Following Susans death, rumors spread that he had taken two fifteen-year-old girls as wives. On June 23, 1984, he married Swedish native Birgitta Gyllenhammar in Las Vegas, Nevada, though this marriage ended two years later; she later claimed that Alamo wanted her to have plastic surgery to look like Susan and that he regularly beat and drugged her. At the time, Susan was married to Coies late father, Solomon Samuel Lipowitz, whom she described as a good man and a prizefighter who was also a mobster. Pictures are unavailable at this time. Georgia cop killed on first shift in retaliation for an arrest hour earlier, investigators say, Remains Found And Believed To Be Man Reported Missing In May 2021, Brother Accused Of Murder, Subscribe to Front Page Detectives Newsletter. Upon his release, the ex-felon returned home: back to his now humbler Tony Alamo Christian Ministries. The feds had been investigating him since 2005 on charges related to the Mann Act, which was passed to prosecute the sexual exploitation of women and girls. Online at https://www.villagevoice.com/2008/05/13/the-barely-legal-empire-of-tony-alamo/ (accessed February 23, 2023). In February 2014, a Miller County judgein the largest personal-injury judgment in Arkansas historyawarded $525 million in actual and punitive damages to seven former members of Tony Alamo Christian Ministries. "Tony was more, I think, the face of that organization, it looks like," Anthony said. He came to me nose to nose and pulled a Muhammad Ali on me. Beginning in the 1960s in California, erstwhile music producer Tony Alamo became interested in authoritarian religion and, along with his charismatic wife, Susan, began gathering followers. Jeanne, Amy, Desiree and Nikki were all born into the Tony Alamo Christian Ministry, which, some say, is a cult. Im not worried. Copyright 2023 Empire Media Group, Inc. Front Page Detectives is a registered trademark. On December 2, 2010, the Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld his conviction and sentence. Ten would be convicted on ten counts, all related to trafficking underage girls across state lines. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. They named the group the Alamo Christian Foundation before forming the . Susan focused on recruiting and preaching. The full weight of the crimes hed committed was finally coming to light, and in 2014, a judge from Miller County, Arkansas, ruled in a case brought by seven ex-cult members. She may be prosecuted not only for unlawful flight but also for trying to obtain a passport under false pretenses. Soon, the organization established yet another compound in Nashville, Tennessee. Today, the girl born into the Alamo church is a grown woman, as is her younger sister, and Coies pride in both her daughters is immense. Our website includes affiliate links, which means we get a small commission -- at no additional cost to you -- for each qualifying purpose. Sharon Ast-Kroopf-Hoffman Legal wife of Tony Alamo. The IRS Commissioner found that "MSC was so closely operated and controlled by and for the benefit of Tony Alamo that it enjoyed no substantive independent existence; that MSC was formed and operated by Tony Alamo for the principal purpose of willfully attempting to defeat or evade federal income tax; and that MSC was inseparable from Tony Alamo, and failed to operate for exclusively charitable purposes. He and his wife legally changed their names to Tony and Susan Alamo after they married in Las Vegas in 1966. Tony Alamo and his wife, Susan, established a church in Nashville called the Music Square Church, located near Printers Alley. By now, he was a millionaire with a large staff of workers. In the midst of his supposed third marriage, a 1986 Arkansas Gazette report concluded that Gyllenhammar had actually been Alamos sixth wife, as he had apparently been married four times prior to Susan. 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. Alamo denies it. Her name was Brigitta Gyllenhammer, and she lasted two years before divorcing him. I have a right to be angry, says Pebbles. 100 Rock Street Alamo went on to own a health club and work in the music industry. This project is funded in part by a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan grant award. The term 'cult expert' is not protected. Gyllenhammar and Alamo were married in June 1984 in Los Angeles by Rev. In the official record, Tony Alamo is listed as a pastor. He had his fist clenched and started making noises. When Tony got back into the business in 1999, he immediately went on the air. The only thing thats ungodly is if you have a statue of another God., I tried to make the marriage work, Miss Gyllenhammar said. [12], The church published religious tracts and distributed tapes of sermons by the Alamos. Last week the children were taken away from her in New Orleans when authorities suspected she was trying to leave the country. She left Alamo Ministries and separated from him in the summer . Shown here in 1993 at Alamos birthday party before she became a wife and again after she was unofficially married to Alamo. The monthly gross went from $50,000 to $120,000.. The court concluded Alamo also owed another $5 million to ex-members for unpaid labor. However, he denies he has more than one wife but several victims have escaped and come forward with the truth. Gordon, Ronald J. Guilty Alamo Hears Bye, Bye outside Court. