Amish Mafia

***Amish Mafia*** is an American reality television series following "Lebanon Levi", along with three of his assistants, who are purported to be a "mafia" in an Amish community. The series aired for four seasons on the Discovery Channel from December 12, 2012 to March 31, 2015.

Despite being presented as a documentary, the authenticity of the show has been refuted by scholars, local newspapers, and law enforcement. The supposed secret organization within the Amish is known to be entirely fictional and created for entertainment purposes. There have also been accusations of the series being bigoted and defaming towards Amish people.

## Storyline

The series follows members of the "Amish Mafia" in their efforts to keep the peace within the Amish community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and will protect it from outsiders (usually referred to as the "English"), as they deal with internal struggles for power as to who will lead the Mafia.

## Cast

* Lebanon Levi - Boss of the Amish Mafia
* Alvin - Levi's right-hand man
* Jolin - Levi's righteous soldier
* John - The newest member, Esther's brother and a former member of Levi's group
* Esther - John's sister who knows Levi as more than a friend
* Wayne - Merlin's former enforcer
* Alan Beiler - Known as "Schwarze Amish" or black Mafia
* Caleb - A member of Levi's crew from a brethren community
* Freeman - Esther and John's brother rumored to be possessed by the devil
* Crazy Dave - A member of Levi's crew
* Big Steve - An associate of Levi's

## Episodes

Main article: *List of Amish Mafia episodes*

## Reception

*Amish Mafia* has been questioned by critics and viewers for the veracity of events it has depicted. *The New York Times* noted that "An early credit warns of 'select reenactments', and since we are never told whether we're watching staged scenes, it's fairly safe to assume that everything it staged." Additionally, "A closing credit clarifies that 'recreations are based on eyewitness accounts, testimonials and the legend of the Amish Mafia." It is not publicly known which scenes are based on accounts and testimonials and which are based on legend.

Amish scholars in particular have been heavily critical of the series. Donald Kraybill, and Elizabethtown College professor and prominent researcher of and author about the Anabaptist lifestyle, commented about Levi allegedly being an unbaptized Amish: "Baptism is essential in the Amish faith: Either you're in or you're out". Kraybill and others also observed that genuine Amish people wouldn't appear on camera as their faith forbids it. Criticisms include: "To call these shows documentaries is a fraudulent lie, and the show is just sort of an example of the foolishness of stupidity and lies - misrepresentation I should say - that are promoted about the Amish in television... These production crews should be ashamed of trying to say this represents Amish life." Donald Weaver-Zercher, Messiah College Professor and authority on the Amish, echoed these views, and stated upon seeing the trailer, "I thought I was watching a *Saturday Night Live* skit on reality television because it was so farfetched." Several sources agreed that the Amish themselves are unlikely to respond about the show's credibility because they value their privacy and usually do not interact with the media. Jeffrey Conrad, a former prosecutor of Lanard County, stated that his office was not aware of an "Amish mafia", and that they would have been prosecuted if there were.

Local press has highlighted several factual errors in the show as well. One episode stated that Lebanon Levi was arrested by the Lancaster County Police, which does not even exist. There is a Lancaster City Bureau of Police, but no country-wide force. The owners of one store who were portrayed paying Levi with protection money denied having any relationship with him. A scene purported to have been shot in south-central Lancaster County, the "heart" of Amish country, turned out to have been shot in a riverside park in Columbia on the western edge of the country. Lebanon Levi often stated that he earned the money through his construction business to pay for his luxury car. The vehicle, however, has markings and stickers on it that would indicate that it is an Enterprise rental car.

The series has been controversial both locally and in the U.S. media as a result of its alleged bigotry and inaccurate portrayal of the Amish. Churches and Lancaster County residents have banded together in opposing the show. Additionally, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett called for the show's cancellation and said it was "bigoted" and "an affront to all people of faith and all secular people with moral principles."