93 matching Mormon sex abuse cases

  • Criminal case result: Not convicted
    • George Aaron was a former Mormon bishop in a college ward in Provo, Utah; allegedly sexually abused his two teenage daughters in the 1980s and early 1990s; found civilly liable in 2001 to have "inflicted emotional distress," "breached fiduciary duty," and behaved with "reckless disregard" toward his younger daughter; paid $25,000 in punitive damages
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Jose Arias was a Mormon church missionary in Palm Desert, California; accused of sexual abuse; civil suit filed against LDS church and Arias; judge awarded judgment by default for the plaintiff (victim) against Arias in 2017 in the amount of approximately $4.2 million; the LDS church was not found liable
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Bishop Baldwin was a Mormon bishop in Pittsburg, California in 1989; in 2024, accused in a civil lawsuit of child sexual abuse that allegedly lasted from 1989 to 1997, when the victim was 5 to 13 years old; the suit was one of 91 or more coordinated civil suits filed in California in 2024 against the Mormon church
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Timothy Ballard was a Mormon anti-sex trafficking activist; claimed to be friends with LDS apostle Russell Ballard (no relation); accused in 2023 of sexual misconduct by at least eight women and a couple; in June 2024, one civil case was dismissed; in July 2024, a lawsuit said his DNA was found on a victim’s skirt
    • Church discipline: Excommunicated,
    • George Barnett was a Mormon church member in Cerritos, California; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing a child as part of a sex trafficking ring, and of covering up the abuse; the plaintiff said she was abused over 200 times at the Cerritos LDS stake center from 1979 to 1983
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Arthur Bennett was an LDS church member in Hurricane, Utah; accused of sexual abuse of two teenage girls; allegedly faked a suicide to collect insurance money; was arrested and charged with murder and sexual abuse; died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial
    • Joseph Bishop was a Mormon church member and president of the Provo, Utah Missionary Training Center (MTC) in the 1980s; allegedly sexually abused multiple sister missionaries; not criminally charged because the statute of limitations had expired (in 1984, the legal deadline in Utah for filing a rape charge was four years); civil lawsuit was dismissed after an agreement by the plaintiff and the LDS church
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Curt Boyack was an LDS church member in New Mexico; accused of sexual abuse; allegedly said he would turn himself in to police; died by suicide
    • Ronald Boyce was a Mormon church member in New York; accused of sexual abuse in a 2024 civil lawsuit against the LDS church
    • Carlfred Broderick was a Mormon stake president in Cerritos, California; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing a child as part of a sex trafficking ring, and of covering up the abuse; the plaintiff said she was abused over 200 times at the Cerritos LDS stake center from 1979 to 1983
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • William Carstensen was a Mormon church member in Bountiful, Utah; accused of child sexual abuse; charged; died by suicide
    • Christopher Church was a Mormon high priest and anesthesiologist in Arizona; had his license revoked in 2011 for a pattern of touching women's breasts while they were unconscious; 2012 civil suit was dismissed
    • Frank Collins was an LDS church member and traveling professional clown (as "Windy the Clown") in Whittier, California; accused of sexual abuse in 1986; charges dropped
    • Mark Cram was a former Mormon bishop and stake presidency counselor, and city manager in Riverton, Utah; charged in 2006 with voyeurism; admitted climbing a 9-foot wall at a tanning salon to watch a 16-year-old girl undress; pleaded guilty; plea was held in abeyance; he completed the terms set by the court, charge was dismissed and case was expunged in 2008; as of February 2024, lives in Riverton, Utah
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Abraham Cruz was a Mormon missionary in Saratoga Springs, Utah; arrested in May 2024 on suspicion of sexual assault; charged with three first-degree felony counts (two of forcible sodomy, one of rape); charges were dismissed without prejudice in June 2024
    • John Doe was a Mormon bishop in or near Salt Lake City, Utah; accused of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy; the alleged sexual assault took place in the Salt Lake Temple in the 1980s (approximately 1986), during a visit to perform baptisms for the dead
