Her statement at today’s sentencing moved us to tears. Note from Jane the executive director of Floodlit: We at floodlit.org are so proud of this brave survivor of childhood sexual abuse. We wish her complete healing and hope she continues to be a strong voice of support and advocacy for others who have experienced abuse.…
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Last week, we here at Floodlit.org added former Mormon bishop Joseph Walker of Utah to our growing database of reports of sexual abuse in the Mormon church. Walker, 70, was the initial editor in 2008 of MormonTimes.com (see https://web.archive.org/web/20080225160640/http://mormontimes.com/contact.php), a publication of the church-owned Deseret News. In 2021, Deseret Book published a biography of then-apostle…
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Joseph Walker was a former Mormon bishop, stake presidency counselor and LDS Public Affairs employee in Utah; charged in 2025 with three third-degree felony counts related to child sexual exploitation; allegedly “engaged in several sexually explicit conversations within which he sought or attempted to seduce, lure, and entice [a 14-year-old girl] into engaging in multiple…
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Richard Mallard was a Mormon church member in Orem, Utah; charged in July 2025 with 41 felony counts related to child sexual exploitation; in August 2025, was released on bond, despite initially being held without bail; several LDS church members sent the court letters of support on Mallard’s behalf prior to his detention hearing. Full…
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Utah judge: “This court is gonna do just exactly whatever Mr. McConkie says.” Listen to Kirton McConkie co-founder (a Mormon apostle’s brother) tell a story in 2017 of working to prevent a bishop from testifying in court case, possibly re: child sexual abuse. How long have Utah judges deferred to the Mormon church’s lawyers? Kirton…
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Utah judge: “This court is gonna do just exactly whatever Mr. McConkie says.” Listen to Kirton McConkie co-founder (a Mormon apostle’s brother) tell a story in 2017 of working to prevent a bishop from testifying in court case, possibly re: child sexual abuse. How long have Utah judges deferred to the Mormon church’s lawyers? Kirton…
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Full list: https://floodlit.org/failure-to-report/ Floodlit.org, an independent organization reporting on sexual abuse in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon/LDS), has now surpassed 400 documented instances where bishops or branch/mission/stake presidents allegedly sexually abused children or failed to report child sexual abuse to law enforcement. A Crisis Uncovered This is *not* a comprehensive…
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon church) has long positioned itself as a leader in handling abuse, with officials claiming its approach is the “gold standard” and that “no religious organization has done more.” But a startling discovery from a 2023 lawsuit challenges that narrative. A System…
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Oregon doctor David Farley allegedly sexually abused over 170 women and children, including some while he was in Mormon ward and stake leadership. In an ongoing lawsuit, many said they met him through the church, which is fighting in court to keep its records on him secret. Case report: https://floodlit.org/a/a113/ OPB, July 31 – Subpoena fight brings…
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On July 9, 6-year-old Jessica (pseudonym) was riding her bike home from a friend’s house in West Jordan, Utah, when she saw former Mormon stake president, three-time bishop and twice-convicted sex offender Ronald Charles Jones, 88, sitting on his front porch. Yesterday we reported that KSL omitted the name of the Mormon church from an…
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Today, KSL reported on the arrest of Ronald Charles Jones of West Jordan, Utah: https://www.ksl.com/article/51353482/elderly-west-jordan-man-arrested-accused-of-sexually-abusing-young-girl- The KSL article pulls information from a police probable cause affidavit, but doesn’t mention the name of the church of which Jones is a member – despite the affidavit itself stating he “is an influential member of his LDS ward…
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On July 29, 2025, Jay Toombs was released from prison on parole, according to a person familiar with the case. Case report: https://floodlit.org/a/a360/ 2024 parole hearing: Toombs lives in Logan, Utah, according to the Utah state sex offender registry: https://www.icrimewatch.net/offenderdetails.php?OfndrID=707328&AgencyID=54438 Toombs admitted to molesting at least 53 victims, the source said. Toombs was a younger…
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Yesterday, the Arizona Court of Appeals reinstated a sexual abuse lawsuit against the Mormon church, citing the church’s leadership handbook, which says prevention of “serious injury” is a justifiable reason for a bishop or stake president to “disclose confidential information without first seeking guidance.” Read the ruling: https://www.appeals2.az.gov/Decisions/CV20230293Memo.pdf From page 11 of the ruling: “Section…
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We want to thank everyone who has donated to Floodlit, or who has helped us in any way. If you’ve ever sent us case information, shared our website with a friend, sent us words of encouragement or done anything else to support Floodlit – thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We couldn’t have…
