The Alamo Christian Foundation was set up in 1969 by husband and wife Tony and Susan Alamo, born Bernie Lazar Hoffman and Edith Opal Horn. While they live states apart Pebbles, a stay-at-home mom who is in the process of getting a divorce, is in the Phoenix area with her two young sons; and Amy is studying to get into college in Oklahoma City, where she is also raising two boys with her boyfriend they are forever linked and speak with each other daily. Tony renamed the business and ran the organization as a benevolent and energetic father figure. Alamo has fathered three children by different women who live in his home as secretaries. Tony Alamos second wife says they have never divorced and insists that his third marriage to Elizabeth Amrhein is invalid. Alamo had the body of Mrs. Alamo removed from the tomb. History: In Arkansas in January 1994, Elizabeth Mercado (aka Lizzy Gutierrez) became Tonys wife. Anti-Catholic, pro-polygamy evangelist convicted in 2009 on 10 counts of transporting underage girls across state lines for sex. Alamo Christian Ministries: Is He a Prophet, Promoter, or Profiteer? Los Angeles Times. I mean, you cant put a good face on that, she continued. The U.S. State Department isnt sure either if Alamo and Amrhein are married. They had another wedding in Las Vegas, and they moved to his home in Dyer. Susan wasnt., I fell in love with Tony, she said. The various publications his ministry offered, such as The Vatican Moscow Washington Alliance, detailed his conspiracy theories. Meanwhile, lawsuits filed by former church members accused the couple of controlling their flock with intimidation and beatings. When Bernie, sometimes called Mark, met Susan in 1965, they were both on their second marriages--at least thats what he told her. Their wives had remarried more loyal subjects of Alamo, and their families had relocated to California. "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. But last month Spears concluded after a weeklong trial that Mr. It was her second marriage. He had his fist clenched and started making noises. 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. Ill tell you how bad a shape theyre in. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital . She didnt hink he will hold on to his wealth much longer. He arrived in Los Angeles in the 1960s, claiming he was a music promoter with clients including the Beatles. 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. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Among the businesses which Alamo started was decorating denim jackets and airbrushing them with bright, colorful designs. The Daughters Tale: Anti-Catholic Cult Leaders Child Recounts Abuse. Intelligence Report, Spring 2008. Special thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Alamo is the president of the Alama-based Alamo Christian Foundation. When Alamo saw Amrhein at the hearing the evangelist appeared upset. I took care of his business. 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. In 1976, a few unhappy followers reported him to the U.S. Department of Labor, who investigated. The assistant said there were many Scriptural reasons why they divorced. Tony Alamo and his wife, Susan, established a church in Nashville called the Music Square Church, located near Printers Alley. 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. But after his wife died in 1982, Alamo's behavior grew deviant and he began preaching the purported righteousness of polygamy and underage brides.In the mid-1990s, Alamo, then 62 years old . For every Chris Coie out there, there are hundreds of people who would say just the opposite with regard to her allegations about the church and about Tony, James said. He claimed Satan was behind the continuous, relentless government prosecution and that he was the ultimate victim. Their partnership brought in more members than ever. Tony Alamo was looking at child porn charges. Many Hollywood celebrities were seen wearing them, including Michael Jackson, who wore a modified leather Alamo jacket on the cover of his album Bad. His booming voice could be heard on the radio from Alabama to Africa, trying to convert a new flock. Gyllenhammar said Alamo is attracted to blond women. The show related his four-year struggle against the Alamo church on the streets of Hollywood. 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. At its height, the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries had thousands of followers around the country, according to the AP. She married Solomon Lipowitz, and together, they had a daughter. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. [11], In 1976, the church relocated to Dyer, Arkansas, where Susan had grown up. Alamo, whose real name is Bernie Lazar . 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. 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]. Buchanan, Susy. WATCH: Cult Leaders & Child Brides: Breaking Down People Magazine Investigates: Cults. Alamo was convicted on June 8, 1994, on one charge of filing a false income tax return and three charges of failing to file a tax return. About 18 months later, his prophecy unfulfilled, Alamo erected a mausoleum on the property and entombed her there. But no. Alamo, who was born Bernie Lazar Hoffman, died Tuesday at the age of 82 while in custody at a federal prison hospital in Butner, N.C., the Bureau of Prisons said, according to the Associated Press. Updated. Ive been asked to go to France and design clothes there. Alamo Christian Foundation zeroed in on street kids, and there were no shortage in 1960s Hollywood. As young girls, Amy Eddy and her best friend, Pebbles Rodriguez, did not have any control of their lives. [4], After divorcing their respective spouses, Horn and Hoffman married in a 1966 Las Vegas ceremony, legally changing their names to Tony Alamo and Susan Alamo. Dear Abby: My boyfriend is using me for sex and money. Online at http://www.religionnewsblog.com/8506 (accessed February 23, 2023). Sadly, there are many more under age children that were forced by Alamo to be another one of his wives. Pictures are unavailable at this time. 