Strange news out of Arkansas today, as an anonymous source claims that Counting On reality star/pariah Josh Duggar’s home was raided by the FBI on Saturday night.
The report originated on Facebook and was later reported on the Patheos website.
And what was the alleged cause of this visit from federal agents in Arkansas?
Well, that’s not entirely clear at the moment, but not surprisingly, there’s been a good deal of conjecture on social media, most of it related to Josh’s controversial past.
Here’s what we know about the situation thus far:
Josh’s Shame
An insider claims that Josh Duggar’s home in Arkansas was raided by the FBI on Saturday, November 17. Details are scarce at the moment, but if the rumors are true, this would be quite an embarrassing situation for his famous family.
A Checkered Past
If you’re reading this post, you’re familiar with the Duggars’ oldest child and the controversy surrounding him. Josh, of course, has been at involved in numerous scandals in the past, at times narrowly avoiding prosecution.
Unforgivable
While he was still in his teens, Josh molested five young girls, four of whom were his sisters. Even more disturbing to fans was the fact that these crimes remained under wraps for more than a decade as the family decided to deal with this “in house.”
A Family Affair
Insiders say Josh received a bizarre punishment of sorts from church elders, but his parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, helped to hide his crimes from the authorities.
The Escape
Josh was forced to shave his head, and he was briefly shunned by his community, but he avoided jail time, and his sex crimes remained hidden from the public until In Touch Weekly published an exposé in 2015.
It Never Ends
In the years since, Josh has been involved in several other sex scandals, including revelations that he used the website Ashley Madison and attempted to cheat on his wife, Anna Duggar. (There are accusations that he did cheat with at least one porn star, but he has denied this and the claims have not been confirmed independently.)
Internet Infidelity
One thing that is not disputed is this: Not long after the molestation scandal was revealed, it was reported that Josh was a client of the affair-facilitating website Ashley Madison.
The End of a Career
The succession of scandals put an end to Josh’s careers as both a reality star and a Washington lobbyist. Not only was he exposed as a child abuser, but the biggest hypocrite ever (his words).
How the Mighty Have Fallen
These days, Josh works at a used car dealership owned by his family. TLC executives have (officially or unofficially) prohibited him from appearing on the Duggars’ reality show, Counting On.
A Court Regular
Josh has filed several suits against the various groups that helped bring his crimes to the public’s attention, including police in Springdale, Arkansas.
A New Scandal
Now, a new round of reports claims that the 31-year-old father of five is experiencing further trouble with the law.
Reliable Source?
The report originated in a Facebook group dedicated to Duggar gossip … yeah, we know. Be that as it may, it’s noting that often times interesting tidbits of information surrounding the secretive family are revealed this way and turn out to be legitimate.
Conjecture
At the moment, details are scarce, but the most common theory seems to be that Josh is involved in some sort of pornography ring.
Lawyerly Gossip
The source claims that news of the raid comes from an Arkansas attorney with inside knowledge of the situation.
Multiple Sources?
The information aligns with an earlier report published by the Crazy Days and Nights blog, a site with a reputation for breaking big stories as blind items.
Anna’s Pain
Some fans also believe that loyal and long-suffering wife Anna Duggar has subtly indicated that something is amiss on her social media pages.
No Comment
Josh’s oft-maligned wife, who is currently pregnant with the couple’s sixth child, turned off comments on her Instagram page over the weekend.
Change of Heart
They appear to be back on now, but some who are watching the situation closely believe Anna became deeply upset about something over the weekend.
Unprecedented
As several instagram users have pointed out, Anna didn’t even turn off her comments in the wake of Josh’s previous sex scandals, but she did in this case.
A Wide-Reaching Scandal?
There’s been at least one unconfirmed report that the situation is tied to the recent arrest of Arizona politician Paul Petersen.
A Friend of Josh’s?
Petersen will soon stand trial for human trafficking, and he is reported to have connections to multiple powerful families in Northwest Arkansas.
Conflicting Information
For obvious reasons, the Duggars’ harshest critics have been eager to run with this story, but there’s reason to believe the conjecture is bogus.
Unreported
For instance, news of the raid has yet to be picked up by more mainstream media outlets, such as local news stations or even TMZ.
One Possibility
Of course, it’s possible that the authorities who conducted the raid have an interest in keeping it quiet. For obvious reasons, the Duggars would be happy to assist them in that.
A Free Man
But it seems more likely that Josh is still at home in Arkansas, and his crimes remain unpunished.