A look at some of the businesses, homes and other properties prosecutors want to seize in the Washakie Renewable Energy fraud
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Federal prosecutors have given notice they want to seize homes and businesses belonging to rank-and-file members of the polygamous Davis County Cooperative Society, also known as the Kingston Group. Prosecutors also have filed notice of intent to seize property from the sect's incorporated church, the Latter-Day Church of Christ. Included on the list is 1995 W. Alexander St. West Valley City, Utah.
Federal prosecutors want to seize hundreds of millions of dollars worth of assets from Washakie Renewable Energy and its owners, who have pleaded guilty in a biofuels fraud that took $511 million from the government.
The most valuable assets appear to belong to Washakie itself. The biofuel production facility in Plymouth, as well as assets it has in Texas, California, Turkey and Belize, could bring hundreds of millions of dollars. Jacob O. Kingston, the CEO who pleaded guilty Thursday, also has a $4 million home in Cottonwood Heights the government will take. Kingston also has a collection of sport and luxury cars that could be worth $2 or $3 million.
The U.S. Department of Justice also wants to take homes and businesses from others who didn’t necessarily participate in the fraud, but who may have received financing from the frauds proceeds.
This includes 25 homes and businesses and lots in Salt Lake County that the assessor says has a combined market value of $14.4.
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