal.

Dakota let Taylor know he still had feelings for her, saying he was glad she was happy and supportive of her finding someone new. However, he playfully asked her to keep him in mind, saying, “Just save a rose for me, okay?”

Production on season five of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stopped in February 2026 following a reported argument between Taylor and Dakota.

On March 16th, a representative from the Draper City Police Department told People magazine that they were investigating claims of domestic assault involving Taylor and Dakota. The police stated that both individuals have accused each other. Officers made contact with those involved on February 24th and 25th, but are not releasing further details while the investigation is ongoing.

Okay, so I heard from someone who knows things, and honestly, it just confirms what I already knew about Taylor. She totally takes responsibility when she messes up, but everything she does is about protecting little Ever. She doesn’t want him reading awful things about his dad or having a bad image of him, you know? She just wants him to love his father, and that’s so beautiful to me.

After Taylor and Dakota had a disagreement in 2026, TMZ released video of a physical fight between them that originally happened in 2023.

The video shows Dakota filming an altercation while Taylor shouts at him and tries to hit him, even briefly putting him in a headlock.

“Look,” Dakota can be heard saying, “this is called physical abuse.”

As things escalated, he told her their daughter was watching while Taylor began throwing metal barstools at him. During the fight, Taylor claimed Dakota pushed her to the ground before starting to record, and Dakota responded by saying, “You did this,” and asked her to help their 5-year-old daughter. Taylor was later heard shouting, “Get away from my daughter.”

According to a police report obtained by TopMob News in 2023, the child was struck by a stool.

Following the video’s release, a representative for Taylor stated to TopMob News that it was part of an effort to damage her reputation. They said the video selectively presented information and was intended to divert attention from Dakota’s behavior. Dakota, however, dismissed Taylor’s accusations as untrue.

Following the release of video showing a disagreement between Taylor and Dakota in 2023, ABC announced it was cancelling season 22 of The Bachelorette. A Disney Entertainment spokesperson told TopMob News, “We’ve decided not to proceed with the new season at this time, and we’re prioritizing support for the family involved.”

Following ABC’s decision, Taylor broke her silence about the situation. 

Taylor appreciates the support she’s received from ABC as she focuses on keeping her family safe. According to her representative, she’s been dealing with years of severe mental and physical abuse, along with threats, but is now finding the courage to confront the person responsible and protect herself and her children from future harm.

The statement also highlighted that many women are quietly enduring hardship caused by former partners who are controlling, possessive, and won’t allow them to rebuild their lives.

Taylor’s team has stated she is considering her next steps, getting help, and will eventually talk publicly about what happened.

Dakota addressed claims of domestic violence involving himself and Taylor, stating in a March 19th interview with TopMob News that the video of the incident is “deeply upsetting,” as anyone who has seen it would realize.

He said he’s become accustomed to false accusations regarding himself and their relationship, and he firmly denies them all.

Dakota said her priority is her son, Ever, and his well-being, and she hopes Taylor will prioritize Ever’s safety as well.

According to documents obtained by People magazine on March 20th, Dakota was granted temporary custody of Ever after filing a protective order against Taylor. While a hearing is scheduled for April 7th to allow Taylor to present her perspective, the current order prohibits either parent from having time with Ever until then.

Utah police are investigating a potential domestic violence incident from 2024 that Dakota reported to them in February, according to a West Jordan Police Department spokesperson who spoke with NBC News on March 24. Investigators have contacted Taylor’s lawyer but haven’t yet spoken with Taylor herself. They are hoping she will provide a written statement or agree to an interview to confirm details from Dakota’s report.

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2026-03-31 02:18