The granny-napping Vanderhoffs

[Lachlanne]

Long-time Duggar watchers may remember an episode from six years ago with another large family by the last name Vanderhoff.  (http://www.duggarfamilyblog.com/2012/02/recap-josh-anna-check-in-and-40-kids-oh.html -- There are also a few references to the Vanderhoffs here on FJ, all from about that time.)  I remember watching the episode with my mouth hanging open, because I knew the “patriarch” of that family.

I went to a fundie (or perhaps fundie-light, depending) high school.  The father of the Vanderhoff family, Hudson, was in the class one year younger than me.  This was a small school with small classes (there were 17 in my entire graduating class), and so we not only knew the people in our own grade, but in other grades as well.  Anyhow, the name Hudson Vanderhoff is not exactly a common one; it’s a name you remember.

Years later, I married into a very large dysfunctional family.  My mother-in-law’s maiden name was Vanderhoff.  Yup – Hudson was my husband’s cousin.  I got to sit through a few family functions hearing my husband’s aunt telling me all sorts of wonderful glowing stories about her angel son.  It was enough to make me gag.  It was stuff like how he was working at McDonald’s (Hudson and I were in our 20s by this time) and he was doing SO!! WELL!!!

Fast forward.

After several years I was divorced and had started working at my current job.  Through this job I knew an older woman I will refer to as Mama.  As it turned out, Mama’s daughter Patty was married to … (drumroll!) … Hudson Vanderhoff!  (LOL, could I not get away from this man???)  By this time the Vanderhoffs had 9 biological children, some with special needs.  Mama spent a lot of time with them to help care for the children.  Then the Vanderhoffs started adopting special needs kids.  They just kept adding and adding to their family, and I just kept shaking my head.

Fast forward again!

Six years ago, the Vanderhoffs showed up on TV with the Duggars.  They showed both families gathering together for a large birthday party.  They also showed the Vanderhoff’s new house, which was under construction and nearly completed.  Word on the street here in NJ was that the sole reason the Vanderhoffs had moved to Arkansas was to be near the Duggars.  (Hero worship to the max!)

Mama had her own room in the Vanderhoff’s new house.  She spent some of her time there, some at her sister’s in Vermont, and made an occasional visit back here to NJ, as she had other family here.  Her last visit here was in the summer of 2017, when she came for her son’s birthday.  After the birthday celebration she was supposed to go to her sister’s in Vermont, however she never made it.  Instead, Hudson and Patty spirited her off to Arkansas and kept her there.  She stayed in their house.  No one from the family was allowed to have any contact with her, whether via telephone or in person.  Her son was very concerned and called the police in Arkansas who made a visit to the Vanderhoff home, but were not allowed inside.  The Vanderhoffs told the police that Mama lived in seclusion with them due to severe dementia.

Mama’s son took legal action.  A judge just recently ruled that Mama is mentally fit, does not suffer from dementia, and is free to come and go anywhere that she pleases.  Hudson and Patty had granny-napped her, gone through her life savings, took her social security checks, and had also set up several credit cards in Mama’s name.  They’ve left Mama penniless.

I knew way back in high school that I didn’t like him.

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

Please tell me that Hudson and Patty for going to face some jail time for granny-napping, SS fraud and credit card fraud.

[foreign fundie]

I bet they made her work real hard too, looking after all those kids. This is right up Lori Alexander’s ally. Once women are finally done raising their own kids, they should be 24/7 available to help raise the grandkids. Poor granny, poor kids that will now have to miss her.

[hoipolloi]

Is this the same Hudson Vanderhoff that, according to his LinkedIn profile, is an assistant general counsel for WalMart? Didn't get it in the screen capture, but he's listed as having a JD from Rutgers and undergrad degree from Moody Bible Institute.

If this is the same person, he's got to be pulling down some bucks as a member of WalMart's legal team -- but he still needs to steal from Granny?

[JermajestyDuggar]

Maybe they got the idea from Jim Bob sticking Mary by the laundry room after Jimmy Lee died so she could do laundry all day long....

