Far-right activist Ammon Bundy, who was ordered by a court to pay $50 million in damages after accusing an Idaho hospital of child trafficking and harassment of medical staff, claimed his wife and son's bank accounts were raided.
In a rambling 12-minute video on YouTube, Bundy accused St. Luke's Regional Health and Clarity Credit Union of obtaining accounts that held his family's money and withdrawing money just days before Christmas.
Bundy was ordered to pay money to the hospital after losing a defamation lawsuit against it earlier this year.
In the video, he singled out Boise hospital senior staff CEO Chris Roth, pediatrician Natasha Erickson and nurse Tracy Jungman, claiming they played a role in the collection.
“They just took my wife's money out of an account for Christmas and now they're splitting it between themselves so they can, I guess, buy Christmas presents for their children,” Bundy alleged.
“I mean these people. Just a few days before Christmas our bank account is seized. Clarity Credit Union just allowed them to do that and they just go along with it. This is just modern theft.
Bundy, who gained notoriety for run-ins with law enforcement, was ordered to pay more than $50 million to St. Luke's Meridian Medical Center. He claims his wife and son's accounts are now empty after money was allegedly withdrawn just days before Christmas
Bundy blamed senior staff at the hospital in Boise, Idaho
“This also includes clarity.” They know what is right and what is wrong, we have had many good conversations with the branch managers and they know exactly what is going on.
“They know that the whole St. Luke's thing is such an evil thing and what they're doing to my family is an evil thing.”
In a lawsuit filed earlier this year by St. Luke's Regional Health, Bundy and Diego Rodriguez were accused of making defamatory statements against the hospital and its employees after Rodriguez's young grandson was separated from his family for several days and out of concern for his health had been brought to St. Luke's.
The emergency doctor, Dr. Rachel Thomas, testified that the 10-month-old baby's stomach was bloated, his eyes were hollow and he was unable to sit up, reminding her of severely malnourished babies she had treated in Haiti.
Police said at the time that medical staff determined the child was malnourished and had lost weight.
Bundy responded by calling on his supporters to protest at the hospital and the homes of child protective services workers, police officers and others involved in the child protection case.
Rodriguez wrote on his website that the baby had been “kidnapped” and suggested that the state and those involved in the case were “trafficking children” for profit.
Bundy claimed the alleged actions of Clarity Credit Union, where his family's money was stored, were “malicious.”
Bundy, who did not attend the trial or hire a lawyer because it would be too costly, denied that the baby was abused and said law enforcement and hospital personnel had put him in danger by taking him away from his mother.
The baby was healthy except for cyclic vomiting syndrome, Bundy said, and could not hold down anything except his mother's breast milk.
The hospital alleged that Bundy and Rodriguez orchestrated a smear campaign against the hospital.
In July, a jury at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise agreed and awarded more than $50 million in damages.
A statement on behalf of the law firm representing the plaintiffs said Bundy, Rodriguez and their supporters surrounded the campuses of St. Luke's hospitals in Meridian and Boise, forcing lockdowns and diverting emergency patients, disrupting scheduled procedures and killing hundreds Appointments for procedures were canceled.
“The jury's decision imposes responsibility for these defendants' ongoing campaign of intimidation, harassment and disinformation,” St. Luke's said in a statement.
“It also underscores the importance of protecting health care providers and other officials from attacks aimed at preventing them from carrying out their duties.”
Shortly after the trial, Bundy declared he was innocent and called the civil case “illegitimate.”
“I have been a thorn in the side of the establishment here in Idaho for a while and this is their mechanism to try to destroy me,” Bundy said, adding that he did not have the resources to pay the damages .
But if Bundy's claims are to be believed, the hospital and credit union now appear to have taken steps to get as much money back as possible – and have raided the accounts of Bundy's son and his wife.
“As soon as an evil judge stands in the hands of some evil lawyers and says, 'Hey, give us this person's property and money!'” “You just give it to them and that's the situation we're in,” said BUdy in a rambling and repetitive video message.
Bundy was taken to the Ada County Jail after he showed up at St. Luke's Meridian Medical Center with several supporters and refused to leave the jail
Bundy is pictured during his arrest at the Idaho Statehouse in Boise, Idaho, in August 2020
Bundy is taken to a patrol car after being arrested for trespassing at the Capitol in August 2020 to protest COVID-19 restrictions
“No one will fight for anyone else.” That's why I had to leave the people of Idaho. Even the freedom movement wants to condemn me for leaving Idaho, but the problem is that I couldn't find people who would stand up and prevent what happened to my family.
“The same goes for the sheriff and his deputies. “They’re just happy to take this stuff off my hands,” he continued.
“My son is 19 years old. He worked his butt off. He's currently on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and this is his mission money that he earned and now Chris Roth is probably buying Christmas presents with it.
“What should I do now?” Bundy asked his followers.
“I mean, I just want to fight.” You can't fight in corrupt courts. “I just want to go to their house and demand that they give it back to my son because they have no right to take it away.”
The jury's July verdict required Bundy to pay the plaintiffs $6.2 million in compensatory damages and $6.15 million in punitive damages, and Rodriguez to pay $7 million in compensatory damages and to pay $6.5 million in punitive damages.
Ammon Bundy announced his failed bid for governor of Idaho in June 2021
Bundy announced his candidacy for governor of Idaho in June 2021
Bundy is the son of Clive Bundy, who became embroiled in a dispute with federal agents over unpaid grazing fees on federally owned public lands. He is pictured in an earlier arrest photo
The remainder of the total $52.5 million in damages went to the People's Rights Network, Freedom Man Press and the Bundy campaign for governor.
“If you have an account with Clarity Credit Union, you need to withdraw it and invest it somewhere else because it is not safe in their accounts and no one will fight for your money,” Bundy urged in his video message.
“They are modern criminals and this is what they do. They take their lives, they take their freedom and they take property, and if you think you can get out of it, if you think you can somehow bury your head in the sand, then so be it.” “Go for it “What's going on,” he continued.
“Don’t go to St. Luke’s Health System.” Don’t fund this evil monster. St. Luke's is one of only 13 hospitals willing to perform transgender surgeries on minors. This means they are willing to cut off a 10 year old boy's genitals and try to turn him into a girl.
“We are dealing with very bad people,” he added.
Bundy and his People's Rights Network have held protests against coronavirus-related measures at the Idaho Statehouse in the past. In 2020 he was temporarily banned from entering government buildings.
In 2016, Bundy led a 41-day armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon, to protest the arson conviction of two ranchers who set fires on federal land where they grazed their livestock . He is pictured in 2016
In 2016, Bundy led a 41-day armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon, to protest the arson conviction of two ranchers who set fires on federal land where they grazed their livestock . Bundy was cleared of charges in the matter.
The hospital's lawsuit was filed more than a year ago.
Since then, Bundy has ignored court orders related to the lawsuit, filed trespassing charges against people tasked with serving court documents, and told many of his followers to camp out at his home for shelter when he learned he could be arrested on a misdemeanor warrant of contempt of court.
“I could just picture Chris Roth, the CEO of St. Luke's, now he has a little more money in his pocket.” I mean, why does he need my wife's money? Why does he need my son's hard-earned money?' Bundy asked in his weekend message.
“They're only doing it because they're evil and want to hurt me.”
“I was so peaceful and they're pushing me and pushing me and pushing me, you know, they want me to do something so they can arrest me and put me in jail or kill me. 'That's what they're trying to do.'