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81 Mormon sex abuse cases added to Floodlit database (4,301 and counting). Do you know any of the accused? In the past three days, Floodlit.org has published 81 reports of sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by LDS church members, and has now surpassed 4,300 total published reports. Thank you for your ongoing support as we approach…
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UPDATE Nov. 4, 2025: All criminal charges were dropped in this case. From the First Coast News on Nov. 2, 2025: “John Durrett, state attorney for the Third Judicial Circuit of Florida, explained in a notice that in several depositions in which Florida Department of Children and Families employees were interviewed, there was a series…
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Check it out!! We’ve just added 150 more names to our database! https://floodlit.org/recently-updated We now have more than 4,220 case reports of Mormon church members accused of sex crimes. In our latest update, we have added at least five former LDS bishops and 10 former bishopric counselors. We are continuing to work hard and will…
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Former Mormon missionary William James Purdy, 28, arrested on child sexual abuse charges. He allegedly sexually abused children during and after his mission in Tonga in 2017. At least 14 victims identified so far. Case report: https://floodlit.org/a/e993/ William Purdy was a Mormon missionary in Tonga in 2017. He was originally from Utah. In July 2025,…
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Floodlit.org has learned that two former LDS Social Services commissioners (who were also stake presidents) allegedly failed to report child sexual abuse. We’re looking for your stories if you’ve had any interactions with them or with LDS Social/Family Services. Larry Whiting and Harold Brown each led LDS Social Services for the Mormon church – Whiting…
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Court docs: In the 1980s, Alan Bassett confessed child sexual abuse to his Mormon bishop, who told the stake president, who called Kirton McConkie “about what ought to be done.” Several parents + a victim said they met w/ bishop; he denied meeting them. Bassett, charged in 2024, could now walk free. Details: https://floodlit.org/a/a780/ Floodlit…
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As 2025 reaches its mid-way point, Floodlit.org continues to report on sexual abuse in the Mormon church. Here is a quick summary of our work so far this year. A summary of Floodlit’s work so far in 2025: Published 77 case reports (now over 4,080 published) and updated hundreds more: https://floodlit.org/accused/ 11-part series of special…
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Details: https://floodlit.org/a/a720/ Former Mormon stake president and deputy district attorney, David McConkie, was sentenced today in Colorado to five years probation after a plea deal to avoid jail time for sexual abuse of a child. McConkie admitted child sexual abuse to an LDS bishop in 2008, but the bishop didn’t report to police. An abuse…
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We’ve updated our case report on Jake Retzlaff, former starting quarterback for the Brigham Young University football team. Today, a civil lawsuit against Retzlaff was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be filed again. Thanks to your donations and support, Floodlit has obtained copies of Retzlaff’s answer to the civil complaint, which he filed on…
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Mormon sexual abuse news: Former Idaho high school football coach charged with sexual abuse of a teenager was a Mormon bishopric counselor twice from 2014 to 2019. Floodlit case report: https://floodlit.org/a/g082/ Dozens of LDS sex abuse cases involving teachers: https://floodlit.org/?s=Teacher&id=5740 Kip Erik Crofts, 59, was a high school football coach in Caldwell, Idaho for many…
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Did the Mormon church “grandfather in” known sex offenders in 1995, when it launched its abuse “help line” and started placing confidential annotations on membership records for child abuse? In other words, did the church tell its members about the abusers it already knew about? What did the church do in 1995 to combat child…
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Updated case details on Brandon Rex Brown: https://floodlit.org/a/a479/
Details: https://floodlit.org/help-line/
Case report: https://floodlit.org/a/a038/ Download: 2025 sexual abuse lawsuit v. Mormon OB/GYN David Broadbent FLOODLIT has covered the unfolding criminal and civil litigation against former Provo, Utah OB/GYN David Broadbent since we launched in 2022, about a year after a woman shared her experience as his patient during a December 2021 Mormon Stories podcast episode (When…
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Four Zaugg men – three convicted Utah sex offenders, one recently charged in Idaho. All raised Mormon. Two went on Mormon missions. All four added to our Mormon sexual abuse database yesterday and today. At least three are related to each other. Did you know any of them? Floodlit posted yesterday about Krew Zaugg, a…
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Case details on Jeffery Lee Niemi: https://floodlit.org/a/g069/
Case details on Krew Zaugg, 21, of Idaho Falls, Idaho: https://floodlit.org/a/g070/
Floodlit.org has learned that from 1963 to 1989 (26 straight years), five Mormon men who knew of the Boy Scout perversion files held the paid position of top liaison between BSA and LDS church. If an LDS official’s 2012 statement is true, none of them informed the church. Could the church have done more? This…
