ronsmuerto@hotmail.com wrote:

Scientology Three Million in Debt

From: "Hamburger Abendblatt"
December 22, 1998

Additional payment of social security contributions

Bad news for Hamburg Scientologists: before year's end they are supposed to receive a demand for a hefty contribution for unpaid social security. According to information from the "Abendblatt" the amount is around three million marks.

One year ago, the sect was presented with a demand for payment in the amount of 870,000 marks for retirement, unemployment and health insurance contributions. This money is now due. The organization, according to a statement by its speaker, Gisela Hackenjos, has filed an objection and agreed to a payment plan. It will also take action against the anticipated second request for money.

The additional payments are based on a Federal Administrative Court decision confirmed in 1995 by the Hamburg Superior Administrative Court, whereby the Scientology Center on Steindamm does business as a book seller and as a provider of courses and seminars. The Federal Labor Court found in 1995 that Scientology is not a religious congregation, and that its staff workers are therefore employees for whom social security payments are due.

The Scientologists continue to deny that that they run a commercial business. Independent of that, they dispute the amount of payment demanded. According to a statement by Hackenjos, in the best case only a portion of the 150 staff workers would be obligated to pay social security. Because of that, suit will be brought in the Social Court: "then we'll get our money back - with interest."

(scho)

Yes. They are egarded as a business over there, and as such they are liable to all these paymenst/taxes. Theer is no way they will get out of it. They will have to pay or they will get all their assets taken over and the individual executives responsible will be jailed. This is wonderful news.

They are about to go broke in Germany. An investigation will soon be underway in France. They are banned from Greece in much the same way as the French investigation will find. There is the pending trial in Spain for fraud involving Heber Jentzsch. There will soon be finished in Europe. I'll give them 2 years at most. This is all wonderful news.

Roland