A spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations confirms presence at the Duggar's Tontitown home last week, while the family's rep denies the report.
- Nov 20, 2019
AceShowbiz - The Duggar family home was recently raided by Homeland Security Investigations agents. A spokesperson for HSI has confirmed presence at the reality TV family's home in Tontitown, Arkansas last week amid an "ongoing federal criminal investigation."
"[I do not dispute the information that] HSI was present there [Duggar home] pursuant to an on-going federal criminal investigation," a Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson tells KNWA about report of the raid.
HSI would not disclose the reason for the investigation, while the U.S. District Attorney for Western Arkansas will not comment on the incident. Meanwhile, a rep for the Duggar family denies the report when asked by PEOPLE.
Jim Bob Duggar, the family's patriarch, and his wife Michelle Duggar were first featured on television through TLC's reality series "19 Kids and Counting" which ran from 2008 until 2015. The couple has 19 children and Michelle was pregnant with their 20th child during the show's run in 2011, but she suffered a miscarriage.
Jim's son Jedidiah Duggar, who recently announced he is running for Arkansas State Representative as a conservative, says he was "unaware" about the investigation. He explains, "I don't live there, and I am not aware of any investigation."
Earlier this year, Jim and Michelle's eldest son Josh Duggar was "accused of fraud and is being sued for 'quiet title' and breaching a contract, according to court records." The trial is scheduled to begin on April 27, 2020.
In 2015, Josh was also entangled in a molestation scandal. He was reported to have molested five underage girls between 2002 and 2003, when he was 14 and 15 years old. Four of the five girls were allegedly his own siblings.
The scandal led to the family's reality show cancellation. TLC later brought back the family on small screen with "Counting On", which focuses on Jessa Seewald, Jinger Vuolo, Joy-Anna Forsyth, their parents and siblings, minus Josh and Jill Dillard, the family's second child. The spin-off still airs until now.