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Yesterday, we mentioned the disturbing case of Richard Kenneth Ray, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church) who admitted to Arizona police in 1984 to molesting at least 33 children, three calves, and a dog over two decades. This article is part of a series of Floodlit special reports…
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Floodlit.org has learned that in 2012, LDS church risk management director Paul Rytting declared under penalty of perjury, “the first lawsuit against the Church relating to sexual abuse was brought in 1989.” But we found two prior lawsuits (1986, 1988) directly contradicting his statement. Did he know? This article is part of a series of…
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We love to see courageous Latter Day Saints calling for safeguards in their church. This is what we at Floodlit hope for: safety, honesty, accountability and improvement. That is what this brave survivor is doing. May we all be this brave. -Jane Executive Director Floodlit.org Note: The original post by the abuse survivor was published…
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Floodlit.org has discovered another alleged coverup of child sexual abuse by Mormon church leaders: https://floodlit.org/a/g063/ Over a 28-year period starting in the 1950s, Mormon church member Edwin Ellis Dyer molested up to 15 boys. During some of those years, Dyer was their Boy Scout leader. For some reason, Ed Dyer’s name does not appear in…
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We (Floodlit.org) just discovered $1,268,835.62 more in Mormon church child sex abuse defense and settlement costs. Did you know Boy Scouts registration fees increased in the 1980s and 1990s to offset rising insurance premiums due in part to sexual abuse claims against the Mormon church? In 2003, the LDS church’s director of risk management, Paul…
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On May 28, an Oregon judge refused to compel former Mormon family physician David B. Farley to answer questions about his church involvement. More than 150 women and girls are suing the former doctor and stake high council member for alleged sexual abuse. Details: https://floodlit.org/a/a113/
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Last week, a Utah judge replaced a child sexual exploiter’s prison sentence with 112 days in jail and 48 months probation, saying he was “not yet a 75-year-old Mormon bishop who is perpetrating on children and grandchildren.” FLOODLIT has found 30 ex-bishops convicted of CSA-related crimes in Utah. On May 20, 22-year-old Aidan Hoffman was…
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case report on Jake Retzlaff: https://floodlit.org/a/g062/ We’re aware he is Jewish, not Mormon. We’ve been asked multiple times to provide clarity in this case.
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Case update on Bill Harding: https://floodlit.org/a/a947/
Did you know there is a current lawsuit accusing the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of aiding a sex abuse coverup? This case involves allegations of child sexual abuse in Santa Maria, California in the 1980s and 1990s. If you attended church there, please contact us. This article is…
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We received an anonymous message through our website today: “Floodlit is a group of nasty Anti-mormon people hell bent on trying to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, by taking those who have done unspeakable things, and smear them, and their families into the ground continually, stirring up contention, or trying…
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FLOODLIT has learned of three more settlements the Mormon church paid after alleged sexual abuse of children. 1. $1.5 Million in 2019 in Riverside County, California (case RIC181995). An employee sexually abused a minor attending daycare on church property. Plaintiff Law firm: Estey & Bomberger 2. $500,000 in 2010 – location unknown. Law firm: Nye, Stirling,…
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Part of a series of Floodlit special reports on lawsuits alleging sexual abuse coverups by Mormon officials. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has filed an appeal after losing a lawsuit against insurance companies regarding more than $27 million in legal defense costs and $32 million in child sex abuse settlement payments to…
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Part of a series of Floodlit special reports on lawsuits alleging sexual abuse coverups by Mormon officials. FLOODLIT.org, an independent newsroom investigating sexual abuse in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has learned that the church is now on the verge of settling more than 100 claims of sexual abuse filed since August…
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David McConkie, a former Mormon bishop and stake president in Colorado, has admitted to attempted sexual assault on a child as part of a proposed plea deal. In 2023, McConkie was charged with sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust. He confessed to a church leader in 2008, according to…
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Part of a series of Floodlit special reports on lawsuits alleging sexual abuse coverups by Mormon officials. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has lost a civil lawsuit against insurance companies over settlement payments it made to six West Virginia families in 2018 regarding allegations that Mormon officials hid child sexual abuse allegations…