[Lachlanne]

10 hours ago, hoipolloi said:

Is this the same Hudson Vanderhoff that, according to his LinkedIn profile, is an assistant general counsel for WalMart? Didn't get it in the screen capture, but he's listed as having a JD from Rutgers and undergrad degree from Moody Bible Institute.

If this is the same person, he's got to be pulling down some bucks as a member of WalMart's legal team -- but he still needs to steal from Granny?

 

Yes, it's the same guy.

After his "stellar" (according to his mother, of course) career at McDonald's, he went to law school.  
 

16 hours ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

Please tell me that Hudson and Patty for going to face some jail time for granny-napping, SS fraud and credit card fraud.

I sure hope so.  I haven't heard that part of it yet, but when I do, I'll post.

 

1 hour ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Maybe they got the idea from Jim Bob sticking Mary by the laundry room after Jimmy Lee died so she could do laundry all day long....

I wouldn't be surprised, because the Vanderhoffs idolized all things Duggar.

Btw, just to be clear, I am so NOT knocking people for working at McD's.  What I knocked was a family member who acted as if her precious angel was a rocket scientist because he could flip burgers.

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

Hudson V is easily found all over Google.  As of 2011 the family had (has) 21 children = 8 bio, and 13 adopted, all the adopted have special needs.

Are there more kids now.? Definitely seems like a bunch of child hoarders.  HV probably makes good money at Walmart .... but ....... 21 kids are expensive. Probably why they stole granny's life savings, SS check, and took out credit cards in her name.

Seems to me if he does any jail time he'll lose the Wally World job and the wife will be stuck with all those children and no money. 

[Lachlanne]

1 hour ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

Hudson V is easily found all over Google.  

*snip!!*

Are there more kids now.? 

Yes, yes indeedy, he's all over the place when you Google.  

I saw on one adoption site that they adopted two children from China in October 2016.  I don't think those two children were included in the 21, but I'm not certain.  So it could be up to 23.

The oldest of their biological children would be over 18 now.

[JermajestyDuggar]

I hope that at least this run in with the law will prevent them from adopting anymore. 

[Lachlanne]

3 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I hope that at least this run in with the law will prevent them from adopting anymore. 

One would hope! However, this seems like an addiction with these people!

[VVV]

People who steal from the elderly are scum of the earth. People who steal from the elderly in their own family are the scum of the scum.

I hope Mr. and Mrs. V both do jail time.

Editing to add, I can't find anything online about this; did it just come out?

[Lachlanne]

23 hours ago, VVV said:

 

Editing to add, I can't find anything online about this; did it just come out?

Yes, it's very recent.

Also, and you all may think I'm being the ultimate of stupid, but I didn't realize this thread would show up in a Google search. I'm having a private not-so-little panic attack over here.

Nothing I posted here was told to me in confidence, but still. Now I'm thinking I probably should have kept my mouth shut.

Auggghhhhh. 

[Howl]

@Lachlanne, Perhaps request the mods do a quick edit to change names in your posts or request that the content stay the same but be put under a spoiler.  That should hide it from a google search. 

Re: grannynapping and identity theft:  Wouldn't  Ma Vanderkitten have to press charges?  That said, Social Security fraud pisses off the Feds; it's a crime to deposit someone's SS check into your own account and to use those funds for your own purposes rather than the recipients.  If this went to court, it could potentially get Hudson Vanderkitten V disbarred, if he's the main instigator, right? 

And here's the zinger.  On the resume posted above, Vanderkitten V listed a 9-year-stint as Assistant General Counsel - Corporate  at Golden Living which is....wait for it....involved in all aspects of senior health care. According to Forbes, "Golden Living operates nursing homes and provides services related to rehabilitation therapy, hospice and home health, and temporary staffing."

Just glad that a family member followed through and got to the root of what was really going on. 

[HereticHick]

I've always wondered why we never heard of more Duggar-Vanderhoff interactions. I thought there would be some possible courtships or something.

Is this the same Papa Vanderhoff?

https://twitter.com/hudlaw

 

More:

http://nbbfc.blogspot.com/2011/03/vanderhoff-family.html

 

http://www.aspl.org/index.php?option=com_community&view=profile&userid=32331010

[Lachlanne]

That's all him (them).

Perhaps the Vanz were just too weird, even for the Duggars?