Southend-on-Sea, England: Kung Fu master Tony Anthony and Avanti Ministries

[stephenprunetti]

Phone call to Angela Little 8/10/2009

The following is not the full conversation that i had with Angela Little today, but the important bits. Excuse my inarticulate way of speaking, but i'm writing the exact wording used.



SP: When you did the book, was there any verification process? Because he makes some pretty big claims, Tony Anthony.

AL: Not by myself, no. Cos just being the writer, i wouldn't see that as my role. When an author comes to me i write what they ask me to write, and i do happen to trust Tony. I believe what he says is true.

SP: Everything in the book, you believe to be true?

AL: Yes i do. I have no reason to not believe it's true.

SP: I believe 100% that the man is a liar and a fraud. What bothers me is, he's travelling the world getting in front of large groups of people, and passing his story off, which i believe is at least 90% fabricated, as true, and using it as a Christian recruiting aid.

AL: He is. Do you know what? He's using it as a tool to then present the gospel message. Now i know, cos i know him very well, that if he could do this without telling his story, then he would, because he hates his story. He doesn't like telling his story.

SP: Well, he seems to be going round the world telling it often enough! And there's enough videos of him on youtube telling his story.

AL: Yeah. He uses that as a tool to then present the gospel message. Which at the end of the day is what it's all about.

SP: I think it's pretty 'off' that he's spreading the gospel, the word of Jesus, by lying! His story is untrue.

AL: Right. Ok. Well i don't think there's anything i can say or do to help you. I trust him. I am at the end of the day just a writer, and i've written what i believe is a truthful story.

SP: And there was no verification process at all? You haven't checked any of his claims?

AL: Not particularly, no.

[filehelp]

[stubbe78]

I am a christian, but I can't help, as I live in Denmark. I suppose you mean christians situated in the Southend-on-sea area?
I would love to get some clarification, but who can prove anything, it's going to be extremely difficult to find any clear evidence.

[filehelp]

Yea i mean Christians in the Vincenty of his next travel dates. Scotland etc.http://www.avantiministries.com/eventsdiary.php

I believe that a lot could be answered if someone could contact Tony person to person at one of these dates. Obviously after the event so no one attending is disrupted and done in a very polite manner.

I have found quite a bit of clear evidence already and some that I have put to Tony that I believe he wont be able to find an answer for. I have not posted it all yet as it will be better to do at the right time.

For conclusive evidence finding ex PLO member Ian Davidson is as big as it gets. Not sure where he is or if he even is alive but it is very important if we can find him.

[filehelp]

Just received conformation that i could publish this. this is the first email i sent to Malcolm with his answers.

I Edited out non essential personal communication, pleasantry etc.

Was your publishing company handed a finished book or did you back the idea from creation?
I was handed the brief outline of Tonys story on two sides of A4. Intrigued by the contents I contacted ghost writer, Angela Little and we agreed to all meet up. Tony shared his story with Angela who then went on to complete the manuscript.

How much fact checking was done before publishing "Taming the Tiger"?
We obtained character references from people like George Verwer, Michael Wright and Tonys pastor. The manuscript itself was read by several people prior to publication. All were satisfied as to Tonys claims.

How was Angela Little chosen for the position of Co-author?
She isconsidered to be a gifted ghost writer having written for Hodder Faith. She was also the former editor of Premier magazine which is where I got to know her as we both worked for Word Music and Books as it was known then prior to the STL buy out and name change to Authentic.

There has been a lot of confusion regarding dates from the book, would it be possible to have Tony's Birth year?
Im sorry Tony does not give out this information for security reasons.

Tony states that he was released from prison in 1992 yet, "Al Caponey" wasn't sentenced till 1994. How is this possible?
Al Caponey was already in prison at the same time as Tony his sentence in 1994 was for another crime.

[filehelp]

Follow up email.

Thank you very much for you prompt reply.

Your reply really cleared up a lot of things, especially in regard to publication.

On the issue of his prison sentence, Al Caponey was in jail before 1994 but was not a rapist/murderer then as claimed in the book. This point has raised a few issues of concern, especially due to the fact of a lot of Tony's acquaintances from the jail are well known and information easily accessible form a basic search function. etc. Ian Davidson, Nikos Sampson. Although this point has more to do with Tony, rather than yourself or Authentic publishing.

Do i have permission to forward on your answers or would you like them to remain solely with me?
Thanks very much all the help,

[filehelp]

Thanks for your reply.