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) Magazines, Digital Again, followers worked in these businesses for practically nothing. Alamo went on to own a health club and work in the music industry. Schriver, Debby. In this paragraph, we have covered all details of his relationship and wife in this article. Ive been trying to divorce him since the end of January, she said. Alamo responded by declaring bankruptcy, and his businesses imploded, although Alamo Ministries limped along. The couple first grew a following in Hollywood, preaching peace and salvation. The Arkansas compound had much in common with Jonestown, the South American outpost run by Jim Jones that resulted in 909 deaths by cyanide poisoning on Nov. 18, 1978. [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. Both Tony and Susan were impressive on the stage: he with eye-catching outfits and musical ability, she with fiery sermons and deep faith. on July 23, 2009. Its embarrassing to have a husband who gives stupid interviews and gives out crazy literature, she went on, referring to his statements that the country is run by the Vatican. In September 1994, the Federal District Court for the Western District of Tennessee sentenced Alamo to six years in federal prison in Texarkana, Texas. Chancery Judge Bernice Kizer ruled Monday that the foundations local business must pay back sales taxes. Members usually lived in a commune and worked at an Alamo-owned business, turning over much of their salaries to the church. 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. 1A, 6A. Arkansas authorities report that Alamo (born Bernie Lazar Hoffman) died while in custody at the Federal Medical Center in. He's a convicted tax evader and a flamboyant evangelist who once ran what authorities called a multimillion-dollar, Saugus-based cult. Her. In addition to clothing, the church produced music and began distributing Christian music and sermons nationally. Miss Gyllenhammar says when the romance cooled, he would often beat her. This newspaper traced the advertising agency promoting the association to the Alamo of Nashville clothing store. 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. 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. The jackets sold profitably and began making real money for the church members and the church itself when celebrities began purchasing them for several thousand dollars each. Asked about his wealth, Gyllenhammar said she is not entitled to any of his property because all of it belongs to the foundation. 2023 Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Sensing that a panicky Alamo might move the body, Coie had obtained a restraining order, taped to the tomb, that forbade anyone from disturbing it. 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. With the assistance of some church members, the Alamos produced records and tapes. On September 25, 2008, Alamo himself was arrested in Flagstaff, Arizona, on a federal warrant charging him with violating the Mann Act, a federal statute enacted to stop the trafficking of women or girls across state lines, over a period from March 1994 through October 2005. Tony Alamo was born on 20 September 1934 and his place of birth was in Joplin, Missouri, US. Theme Ported to Wordpress by Kaushal Sheth . The next raid wouldnt just be the feds and it wouldnt be a pesky tax problem. Sunday October 1, 1995 Alamo Christian Ministries, Tony Alamo. Tony was a street preacher and his ministry would offer . [1][2] Susan Alamo died in April 1982. By now, he was a millionaire with a large staff of workers. Below are several (but not all) of Tony Alamos alleged wives. Guilty Alamo Hears Bye, Bye outside Court. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,July 25, 2009, pp. At the age of 82, Tony Alamo died while serving his federal prison sentence. They were even told who they were going to marry: the 62-year-old leader of their apocalyptic group. A hearing was held the day after her arrest. As the government painstakingly made its case for tax evasion, Tony was fighting legal battles on multiple fronts. Tony allegedly threatened to kill Arnold but was never held legally accountable. 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. If hed married Brooke Shields I would be jealous. But look who he married? 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. Members could stop by the compound in Dyer, from its perch looking out over the Ozark Mountains, and view the embalmed body of Susan Alamo. It lost on appeal to the United States Court of Appeals in 1999. Whispering in the Daylight: The Children of Tony Alamo Christian Ministries and Their Journey to Freedom. I was at a party not long ago with Julio Iglesias and Elizabeth Taylor. Many of the businesses have closed down. You are here: Home | Preacher Tony Alamo Told to Return Wifes Remains. 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. 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. History: Just 13 years old when she went to Tony Alamos house and became a wife. 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