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,July 25, 2009, pp. Nicky, 12, and Amanda, 10, but apparently she violated conditions placed on her by the court. Tony Alamo was born on 20 September 1934 and his place of birth was in Joplin, Missouri, US. [11] The church's projects included Nashville's largest country and western clothing store. The two immediately clicked, having much in common from midwestern, Jewish roots to a talent for showmanship and within months, Susan converted Bernie/Mark to hard-core Protestantism. They made a record together, and they cant sing. He was walking down the hallway in his black regalia and five-inch elevator shoes, Amrhein recalls. 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. [20], Alamo died on May 2, 2017, while he was in custody at the Federal Medical Center, Butner in Butner, North Carolina. 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. Years earlier, sheriffs deputies showed up at Alamos Saugus, California compound. The girls grew up in Fouke, Arkansas, where they lived on a compound of the eponymous religious organization created in the late 1960s by Tony Alamo and his wife, Susan. She sings better than he does. 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. The Alamo Christian Foundation was an American cult founded in 1969 by Christian evangelist Tony Alamo and one of his wives, Susan Alamo. In addition to clothing, the church produced music and began distributing Christian music and sermons nationally. There is no doubt in my mind.. Gyllenhammar said Alamo is attracted to blond women. http://www.alamoministries.com/ (accessed February 23, 2023). A hearing was held the day after her arrest. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. The other children (Tabor and Antoinette) were conceived during Alamo and Kroopfs marriage and the biological mothers (Lydia Willis and Elizabeth Mercado) are in the group and currently living with (or near) Alamo. His father was a poor immigrant from Romania who settled the family near Joplin, Missouri in the 1920s. Susan, too, would eventually change her name from the one her parents gave her in Alma, Arkansas. The show related his four-year struggle against the Alamo church on the streets of Hollywood. He became unhinged and, convinced he could raise her from the dead, kept her embalmed body on display for six months with members of his church praying around it. He was ambitious, but few facts about his early life are verifiable as Tony tended to self-aggrandize. They also had a knack for finding young people who needed help. In 1966, Tony was arrested on a gun charge, a felony for which he served jail time. 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. The Alamos promoted UFOs as real and convinced followers to turn over their salaries, work long hours and prepare for the inevitable End Times. Speaking of which: One way in which you can support us at no additional cost to you is by shopping at Amazon.com. Theyre messed up children, Amrhein said. Nickys birthday is on January 4, and he was staying with me for a few days before then. Dear Abby: My boyfriend is using me for sex and money. Alamo has fathered three children by different women who live in his home as secretaries. Much of the information on Alamos early, pre-conversion life is spurious at best, on account of Alamos constant exaggerations of his importance and/or sinfulness. Tony traveled far from his midwestern roots. Kizers ruling upheld an earlier decision by the state Department of Finance and Administration that six Alamo businesses in Alma and Dyer have no religious purpose and must pay sales taxes. History: In California in February 1993 Tony Alamo took Lydia , an African American, as a second wife. She didnt hink he will hold on to his wealth much longer. A judge granted Alamo the maximum sentence for his crimes,175 years in prison. 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. He preached he was the victim of a government conspiracy. I was terrified that if I didnt do what I was supposed to do when he told me to do it no matter what it was Im going to hell, Amy tells PEOPLE, recalling her childhood in the cult. Acting didnt pan out, but Susan Lipowitz made a good living as an evangelical preacher, often leaving southern California for long stretches to preach in tents across the country. 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. When he was a teenager, Alamo left Joplin for the West Coast. I took care of his business. In return, their own needs would be met and their children would receive basic education through high school. Sunday October 1, 1995 Alamo Christian Ministries, Tony Alamo. He served slightly less than four years, was transferred to a Texarkana halfway house, and by Christmas 1998, he was a free man again. Anyone can use it regardless of ability, approach, or level of acceptance by recognized authorities in the field. Twice married and with a daughter, she came to Hollywood and attempted to become an actress. 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". On the cover of his album Bad, Michael Jackson is wearing an Alamo-painted jacket. The documentary series also features archival footage, including Tony Alamo's videotaped deposition, as well as interviews with former members of the cult and the FBI agent who brought Alamo down.