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • John Doe was an LDS church member and former Mormon bishop in Alabama, Alaska and Texas; in 2022 or 2023, confessed to child sexual abuse to his LDS bishop and stake president in Texas, according to a person familiar with the case; they reported him to local police in 2023; in 2024, a plaintiff filed a civil lawsuit against him; Doe and the church settled with the victim in 2025
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • LDS church payment: Undisclosed amount
    • Doe was a Mormon church member; accused of sexual abuse
    • John Doe was a Mormon church member; accused of sexual abuse
    • Gerald Elison was an LDS church member and junior high school drama teacher in Orem, Utah; accused in 2014 in a civil lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy student in the early 1980s; died in 2019
    • Verd Erickson was a former Mormon bishop and dentist in Riverton, Wyoming who moved to Utah; was accused of sexual misconduct and lost his dentistry license in 2010; died in 2022
    • William Evans was a prominent Mormon church member in Salt Lake City, Utah; was bishop twice of the Grant 6th ward; from 1957 to 1962, was in the Utah State Legislature; served as Salt Lake County Clerk from 1968 to 1983; died in 1991; allegedly raped a relative in Salt Lake City in the early 1980s
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • David Farley was a former doctor and LDS church member in West Linn, Oregon; accused of sexually abusing over 200 patients; the alleged abuse occurred over a span of many years, during which Farley was an LDS stake high council member for some time; never criminally charged; in February 2024, the city of West Linn, Oregon released a report about the way its police department investigated Farley
    • Floyd Godfrey was a Mormon church member and sexual orientation conversion therapist in Arizona; accused of sexual misconduct by two employees; in 2023, Godfrey was forced to surrender his license
    • Mark Gum was a Mormon scout leader in Oxnard, California; a 2011 lawsuit against the LDS church and the Boy Scouts of America accused him of sexually assaulting a boy scout; while the boy was living with Gum (with the consent of the boy's parents), church members visited and accepted the living arrangement, the suit said; in 2012, the Mormon church made a settlement payment for an undisclosed amount
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • LDS church payment: Undisclosed amount
    • Dustin Hall was a Mormon church member and Boy Scout leader in Washington; accused of sexually abusing boys in the Shelton Ward near Olympia; a lawsuit filed against the Mormon church in 2009 claimed church leaders knew Hall posed a risk to boys but failed to prevent him from working with them
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Brent Hansen was an LDS church member and dentist in Spanish Fork, Utah; was also mayor of Spanish Fork and president of its chamber of commerce; accused in a civil lawsuit of receiving sexual favors from a dentistry patient in return for prescriptions for narcotics; his dentistry license was suspended for 30 days; died in 2015
    • Douglas Holyoak was a Mormon bishop in Sycamore, Illinois from about 1999 to 2004; accused in a 2024 civil lawsuit of sexual assault of an underage girl in his office at church when she reported sexual harassment by other youth; allegedly covered up the assault with the help of a stake presidency counselor (Michael John Evans)
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Gary Jones was a Mormon church member in Cerritos, California; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing a child as part of a sex trafficking ring, and of covering up the abuse; the plaintiff said she was abused over 200 times at the Cerritos LDS stake center from 1979 to 1983
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Timothy Kimball was an LDS church member in San Antonio, Texas; charged in 2022 with child sexual abuse; died by suicide in June 2023 while awaiting indictment
    • Thomas Kimball was a Mormon church member in Logan, Utah; accused of sexual abuse by multiple women; died by suicide in October 2020, shortly after allegations became public
    • George Koford was a Mormon bishop in Cerritos, California; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing a child as part of a sex trafficking ring, and of covering up the abuse; the plaintiff said she was abused over 200 times at the Cerritos LDS stake center from 1979 to 1983
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Mikel Massey was an LDS church member in Lufkin, Texas; accused of child sexual abuse; police investigated, but no charges were filed
