From what fans saw on 19 Kids & Counting — and later, on Counting On — it's always seemed like the Duggar family is a pretty wholesome group — on the surface, anyway. But through the years, the cracks have started to show as various members of their family have been embroiled in scandals — but none on a bigger scale than oldest son Josh Duggar.
Though Josh has made headlines through the years for his bad (and sometimes illegal) behavior, in April 2021, he truly outdid himself when he was arrested by federal agents on some seriously disturbing child pornography charges. We're still waiting to find out what Josh's fate will be when his trial begins this summer (he faces up to 40 years in prison), but in the meantime, we're being reminded of all the times the Duggars have been involved in a situation that could be deemed scandalous.
Some of those controversies have definitely been more tame than others — especially in comparison to other reality TV families — but then there are the ones that have completely rocked the Duggars' world and changed their lives (and livelihoods) forever, scarring their reputations in a way that they just can't come back from.
Read on for a look inside the biggest Duggar family scandals of all time. After so many years of reality TV fame, it was inevitable that this family would eventually find themselves in hot water. But seeing it all laid out like this really drives home how many skeletons they must have in their closet, despite the squeaky clean image the family members like to present in their public lives.
Austin Forsyth's Family Camp
Joy-Anna's husband's family has owned a camp for a long time, and in 2018, they came under fire for inviting some controversial guests to speak. The camp ran two retreats, including Michael and Debi Pearl, the authors of the book To Train Up a Child, who encourage parents to spank their children and allow them to touch a hot stove. In addition, they have suggested even pulling the hair of a nursing baby if the little one bites his mother.
Josh Duggar's Molestation Case
It was absolutely horrifying when news came out in 2015 that, back in the early 2000s, police had been involved in a situation where Josh had allegedly molested some of his sisters. It seemed parents Jim Bob and Michelle had thought they handled the situation on their own, but years later, it came back to haunt them — ultimately leading to the cancellation of 19 Kids & Counting and thrusting daughters Jill and Jessa into the spotlight to do interviews about what had happened in their family.
Ashley Madison Scandal
Once again, Josh came under fire during the 2015 Ashley Madison data breach, when it was revealed that he had used the dating website to cheat on his wife, Anna. Though Anna did decide to stay with him anyway (they're still together to this day), at the time, Josh issued a statement confirming that it was true.
"I have been the biggest hypocrite ever," he said. "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."
Josh's Involvement With an Adult Film Star
In 2016, adult film star Danica Dillon (real name: Ashley Johnston) sued Josh for sexual assault, claiming their encounter included activities that were against her consent. She ultimately dropped the suit, but years later in 2020, she said in an interview that she felt Josh was going to kill her and had restricted her airflow. She also "said no to things multiple times" while they had sex.
Jill & Derick's Shady Fundraiser
Back when Jill and Derick Dillard were spending time doing mission work in Central America, they attempted to raise money for future mission trips. But it wasn't clear exactly where the money was going, and the couple hadn't been backed by their church, either. After a lot of outrage from fans, Jill and Derick ultimately dissolved their charity in 2018, and they haven't returned to El Salvador since.
Jim Bob Reportedly Tries To Control His Children
Lately, more and more has been coming out about the ways Jim Bob tries to exert control over his children. He reportedly monitors their phones — even ones belonging to the adult kids — and according to what sources close to the family tell the Hollywood Gossip, Jim Bob has even placed restrictions on Jana, keeping her from spending too much time with her female best friend to avoid feelings growing between them.
The Way Jinger & Jeremy Fight Temptation
Speaking of a lack of privacy, keeping a watchful eye on cellphones seems to be something that happens in Jeremy and Jinger's marriage, too. While appearing on the Behind the Scenes podcast, the couple revealed that they speak openly about temptation, and Jeremy's social media accounts are only available on Jinger's phone so she can keep an eye on who he's talking to and what they're talking about.
Josh's Real Estate Lawsuit
In 2019, Carl Echols claimed that Josh purchased land that already belonged to him for $1,000, and now they're facing off in court. This meant that when the case was finally seen by judges in 2020, Anna was forced to testify against him and to offer up her own deposition. Ultimately, Josh ended up saddled with thousands of dollars in fines after he failed to appear in court for his hearing.
