Meanwhile, lawsuits filed by former church members accused the couple of controlling their flock with intimidation and beatings. 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. In 1966, after serving jail time for a weapons charge, Alamo married Edith Opal Horn from Alma (Crawford County), also of Jewish descent. The program also charges Tony Alamo with being a child abuser, polygamist and pedophile. Spears also rejected Alamos $3.5-million counterclaim that Coie had slandered and defamed him. When Amrhein was arrested last week in New Orleans for trying to leave the country, her marriage license was reportedly not certified. In 1966, Tony was arrested on a gun charge, a felony for which he served jail time. If hed married Brooke Shields I would be jealous. Alamo Christian Ministries: Is He a Prophet, Promoter, or Profiteer? Los Angeles Times. As young girls, Amy Eddy and her best friend, Pebbles Rodriguez, did not have any control of their lives. July 11, 1993. Acting upon reports of child abuse, on March 25, 1988, sheriffs deputies raided the Saugus, California, compound in order to reunite three boys with their natural fathers; the fathers had been members of the Arkansas compound but had been excommunicated. Magazines, Digital Major support provided through a partnership with the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism. The show related his four-year struggle against the Alamo church on the streets of Hollywood. 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. He and his wife legally changed their names to Tony and Susan Alamo after they married in Las Vegas in 1966. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. The Alamo Christian Foundation was an American cult founded in 1969 by Christian evangelist Tony Alamo and one of his wives, Susan Alamo. A few years later, her estranged daughter, Christhiaoan Coie, successfully sued him in 1995 for access to her mothers body for burial. As the government painstakingly made its case for tax evasion, Tony was fighting legal battles on multiple fronts. Born Bernie Hoffman, the boy from Missouri wasnt an average preacher. Said Hutchinson: We get their literature on our windshields about every Sunday morning.. In September 2008, Alamo was charged with multiple violations of the Mann Act between 1994 and 2005. Bowden, Bill. Many of the businesses have closed down. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. She threw Alamo out of her Los Angeles home last fall after he broke a 200 year old statue. On June 8, 1994, he was convicted on one charge of filing a false income tax return and three charges of failing to file a tax return; testimony during the trial revealed that the church had a total income on $9 million during the three years when Alamo paid no taxes. 25-May-1964) Wife: Edith Opal Horn ("Susan Alamo", b. He sent their record to all my friends in Los Angeles to make me mad. The case of the boys went before U.S. District Judge Morris Arnold, who ruled that child abuse had taken place and awarded damages to the plaintiffs. Updated. Witnesses at his trial described being taken as child brides, with some as young as 9 years old. 1986-03-06 Press Argus Courier Alamos second wife says theyre not divorced But Coie said she believes the dark-haired preacher did it because he knows no bounds of decency, because he could use her [Susan Alamo] two times around like a marionette to control [their followers].. However, one thing is clear, only one of his children (Sion) is born from his legal wife, Sharon. In six months, when she didnt rise from the dead, Tony finally buried her. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Tony allegedly threatened to kill Arnold but was never held legally accountable. 1416, 18. [11] MSC was granted 501c tax-exempt status in 1981,[16] but this was retroactively revoked by the IRS on April 5, 1996. Church members branched out to begin small businesses within the nearby community of Alma, Arkansas. Tony Alamo's Wife, Girlfriend His marital status is not known. New congregants signed on, then the church transported them to a rural location of Agua Dulce, California, about an hour northeast, for a hot meal and a sermon. Sharon Ast-Kroopf-Hoffman Legal wife of Tony Alamo. ___ [11], In 2016, award-winning playwright Ernest Kearney produced his one-man show My Alamo War for the Hollywood Fringe Festival in Los Angeles, California. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, Christian Cult Leader and Child Sex Abuser Tony Alamo Dies in Federal Custody. [1][2] The Alamo Ministries posted a notice of his death on its website's homepage, but it has not posted a notice of succession nor has it stated what its future plans are. He was 82 years old. Alamo has fathered three children by different women who live in his home as secretaries. By. After both he and Susan converted to Christianity, they established the Music Square Church and began a Hollywood street ministry, passing out religious tracts and preaching especially to drug addicts, alcoholics, and prostitutes. In 1984, Tony Alamo married what was either his fourth or sixth wife, as there have been claims he was married four times before he wed Susan. 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. The first time you log in to our catalog you will need to create an account. 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". Also he owned the Little Mark, Alamo, and Talamo Records record labels. But after Susan died in 1982, Alamos behavior turned more deviant as he extolled the righteousness of polygamy and marrying young girls. Others said they never got paid. The miniseries describes their founding and running of the Tony and Susan Alamo Christian Foundation which the program characterizes as a "cult" through which the Alamos became rich by exploiting their followers who truly believed in them. For more about the harrowing experiences of Amy Eddy and Pebbles Rodriguez and how they reclaimed their lives, watch tonights episode of People Magazine Investigates: Cults at 9 oclock ET on Investigation Discovery. Then in 1991, as federal authorities moved to seize the churchs myriad assets, the mausoleum in Dyer was broken into and Susan Alamos body disappeared. [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. Susan died in the early Spring of 1982. He eventually moved his headquarters to Arkansas with his wife, Susan, where he held secret ceremonies at his compound to authorize his marriage to girls as young as 15-years-old. In their prime during the 1970s and early 80s, the oddly paired Alamoshe a puffy Elvis look-alike and she a platinum-haired matroncommanded hundreds of followers, many of them living in what the government called a commune in Saugus remote Mint Canyon. Tony and Susan Alamo on one of their album covers. 