en.wikipedia.org - Portrait of polygamists in prison, at the Utah Penitentiary, including George Q. Cannon in 1889, arrested under the Edmunds–Tucker Act.

Portrait of polygamists in prison, at the Utah Penitentiary, including George Q. Cannon in 1889, arrested under the Edmunds–Tucker Act.

Several top leaders from Warren Jeffs’ polygamous sect were arrested Tuesday on federal accusations of food stamp fraud and money laundering — marking one of the biggest blows to the group in years.

Prosecutors say the sect based on the Utah-Arizona border diverted funds from Utah’s nutrition assistance program for inappropriate use by its leaders.

A total of 11 people were charged in the scheme, including Lyle Jeffs and Seth Jeffs, top-ranking leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and brothers of imprisoned sect leader Warren Jeffs.

Warren Jeffs is serving a life sentence in Texas for sexually assaulting his 12- and 15-year-old child brides at a secretive church compound in that state.