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Part of a series of Floodlit special reports on lawsuits alleging sexual abuse coverups by Mormon officials. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints won a key battle last week against roughly 100 plaintiffs who say it covered up their sexual abuse. Most were children at the time of the alleged abuse. This article…
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FLOODLIT.org is sharing details about Gary Joseph Hawkins (Joe Hawkins), a 44-year-old Aurora, Utah firefighter charged in 2024 with child sexual exploitation, including possessing and distributing child sex abuse material. (pictured above: former Mormon bishop and Utah police officer David Moss) We’re also seeking info: Does anyone know about Hawkins’s religious affiliation or possible Mormon…
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FLOODLIT.org, an independent newsroom investigating sexual abuse in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, broke the story last week that the church spent nearly $60 million over five years to defend and settle a lawsuit filed in 2013 by six West Virginia families who said church leaders covered up the abuse of their…
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FLOODLIT.org, an independent newsroom investigating sexual abuse in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has learned that the church spent nearly $60 million over five years to defend and settle a 2013 West Virginia lawsuit by child sexual abuse victims. The church, widely known as the Mormon church, racked up $27 million in…
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Doug Richens (Douglas G Richens) was arrested this week and charged with several crimes related to sexual abuse of children. Details at his case report: Doug Richens Mormon sex abuse case
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Report: https://floodlit.org/a/a780/ Download the court document: https://floodlit.org/bassett-2024-motion-dismiss/ In June 2024, Mormon church member and former air traffic controller Alan Bassett was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing several children between 1977 and 1989 in Fruit Heights, Utah. Investigators said the victims ranged in age at the time between 5 and 10 years old. Bassett reportedly told…
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints responded to a Mar. 2 San Diego Union-Tribune article on at least 91 recently filed civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse perpetration or coverup by California church officials. The church, commonly known as the LDS or Mormon church, said in response to the suits, “Each of these specific…
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Keaton Tanner was arrested. Case report
FLOODLIT.org has launched an initiative to provide free access to court documents tied to sex crimes allegedly committed by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon/LDS) and claims of mishandling by church officials. We’ve tracked thousands of accused individuals in such cases. Recently, nearly 100 lawsuits hit the Mormon church in…
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David McConkie case report: https://floodlit.org/a/a720/
In a lawsuit filed Jan. 27 against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a man says he was sexually assaulted by a church volunteer during an anointing ceremony at the Los Angeles California Temple in 1984. The case (2:25-cv-00703-RGK-E) was filed in the Central California District Court. FLOODLIT has obtained a copy of…
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Adding to our Timeline page: January 2024 Former LDS bishopric counselor Cortney Andrew is sentenced in Utah to 60 days in jail with work release. The victim, a teen girl, told detectives she began texting with him to receive counseling. His texts then turned inappropriate and sexually graphic. Tim Ballard, anti-trafficking advocate, faces four new…
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Today, KUTV altered a news headline and article text to remove Mormon church references 3 hours after reporting on an LDS youth temple prep instructor and mission leader charged with multiple felonies stemming from an undercover police sting operation. He allegedly attempted to meet a 13-year-old for sexual assault. The accused, Paul Spencer, was a…
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This infographic shows facts about 67 bishops of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have been convicted of sex crimes, including child sexual abuse, since 1990. More information: https://floodlit.org/lpe/ever-bishop/criminal-result/criminal-convicted/ Help us identify more: https://floodlit.org/donate/
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FLOODLIT.org is announcing the launch of a new volunteer-driven project to locate, compile and index information about instances of sexual abuse or other sex crimes allegedly perpetrated by leaders or active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS/Mormon Church). We recently surpassed 4,000 published case reports, and we need help adding…
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We need help compiling information from court documents and news articles. If you would like to help, please contact us right away. Thank you so much. It’s time.
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BREAKING Oct. 12, 2024 – FLOODLIT.org has learned of a new wave of 91 child sex abuse lawsuits filed against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in California. Starting on Aug. 26, the Slater Slater Schulman LLP law firm filed 91 civil suits in 26 California counties, each on behalf of a different…
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We just reached a significant milestone: 1,000 published case reports. We will continue to shine a light!
