Amish Mafia’s Merlin Miller: How Old Is He? What Is His Job? Where Is He From?
Discovery’s Amish Mafia is wrapping up its first season with a series of interviews desperately backpedaling on the same fraud claims that plagued its sister show, TLC’s Breaking Amish.
Incidentally, Breaking Amish’s Sabrina Burkholder (née High), an Amish model and actress, is connected to Amish Mafia’s Alan Beiler who’s an Amish casting person. Also, Breaking Amish’s Kate Stoltzfus is the third cousin of Amish Mafia’s “Lebanon” Levi King Stoltzfus. And Breaking Amish’s Abe Schmucker is the first cousin of Amish Mafia’s Esther Freeman Schmucker and John Freeman Schmucker (Abe’s father is Esther and John’s father’s younger brother). Moreover, Esther Freeman Schmucker’s ex-boyfriend claimed, while they were dating, that she’s a producer for TLC.
Among the claims of fraud is anecdotal evidence that the Amish Mafia does not exist, Discovery using fake mug shots and the name of a fake police department, scenes of racketeering being faked, scenes of destruction of property being faked. Also, contrary to what is broadcast, the cast’s real rap sheets are almost entirely drink, drug, and vehicular related with very few violent crimes between them. For example, Alvin Lantz’s crimes include DUI and so does the rap sheet of Levi Stoltzfus.
And thanks to a helpful tipster, there’s also information on the rap sheet of Amish Mafia’s Merlin Miller.
“Merlin” from Amish Mafia is 31-year-old Merlin A. Miller who appears to work for Alpine Aluminum (siding, windows, and spouting) in his local Wilmot, OH established in 1977. The business is run by the Millers who say: “We are a family owned business for over 30 years! We take great pride in our customers! We stand on a firm foundation of integrity, hard work, and Quality Amish Craftsmenship!” One of the pages on Alpine Aluminum’s website appears to show a gentleman in Amish clothing.
This is the second cast member to work construction (an explanation of why it’s a popular trade in the area).
On the Alpine Aluminum Contact Us page is a photo of a man who looks a lot like Miller.
Which is more apparent when you compare this photo, left, to a screenshot from the show, right (look at the ears, cheekbones, and jawline).
The Better Business Bureau, and local reports, confirm Alpine Aluminum is owned by Miller’s father.
Also, although it seems to have been removed from the BBB entry, a Google search of Merlin Miller and the BBB turns up his first name and an email address associated with the business.
Additionally, another search for Merlin Miller turns up a different business email and Miller soliciting work, using the company’s phone number, on a now-deleted Twitter account of which there’s only proof in other people’s archives.
