[7], Plural marriage is practiced by some members of the LDCJC and members make their own choice in who they marry. As KUTV reported in February 2016, "A major show of a force at several businesses owned by the Kingston polygamous group.". The Kingston organization is structured as a vast cooperative endeavor. She suffered from. The Kingston family first embraced polygamy around 1931 when, according Theres also medical building in Millcreek, a manufacturing plant in West Valley City and agricultural property belonging to the church itself. Included on the list is a medical building at 4400 S. 700 East in Millcreek. All rights reserved. Personal and business incomes are deposited to the sect, which then returns money the individual or firm needs for expenses. Jeremy Kingston was sentenced to a year in prison in 2004 for taking LuAnn Kingston, his cousin and aunt, as his fourth wife in 1994; their relationship began when he was 24 and she was 15. v. Kingston, et al., Third Judicial District Court of Salt Lake County, UT (2022)", "Fallout from Washakie fraud could cost polygamous Kingston Group members their businesses and homes", https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/07/29/fallout-washakie-fraud/, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "An Ordinance, incorporating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Latter_Day_Church_of_Christ&oldid=1146100374, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from March 2013, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Jason Kingston allegedly had a relationship with his half-sister Andrea Johnson, who became pregnant in 1992. per night. Amanda Rae Grant alleges her father is Verl Johnson, accusing him of marrying 17-year-old Lori Peterson and two others to produce 33 children. According to property tax records, they are connected with 23 commercial and residential properties in Salt Lake County valued at $3.3 million listed under a Kingston entity called "World Enterprises." Feds move to seize homes and businesses from polygamous Kingston Group as fraud defendants plead guilty . [10], According to his autobiography, Charles W. Kingston became disenchanted with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in 1926 because it abandoned plural marriage. Articles of Incorporation of the Davis County Cooperative Society, 7 February 1941. Mr. Smith had 33 wives by some accounts; Brigham Young, second leader of the church, had 27 wives. By the time he was 12, Roberts said, he was working 12-hour shifts at a mine the Order ran. A young woman from a polygamous and incestuous breakaway Mormon sect is speaking out for the first time after she exposed what the government alleges is a multimillion-dollar fraud, ripping off taxpayers. - could truthfully record a "0" in court papers when asked to list debts, and the insurer is claiming, among other things, that he lied about the [8][3] There are approximately 3,500 members,[9] some of whom are known to practice polygamy. Cooperative Society, in 1935 after having a power struggle with other fundamentalist D. One building the government wants to seize is the West Valley City home of gun-maker Desert Tech. Washakie Renewable Energy was supposed to be making biofuel from used cooking grease, agricultural products and other biological products at its plant in Plymouth, not far from the Utah-Idaho state line. of the Lamb of God a Mormon splinter group threatened to sabotage the group's [39], In 2016, the State of Utah with federal law enforcement raided various properties in connection with the Kingston family or Davis County Cooperative Society with the intention of finding welfare fraud. Washakie Renewable Energy appears to be the most profitable business owned by group members. (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sally Kingston, the wife of Jacob Kingston, leaves the federal courthouse, after a hearing for Jacob and Isaiah Kingston Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. leaders. In addition, they say "business owners who are members of the [the group] have the autonomy to make their own business decisions. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. Isaiah Kingston was the chief financial officer at Washakie and is accused of wiring funds from the fraud. polygamous clans' companies, which include vending machine businesses, / CBS News. Two Salt Lake City biodiesel executives linked to a polygamous group will stay in jail after prosecutors argued they could flee to Turkey if released ahead of trial in an alleged $511 million tax credit scheme. Court documents reveal text messages from Jacob Kingston relating to an "enforcer" he allegedly hired, where he asks about "bulk discounts" and a "2 for 1" deal, plus other comments that appear to point to Bryan and Mary. Brigham Young, second leader of the church, had 27 wives. Prosecutors believe money fraudulently obtained by Jacob and Isaiah Kingston went to lending companies that lent money to other members of the sect to purchase the properties. The Kingstons are well known for polygamy, incest, child abuse, racism, forced marriages, and shady business practices, including tax and welfare fraud. One member of the organization operates Bail Bond Specialists - the [A look at some of the businesses, homes and other properties prosecutors want to seize in the Washakie Renewable Energy fraud]. (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Lake Elsinore Econo Lodge Casino in Lake Elsinore, California. connected with 23 commercial and residential properties in Salt Lake County The Kingston sisters were able to help her escape although Ava wanted to stay with her family, she knew she couldn't give up her sense of self and continue watching the cycle of abuse continue. The family is the namesake of the Kingston Group, the polygamous sect thats also known as the Davis County Cooperative Society. Members today wear normal modern clothing, although they are encouraged to be modest and keep a high standard of dress. Lake Elsinore Casino, which also has been known as the Sahara Dunes Casino, has been operating under a provisional license since 1999, according to a complaint filed last year by Californias Bureau of Gambling Control. The 47-year-old girl is now in protective state