Lebanon Levi Took Out Insurance & Then Staged A Fire For Discovery’s Amish Mafia Show?
December 14, 2012 by Hollywoodite
There’s more and more information being revealed by the hour about the antagonist known as Lebanon Levi from Discovery’s Amish Mafia (its answer to sister channel TLC’s Breaking Amish).
First, Discovery admitted during the season premiere that there is no Amish Mafia, there’s only legend on which the premise of the show is based and reenacted. Secondly, during the same episode, redacted arrest records were broadcast pertaining to Lebanon Levi. Flashed on the screen was a poorly redacted record that revealed his real name, Levi K. Stoltzfus. More specifically, 33-year-old Levi King Stoltzfus of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. And what appeared to be a verifiable arrest record for the Lancaster area (read about his REAL arrest record, it’s not what you’d expect given the leading statements made by Discovery).
Levi is his real first name, and the Lebanon part seems to be taken from Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
A helpful commenter on this site, “More Truth” noted that an article from a local paper, The Lebanon Daily News, dated August 9, 2012 revealed Stoltzfus to be a member of a local fire department. And Stoltzfus reportedly took out the relevant insurance and requested permission to set fire to a mobile home for a segment to be filmed for Discovery Channel.
Here’s the article, which heavily implies that the scene was staged ahead of time. The scene of a mobile home being set ablaze required insurance, notifying local authorities, warning local residents, and staging the scene safely for Discovery.
[The] council gave approval for Neptune Fire Co. member Levi Stoltzfus to set a mobile home on fire at the Richland carnival grounds under the condition that prior proof of liability insurance is provided to the borough office.
Stoltzfus said a crew will film him combating a fire in the trailer for the purpose of a creating a segment for a Discovery Channel program. He told council the trailer will then be set ablaze again for fire department training.
[Richland council President Owen] Landes told Stoltzfus to notify residents living near the carnival grounds in advance of the scheduled burn. – via The Lebanon Daily News.
A quick search of the Neptune Fire Company website reveals that a “Levi Stoltzfus” is indeed a member; specifically, a “Trustee” listed under “Administration.” (Bottom right, click image to enlarge).
The fire company’s Facebook page says they were established 1871 and puts them in Tyrone, PA with the following Mission: “Mission To respond to calls in a safe manner to serve the tyrone community and surrounding communitys in time of emergency whether it be fire, mva’s, brush fires, or search and rescues. The neptune fire company is always willing and always ready.” And following Description: “We own and operate four pieces of apparatus out of station 34, 31-13 2001 international pierce 1000 gal tank equipped with rescue tools hand tools, 31-14 1974 ford young fire equipment engine 1000gal tank soon to be replaced with a 2011 pierce custom cab 1800 gal pumper tanker,utility 31-41 2008 ford f250 ,Brush 31-71 1967 kaiser jeep.”