<p id=”par-1_72″>Joseph Duggar’s 2026 arrest for child sexual abuse was not the family’s first sex scandal. It was their third since they became famous. Josh Duggar, the family’s eldest son, and Joseph Duggar, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s seventh child, are at <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/a-complete-list-of-the-duggar-family-scandals.html/”>the center of those scandals. </a>They have both spoken out publicly about each other, but their words haven’t always lined up the way fans might expect. Here is everything they’ve said.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-joseph-s-2015-comments-on-josh-s-scandal”>Joseph’s 2015 Comments on Josh’s Scandal</h2>
<p id=”par-2_60″>Long before Joseph Duggar faced the possibility of years behind bars for child molestation, he spoke out about his older brother. During a December 2015 episode of <em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/counting-on-joe-kendra-duggar-overshadow-duggar-couple.html/”>Jill & Jessa: Counting On,</a></em> Joseph made comments about Josh’s molestation scandal. The episode was filmed after revelations that Josh had molested five girls as a teenager, including several of his younger sisters.</p>
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<p id=”par-3_89″>Joseph, then 20, told cameras he was blindsided by the news. “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,” he said. He added that he never suspected his brother was “living such a secret life,” saying plainly, “It broke my heart.” Interestingly, Joseph’s comments seemed to focus more on Josh’s involvement in Ashley Madison, not on the molestation of their shared siblings.</p>
<p id=”par-4_45″>John-David Duggar also addressed the scandal in the same TLC special, reflecting on how the family learned about Josh’s actions in stages. John-David, who has not been involved in any legal trouble, said he finally felt like he did not wish to emulate his brother.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-joseph-stayed-quiet-after-josh-s-child-pornography-arrest”>Joseph Stayed Quiet After Josh’s Child Pornography Arrest</h2>
<p id=”par-5_76″>Josh’s 2015 back-to-back scandals were not his only issues. In fact, they were, unfortunately, not even close to the end of his story. In April 2021, he was arrested on federal charges after investigators say he used the dark web and file-sharing software to download child sexual abuse material. He was convicted in December 2021 and sentenced in May 2022 to more than 12 years in federal prison. He is not due for release until 2033.</p>
<p id=”par-6_90″>In a surprising twist, Joseph did not publicly comment on his brother’s case during the trial or sentencing. He did not issue a public statement on Instagram, nor did he appear at the courthouse during the trial. Several of his siblings made statements and showed up at court for the trial. Joseph and his family, including his wife and children, opted to leave the spotlight completely. What has come to light about Joseph since then is making Duggar family critics look at that decision with a fresh set of eyes.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-josh-speaks-out-from-prison”>Josh Speaks Out From Prison</h2>
<p id=”par-7_81″>While Joseph Duggar didn’t speak out about Josh Duggar’s arrest and conviction, Josh isn’t affording his little brother the same silence. Following <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/joseph-duggar-mugshot-released-family-silent-arrest.html/”>Joseph’s March 2026 arrest</a>, Josh spoke out from prison via his lawyer. His lawyer told <a href=”https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15685907/Joseph-Duggar-prison-letters-leaked-jail-call-wife.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>the Daily Mail </a>that Josh believed the allegations against his brother were “sensationalized fiction” and said he understood what it felt like to be wrongfully accused and targeted. He went on to note he hadn’t spoken to his brother, but was “praying” for him.</p>
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<p id=”par-8_46″>Joseph is actually one of the only siblings who were spotted, over the years, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/how-far-is-josh-duggar-new-prison-from-springdale-arkansas.html/”>visiting Josh Duggar </a>at FCI Seagoville, a federal lockup in Texas. Josh has since been moved to a federal facility in Ohio, while Joseph is out on bail as he awaits trial.</p>