Sign up to receive breakingFront Page Detectivesnews and exclusive investigations. Tony and Sharon had a son, Sion, together in the summer of 1991, while Tony was in jail awaiting trial for threatening Federal Judge Morris Arnold. He's a convicted tax evader and a flamboyant evangelist who once ran what authorities called a multimillion-dollar, Saugus-based cult. She and her son are mistreated more than the others and are both referred to as "nigger" by Alamo. Major funding provided by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. It also operated a drug rehabilitation facility, and those who were involved in the church developed several businesses in the Alma area. All Rights Reserved. Tony Alamo quickly predicted that she would be resurrected and kept her embalmed body on display at the Arkansas compound for approximately six months before placing it in a mausoleum. Does Mike Murdock's 58 days seed covenant really work? Theme Ported to Wordpress by Kaushal Sheth . [1][2] In the 1960s, he worked in Hollywood as a pop singer under the names Mark Hoffman and Marcus Abad. She bore a child to Tony, a girl, Antoinette, in June of 2001. [11] Individuals who sought to join the church and become involved in its rehabilitation program took a vow of poverty and agreed to turn all of their money and property over to the church. History: In 1993 Misheal Eden Jones-Williams became Tonys wife at 18 years old. She believed a miracle would save her. WATCH: Cult Leaders & Child Brides: Breaking Down People Magazine Investigates: Cults. She may be prosecuted not only for unlawful flight but also for trying to obtain a passport under false pretenses. That was part of our custody agreement. In 1966, after serving jail time for a weapons charge, Alamo married Edith Opal Horn from Alma (Crawford County), also of Jewish descent. By the 1970s, Tony Alamo Christian Ministries had established particularly strong footholds in Arkansas, as well as maintaining outposts in California. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, Christian Cult Leader and Child Sex Abuser Tony Alamo Dies in Federal Custody. But look who he married? Pebbles was 12. They married each other three times within a few weeks, first in Tijuana, Mexico. Online at http://www.religionnewsblog.com/8506 (accessed February 23, 2023). He lost the suit as well as an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1985, the same year that the IRS retroactively revoked the tax exempt status for his church for the years 1977 to 1980. In 2007, the Southern Poverty Law Center listed the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries as a hate group, citing its anti-Catholic literature and rhetoric. For additional information: Troubles continue to mount for Tony Alamo Christian Foundation. It was her second marriage. Theme Ported to Wordpress by Kaushal Sheth . She married Tony, who at the time was a fugitive, in hiding from charges of felony child abuse in California. On December 2, 2010, the Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld his conviction and sentence. I called the State Department to look out for my former wife in case she applied for a passport, Amrhein said. Her name was Brigitta Gyllenhammer, and she lasted two years before divorcing him. In 1975, the Alamos purchased land in Dyer, near Alma, and there established the main branch of the Music Square Church, which later was called the Holy Alamo Christian Church Consecrated before its present name was adopted. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. 72201. When he announced to his followers they would all need to leave the compound in 1991, certain the feds were about to raid the place, Tony took Susans body along. Lydia was in her early 30s. Ive done well. I wanted to push him to see if he could keep his balance in his elevator shoes. But last month Spears concluded after a weeklong trial that Mr. But the church began to falter in 1985, when the Internal Revenue Service stripped it of its tax-exempt status, charging it was nothing more than a front for Alamo-owned businesses. Alamo had not been issuing checks to his employees and offered only the most menial financial recompense, leading some disgruntled followers to begin reporting his activities. The Only Limits Are the Ones You Place on Yourself. Meet the First U.S. Amputee to Scale Mount Everest, The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election. Alamos Fort Smith attorneys say they do not know if Alamo divorced Gyllenhammar and if he properly married Amrhein. Amy was 14. They legally changed their names to Tony and Susan Alamo. Tony Alamo talks to reporters as he