Narvin Lichfield is the subject of Netflix’s new true crime documentary The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping.
Robert Lichfield’s brother Narvin Lichfield entered the problematic teen industry as a result of his brother’s seeming success. He used to be an automobile salesperson from a low-income family, but after witnessing his older sibling’s success in founding the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASP), he decided to get involved in the industry.
Robert gave him his first break in the business by bringing him to Teen Help, the marketing and admissions branch of WWASP.
Consequently, Narvin moved to St. George, Utah, and brought his family along. Nathaniel Lichfield, one of the former’s four, is one of them. In the documentary, he disclosed that at the age of five or six, he observed a notable surge in their household’s fortune.
The family started living a better lifestyle, going on expensive vacations, and enjoying other comforts. In his professional capacity, Narvin was a key player in marketing and showed proficiency in early search engine optimization (SEO), which greatly increased the program’s reach and influence.
Narvin subsequently asked and was granted permission to relocate to South Carolina in order to take on additional responsibility. He founded the Carolina Springs Academy in 1998, which is one of WWASP’s behavioral correctional initiatives. Later, he also took on the role of director of the Academy at Dundee Ranch in Costa Rica.
Additionally, he enrolled Nathaniel in the program there for a few months. Just 19 months after it began, however, the Costa Rica program came under legal fire when officials carried out a raid in response to reports of mistreatment and abuse of children.
After the Academy at Dundee Ranch was shut down and Narvin was arrested on suspicion of abusing children, the trial resulted in a verdict of not guilty because there was insufficient, conclusive evidence against him. Just seven months after the academy closed, he reorganized the initiative and called it Pillars of Hope. Although there have been allegations that youngsters under the age of 18 were also enrolled, this program is said to have admitted those between the ages of 18 and 22.
Additionally, Narvin named his son Nathaniel the Mississippi Gulf Coast Academy’s principal. Nathaniel acknowledged that his father had put him in the role despite his lack of educational background.
Where is he now? Is he married? What was his response to the Netflix show?
Scroll down and read all about it here.
Narvin Lichfield Response To Netflix’s The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping
Narvin Lichfield has responded to Netflix’s The Progam: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping on his Facebook page in March 2024 with a lengthy post.
“In response to a recent Netflix documentary making claims of alleged abuse at programs connected to me personally, here are the facts as I have them in my possession; I was falsely accused in 2003 over 20 years ago by two male students at my school in Costa Rica by the name of Rancho Dundee. These two students I had never really met seeing that they came into the school while I was in South Carolina that Summer,” Narvin started the post.
“When a riot that was inappropriately, and even illegally started by a Costa Rican temporary prosecutor by the name of Vargas refusing to follow the judge on site order to leave on a Tuesday night. I immediately got on a plane that night and left my aging parents who were in their 80s visiting me at my home in South Carolina from Utah. If I had been guilty of the alleged abuse of the two students I had never met, why would I go back to Costa Rica immediately and willingly?”
He continued, “Four years later, when the case actually went to court, I was declared by the prosecutor to be innocent and they had no real legal allegations against me. As a matter of fact, the prosecutor himself asked for the non-guilty judgement which is very rare. To my knowledge this is the only legal accusation by any student directed against my person, at ether the Rancho Dundee or at Carolina Springs Academy. Where we were licensed by the state DSS for over 13 years and we are proud to report that we never had a founded case of abuse in that time and certainly not one directed toward me personally.”
” I never worked at Ivory Ridge Academy personally and had nothing to do with its operation. Therefore I cannot speak to what went on there. I can only speak to my own knowledge of events that occurred in my two facilities, in South Carolina and Costa Rica. My heart goes out to the woman’s experience in the Netflix documentary, who seems to have a personal vendetta against me personally or any person that may have been involved at Ivy Ridge Academy. But again I never worked there personally, and therefore can’t be held accountable for what others chose to do or not to do,” he added further.
