AG Seeks to Seize Polygamist Ranch
The Texas attorney general's office is pursuing legal action to seize the West Texas ranch owned by the polygamist sect led by Warren Jeffs, who is serving life in prison for sexually assaulting young girls.
State child welfare workers raided the Yearning For Zion, or YFZ, ranch in Eldorado in 2008, taking 400 children into custody over allegations that they were being sexually abused and forced into underage marriages. After lengthy court battles, the children were eventually returned to their parents, but nine men were ultimately convicted of crimes including sexual assault and bigamy. One of them was Jeffs ...
Comments (5)
Stanley Moore via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Oh no!! Government intrusion. (Snark)
Scott Eaves via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Who stands to benefit from this?
Chris Jonsson
What would you bet that there's oil and gas on that land?
Mack Green
If money laundering is using "structured financial transactions to avoid oversight by law enforcement" and the religious institution YFZ was using these sorts of transactions, then Televangelists, tent revivals, and your local church must be cringing. Since when have these religious institutions ever been subject to strict and detailed "oversight by law enforcement" concerning financial transactions?
The AG may argue that the YFZ was an illegal institution to begin with, if so be prepared to spend a lot of tax money in legal and court fees for the main purpose of raising Abbott's electability chances for Governor.
Frank Lee
If they are paying taxes and no child abuse is taking place..leave them alone.