Shivangi Sinha
Throughout US history, numerous cults have been investigated and prosecuted for crimes committed under the guise of religious practices. The Nuwaubian Nation, a supremacist religious sect, has often been accused of similar wrongdoing. Beginning in the early 1990s, law enforcement started investigating the group’s leader, Dwight York, and in 2002, he was convicted on multiple charges. The sheer scale of his crimes, particularly the number of victims involved, was staggering. Hulu’s episode of ‘How I Escaped My Cult,’ titled ‘Nuwaubian Nation,’ features several former members who shared their experiences and provided a comprehensive look into how the group operated.
Dwight York Was Able to Draw a Lot of Followers Due to the Political Climate of the Country
Dwight D. York was born on June 26, 1945, though there are conflicting claims about his birthplace. Official records indicate that he was born in Boston, Massachusetts. However, he claimed that at the age of seven, he traveled to Aswan, Egypt, to study Islam and did not return until he was 12. His connection to religion remained strong, and he later relocated with his family to Teaneck, New Jersey. York first gained public attention in the 1960s when he founded the Ansaaru Allah Community in the same area. His followers were known for wearing black and green garments called dashikis.
By 1967, York had adopted the name Imam Isa Abdullah and rebranded his group as the Nubians. His movement aligned with the broader Black Power Movement, which emerged in the 1960s as a response to racial injustice and systemic oppression faced by Black Americans. The Black Power Movement emphasized racial pride, self-sufficiency, and the establishment of Black-led institutions, making York’s teachings appealing to many who sought empowerment and community. As a result, his group attracted a significant following, particularly among individuals from lower-income backgrounds who were looking for a sense of belonging and purpose.
In the 1970s, York traveled to Sudan and Egypt, where he sought legitimacy and financial support for his organization. He was able to persuade the family of Mohamed Ahmed Al-Mahdi—a 19th-century Sudanese religious and military leader known for leading a successful revolt against Ottoman-Egyptian and British rule—to help fund his movement. In accordance with his new political alliance, in 1970, he changed his group’s name to Ansaaru Allah Community in the West. An FBI report from this time alleged that the group committed various criminal activities under the garb of a religious organization.
Dwight York’s Religious Group Started Being Inspected by the Police Since 1993
In the 1980s, York relocated to Coney Island, New York, where he continued expanding his influence. By 1991, he had moved his operations near the Catskill Mountains. During this period, he also explored the music industry, launching his own record label, Passion Productions. York was actively involved in music production and even performed as a vocalist with various groups. He collaborated with notable artists such as Force MD, Fredro Starr of Onyx, and Stetsasonic, blending his musical ventures with his growing spiritual movement.
In 1990, York changed his name once again, adopting the identity Issa al Haadi al Mahdi. Just a few years later, in 1993, he relocated to Georgia along with a group of his followers. Around this time, he changed his name yet again—this time to Malachi York. By then, he was married to Kathy Johnson, and together, they rebranded the movement as the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors. Problems started arising for the group when they finished the construction of an Egyptian-themed complex called Tama-Re near Eatonton, Georgia. Several local members of the community alleged that they were violating zoning violations, and the groups started drawing flak for various reasons.
A lot of people alleged that they were not comfortable with the preachings of the York. He said that Black people were of divine origin and were the true rulers of Earth, linking his ideology to ancient Egyptian and Nubian heritage. He also incorporated UFO lore, claiming that he was a being from the planet Rizq sent to guide humanity. He also borrowed elements from Christianity, presenting himself as a prophetic figure akin to Jesus while simultaneously denouncing mainstream Christian doctrine as corrupted. Additionally, he dabbled in cryptozoology, promoting ideas about mythical creatures like Bigfoot and reptilian beings.
Dwight York is Serving His Sentence in Prison Today
By the early 2000s, the police began receiving numerous anonymous letters alleging widespread sexual exploitation within the Nuwaubian Nation. Reports of mistreatment, particularly of women and minors, continued to surface, prompting law enforcement to intensify their investigation—one that had been ongoing since 1993. In 2002, Dwight York was arrested and charged with over 100 counts of child molestation. The following year, his plea bargain was dismissed by a judge, and in January 2004, a jury convicted him on charges of RICO violations, child molestation, and financial fraud, resulting in a 135-year prison sentence. His case remains one of the largest cases of molestation against a single person in the history of the country.
York attempted to appeal his conviction in 2005, but his request was denied in a hearing the following year. According to reports from 2024, he is being held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado. His followers have presented many theories and made many public appeals for his release, but none of them have been given any leverage. His release date has been set for 2120, which ensures that he will spend his remaining life behind bars.
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