Hudson Valley Deli Run by Sect Accused of Being a Dangerous Cult

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.

Closer to home, New York investigators found multiple child labor law violations at a Twelve Tribes property in Washington County after an undercover investigative report discovered children working illegally. The state probe focused on work involving minors at the group’s Common Sense Farm near Albany.

Reporters and researchers have also documented allegations from former members who describe severe corporal punishment and tightly controlled lives. Civil rights groups have labeled the Twelve Tribes a high-control sect and highlighted teachings that critics call racist and misogynistic. The group’s restaurants, including Yellow Deli locations, regularly surface in those reports because they are public-facing businesses that help fund the communities.

The Twelve Tribes disputes these characterizations. Leaders acknowledge using what they call a “reed-like rod” as biblical discipline, but deny abusing children. They argue that government actions in places like Germany were unjust and have claimed that authorities have infringed on their religious freedom and parental rights. On its official site, the group presents its beliefs, daily life and the Yellow Deli as extensions of a faith community that welcomes visitors.

All of this makes stopping at the deli a bit more complicated. If you choose to visit the Yellow Deli the next time you're in Coxsackie, at least now you know who is behind the counter and what your purchase is really supporting.

Read More: Hudson Valley Deli Run by Sect Accused of Being a Dangerous Cult | https://wpdh.com/cult-owned-deli-hudson-valley/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral