8 LDS sex abuse cases found
1985
- Crime year: 1985
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- Michael Bolingbroke (1942 – ) was a Mormon bishop and stake seventy president in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, California; accused of child sexual abuse in a 2022 lawsuit; died in 2024
Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 
Alleged crime state:
California,
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LDS positions: Bishop, Bishopric counselor, High priest, Other leader, Scout leader, Stake seventy, Sunday school, - Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, Unknown result,
- Alleged failure to report
Alleged church actions: Unknown church action, - View report »
Alleged crime state:
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- Wade Christofferson (1953 – ) was accused, per Floodlit's sources, of sexually abusing up to 12 children in Illinois, Ohio and Utah between 1985-2025, including while in bishopric; excommunicated in 1996 for child sexual abuse; rebaptized in 1997, was bishopric counselor 2006-11, 2016-19; charged in 2025 with child sexual abuse (alleged between 2016-25); his brother, apostle Todd Christofferson, knew by around 2020 of abuse
- Alleged crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2010s, 2020s,
- Alleged crime state:
Illinois, Ohio, Utah,
LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Sunday school, Ward clerk, 
Criminal case(s): Not convicted, Ongoing, Police investigation, 
Alleged failure to report
Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Church position after excommunication, Excommunicated, High-level official accused of failure to report, Rebaptized, Ward official accused of failure to report, "I am deeply sorry for what I have done and will be meeting with my bishop to start the repentance process." - Wade Christofferson, Nov. 6, 2025 text message to an alleged victim's father
"I went to my bishop. I reported it. I was a child expecting safety, expecting protection. [...] Instead, I was given a punishment."
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- Francis Cochran (1921 – 2005) was a Mormon high priest in the Seattle 6th Ward in Seattle, Washington in the 1980s; convicted twice in the 1980s of crimes related to sexual abuse of multiple children; allegedly assaulted multiple young girls on LDS property, including during church meetings; a 2025 lawsuit (Floodlit broke the story) said stake president Paul Diehl & multiple ward bishops covered up allegations against Cochran
- Crime: 1980s,
- Crime state:
Washington,
Convicted:
1987, 1988, LDS positions: High priest, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Excommunicated, Ward official accused of failure to report, Stake president and two LDS bishops allegedly covered up abuse allegations
"Despite numerous red flags, Defendants continued to give High Priest Cochran access to minor church members. Defendants allowed High Priest Cochran to continue to attend and volunteer at church events, including those attended by minors. Defendants also allowed High Priest Cochran to continue to transport young girls, including vulnerable refugee girls, to and from church events."
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- John Fanning (1932 – 2012) was a Mormon branch president in Texas, bishop in Oklahoma and Boy Scout executive in several US states, including Utah; accused in 1986 in Utah of sexually abusing at least three boys, including during LDS-sponsored scouting activities; admitted guilt; convicted via plea agreement in 1986 or 1987; sentenced to 30 days in jail and spent approximately 18 months on probation; died in 2012
- Crime: 1980s,
- Crime state:
Louisiana, Utah,
Convicted:
1987, LDS positions: Bishop, Branch president, Missionary, Scout leader, Senior missionary, Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Probation, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Unknown church action, A Mormon scout executive agreed to continue paying Fanning for a month after he admitted to sexually assaulting two children
"I told [John Fanning] we had two options. Immediate termination or he could resign and I would pay him through the end of next month but he had to leave as of now. He elected to resign."
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- Daniel Nelson (1954 – ) was a Mormon church member in Bountiful, Utah; pleaded guilty to lewdness & lewdness involving a child in 1989; pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted forcible sexual abuse in 1993; pleaded guilty to failure to register as sex offender in 2004; victim was granted a protective order against Nelson in 2019, recorded court notes state sexual violence protective order
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
1989, 1993, LDS positions: Elders Quorum President, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, No church discipline, nothing, Ward official accused of pressuring victim not to seek accountability, -
- Brian Peterson (1964 – ) was an LDS church member and scout leader in Orem, Utah; accused in 1988 of child sexual abuse; convicted and sentenced to prison in 1990
- Crime: 1980s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
1989, LDS positions: Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, No contest, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Unknown church action, A Mormon scout leader knew of allegations against Peterson for at least 10 months before reporting him to law enforcement
"I've had little boys all over the state of Utah in conjunction with the Boy Scout program. Give me an 11-year-old boy for a week, and I'll make him a homosexual for life."
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- G S was a male Mormon church member in Little Rock, Arkansas in the Pinnacle Mountain Ward; convicted in 1993 of felony sexual abuse of a minor in the third degree; allegedly abused a victim from 1981 to 1993 (from age 4 to 15); in January 2026, the victim filed a lawsuit against the LDS church naming G.S. as the perpetrator and accusing church officials of multiple failures
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
Arkansas,
Convicted:
1993, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Unknown church action, Ward official accused of saying victim was responsible, the alleged abuse lasted for nearly 12 years, beginning when the victim was 4 years old
"[Church officials] gave a convicted child rapist a position of authority in the Church [...] and allowed him to interact regularly with the children of the Pinnacle Mountain Ward."
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- Stephen Wanlass (1939 – 2018) was a Mormon church member in Monroe, Sevier County, Utah; accused of child sexual abuse; in 1997, pleaded no contest to one third-degree felony count of attempted sex abuse of a child; was sentenced to up to five years in prison; registered sex offender; died in 2018
- Crime: 1980s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
1997, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, No contest, Prison, Registered sex offender, Filters
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