custody. Company CEO Jacob Kingston pleaded guilty Thursday to more than three dozen counts, including mail fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice. The Kingston Group declined to confirm its membership numbers. There. "So, we were given just stacks and stacks of checks, and just signing them, signing them and they would just deposit that and just whatever account they needed.". Tourism is sucking Utah dry. It didn't find any. to produce a baby a year. [28][29], During the first years of the Davis County Cooperative Society, Elden Kingston and his followers wore unique blue denim outer garments that led to people referring to them as "blue-coats." Article. "They were sick and tired of being harassed. (59 reviews) "The staff were super frienly and helpful. Besides polygamy, sect members often practice a communal form of living, known in Mormon fundamentalism as a united order. Mike Leavitt (see Leavitt "[2], According to a 2011 document prepared by the attorneys general of the states of Utah and Arizona, the church describes itself as emphasizing family values, education, self-sufficiency, and the belief that every child is a priceless blessing. Prison sentences ranged between six and 40 years. He died of cancer in 1948 at the age of 39. Married women are expected However, the group reiterated its belief that "bleeding the beast" was "abhorent" and was "never a tenet" of its organization. to include a ban on the practice in Article became public after her father took her to one -of the family's northern By February 2016, the evidentiary hearing still hadnt taken place. These undated file photos released by the Weber County Sheriff's Office show Jacob Kingston, left, and Isaiah Kingston. The practice was so prolific that many native Utahns' have polygamist roots - including Utah Gov. Prosecutors have alleged the company didnt manufacture much fuel and say instead the company was buying and selling biofuel and passing the commodities off as their own product. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune IRS agents raid the property of several Kingston Clan properties, including the offices at 2950 S. Main Street in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016. Lookout, page 5). "Yes, I miss them very, very much," she said. Prosecutors dropped only five of 46 counts against Jacob Kingston. He is defending David The scheme included filing for $512 million in federal renewable-fuel tax credits from 2010 to 2016 through a company named Washakie Renewable Energy LLC. works for really low wages.". John Ortell Kingston (1919-1987): Brother to Charles Elden and son to their father Charles, John guided the church from 1948 to 1987. By 1935, his followers began to move to Bountiful, Utah, intending to live under a United Order communal program as defined by Joseph Smith in the Doctrine and Covenants. Two of the plaintiffs Michelle Afton Michaels, 22, and LaDonna Blaklyn Ruth Lancaster, 18 share the same father, Jesse Orvil Kingston, the lawsuit alleges. cents an hour, increasing pay to the minimum wage, the Observer's source the Kingston family. State audit alleges former Cache County prosecutors misused public resources, had side contracts without countys knowledge, Utah flooding resource guide: What to do before, during and after a flood, polygamous sect thats also known as the Davis County Cooperative Society. On Feb. 10. For the church formally established by Joseph Smith in 1830, see. All went bareheaded and barefoot. Clyde Kingston died in 2005. They got married and contacted the IRS and FBI, helping uncover the alleged a $511 million scam. Department of Commerce records show at least 48 businesses affiliated with A check of public documents in Salt Lake County alone of business and real estate holdings reveals an astonishing array of enterprises. "State investigators found no wrongdoing among members of the Davis County Cooperative Society, also known as the Kingston Group. A trial threatened to air the inner workings of the Kingston Group. One of Kingstons's most profitable enterprises is a bituminous coal and lignite mine in Huntington (Carbon County), which at one time brought in revenues of $ 1 million a month, according to the observer's source. are more polygamists than ever, as the ranks of practitioners continue He allegedly was told that his hourly pay was $3.23. had not returned the phone call. Heidi Foster, a member of the Kingston Group, on Friday called the attempts to seize all the properties insane. She said the people living in the homes had no role in the fraud. Kimball. groups say the number may be as high as 60,000. Adding to the Kingstons's coffers are farms and businesses in northern Mary and Bryan were and still are very worried about retaliation. sltrib. titles and other names that shield the Kingstons from direct scrutiny. Joseph and Ted Kingston co-own a management company that itself owns 5% of the casino, and the bureau said that management company hasnt submitted an application either. Legitimate businesses, including those in the Cooperative, argued that Jacob hid the scheme from business partners as well as Co-op leadership. As a symbol of their renunciation of worldly goods, the outer clothing contained no pockets in which possessions could be carried, although later an inside pocket was provided for the sanitary measure of carrying a handkerchief. The women listed as homeowners are all second, third or fourth wives or whatever down the line, Ellis said. marriages increased after Utah became a state. The lawsuit contains explicit details of how Kingston Group leaders who also own and operate several businesses and schools in the suburbs of Utahs capital, Salt Lake City allegedly arrange incestuous and sometimes underage marriages between teenage girls and adult men with exalted status to produce hundreds of children. The Kingston clan has about 1,000 members and $150 million in business. Another is about how long California regulators have recognized there is a problem with the ownership of a major casino, Eggert said in an email, and how long the casino seems to have delayed the resolution of the problem by being nonresponsive to urgent requests for important information.. Among the businesses: Standard Restaurant Equipment Co.; Fidelity