Monday I mentioned a story about Twelve Tribes, a "religious cult" in Cambridge, NY that was recently exposed for being a child labor camp. Since it broke a day or two ago, they were under investigation and evidence was found.

The farm itself where the Twelve Tribes is located called Common Sense Farm and can be found in Cambridge, NY. Since the undercover investigation was released that I mentioned Monday, the Post Star is reporting that the state Department of Labor had launched an official investigation into these child labor accusations.

Inside Edition revealed the undercover video on Friday of children workers in a soap factory as young as 9-years-old. The Department of Labor has said that this was the video that got the Department's attention. They also got on film, adults beating the children as a form of discipline.

According to the Post Star, "Reached by telephone, a member of the group declined to comment or give his name but said that there was an explanation for the scenes in the Inside Edition film. He declined to give that explanation."

Since then, the Post Star reported another update where the state Department of Labor found 12 children working in a factory and cited them for "multiple violations" that could result in “significant fines in the tens of thousands of dollars.” They also educated the farm members on child labor standards. They now are opening up investigations in other communities:

  • Community in Coxsackie, 20 South River St., Coxsackie
  • Community in Oak Hill, Route 81 Box 81A, Oak Hill
  • The Yellow Deli, 7771 state Route 81, Oak Hill
  • The Yellow Deli, 134 Main St., Oneonta
  • Community in Oneonta, 81 Chestnut St., Oneonta
  • Community in Ithaca, 119 3rd St., Ithaca
  • Maté Factor, 143 E. State St., Ithaca
  • Community in Hamburg, 329 Buffalo St., Hamburg

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