The biggest Duggar family scandals, from '19 Kids and Counting' to now

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The biggest Duggar family scandals, from '19 Kids and Counting' to now
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Molestation accusations against former "19 Kids and Counting" reality star Josh Duggar led to the show's cancellation after 15 seasons.

Molestation accusations against former "19 Kids and Counting" reality star Josh Duggar led to the show's cancellation after 15 seasons.
Josh Duggar in 2015. Kris Connor/Getty Images

In May 2015, In Touch Weekly reported that a police report from 2006 showed Duggar had been investigated for allegedly molesting five underage girls.

His parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, later told Fox News that Duggar had molested four of their daughters and a babysitter.

The revelations led the reality show's network TLC to cancel the show.

"I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends," Josh Duggar said in a statement at the time.

It took Jim Bob Duggar more than a year to report his son's actions to the authorities, according to a police report.

It took Jim Bob Duggar more than a year to report his son's actions to the authorities, according to a police report.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Peter Kramer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

A 2006 police report obtained by In Touch magazine in 2015 indicated that Jim Bob first became aware of accusations against his son in 2002, and further accusations were made in 2003.

In 2003, Jim Bob informed senior members at his family's church, the report said, and they agreed the then-teenager should be sent to a Christian treatment program. Also that year, according to the report, Jim Bob took his son to see a state trooper, and Josh told him what had happened. The state trooper gave him a "stern talk," according to the report, but did not take matters further. (He has since expressed remorse.)

The allegations were only made known to authorities in 2006 after a family friend wrote a letter detailing Josh Duggar's actions.

"That letter had been placed in a book and had subsequently been forgotten about. Just recently [in 2006] the book had been loaned to someone else with the letter in it and another person discovered the letter," the Duggars told police.

A source emailed the Oprah show prior to the family's appearance in 2006 detailing the allegations of molestation. Harpo Studios, who ran the Oprah Winfrey Show, then faxed the letter to the Department of Human Services hotline, who opened an investigation.

Police did not pursue charges because, at the time, the statute of limitations was three years, and it had expired.

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Josh Duggar was also involved in a scandal after being revealed as a user on the notorious cheating website Ashley Madison.

Josh Duggar was also involved in a scandal after being revealed as a user on the notorious cheating website Ashley Madison.
Josh Duggar and a promotional photo for Ashley Madison. AP, Ashley Madison

Josh Duggar was a user between 2012 and 2015. Duggar, a Christian, had married his wife, Anna, in 2008, and at the time of the Ashley Madison revelation in 2015, they had four children together.

He admitted to the claims and released a statement, calling himself "the biggest hypocrite ever."

"While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the internet and this became a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife," Duggar said.

He and his wife remain together, and she is expecting their seventh child.

In April, he was charged with possession of child pornography.

In April, he was charged with possession of child pornography.
Josh Duggar poses for a booking photo after his arrest on April 29, 2021, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Washington County Jail via Getty Images

On April 29, 2021, Duggar was arrested and held in jail in Washington County, Arkansas. It was revealed the following day that Duggar had pleaded not guilty to receiving and possessing child pornography.

A federal agent testified on May 5 that Duggar downloaded and possessed 65 images of child pornography, Insider reported.

A judge ordered Duggar's release from jail, and he was released on bond on May 6. He wasn't allowed to return home and will instead stay with two friends as he waits for his trial. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

Following his arrest, the Duggar family responded to the charges, saying, "We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time. The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious. It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner."

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Jill Duggar's husband, Derick Dillard, posted homophobic and transphobic tweets.

Jill Duggar's husband, Derick Dillard, posted homophobic and transphobic tweets.
Jill Duggar Dillard and Derick Dillard in 2014. D Dipasupil/Getty Images

In 2017, Dillard made disparaging comments about fellow TLC reality star and transgender activist Jazz Jennings. According to People, Dillard called Jennings' show "I Am Jazz" "an oxymoron" for being a "reality show which follows a non-reality." He also called being transgender "a myth" and said that "Gender is not fluid; it's ordained by God."

Dillard later said on Twitter that he believed Jazz was being "taken advantage of, as part of a larger agenda," but he repeatedly misgendered her in the process.

Following his comments, TLC made a statement announcing Dillard would no longer be appearing on the network, including Jill Duggar's spin-off show, "Counting On."

"We want to let our viewers know that Derick Dillard has not participated in 'Counting On' for months and the network has no plans to feature him in the future," the network said. "We want to reiterate that Derick's personal statements do not reflect the views of the network. TLC is proud to share the story of Jazz Jennings and her family and will continue to do so."

Then in May 2018, TLC tweeted about one of its shows, "Nate & Jeremiah by Design," which starred Nate Berkus, husband Jeremiah Brent, and their two children.

"What a travesty of family," Dillard wrote in response to TLC's tweet. "It's sad how blatant the liberal agenda is, such that it both highlights and celebrates a lifestyle so degrading to children on public television as if it should be normal."

After receiving backlash for the tweet, the father-of-two defended his comments, saying, "They affect this poor child, as well as what perversions are celebrated. If it were adultery, I doubt a network would be so quick to focus on the reality of it as if it were ok."

"I'm not bashing the people, I'm just calling out the public agenda at play and how a network chooses what they highlight," he continued.

The Duggar family's live-in tutor married a man who had once been convicted of sexual assault.

The Duggar family's live-in tutor married a man who had once been convicted of sexual assault.
The Duggar family. D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra

In 2017, it was reported that the Duggar family's live-in tutor, Tabitha Paine, was engaged to Timothy Robertson, a family friend. However, the news soon became a scandal when it emerged that Robertson had been charged with sexual assault in 1999.

According to In Touch, Robertson pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct in the third degree and received a three-year prison sentence. However, the sentence was suspended by the judge involved in the case. Robertson was placed on probation for one year and was ordered to pay $943 in restitution.

Robertson was also placed on the sex offender registry but was taken off in 2008 when he was pardoned for his crime by the South Carolina Board of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services.

He later claimed that he was falsely accused of committing the crime, although he had pleaded guilty.

According to the Daily Mail, the Duggars threw an engagement party for the couple, and Tabitha Paine and Timothy Robertson have been married for four years.

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