Updated

A circuit judge in Arkansas has awarded more than half a billion dollars in damages to seven women who were physically and sexually abused by Tony Alamo when they belonged to the evangelist's ministry.

The Texarkana Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/1kcA7ca ) that Miller County Circuit Judge Kirk Johnson entered a default judgment against Twenty First Century Holiness Tabernacle Church, an arm of Alamo Ministries, after it failed to respond to the civil suit.

Johnson awarded the women a total of $525 million.

Alamo is serving a 175-year prison sentence on sex-related convictions. The victims in the civil case are among the victims from Alamo's criminal case.

A lawyer for Alamo did not immediately respond to a message for comment.

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Information from: Texarkana Gazette, http://www.texarkanagazette.com