is escorted to a waiting police car outside the federal courthouse in Texarkana, Ark. Shown here holding Alamos biological son, Sion, in Palm Springs, California in 1993 and then again with her son, Jordan (picture taken in 1994) and another wife, Elizabeth Mercado (aka Lizzy Gutierrez) A chancery court judge ordered Alamo to return the body in 1995 in response to a suit filed by Christhiaon Coie, Susan Alamos estranged daughter. Alamo claimed that he and his followers had no assets and were living hand to mouth; he also apparently issued a death threat against Arnold, though he was later acquitted of that charge. From his cell at the federal maximum-security prison in Florence, Colo., Alamo has not only filed an appeal of Spears ruling but also is seeking a new trial without Spears as its judge. Alamos various marriages were controversial and difficult to number. With the assistance of some church members, the Alamos produced records and tapes. ___ Tony allegedly threatened to kill Arnold but was never held legally accountable. Chancery Judge Bernice Kizer ruled Monday that the foundations local business must pay back sales taxes. Although Alamo was unable to bring his wife back to life, he intends to keep the controversy over her body alive in court, according to Coie and one of her lawyers, Asa Hutchinson of Ft. Smith. Ten would be convicted on ten counts, all related to trafficking underage girls across state lines. Her mother Suzanne and step-father, Bob Streit, are still with the Alamo group. On July 23, 1998, after a three-year legal battle, his followers brought the body to a funeral home in Van Buren (Crawford County). The housing complex in Muldrow appears to be vacant. Bowden, Bill. Tony Alamo was looking at child porn charges. Jordan (Kenyas son) was born in Alamos house and Alamo currently refers to him as the bastard and the nigger. Susan Alamo, born Edith Opal Horn, married Hoffman in 1966 after which the two changed their names to Tony and Susan Alamo. Her mother, Debbie Ondrisek, is still in the group and feels privileged that her daughter is married to the World Pastor. After he hooked up with Susan, his ambition, combined with her knowledge of Pentecostal life, along with the burgeoning pro-Jesus counterculture movement of the mid-1960s, resulted runaway success. Now Tony . Shown here pregnant with Alamos son, Tabor. Spears also rejected Alamos $3.5-million counterclaim that Coie had slandered and defamed him. Alamo died in federal custody in North Carolina on May 2, 2017. Pre-European Exploration, Prehistory through 1540, European Exploration and Settlement, 1541 through 1802, Louisiana Purchase through Early Statehood, 1803 through 1860, Civil War through Reconstruction, 1861 through 1874, Post-Reconstruction through the Gilded Age, 1875 through 1900, Early Twentieth Century, 1901 through 1940, World War II through the Faubus Era, 1941 through 1967, Divergent Prosperity and the Arc of Reform, 19682022, https://www.villagevoice.com/2008/05/13/the-barely-legal-empire-of-tony-alamo/, Divergent Prosperity and the Arc of Reform (19682022). I still do, said Coie, who last saw her mother in 1971 when she quit the sect against her parents wishes. [13], In 1991 the federal government confiscated the property, finding when its agents arrived that Susan's body had been removed. History: In 1993 Angela Marie Morales (aka Angel Streit) became a wife in Arkansas at age 20. For instance, as an Amazon Associate, Religion News Blog earns from qualifying purchases. Tony Alamo was born Bernie Lazar Hoffman on Sept. 20, 1934, to a Jewish family in Joplin, Missouri. Through this church, the Alamos perpetuated some of their many. Tony Alamo, a Jewish kid from Joplin, Missouri, met his perfect match when he first laid eyes on the woman of his dreams in Hollywood. The states medical examiner will have to verify that the remains are those of Susan Alamo, who died of cancer in 1982, more than a decade after she and Tony founded the fire-and-brimstone Holy Alamo Christian Church in Hollywood. [4][5][6][7], Susan Alamo (19251982) was born Edith Opal Horn in Alma, Arkansas. He is a beautiful person. Alamo began preaching in Los Angeles in the 1960s on a platform of anti-catholicism, homophobia and polygamy with young women, according to the AP. There is no doubt in my mind.. Magazines, Digital On September 20, 2008, state and federal officials raided Alamos Fouke (Miller County)compound as part of a two-year investigation into allegations of child abuse and child pornography. History: In California in 1993 Maria Isabel Mendoza (aka Isabel Mendoza) became another Alamo wife at age 19. Tony spent