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We’ve updated the Craig Harward case report with details from a lawsuit filed in California this week against the Mormon church and Harward. The plaintiff claimed that Harward repeatedly took her out of Sunday school classes and molested her in other rooms of their LDS church building between 2000 and 2001, when she was 12…
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Please let us know what you think: https://floodlit.org/accused/ We aim to be the most comprehensive, useful resource we possibly can to help raise awareness about sexual abuse in the LDS church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). If you’d like to report a sex crime by a person who was an active LDS church…
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Nearly 300 victims have come forward, but he’s not been charged … until now. Case report: https://floodlit.org/a/a038/
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In a Kansas case we reported on today, the abuser was a Mormon church member who allegedly preyed on girls for decades. He accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, so that prosecutors would dismiss counts of rape and sodomy. The victim’s mother said during…
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Blackfoot, Idaho “avid church-goer” Eric Jones was sentenced on Mar. 26 to two to 20 years in prison after being found guilty by a jury of felony battery with intent to commit lewd conduct with a minor. He reportedly said he’d “just given into his urges” by touching a toddler. He admitted his crime to…
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Case details: https://floodlit.org/a/a678/
See: https://floodlit.org/failure-to-report/
This list includes 6 former bishops, 2 stake presidents (+2 SP counselors), 1 branch president, 4 primary/youth leaders, 3 attorneys, 3 politicians, 1 police officer, 1 hospital CIO, & the man who inspired “Sound of Freedom” movie. Who are we missing? Complete list Rexburg, Idaho LDS church member accused of breaking and entering women’s apartments…
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Details: Kenneth Merlin Richens
More reports coming soon.
Going through over 100 case reports and updating details and source information.
We’ve added a new database of instances where Mormon church members failed or allegedly failed to help sex abuse victims. Failure Database Report a Failure
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We’ve added 2023 events to our timeline page.
Details: https://floodlit.org/a/a608/
Case report: https://floodlit.org/a/a866/ The AP’s Mike Rezendes has a new scathing report about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and an apparent sexual abuse coverup. The Mormon church offered $300,000 to a child sex abuse victim in exchange for her agreement not to use her story as the basis of a civil lawsuit…
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Case report: https://floodlit.org/a/a852/
If you’re here from Reddit on Oct. 20, 2025, please say hello. We love and appreciate you! Scott Owen (1959 – ) was a Mormon bishop (twice), stake presidency counselor and therapist in Provo, Utah. Owen was accused by at least seven former patients of sexually abusing them during sessions, and by a relative (alleged…
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Bryant Litchfield case report: https://floodlit.org/a/a825/
We need to get about 450 more cases listed in order to reach our goal. We’ve got them all in “pending” status while we review details. If you’d like to help, please contact us.
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Watch or listen to this 36-hour MARATHON podcast hosted by Maven, with volunteers from around the world reading cases from the FLOODLIT.org database live on air!
Case details Case report video on TikTok
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546 Mormon sex abuse cases. 15 new this week. FLOODLIT weekly report September 1, 2023. Kenny Parcell, president of the National Association of Realtors and former bishop’s counselor, resigned after sexual harassment accusations. Nearly 300 women have accused LDS doctor David Broadbent of physical or sexual abuse during office visits. No criminal charges yet. New…
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Details: FLOODLIT Reports: Facts and Insights About Sexual Abuse in the Mormon Church LDS sexual abuse weekly report August 25, 2023. New abuse case developments this past week: A Mormon convicted for child pornography use said he was trying to help Operation Underground Railroad. Older abuse cases we’ve just added: A Utah temple…
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It’s live! https://floodlit.org/reports/ 524 documented cases so far. Idaho LDS man arrested for alleged sexual contact with a toddler. Salt Lake Tribune piece accused a former Mormon bishop in Texas of sex abuse of 4 boys in 1980s. FAIR 2023 presentation defended LDS bishops keeping sexual abuse secret.
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Floodlit.org weekly report on Mormon church sexual abuse cases. As of August 11, 2023, we’ve published 520 cases of alleged or confirmed sex abuse by LDS members, with 200 more under review. The Mormon church sued its insurance providers demanding they pay its costs in a CSA lawsuit settlement. Roselle Stevenson, age 70, was arrested…
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David Lee Hamblin case details Roselle Anderson Stevenson case details (formerly Roselle Hamblin) Ritualistic sex abuse cases involving LDS church members
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COMING THIS FRIDAY, AUGUST 11: our weekly report about new developments in LDS sex abuse cases.
Details: https://floodlit.org/a/a272/
Help Wanted for Sexual Abuse Victims of LDS perpetrators: Lawyers, victim advocates, therapists, etc. We are trying to connect SA survivors with qualified help. Please contact us at https://floodlit.org/contact/ if you or someone you know can help sex abuse victims who were abused by LDS leaders/members. As we’ve added case information at floodlit, we’ve talked…
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If you’d like to help us research abuse cases, contact us.
We have dozens – actually well over a hundred – Mormon sexual abuse cases we’re reviewing. Thank you for your patience.
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Check it out: https://floodlit.org/recently-updated/ Examples: Michael Clay Wade Schvaneveldt Michael Lister
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Details: https://floodlit.org/a/a352/