Tony Alamo

Seven former female ministry members obtained an initial Arkansas default judgment totalling 525 million dollars against Twenty First Century Holiness Tabernacle Church, followed by a second default judgment for the same amount against Tony Alamo personally, bringing the theoretical combined amount owed by the church and Alamo to more than one billion dollars.

State of the evidence

Documented

Spencer Ondrisek and Seth Calagna, raised in the ministry, obtained a civil verdict against Alamo for battery, outrage and conspiracy relating to abuse suffered as minors. The appellate court upheld liability and compensatory damages of 3 million dollars per plaintiff, while reducing punitive damages to 12 million each. The amended final judgment totalled 30 million dollars.

Attribution

Accused

Following a federal investigation and 2009 trial, Tony Alamo was found guilty of ten Mann Act offences for transporting five minors across state lines for unlawful sexual activity. He was sentenced to 175 years' imprisonment; the appellate court upheld the convictions and sentence. A judge also ordered restitution of 500 000 dollars to each of the five victims.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Accused

Following 2008 raids on the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries compound in Fouke, numerous children were taken into protective care. In several cases, Arkansas courts made findings concerning physical abuse, failures to protect children, unlawful marriages of underage girls, inadequate education and Alamo's continued control over the ministry even from prison.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

The Southern Poverty Law Center added Tony Alamo Christian Ministries to its 'hate groups' list, particularly citing anti-Catholic, anti-LGBT and anti-government rhetoric disseminated by Alamo and his organisation.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

After a court order required Susan Alamo's body to remain in its Arkansas mausoleum, the coffin disappeared. In 1995, an Arkansas judge found that Tony Alamo had unlawfully caused the body to be removed and ordered him to return it and arrange lawful burial, under threat of imprisonment for contempt.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Alamo was accused of ordering followers to strike an 11-year-old boy, Jeremiah Miller, repeatedly with a large paddle. Miller obtained 550 000 dollars in civil damages. Criminal charges against Alamo were ultimately dropped in 1995.

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

A federal jury in Memphis found Tony Alamo guilty of falsifying his 1985 federal tax return and failing to file returns for 1986 to 1988. In September 1994, he was sentenced to six years' imprisonment.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Accused

The Department of Labor sued the Tony and Susan Alamo Foundation and Tony Alamo for breaches of federal minimum-wage, overtime and record-keeping rules in the foundation's commercial activities. Federal courts held that the workers concerned were 'employees' under the FLSA despite the religious setting.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Accused