the last 20 years in and out of prison, pioneered conspiracy talk radio, and built an empire that couldnt withstand the lust and greed of its creator. His efforts succeeded in having the high-end jackets designed by Tony Alamo and manufactured by unpaid cult members removed from a majority of clothing stores on Hollywood Boulevard and in bringing the abuses of the cult to the attention of the local media. Probably the strangest incident surrounding Tony Alamo Christian Ministries had to do with the body of Susan Alamo, who died of cancer on April 8, 1982. [12], The church published religious tracts and distributed tapes of sermons by the Alamos. Hes not paying his bills at his stores. Tony was heartbroken. It lost on appeal to the United States Court of Appeals in 1999. In return, their own needs would be met and their children would receive basic education through high school. Millions Awarded to 7 Tied to Alamo. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, February 28, 2014, p. 4B. Claiming resurrection was imminent, hed kept Susan displayed in the compound for months before interring her body. He was heard on over a dozen radio stations in the U.S. and more in Africa, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. Tony Alamos second wife says they have never divorced and insists that his third marriage to Elizabeth Amrhein is invalid. He claimed that the governments actions against him were merely the machinations of Satan, and his followers continued to attract controversy for distributing his printed literature across the United States and beyond. In November of that year, the judge sentenced him to 175 years in prison. As the church expanded, it established other churches in Nashville, Chicago, Brooklyn, and Miami Beach. The saga began in 1982 when, instead of burying his 59-year-old wife, Alamo brought her embalmed body back to his compound near tiny Dyer, Ark. Larowe, Lynn. "Tony was more, I think, the face of that organization, it looks like," Anthony said. The Barely Legal Empire of Tony Alamo. Village Voice, May 13, 2008. In 1982, his wife Susan Alamo (ne Edith Opal Horn) died of cancer. Alamos attorneys kept the issue before the courts from 1985 to 1992, arguing that church-owned enterprises were exempt from federal income taxes because they were churches in disguise. A hearing was held the day after her arrest. [21], The church was Protestant and Pentecostal in nature and it was frequently referred to as a sect of the Jesus movement. Tony and Susan Alamo on one of their album covers. Alamo was convicted in 2009 on 10 counts for taking young girls, including a 9-year-old, across Arkansas state lines to have sex with them, the AP reports. He preached he was the victim of a government conspiracy. Amrhein called the Press Argus Courier this week after cult awareness groups sent him clippings that have appeared in this newspaper. After years of legal troubles during which he was accused of engaging in abusive behavior against his followers, Alamo was convicted of ten child rape offenses in 2009. They charged him with several counts related to his tax issues. Donations made to the CALS Foundation are tax-deductible for United States federal income tax purposes. 1A, 6A. Alamo Mansion in Disrepair, Entered Now on a Dare. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 9, 2017, pp, 1A, 9A. I was at a party not long ago with Julio Iglesias and Elizabeth Taylor. They also ran a nationwide network of lucrative, church-owned businesses, authorities said, including a distributor of designer denim and leather jackets, studded with rhinestones, that sold for $1,000 or more. Kenya was the son of Diana Elena Williams Alamo, a legal ex-wife of Alamos. Susan died in the early Spring of 1982. I knew how he thinks, and what he might do, she said. Polygamy Garb Born of Rules: Garment Rules Used to Control Women's Individuality, Former Cult Members Say, Calvary Chapel congregation stunned as Chuck Smith announces that he has lung cancer, Man sentenced to 15 years in 'Vampire Cult' Murder, Religious lies, conmen, and coercive control: How cults corrupt our desire for love and connection, Israeli police detain man suspected of running abusive cult, Cult experts hope pending Aum Shinrikyo cult trial will raise awareness, UK: Cults watchdog faces danger of being shut down, UK: Cult information charity faces Charity Commission curb, reportedly after Scientology complaint, Israel symposium to explore legislation aimed at curbing cults, South Australias Chief Prosecutor: Create special laws for cults, Research Cults, Abusive Churches, Spiritual Abuse, Undue Influence, and More, Tony