SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Ten former members of the Kingston polygamous sect have filed a federal racketeering lawsuit against the group, accusing them of engaging in human trafficking for many years under the guise of a religious community. The lawsuit, filed in Utah, names nearly 50 defendants, including prominent members of the Kingston family, the Davis County Cooperative Society, and Vanguard Academy, a public charter school affiliated with the sect. The complaint also lists 450 unidentified businesses that the sect allegedly operates.
One of the defendants, Standard Restaurant Supply, a company based in South Salt Lake, had previously been cited by the federal government for violating child labor laws. Attempts to reach legal counsel for the Davis County Cooperative Society were unsuccessful.
This is not the first legal action taken against the Kingston sect. In 2022, a separate lawsuit was filed in 3rd District Court, detailing similar allegations of sexual abuse and trafficking. The plaintiffs in that case, many of whom are now plaintiffs in the federal complaint, voluntarily dismissed the case last year with the intention of filing a new complaint with additional facts and claims in federal court.
According to the federal complaint filed this week, the ten plaintiffs were victims of sexual and economic crimes perpetrated by ‘the Order,’ a criminal and polygamous religious sect that they belonged to from a young age. Some of the plaintiffs were allegedly forced to marry close relatives who subjected them to beatings and rape. Others managed to escape before being forced into similar marriages.
The complaint also alleges that the plaintiffs endured physical abuse, were deprived of education, and were forced to work grueling jobs for little or no pay. The lawsuit lists 12 causes of action, ranging from allegations of labor and sex trafficking to sexual battery, abuse of children, and infliction of emotional distress.
The plaintiffs made it clear that their intent is not to target the lawful religious aspects or beliefs of the Order, but rather to expose its illegal religious and business practices. The complaint describes a pattern of unlawful activities by the sect, including pushing girls and young women to have as many children as possible, involving children in fraudulent business activities, and forcing them to commit crimes.
The lawsuit seeks various damages, including unpaid wages and overtime, as well as general and punitive damages. U.S. District Magistrate Judge Jared C. Bennett has issued an order to establish a schedule for the case, and as of now, no response has been filed by the defendants.