I would advise going on to Tony’s website www.avantiministries.com for more detailed discussion on the detail you seek. There you will see a questions and answers tab which will in about a month have answers to the most commonly asked questions and an opportunity for further clarification.

Feel free to forward my answers as there is nothing confidential that I’ve not already passed on to others.

I’m not sure where you live but Tony is speaking in Chesham on Sunday night – again check the website for further details.


Warm regards
Malcolm


Malcolm

[filehelp]

What what did we learn from the two communications with Little and Malcolm?

- Tony was solely in charge of what was written in "taming the tiger"
- the only verification of information was "character reference"s
- we may be blessed with a FAQ in the months to come

As I live on the other side of the world, who's keen to go to Chesham?

[filehelp]

Some fact on Al Caponey.

In 1986, while doing a spell in the juvenile wing of Nicosia’s Central Prisons, he escaped but was caught and completed his term. It was another seven years before he made headline news...that eventually led to his conviction as a rapist and double murderer.

Caponey

1986 - jailed
???? - released
1994 - re jailed

Anthony

1990 - Jailed
1992 - Released

can anyone find this out when Caponey was first released? even IF Caponey was in jail at the same time as Anthony, which I highley doubt. (would have to be a pretty long juvenile sentence but NOT served in the juvenile wing) he still called Caponey a Murderer/Rapist which didnt happen till 1994.

I dont really see if theres a way for him to awnser this one.

[stephenprunetti]

Top marks, Filehelp.
I must say, Malcolm has always answered my emails promptly and courteously. Angela Little was also very nice, if not a little taken aback that i'd called her. I do find it hard to believe that two educated, professional people, did not even slightly suspect that Tony's story was untrue, with it being so ludicrous. But that does appear to be the case.
My view on Tony has remained unchanged since i read his fairy story two years ago, and is perhaps a little kinder than yours. I really don't think his motive, initially at least, was to make money out of this. I believe he is a 'Walter Mitty' character who was befriended by Christians whilst he was in prison. He's made-up an elaborate and fictitious past for himself, and at some point, someone decided it would be a good book. With an audience of people who seem almost desperate to uncritically believe, it just became like a run-away train.

[filehelp]

Yea that's a strong possibility also.

But comparing this information to the unpublished information by Littleoldme one could see quite a dark, preconceived possibility from Tony Anthony. will be a interesting next couple of days.

"two educated, professional people, did not even slightly suspect that Tony's story was untrue, with it being so ludicrous. But that does appear to be the case."

This is an interesting point. Firstly this story holds a very strong value to the christian community (if true), so (I'm not remotely educated in psychology) maybe its what they wanted to believe.

When i saw his presentation, very interested in martial arts I lapped it up. I was slightly educated :) but i was still suckered in.

near to Chesham?

[stephenprunetti]

Tony Anthony came to give one of his talks in my home town, two years ago, so i went to meet him then. I'd been in correspondence with him by email and telephone, and i think he had an idea that i'd turn up. After his talk, i introduced myself as he stepped off the stage, and we went out into the corridor to talk. He was visibly sweating and could not, or would not provide answers to any of my questions. He just side-stepped everything i asked him, as if he had no interest in my questions. He most certainly did not come across as a man who was confident in his story. He seemed very uneasy indeed.

[stubbe78]

maybe its what they wanted to believe.

Maybe it is :-) We believe that God creates miracles, but Tonys story falls out of category. That is, from my point of view.
I will not hide the fact that I believe in Gods wonders, as well as other christians do, but we still need to be critical and sort out the rotten apples. I would say we failed to do so in this particular case, but I still don't know for sure. We still don't have too many absolutes to conclude from. Still, so far I believe that he is infact lying about some parts of his life

[stubbe78]

When it comes to whether Tony is lying or not, I am so far on the same page as you. I may have more reason to believe him(or wanting to believe him) than you.
Still, as long as he can't answer for a whole lot of his story, I don't have more reason to believe him than you do.

[stubbe78]

Btw, in the next edition of the book, there will be an explanation of the slightly turned names of individuals and organizations, so he will just refer to that, if we confront him with irregularities.
He also has some kind of explanation for the IKFF issue. Something about security reasons and he says that it was a mistake not to put the explanation in the book the first time and that he will do so in the next edition.
Now, that is lame, everyone knows that you write it in the book, if you are not using the real names. Someone must have known that.
Furthermore why then does he mention some real names of hardcore criminals?
There is something wrong here