Joseph Duggar Lamented Brother Josh's 'Secret Life' Amid Ashley Madison Cheating Scandal in Resurfaced Clip — Years Before His Own Arrest for 'Unlawful' Behavior With a Minor
Joseph Duggar was arrested on March 18.
March 18 2026, Published 10:22 p.m. ET
Joseph Duggar claimed he was caught off guard by his older brother Josh's inappropriate behavior years before his own arrest for allegedly lewd acts against a minor, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In a resurfaced 2015 clip from TLC's Jill & Jessa: Counting On, Joseph, now 31, admitted he was stunned by Josh's private double-life following his Ashley Madison cheating scandal in 2015.
'It Broke My Heart'
Josh Duggar is serving 12 years behind bars on child pornography charges.
More than 10 years ago, Josh, now 37, was exposed for having an account on Ashley Madison – a dating site designed for people who want to have extramarital affairs – while he was married to his wife, Anna.
Josh and Anna got married in 2008 and currently share seven children together.
Lamenting on his brother's betrayal, Joseph, who was 20 at the time, confessed that it "broke" his heart in the clip.
"I don't think there's any way any of us would have known that my brother was living such a secret life," he added at the time. "Whenever somebody you respect the most is willing to get up and proclaim what we believe as Christians, about being true to your wife, you’d never think that that’s the person who’s involved in it."
Josh and Anna Duggar got married in 2008.
That same year, it was also revealed that Josh had allegedly molested several underage girls – some of which were his own sisters – some time between 2000 and 2004 when he was still a teenager.
He would eventually be arrested on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse material in April 2021. Late that year, he was found guilty and was subsequently sentenced to serve 12.5 years behind bars.
He is currently incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Seagoville in Texas.
Joseph Duggar's Arrest
Joseph and Kendra Duggar have been married since 2017.
On Wednesday, March 18, arrested for "unlawful sexual activity with a minor" that allegedly happened in 2020 during a vacation in Panama City Beach.
"Bay County investigators were contacted by a detective with the Tontitown Police Department regarding a report of past sexual abuse," the press released on his arrest read. "The 14-year-old victim participated in a forensic interview, where she disclosed several incidents involving Duggar that occurred during a family vacation in Panama City Beach when she was 9-years-old."
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Joseph and Kendra Duggar share children together.
According to the a report, the victim alleged that Joseph asked her to "sit next to him on the couch, covered them with a blanket, and manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals."
Following the incident, he allegedly "apologized."
This month, the victim's father informed authorities about the alleged incident.
"Duggar was arrested out of state and charged with Lewd and Lascivious Behavior – Molestation of a Victim Less Than 12-years-old and Lewd and Lascivious Behavior Conducted By A Person 18 Years Or Older," the press release continued. "Duggar is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County."
Joseph married his wife, Kendra, in 2017. They share at least three children together and are rumored to have welcomed a fourth child.
