More Former Followers of Dupage Ministry Allege Abuse, Harassment
By Christy Gutowski
More former followers of the DuPage County-based Institute in Basic Life Principles have joined a lawsuit alleging leaders of the conservative Christian ministry conspired to cover up decades of sexual abuse and other acts of harassment. Sixteen women and two men, in an amended 213-page complaint filed late Wednesday, allege they were victims of sexual abuse, harassment or other inappropriate conduct while they were either participants, interns or employees of the institute several years ago. Besides monetary damages, they have asked a DuPage County judge to bar IBLP leaders from alleged plans to liquidate resources estimated at more than $100 million while they close the institute's headquarters near Oak Brook and relocate to Texas, the lawsuit states. In October, five women sued the institute and its board of directors. An amended suit with five more accusers filed in January dropped the individual directors as defendants but added the institute's controversial founder and former president, Bill Gothard. In the latest filing, Gothard is accused by three women of molestation, while other plaintiffs allege he and IBLP officials conspired to conceal various acts of wrongful conduct involving others instead of reporting it to police and state child welfare officials, according to the litigation. "Like Bill Cosby, it continues to grow with more and more people coming forward," said David Gibbs III, a Texas attorney who filed the lawsuit. The complaint states that some of the women were minors at the time of the incidents. All live out of state. One new male plaintiff, identified as Daniel Dorsett, alleged that while he was Gothard's driver from 1994 to 1996 he saw him "sexually harass or molest" more than 150 "young ladies," according to the litigation. Dorsett alleges Gothard told him he would go "straight to hell" if he reported it. Gothard, 81, of LaGrange, has not been charged with any wrongdoing. His attorney, Glenn Gaffney, said he is confident the lawsuit will fail. He is seeking to disqualify Gibbs, alleging he violated rules of professional conduct while obtaining an affidavit from Gothard last year under false pretenses. "My client does not believe he should need to engage the legal process in this situation but he has no choice but to defend himself," Gaffney said, "and in defending himself he will have to take the offensive as to the false and defamatory statements made against him." In the affidavit, Gothard wrote he "not only sinned against young ladies, but also against their parents and husbands by breaking a trust to protect them." Gibbs said Gothard initiated much of the contact to stave off anticipated litigation. Gothard resigned in 2014. Since he founded the institute in 1961, millions of people have attended his seminars on how to improve their lives by following principles from the Bible. It includes the not-for-profit organization, which is dedicated to conservative family values and religious research, and the Advanced Training Institute, which developed a popular home-schooling curriculum, as well as a prison ministry and other outreaches worldwide. Followers include Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar of the now-canceled TV show "19 Kids and Counting." The institute also operated the Little Rock, Ark., facility where the Duggars' eldest son, Josh, went as a teenager after admitting that he sexually abused his younger sisters. He has resigned as executive director of FRC Action, the public face of the conservative Family Research Council. The 16 women who filed the DuPage County lawsuit include Gretchen Wilkinson, Charis Barker, Rachel Frost, Rachel Lees, Melody Fedoriw, Jamie Deering, Ruth Copley Burger and, newly added, Joy Simmons, Carmen Okhmatovski, Jennifer Spurlock and Megan Lind; five women and one man are identified only as Jane and John Doe. They are seeking at least $50,000 each in damages for each claim of action. Lawyers in the case are set to appear April 7 in DuPage County court. Contact: cmgutowski@tribpub.com
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