Why Yellow Deli Workers Can’t Walk Away From 12 Tribes

There are at least thirty-three Yellow Deli locations worldwide. The reviews are glowing. The atmosphere is warm. And according to former members, cult researchers, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, every single one of them is allegedly a recruitment center for the Twelve Tribes — a group classified as a Christian fundamentalist cult.

In this episode, Tony Brueski pulls back the curtain on the Yellow Deli pipeline. Former members describe a process that starts with a sandwich and ends with total surrender — your savings, your name, your family, your autonomy. The warmth is real. The strategy behind it, acco...