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) For additional information: Rate and review titles you borrow and share your opinions on them. 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. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2018. Alamo was living at the time in Tampa, Fla., a fugitive from charges that he had ordered the beating of an 11-year-old church member at the Saugus commune. Davis, Andy. When a tribute gift is given the honoree will receive a letter acknowledging your generosity and a bookplate will be placed in a book. Schriver, Debby. His motions allege that Spears cannot objectively judge the case because he was endorsed by local newspaper editor Jack Moseley. Pebbles was 12. 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. "SCVHistory.com LW3595 | People | Tony Alamo: "Cult Evangelist Tony Alamo Convicted On Sex Charges", "Christhiaon Coie Speaks Out About Her Stepfather, Tony Alamo", "Evangelist guilty of taking minors across state lines for rape", "Feds Target Jailed Evangelist Tony Alamo's Property", https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/3587, "Ministry of Evil: The Twisted Cult of Tony Alamo" (press release), "Ministry of Evil: The Twisted Cult of Tony Alamo Review: Hell on Earth", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alamo_Christian_Foundation&oldid=1134183205, 1982 disestablishments in the United States, American members of the clergy convicted of crimes, Christian organizations established in 1969, Pentecostal denominations in North America, Christian organizations disestablished in 1982, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 11:22. Years after his wife's death, Tony began taking child brides, as young as 8 years old, and in 2009, he was sentenced to 175 years in prison for transporting young girls across state lines for sex. 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. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. She later claimed her husband beat and drugged her and demanded she undergo plastic surgery to make her look like Susan. Tony Alamo died in prison on Tuesday night. She didnt hink he will hold on to his wealth much longer. 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. They scooped up runaways and drug users off the streets of Hollywood, giving them food, shelter and fundamentalist religion tinged with anti-Catholic and anti-government messages. The Alamos were multi-millionaires by the time Susan died, although their followers were often forced to scrounge through dumpsters for food, according to The Encyclopedia of Arkansas. That was part of our custody agreement. 1A, 11A. Welsh, Adam. Executive summary: Tony Alamo Christian Ministries. His skin is very white and clammy. Misheal is still in the group and often reads the responses on Tonys radio broadcast. DEAR ABBY: I am in love with my best . Sadly, there are many more under age children that were forced by Alamo to be another one of his wives. Alamos church also lives, if in a far smaller and less organized fashion, said several sources including Alamos own lawyer. [22] . The civil contempt differs from his criminal incarceration in that Mr. Alamo holds the key to the jailhouse in his possession, Spears wrote. [17][18][19][1][2], In June 2013, the federal government filed forfeiture and collection actions in federal court on 27 properties which were owned by members of Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, in an attempt to collect $2.5 million in restitution that Alamo was ordered to pay to his victims. Our website includes affiliate links, which means we get a small commission -- at no additional cost to you -- for each qualifying purpose. For instance, as an Amazon Associate, Religion News Blog earns from qualifying purchases. Attorney Susan James of Montgomery, Ala., who represented Alamo during the trial in Ft. Smith, Ark., noted that Alamo was challenging Spears decision and said he had denied all of Coies allegations. Ten would be convicted on ten counts, all related to trafficking underage girls across state lines. [1][2] He was 82 years old. History: In Arkansas in January 1994, Elizabeth Mercado (aka Lizzy Gutierrez) became Tonys wife. [21], The church was Protestant and Pentecostal in nature and it was frequently referred to as a sect of the Jesus movement. Eddy was 14 and Rodriguez just 12 when they. After a decade of building the church, Susan and Tony moved everyone to Dyer, Arkansas, just outside Fort Smith near the Oklahoma border. http://www.alamoministries.com/ (accessed February 23, 2023). 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. In this paragraph, we have covered all details of his relationship and wife in this article. . History: Alys went to Tony Alamos house in Fouke, Ark at 11 yrs old to become Alamos wife. With the labor of their followers, the Alamos turned their church into a hefty financial empire, even as many members had to scavenge food from supermarket dumpsters and were forbidden from flushing the toilets more than every two or three days. Their wives had remarried more loyal subjects of Alamo, and their families had relocated to California. Dear Abby. Susan Alamo, born Edith Opal Horn, married Hoffman in 1966 after which the two changed their names to Tony and Susan Alamo. WATCH: Cult Leaders & Child Brides: Breaking Down People Magazine Investigates: Cults. The following month, Susan Alamo was re-interred in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He left me with all the bills, she said. Buchanan, Susy. 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. Little Rock, AR. He claimed that he recorded a hit record single in the early 1960s, Little Yankee Girl, and that he was asked to manage musical acts including the Beatles, the Doors, and the Rolling Stones. She said Alamo had sent her a telegram saying they were divorced, but she has been unable to get a divorce decree either in Van Buren or Nashville because he will not appear in court. He's a convicted tax evader and a flamboyant evangelist who once ran what authorities called a multimillion-dollar, Saugus-based cult. 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. Now Tony Alamo is also a grave robberat least in the eyes of an Arkansas judge, who has ordered him to lay to rest his wifes missing 13-year-old corpse. 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). The imprisoned Evangelist preacher Tony Alamo, who sexually abused young girls he considered to be his wives, has died after serving more than seven years of a 175-year prison sentence, authorities said. Susan focused on recruiting and preaching. After his wife died of cancer in 1982, Tony Alamo, whose secretive Tony and Susan Alamo Foundation operates another commune in Saugus, predicted that she would be resurrected. 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