    • Bill McKay was an LDS church member and mayor of Kennewick, Washington; admitted in 2023 to police he paid for sexual services at multiple massage parlors in Kennewick; was not criminally charged
    • Brenda Miles was an LDS church member in Bountiful, Utah; accused of child sexual abuse
    • Timothy Monzello was a Mormon bishop in Azusa, California (Azusa 1st Ward, Glendora California Stake) from about 2005 to 2010; accused in a 2024 civil lawsuit of sexual abuse that allegedly took place between 2008 and 2010, starting when the victim was seven years old; the alleged abuse took place in the bishop's office at church and at Monzello's home
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Gerald Mortimer was an OB/GYN doctor in Idaho and former Mormon temple president and mission president in the Philippines; admitted in 2019 to secretly using his sperm to artificially inseminate multiple women; a civil suit against him was dismissed with prejudice in 2021, possibly because of a private settlement agreement
    • Hugh Nibley was a prominent LDS scholar in Utah; in 2005, was publicly accused by his daughter of childhood sexual abuse against her; died in 2005 in Provo, Utah; was never charged with a sex crime
    • Spencer Palmer was a Mormon temple endowment ceremony actor, BYU professor, mission president, temple president, LDS church area authority; lived in Utah; posthumously accused of child sexual abuse by his grandson
    • Kenny Parcell was an LDS church member and president of the National Association of Realtors; former Mormon ward young men's leader in Utah and bishopric counselor at BYU-Provo; accused in 2023 of sexual harassment by three women; resigned
    • Terry Parker was a former Mormon bishop and school teacher at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington; in 1996, two former students filed a civil lawsuit against the school district, Parker and the school's former principal, saying Parker sexually abused them; they said they reported to the school district, which then allegedly did nothing to protect them; the suit was dismissed with prejudice in Feb. 1998
    • Derrick Pickering was a Mormon church member and nurse practitioner in Utah; accused in 2024 by multiple former patients in a civil lawsuit of touching them in sexually inappropriate ways
    • Grayson Redd was a Mormon church member and former sheriff's deputy in Monticello, Utah; accused in 2024 of sexual abuse; died by suicide in July 2024, days after posting bail
    • Jake Retzlaff was a starting quarterback for the Brigham Young University (BYU) football team; not a Mormon church member; accused of sexual abuse in a civil lawsuit filed in 2025; lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice June 30, 2025
    • Kyle Saucier was a Mormon missionary in Utah; charged in 2007 with aggravated sexual abuse of a child, but the charges were dropped after prosecutors said they could not proceed due to "witness problems"
    • Thomas Schofield was a Mormon bishop in Elk Grove, Sacramento County, California; accused in a 2024 civil lawsuit of sexually abusing a 16-year-old child in 2004-05 while he was a Mormon Bishop; some of the alleged abuse took place in the Salt Lake City and Oakland LDS temples and the bishop's office at church
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Orin Searle was an LDS church member in Ogden, Utah; accused of sexual abuse in 2013 but was deemed incompetent to stand trial; a victim said that Searle's predatory behavior began as early as the late 1950s, and that several family members, and multiple members of the LDS 44th Ward (Mount Ogden Stake), knew that Searle was a child molester but did nothing to stop him; died in 2014
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Philander Smartt was a Mormon mission president in Puerto Rico; accused of sexually manipulating some of his sister missionaries; in 2014, the LDS church sent him home and called his behavior "immoral and sinful," but no criminal charges or civil lawsuits resulted
    • Joseph Smith was the founder of the LDS church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon church); was publicly accused during his life (1805-1844) of sexual misconduct, including adultery and illegal polygamy; in May 1844, a Hancock County, Illinois grand jury indicted Smith for perjury, fornication and polygamy; died in June 1844
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • UNKNOWN Smith was a Mormon bishop in Lancaster, California; a 2024 civil lawsuit said he took part with two Melchizedek priesthood holders in sexually assaulting an underage boy inside an LDS church building on a weekly basis from 2001 to 2003, starting when the victim was 15 years old