Alamo Ministries is listed as a hate group by SPLC, Tony Alamo: Storied evangelist still preaching, Federal Grand Jury Seated In Fort Smith To Hear Tony Alamo Case, Tony Alamo Christian Ministries: Inspection of mattresses allowed in suit. There are witnesses that can verify that Alamo, in a rage, cruelly beat and kicked Jordan. Amy and Pebbles were finally freed from their torture in 2008 when Alamo was arrested and charged with 10 counts of interstate transportation of minors for illicit sexual purposes. Even in his later years, when the feds were pursuing him for charges ranging from embezzlement to child abusethe man calling himself Tony Alamo didnt try to hide. He wont sign the papers.. I took care of his business. Lets make the most of it.. Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, List of organizations designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as anti-LGBT hate groups, "Tony Alamo, Apocalyptic Ministry Leader Convicted of Sex Abuse, Dies at 82", "Christian Cult Leader and Child Sex Abuser Tony Alamo Dies in Federal Custody". Tony Alamo's Wife, Girlfriend His marital status is not known. http://www.alamoministries.com/ (accessed February 23, 2023). He was working as a music promoter. He was convicted on July 4, 2009. Tony Alamo (born Bernie Lazar Hoffman; September 20, 1934) is an American religious leader and convicted child sex offender.He and his late wife Susan are best known as the founders of an organization currently known as Tony Alamo Christian Ministries.The organization is based in and around Fouke and Alma, Arkansas, United States, and has been referred to as a cult. [11] MSC was granted 501c tax-exempt status in 1981,[16] but this was retroactively revoked by the IRS on April 5, 1996. [10][11] The church became the subject of controversy and as a result, it was frequently criticized for its manner of evangelization, which often involved young members of the congregation walking on the streets of Hollywood, inviting people to convert to Christianity and taking them to the church for evening services in Agua Dulce roughly an hour away for a meeting and a meal. Alamos Pentecostal theology includeed a virulent paranoia and extreme anti-Catholicism that placed the Vatican as the real power broker behind the White House, the United Nations, and the media. Lydia Unofficial wife of Tony Alamo. Special thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. 25-Apr-1925, m. 1966, d. 8-Apr-1982 cancer) Wife: Birgetta Oyllenhammer (m . Sharon Ast-Kroopf-Hoffman Legal wife of Tony Alamo. He accused me of having an ungodly statue of a man and a woman. If you can, provide 1-2 sources of information backing up this correction. Widely regarded as a cult, Tony Alamo Christian Ministries was at the center of a number of lawsuits and government actions, and its leader was jailed on a variety of charges, including income tax evasion, the theft of his late wifes body, and taking underage girls across state lines for sex. Flippo, Chet. Preacher Tony Alamo Told to Return Wife's Remains. The church quickly expanded its holdings, buying several businesses and establishing a compound in nearby Saugus. Give a donation in someones name to mark a special occasion, honor a friend or colleague or remember a beloved family member. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Ive been asked to go to France and design clothes there. Picture taken in 1993. Like a cheap carnival act, Coie recalled last week, he kept it on display in an open casket, telling church followers that Susan Alamo would rise from the dead. He remained in prison until his death in May 2017. When Tony got back into the business in 1999, he immediately went on the air. Nailing Tony Alamo. This Rock 1 (October 1990). Tony Alamo (1934-2017), American founder of the Alamo Christian Foundation Antonio Alamo, Jr., known as Tony Alamo, American physician and Nevada gaming official This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. She said last week that the financial award from her suit against Alamo, if it comes through, might see her daughters through college, or help pay her lawyer Charles Karr, whom she credited with sticking by her throughout the bizarre body case.. Twice married and with a daughter, she came to Hollywood and attempted to become an actress. Both Tony and Susan were impressive on the stage: he with eye-catching outfits and musical ability, she with fiery sermons and deep faith. She said an address on his posters the urge music fans to send in the votes for entertainer of the year is Alamos post office box in Los Angeles. 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