Virgin Mary Apparitions linked to Fundraising Fraud
12 Feb 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Phillip Kronzer Foundation for Religious Research
Email: legal@kronzer.org
Kronzer Foundation seeks Accountability from Religious Groups for
Deceitful Fundraising in California
A California-based non-profit foundation for religious research has
filed a lawsuit in the California Superior Court in the County of
Sacramento against three national religious groups believed to have
used deceptive fundraising methods to swindle thousands of California
residents.
The suit, filed by the Phillip Kronzer Foundation for Religious
Research, alleges groups from Alabama, Indiana and New Jersey have used
alleged visions of the Virgin Mary and phony Papal Indulgences as a
front to engage in money laundering, tax evasion, and smuggling, rather
than its stated charitable goals.
Kronzer Foundation president Phillip Kronzer has dedicated his life to
exposing the fraudulent and criminal activities associated with these
types of groups.
“The Kronzer Foundation is dedicated to helping victims of religious
fraud. This situation is one of the worst examples I have ever run
across. My heart goes out to these folks. Families have been destroyed,
children separated from parents, donors deceived, and the Catholic
Church defamed.”
The suit alleges the Birmingham, Alabama-based Caritas orgainization
engaged in fund raising and sales in California that were used
primarily for the enrichment of its leader Terry Colafrancesco. The
suit also alleges Caritas uses mind control, false promises, and other
deceptions to extract money from donees in California. Other groups
cited in the suit include two other groups known as Children of
Medjugorje of South Bend, Indiana and the Children of War, of New
Jersey.
Attorneys for the Kronzer Foundation have indicated that this suit is
the first of many that the foundation plans to file to expose the
religious fraud worldwide.
“Religious scams in California and elsewhere will soon realize that the
[Kronzer] Foundation is one watchdog whose bite is definitely worse
than its bark.” said attorney Thomas Easton.
Attorney Jonathan Levy said the suit is meant to send a message to
frauds worldwide.
“I am a big supporter of the First Amendment, but money laundering and
smuggling have nothing to do with religion and everything to do with
greed,” said Levy. “Never in a thousand years would I have thought I
would be involved in a case involving the sale of phony Papal
indulgences over the Internet, it's an odd mixture of technology,
tradition, and trickery.”
For more on the Kronzer Foundation visit
http://www.kronzer.org
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February 12, 2001
Contact: Jonathan Levy , Esq.
Easton & Levy, Attorneys at Law
Website:
http://www.kronzer.org
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