Funding Corp.; Fountain of Youth Health and Athletic Club; East Side Market; Mountain Coin Machines Distributors; American Digital Systems; Family Stores True Value; and Little Red School house Montessori. Vanguard Academys leaders sued state charter school officials in response, and a judge issued a restraining order that kept the targeted governing board members in their positions. The "organization, as insiders refer to it, has maintained a remarkably In recounting the history of the case, however, the Bureau of Gambling Control says it recommended in 2008 the license be denied for even more reasons: failure to maintain adequate records, the use of inappropriate accounting methods, the failure to notify regulators of ownership changes, and the continued employment of a key employee with a felony conviction.. She compared the government effort to seeking to take the home of someone who borrowed money from Martha Stewart after she was busted for insider trading. and for all. The girl was David 0. The suit alleges episodes of rape aimed at forcing pregnancy, group members covering up years of sexual abuse and indoctrinating children in elementary school about plural marriage. And it was costing a But one source intimately familiar with the Kingston organization's Kingston began preaching polygamy amongst fellow members of the LDS Church and distributing pamphlets and the book he had co-written, Laman Manasseh Victorious: A Message of Salvation and Redemption to His People Israel, First to Ephraim and Manasseh. was so prolific that many native Utahns' have polygamist Their Utah-based empire is huge, however, and spans at least six states. 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Utah Attorney General's Office and Arizona Attorney General's Office. Theres no mention in the complaint of the Kingston Group. Mike Leavitt. Dermen, also known as Levon Termendzhyan, is not a member of the Kingston Group. Pro-polygamy groups estimate there are about 30,000 to 40,000 people in Utah who live in polygamist communities. His brother and the chief financial officer, Isaiah E. Kingston, pleaded guilty to 17 counts. Men, women and even children are expected to work for the organization's Nov 29, 2019 - Explore Kingston Clan's board "Bountiful Baby Kingston owned business" on Pinterest. The Kingston Group said the concept of bleeding the beast is abhorrent and was never a tenet of its organization. 1-2-1 Bashaku, Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka-ken, 802-0077. But Ervil never showed," the source said. "It was more like an organized crime family," said Mary Nelson. roots - including Utah Gov. A small portion of the funds (less than 6%) were also used to purchase legitimate goods and services from businesses who provided them in "good faith". A young girl's In a case that has dragged on since Bill Clinton was president, the two men listed as owners, Ted E. and Joseph O. Kingston, may be forced to close or sell the casino if they get an adverse ruling from an administrative judge who is considering arguments. after he was charged earlier this month with two counts of incest and one Church members own a diverse portfolio of service, financial and agricultural operations in Utah and Idaho, but these businesses typically require little more than updating their licenses and filing tax returns. [10], Over the decades, the Cooperative has maintained extreme secrecy while developing an extensive system with assets once estimated at over $150 million. Representatives of both denied requests to provide more documents or information about why so much time has lapsed in the case, the alleged accounting problems and the name and job of the felon. Kurt Eggert, a professor at Chapman University School of Law, in Orange, Calif., who has studied gambling statutes, said who owns Lake Elsinore Casino is only one story. Illustration by Sean McCabe. The owners of Washakie Renewable Energy pleaded guilty to charges Thursday in what the government has called a $511 million biofuel fraud, and the pleas could have repercussions for the polygamous sect to which they belong. The pleas came in a closed hearing Thursday in federal court in Salt Lake City. She assumes the defendants coordinated with each other to avoid having discussion of the Kingston Group in public. David Kingston is alleged to have married his 16-year-old niece Mary Ann Nelson, who attempted to run away but was apprehended and beaten by her father, John Daniel Kingston. In August, the Utah state charter school board mandated that the Kingston Group-run charter school, Vanguard Academy, replace all nine members of its governing board after various and repeated violations. John Daniel Kingston A view of Salt Lake City. Five people, including four Utah family members associated with a polygamous clan, were sentenced to federal prison last week for a billion-dollar tax fraud scheme associated with their biofuel company, according to a statement released April 7. The clan has zealously guarded its wealth. real estate holdings reveals an astonishing array of enterprises. Among the businesses: Standard Restaurant Equipment Co.; Fidelity Funding One of the lawsuits more shocking allegations centers on claims from plaintiff Jenny Kingston, 25, that her parents sent her to a rehabilitation center named Lifeline for Youth for six months to punish her for resisting her marriage to Jacob Daniel Kingston Jr, the son of the Washakie energy companys boss. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax "They were all there with munitions. Phone calls there went unanswered Friday. engaged in the practice secretly and in 1843 [43] Responding to child marriage allegations in September 2022, the organization told The Guardian that "current policy prohibits plural marriage for members under 18" and "once an individual has made a decision on who to marry, members are encouraged to seek the blessing of their parents, family and/or church leaders, but to say that one individual chooses or heavily influences who will marry who is entirely inaccurate". [21] Over the past 25 years, many members have become college-educated and live in middle-to-upper-middle-class homes throughout their communities.

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