Mormon Stories - Lds

In Episode 80 of our LDS Discussions series, Julia, Kolby, and Nemo the Mormon join together for a deep dive into one of the most significant financial controversies in modern Latter-day Saint history: Ensign Peak Advisors and the SEC’s investigation into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The discussion begins by examining what Ensign Peak Advisors is, why the Church created an enormous investment reserve, and whether maintaining such a fund is inherently problematic. From there, the panel walks through the timeline leading up to the 2019 whistleblower revelations and the 2023 SEC Order, exploring the Church's filing practices, the creation of 13 shell companies, and the legal findings that concluded the Church intentionally obscured the size of its investment portfolio. Along the way, we analyze statements from Church leaders including Roger Clarke, Christopher Waddell, Elder Ballard, Elder Packer, Joseph F. Smith, Lorenzo Snow, and others, comparing modern financial practices with histori