February hearing set in effort to auction property associated with convicted evangelist Alamo

Associated Press/January 2, 2014

Texarkana, Arkansas -- A hearing has been scheduled for Feb 5. regarding a second group of properties associated with convicted evangelist Tony Alamo that attorneys for two men want auctioned to help settle a $30 million civil judgment Alamo owes the men.

U.S. Magistrate Barry Bryant set the hearing to consider any claims by Alamo followers that they, not Alamo, are the owners of the properties, including houses in Fouke and Texarkana and a gym in Fouke, the Texarkana Gazette reported Thursday.

Bryant has already ordered the auction of six properties later this month to partially satisfy the $15 million judgment that Alamo was ordered to pay each man after a jury found he had ordered the men to be beaten and bullied when they were children in Alamo's ministry.

Bryant previously rejected claims by Alamo followers that they were the true owners of those properties.

Bryant's latest order, dated Dec. 23, says any Alamo Ministry members who have asserted claims to fill out a questionnaire concerning those claims property by property. The members making claims have until Jan. 21 to submit the questionnaires to the court or risk having their cases tossed out, according to Bryant's order.

The latest properties include the Fouke house where Alamo lived before his Sept. 20, 2008, arrest on charges of bringing children across state lines for sex. Other parcels include a residential house in Texarkana, Arkansas, a gym building in Fouke, a residence in Fouke known as the "House of Scorn" where women and girls in Alamo Ministries were held when the fell out of favor with Alamo.

Alamo, who was born Bernie Lazar Hoffman, was convicted in 2009 on 10 counts of bringing young girls, who he said he had married, across state lines for sex. He is now serving 175 years in federal prison for those convictions.

To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject click here.