“As far as the Netflix documentary using my own estranged son Nathan, to claim that I somehow abused kids in my care; I would ask the Netflix documentary the following questions …did you vet or do any background checks on my son Nathan? Are you aware that he is on full disability for mental health issues? spawning from an incident when he walked onto Hillfield Air Force Base illegally in Layton, Utah in June of 2019 and tried to in his mind fix the Air Force Base,” Narvin shared further.
“Because of his mental state the Air Force Base MPs immediately took him to a mental hospital and he remains on mental health disability to my knowledge at this time. So any testimony from him should’ve been vetted or those facts should’ve been stated in order to provide some level of journalistic integrity of the Netflix documentary. The main problem I have with the documentary is that it seems to try to paint with her own bias everything with one brush and tries to make everyone guilty that had anything to do with the programs. When in reality; like life it’s usually a little bit more complicated than that, especially when we had dedicated people at both Rancho Dundee and Carolina Springs. Again I can’t speak for the other schools because I wasn’t there; but I can speak for my two schools. We loved the kids and did everything in our power to make sure they had an appropriate experience.”
Netflix’s True Crime catalog has another addition named The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping. The show explores the workings of one such program, the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASP)-affiliated Academy at Ivy Ridge.
This unique work examines the roles of several leaders within the organization in addition to highlighting the difficulties faced by those who were once enrolled in these programs. Among the latter group are Utah natives like Narvin Lichfield, whose son Nathaniel Lichfield also speaks up to discuss his father’s affiliation with the organization and his opinions on its activities.
Fun Fact: Narvin is the son of Walter C Lichfield and Wilma Jeanette Browning Lichfield. He was a name sake to Walter and Wilma’s friend Narvin Parley Butler.
Where Is Narvin Lichfield Today?
Narvin Lichfield is, in fact, quite active on social media, as stated in the Netflix documentary. Every day, Narvin uploads updates on his Facebook profile, where he states that he lives in Utah and works as a consultant for a company that promotes “teen recovery.”
Narvin has also stated that he studied General Education at BYU, Social at Weber State University, Studied at Utah Tech University – College of Humanities and Social Sciences / CHASS, and studied Double major in Sociology & Technical Sales at Weber State University.
The identical name appears on his Instagram account, which is presently private. “I am a father and a friend to all I love the gospel of Jesus Christ restored 1820 to the boy Prophet Joseph Smith it is all I am and hope to be.. I hope,” reads his bio on the website.
How Much Is Narvin Lichfield Net Worth?
Narvin Lichfield has an estimated net worth above $1 million.
Narvin Lichfield Age
As of March 2024, Narvin Lichfield is 62 years old.
Narvin Lichfield Wife
Narvin Lichfield is married to his wife Suzette Jettaun Lichfield with whom he shares four kids and five step-kids.
Furthermore, Narvin was married at least twice before. He first married Catherine Eames in the LDS Logan Temple in December 1984. The marriage only lasted for 17 years and they shared four children from that marriage.
Narvin’s kids and step-kids are named Natalie Lichfield Clark, Josue Lichfield, Brittney Lichfield, Becca Lichfield, Maria Lichfield, and Nathaniel Lichfield.
Then, he married Flory Alvarado and they were together at least until 2019.
Then, Narvin married on 11 August 2023 in Laie Hawaii at the Temple. He announced on his Facebook, “In Hawaii on Bikini Beach asking the former Suzette Guerrero to become Mrs. Suzette Jettuon Lichfield … We are now married and obviously, she said yes!! This was so cool because the beach is just literally 200 yards from our house that we’re staying in here in Laie Hawaii ….. a special shout out to Suzette’s two ex- Portland community College students Seaira and Diana along with Suzette‘s daughter Alease who helped set this all up.”
Related FAQs
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Is Narvin Lichfield On Instagram?
Yes, Narvin is available on Instagram (@marvinlichfield) and Facebook (@nlichfield).
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Where Is Narvin Lichfield From?
Narvin is originally from Ogden, Utah. Lehi, Utah is his current place of residence.
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When Is Narvin Lichfield Birthday?
Narvin Lichfield celebrates his birthday on 8 July.