Jim Bob & Michelle's Blanket Training
Jim Bob and Michelle have spoken openly about the way they "blanket train" their children — placing babies on a blanket with a toy just out of the little one's reach, and, if he tries to crawl off of the blanket, he gets smacked or hit with a switch. Obviously, this is a controversial method of parenting, and it's been condemned by other members of the family, including cousin Amy Duggar.
Jinger's Odd Social Media Behavior
Recently, Jinger's been getting a lot of backlash for the way she acts on social media. Not only did she delete a Q&A with Jeremy after he was accused of interrupting her too many times, but she also made an $8,000 giveaway she was participating in disappear, claiming that it had been shared by accident. She and Jeremy have lost a lot of endorsement deals along the way, too.
Leaving a Single Mom in the Cold
The Duggars haven't tried to hide their feelings about sex before marriage, but it goes much deeper than wanting their own family to abstain. Reportedly, Jim Bob and Michelle wouldn't let Jill help a single mother give birth — while Jill was still training as a midwife — simply because of the fact that she was unwed. And it's not like she was a stranger, either — the woman was reportedly Susanna Keller, Anna's sister.
Staging a Charity Event
In 2015, the Duggars were accused of pretending to give food to the needy — and then taking it back. They invited people to come to Compassion Center in Arkansas, and fans nearby heard TLC producers coaching the supposed families on how to act when receiving the food — even asking them to act so grateful to the Duggars in the process — only to later see the family loading the boxes of food back into their car.
Derick's Firing
In 2017, TLC cut ties with Derick for making transphobic remarks about Jazz Jennings on Twitter. Jazz is a transgender teen who happens to star in another TLC reality show, I Am Jazz. Derick tried to use his faith as an explanation for his comments, but in the end, that didn't do much to keep TLC from kicking him off of Counting On altogether — and he hasn't appeared on the show since.
Joy-Anna's Supposed Behavior Before Marriage
Back when Joy and Austin Forsyth got married, there were rumors that the couple got caught in compromising situations, with a source telling the Hollywood Gossip that they'd even been caught kissing (and possibly doing more) before their wedding day — a big no-no in the Duggar universe. And since their son, Gideon, was born exactly nine months after they got married, there were rumors they had a shotgun wedding, too.
Derick's Ongoing Feud With Jim Bob
It's been more than a year that Derick and Jim Bob have been at odds. Not only has he claimed that Jim Bob withholds Counting On paychecks from his children, but he's also shared that he is planning to write a tell-all about the shady things that go on behind the scenes involving the Duggars. Reportedly, Jim Bob is so threatened by this that he's already hired a team of lawyers to handle the situation.
Austin Forsyth's Lawsuit
Since 2019, Austin has been involved in a lawsuit after buyers he sold one of his flips to claimed that he didn't get the proper permits for their septic tank. When the owners ended up with fecal matter all over their yard, they discovered that the wrong septic tank had been installed, and now Austin is in deep legal trouble.
Jill Got Lawyers Involved
When Jill was unable to secure the money she was owed for filming Counting On, she had to hire lawyers to make sure Jim Bob would pay up. Ultimately, she did end up getting her money, though there's no doubt it took a toll on her relationship with her parents.
Jed's Political Funds
Before Jed lost his election for state representative in his district in Arkansas, he was accused of receiving more than the permitted amount of campaign donations from one person. There's no word on how Jed will be facing the music on this one, but it's safe to assume this may have put a crimp in his political aspirations.
Anna's Conspiracy Theories
Though she later ended up deleting the post, Anna shared a video on Instagram of herself using her phone to ask Siri the president's age, and instead, she replied with the age of Vice President Kamala Harris. Anna thought something sinister was going on, but in the end, it was just a tech glitch — and fans weren't impressed that she was spreading conspiracy theories.
Jeremy & Jinger's Online Store
After Jinger and Jeremy briefly attempted to open their own online store, it didn't quite end up being a hit with fans. Many took to Instagram to air their grievances — among them, they weren't receiving the merchandise they'd paid for. Meanwhile, Jinger and Jeremy ended up shutting the shop down entirely.
Josh's Arrest
The biggest Duggar scandal of all is undoubtedly the one that's currently unfolding: Josh is out on bail, waiting to find out if he will be doing serious prison time after he was charged with downloading and receiving child pornography. In the meantime, his family has remained mostly silent about what's going on, though the details will eventually be out in the open when his trial begins.