[23][24]. Lizzy and her parents were threatened with expulsion from the group and eternal damnation if they did not comply with Alamos demand for her virginity. Special thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. For instance, as an Amazon Associate, Religion News Blog earns from qualifying purchases. In 1990, Alamo failed to appear in court to answer these charges and was ruled guilty in default. Mrs. Alamo, 33, a soft-spoken woman whose second child is due to be born Tuesday, said she expected the raid, if not Friday then someday. Alamo Christian Ministries: Is He a Prophet, Promoter, or Profiteer? Los Angeles Times. (Listed if other than Religion News Blog, or if not shown above), Leslie Berger, Los Angeles Times, Oct. 1, 1995, http://www.latimes.com, cults use a method that experts now refer to as coercive control an act, Updated Israeli police have arrested man whom they suspect of leading a violent cult community, The upcoming trials of the last three Aum Shinrikyo cult members will inevitably revisit the, The Cult Information Centre, a UK charity that warns people of the dangers of cults,, 'Fatal Attraction' star Glenn Close has told New York Magazine that she was well-equipped for, After 25 years in operation, the Cult Information Centre in England fears it may no, A panel of academics and professionals from Israel's Ministry of Welfare and Social Services will, South Australia's chief prosecutor is calling for new laws to thwart the rise of cults. 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. Amrhein is involved in a custody fight over her two children from a previous marriage but her marriage to the Alama-based minister is being called into question because Alamo's second wife, Birgitta Gyllenhammar, 43, says she is still waiting for him to sign the divorce papers. He is a beautiful person. When Amrhein was arrested last week in New Orleans for trying to leave the country, her marriage license was reportedly not certified. According to Alamo, while he was in a meeting at a Beverly Hills investment firm, Jesus came to him and told him to preach the second coming of Christ. 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. Pebbles was 12. [9], Tony and Susan Alamo founded the Alamo Christian Foundation in 1969 in Hollywood, California. Eddy was 14 and Rodriguez just 12 when they. She and her son are mistreated more than the others and are both referred to as nigger by Alamo. Both Tony and Susan were impressive on the stage: he with eye-catching outfits and musical ability, she with fiery sermons and deep faith. Susan died in the early Spring of 1982. Additional support provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council. Christian communities were good business in Hollywood, and The Alamo Christian foundation grew steadily over the next decade. 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. Ill get my children back, said Nick Amrhein of Huntington, West VA. Susan became ill with breast cancer in the late 1970s, just as shed reached the height of her business success. Her mother, Debbie Ondrisek, is still in the group and feels privileged that her daughter is married to the World Pastor. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The ministry has buildings in Moffett and Muldrow. His age is 88Years. Many of these individuals chose to stay on to become Bible students and lay ministers. They have a son, Tabor, together. Gyllenhammar is seeking a five-figure monthly alimony as part of her settlement. Factories are calling me and asking me why he doesnt pay his bills. They made the trip to Las Vegas in 1966 to tie the knot, each leaving their respective spouses. 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). She met Alamo in 1983 while he was buying clothes from her for his Nashville store. Preacher Tony Alamo's mugshot was released with new allegations that he had multiple wives, including a nine-year-old girl. Alamo kicked Kenya out of the group and took his wife. Alamo had the body of Mrs. Alamo removed from the tomb. Bernard was born in 1934 and took a bus to Hollywood before graduating high school. Alamo quickly declared bankruptcy, and his related businesses collapsed. McNeil, Betsy. All Rights Reserved. Hughes, Dave. Kenny Feldman (no relation) of the Sunlight Mission of Santa Monica. Original Design by Gurpartap Singh, Eye Witness & First Hand Accounts of Abuse, Tony Alamos second wife says theyre not divorced, 1986-03-06 Press Argus Courier Alamos second wife says theyre not divorced. [11], In 1976, the church relocated to Dyer, Arkansas, where Susan had grown up. Religion News Blog posted this on Sunday October 1, 1995.Last updated if a date shows here: Saturday, December 23, 2006. 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. Amrhein doesnt believe the children went to school while they lived at the foundation in Dyer. The assistant said there were many Scriptural reasons why they divorced. After a decade of building the church, Susan and Tony moved everyone to Dyer, Arkansas, just outside Fort Smith near the Oklahoma border. For about a decade, beginning in the mid-1990s, Amy and Pebbles lived as child brides of Alamo and were regularly starved, beaten and raped. He was working as a music promoter. He also built a Christian empire on sex trafficking, embezzlement and lies. [11], Seventeen days before her 57th birthday, Susan Alamo died of breast cancer on 8 April 1982 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the City of Faith hospital. Preacher Alamo Told to Return Wife's Remains. T he 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,. Her name was Susan (born Edith Opal Horn) Lipowitz, nine years his senior. That was part of our custody agreement. By different women who live in his black regalia and five-inch elevator shoes, Amrhein recalls a! 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