Klaudt was a Republican member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from 1999 to 2006 when he was "termed out" of his seat which was filled by Betty Olson.
On May 19, 2007, Klaudt was arrested on allegations that he had raped and sexually abused his foster daughters,[2] 17 and 19 years old at the time.
[4] Klaudt also pleaded guilty to witness tampering, and was sentenced to an additional ten years' imprisonment.
[1] In December 2009, Ted Klaudt sent a "Common Law Copyright Notice" to the Associated Press and various state media outlets warning that use of his name, Ted Klaudt, without permission is a violation of a common-law copyright of a trade name or trademark and could result in a judgment against the offender of up to US$500,000.
[5] Laura Malone, associated general counsel for intellectual property at The Associated Press, noted that the names of individuals, including Ted Klaudt, cannot be protected under copyright law.