Homeland Security agents paid a visit to the Arkansas car dealership where Counting On star Josh Duggar works, TMZ reports. Sources close to the situation told the news outlet that agents from the cabinet department went to the Springdale, Arkansas, business as part of a federal investigation.
The exact nature of the investigation is unclear, as is the exact target, so it’s not known if the 31-year-old is involved. A Homeland Security spokesman confirmed to TMZ that agents were at the dealership.
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The Duggar family denied that Homeland Security was investigating anyone in the family, telling PEOPLE that the family was “shocked to see a news report today state that our home was raided by federal law enforcement agencies. This is not true. To the best of our knowledge, it’s also not true that any member of our family is the target of any investigation of any kind.”
“Living a life in the public’s eye has taught us that it is best not to reply to every rumor and piece of ‘fake news’ that is circulated online,” the statement continued. “It would be a full-time job if we attempted to do so. However, because of tonight’s media coverage we thought it is important to address this rumor with you. Thank you for the love and support that we can always count on in you our fans and friends.”
But that statement directly juxtaposes one from a Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson who told KNWA of the Duggars’ Tontitown, Arkansas hometown, “[I do not dispute the information that] HSI was present there [at the Duggar home] pursuant to an on-going federal criminal investigation.”
Duggar and his family rose to fame on 19 Kids and Counting, but TLC canceled 19 Kids and Counting following allegations that Duggar molested four of his younger sisters and one other underage girl when he was 14 and 15 years old. TLC revived the franchise with Counting On in 2015.
Duggar, who just welcomed his sixth child with wife Amy Duggar, is currently in the engrossed in a real estate fraud lawsuit with a trial scheduled to begin next year.
