Ep 2. Polygamy, Power and Profits: The Case Against the Kingstons

Whistleblower season 2 episode 2 delves into the case against the Kingston family, a notorious polygamous group that wields immense power and influence in Utah. The episode is titled "Polygamy, Power and Profits: The Case Against the Kingstons" and focuses on the courageous whistleblowers who shed light on the dark practices of the Kingston clan.

The Kingstons are a sprawling family with over 1,000 members who operate a vast network of businesses, including pawnshops, construction companies, and farms. But beneath the veneer of respectability lies a web of illegal activity, including tax evasion, money laundering, and welfare fraud. The Kingstons also practice a form of polygamy known as "the order," in which men have multiple wives and children, often marrying their own relatives.

The episode features interviews with several whistleblowers who risked everything to expose the Kingstons' wrongdoing. One such whistleblower is Joe Kelley, a former Kingston family member who owned a chain of pawnshops for the family. Kelley became disillusioned with the family's corrupt practices and left the group, but he continued to work for the pawnshops as an undercover informant for the FBI. Kelley provided key information that led to the arrest and prosecution of Kingston family members for tax fraud, and he testifies against the family in court.

Another whistleblower featured in the episode is Heather Kunz, a former Kingston family member who was forced to marry her cousin at the age of 18. Kunz describes the oppressive and abusive conditions she endured in the family, including being separated from her children and forced to work long hours for minimal pay at a Kingston-owned business. Kunz eventually escaped the family and worked with law enforcement to bring charges against Kingston family members for child abuse and other crimes.

The episode also includes interviews with law enforcement officials and journalists who have investigated the Kingstons. They describe the challenges of exposing the family's criminal activities, including the reluctance of some victims to come forward and the complex network of businesses and shell companies the family uses to hide their assets and evade law enforcement.

As the episode unfolds, viewers learn how courageous whistleblowers like Kelley and Kunz helped to bring down the Kingstons and hold them accountable for their crimes. The episode serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of whistleblowers in exposing wrongdoing and holding powerful institutions accountable for their actions.

Overall, "Polygamy, Power and Profits: The Case Against the Kingstons" is a gripping and informative episode that sheds light on one of the most notorious polygamous families in America. Through interviews with whistleblowers, law enforcement officials, and journalists, the episode reveals the dark side of the Kingston clan and the incredible bravery of those who helped to bring them to justice.