The next time you buy a breakfast sandwich or coffee at one Hudson Valley deli, you may be unwittingly funding a fringe group accused of child abuse and other horrors.
There’s a quaint little deli in the Hudson Valley that may look like any other cafe, but most people who sit down to eat have no idea that it’s owned and operated by a religious sect that authorities have classified as a dangerous cult.
Hudson Valley Deli Run by Group Classified as Cult
The Yellow Deli sits at 18 South River Street in Coxsackie, right by the water. It serves soups, sandwiches and tea just like any other restaurant, but it is staffed by alleged cult members. The deli is one of a network of Yellow Delis around the world operated by the Twelve Tribes, a sect that former members, watchdogs, and even European courts have associated with serious allegations, including child abuse and exploitative labor.
Twelve Tribes uses the delis to fund its communities and interact with the public. The group traces its roots to Chattanooga in the 1970s under founder Gene “Yoneq” Spriggs and teaches a strict return to first-century church living.
Allegations Lodged Against Group Behind Hudson Valley Deli
Although there are few complaints about the food, critics say it’s what happens behind the scenes that is concerning. In 2013, German authorities raided Twelve Tribes communities after an undercover video allegedly showed children being beaten. Dozens of children were removed from their parents. In 2018, the European Court of Human Rights upheld Germany’s actions, citing a need to protect children from continued abuse…