Fighting Over FLDS Church Assets

KSL News/March 10, 2005

The multi-million dollar assets of the Fundamentalist LDS Church appear to be used to build a massive temple in Texas. Now, state authorities are wading into a lawsuit to seize that money.

Utah and Arizona's Attorneys General are getting in the middle of a fight over the assets of the Fundamentalist LDS Church.

They've filed court papers to have a say in who ultimately controls the multi-million dollar united effort plan.

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff says the trust controls almost all of the property in the polygamous towns of Hildale and Colorado City. "The concern is that it doesn't look like the trustees are protecting the beneficiaries anymore if they won't even show up in court to try and defend a lawsuit that's going after the assets of that trust. So that's the state's interest."

FLDS leader Warren Jeffs has not responded to the lawsuit, filed by former members. His lawyers have withdrawn from the case.