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Michael Stillman was a Mormon Tabernacle Choir member and professional scouter with the Boy Scouts of America in Monroe, Sevier County, Utah; accused in 1989 of having sexually abused a boy between the ages of 13 and 15 in the mid-1970s; decided to resign as district scout executive as long as it did not imply guilt; was never reported to police or charged with a crime
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Stephen Stokes was a Mormon church member and Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-I) professor; accused of sexual assault by a former student; died in 2016; in 2022, civil lawsuit against BYU-I was dismissed with prejudice
    • Arthur Stout was a Mormon church member in Littlerock, California; in 2024, a civil lawsuit said he sexually assaulted a girl "on a weekly basis" from 1991 to 1997, starting when she was 5 years old; some of the alleged abuse took place in an LDS church building
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Glendon Templeton was a Mormon bishop, Sunday school teacher and scout leader in Arizona; was bishop of the Maryvale Ward in West Phoenix from 2014 to 2019; excommunicated in 2019; also was a volleyball coach for high school-aged girls; accused numerous times and arrested, but never prosecuted for alleged sex crimes; sued in 1997 for alleged sexual abuse; allegedly sexually assaulted multiple teenage girls
    • Church discipline: Excommunicated,
    • Kendall Traxler was an LDS church member in Gallman and Hazelhurst, Mississippi; died in 2015; a victim told FLOODLIT that Traxler sexually abused them when they were a child; the abuse allegedly took place during Sunday branch meetings; the branch president and stake president allegedly knew about the abuse but failed to report it to law enforcement
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Bob UNKNOWN was a Mormon church member and Melchizedek priesthood holder in Lancaster, California; a 2024 civil lawsuit said he took part with a Mormon bishop and another Melchizedek priesthood holder in sexually assaulting an underage boy inside an LDS church building on a weekly basis from 2001 to 2003, starting when the victim was 15 years old
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Jim UNKNOWN was a Mormon church member and Melchizedek priesthood holder in Lancaster, California; a 2024 civil lawsuit said he took part with a Mormon bishop and another Melchizedek priesthood holder in sexually assaulting an underage boy inside an LDS church building on a weekly basis from 2001 to 2003, starting when the victim was 15 years old
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Bruce Van Horn was a Mormon church member in Cerritos, California; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing a child as part of a sex trafficking ring, and of covering up the abuse; the plaintiff said she was abused over 200 times at the Cerritos LDS stake center from 1979 to 1983
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Emmett White was a Mormon church member and scout leader in Florida; was caught in 1966 by local police soliciting an adult sex worker (prostitute); denied any inappropriate behavior around scouts
    • Kenneth Wilstead was an LDS church member in Garland, Texas; accused of sexual misconduct
    • Chauncey Worthley was a former LDS bishop in Orange County, California; admitted to sexual abuse and had his foster parent license taken away
    • Orson Wright was a Mormon mission president in Sydney, Australia from 1978 to 1980; accused of grooming some of the sister missionaries in his care to be his polygamous wives; removed early from his mission assignment; LDS church leaders in Salt Lake City, Utah allegedly covered up the reasons for Wright's removal
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Brigham Young Second president of the Mormon church; married 56 women, including a 15-year-old and three 16-year-olds; was publicly accused during his life (1801-1877) of sexual misconduct, including adultery and illegal polygamy; never charged with a sex crime; arrested and charged with adultery in 1871; not found guilty; died in 1877
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Karey Zimmerman was a Mormon church member in Utah and Nevada; in 2025, was accused in a civil lawsuit of child sexual abuse that allegedly took place in Nevada and Utah; the Mormon church was also named as a defendant; the lawsuit said a Utah bishop failed to report abuse allegations to police
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse

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