Notice: Fredric Rice may have removed segments of the replies given to questions if they contained copyrighted materials. After a very short while, Scientology "experts" refused to answer questions and started cut-and-pasting copyrighted cult propaganda. Additionally I removed URLs in some of the replies, and left them in others. And it's also important to note that eventually the unfortunate "Greg Churilov" cultist was ejected from askme.com for his typical Scientological behavior.

Anonymous asked this question on 5/26/2000:

Wow! The evidence I have been reading about against the 'church of scientology' is mind-boggling. The problem I have come across in the past is that with such quantity of evidence against an organization, is that it turns out to be manufactured or planted evidence periodically, especially if the organization is of a 'radical' nature. My question is: Is there some area of the criminal justice system which holds conclusive evidence? Or, is there somewhere else to search for this type evidence? What I am looking for is somewhere to find evidence in a manner which is conclusive that it is not manufactured or planted.

Thank you.

Desertphile gave this response on 5/30/2000:

SCIENTOLOGY / L. RON HUBBARD GOVERNMENTAL OFFENSE TIMELINE

Below are actual convictions of some governmental offense by L. Ron Hubbard or the Church of Scientology or someone acting in their capacity as a member of the Church of Scientology. Also below are currently outstanding criminal cases not yet completed, such as someone out on bail pending trial or a warrant for their arrest.

1943 Hubbard found guilty of violating Navy rules when he fires his ship's guns toward Mexican territory. Relieved of command. [source: Hubbard's Naval records]

1948, Aug. 17 Hubbard pleads guilty to petty theft. [source: photocopy of government records]

197? US FDA settles with the church, requiring that the e-meter be clearly labelled that it cannot be used for physical healing as the church had been claiming.

1978 Hubbard found guilty in absentia of fraud in France. [source: Catholic Sentinal, March 17, 1978]

1978 March. Arthur Maren, Church spokesperson, released from prison after 8 months for refusing to cooperate with an FBI investigation about the church. [source: Los Angeles Times March 31, 1978]

1980 Mary Sue Hubbard and 11 other Scientologists convicted of breaking and entering, and stealing US government documents. [source: Washington Post, January 8, 1983]

1988 Heber Jentzsch arrested in Spain along with many other Scientologists for fraud. Heber still out on $1 million bail put up by the church. [source: Arizona Republic, September 22, 1988]

1994 May 24. RTC attorney Helena Kobrin and the law firm of Bowles and Moxon fined $17,775 for filing a frivolous lawsuit. [source: RTC v. Frank Gerbode (current transfer binder) RICO Bus. Disp. Guide (CCH) par. 8595 (C.D. Cal. May 2, 1994) US District Court Central District of California case # 93-2226 AWT, Judge A. Wallace Tashima

1994 a warrant is issued forthe arrest of Eugene Ingram, Scientology private investigator, for impersonating a police officer. The warrant is still valid and Ingram has chosen not to go back to Florida to straighten this out. [source: copy of warrant]

1996, November. the former head of the Lyon France church convicted of manslaughter for pushing a Scientologist toward suicide. 14 others convicted of fraud and other charges.

Desertphile gave this follow-up answer on 5/30/2000:

Convictions

1999: Greece: Scientologists found guilty. 15 Scientologists were accused of systematically keeping files on politicians, journalists, judges, clergymen and other Greek leading personalities. The Scientologists were found guilty , but they were not sentenced, due to procedural errors. (In other words, they got off on a technicality.) In 1998, a judge ordered the Scientology organization in Athens to stop operating, since the organization was established under false pretenses . According to the ruling, the organization was not operating as a non-profit, and was putting people's mental and physical health at risk.

1997: Italy: Scientologists jailed. 29 Scientologists were sentenced to jail for criminal association .

1996: France: Scientology executive found guilty of involuntary homicide. "A former Church of Scientology leader was convicted Friday of involuntary homicide and sentenced to 18 months in prison in the 1988 suicide of a church member. Twelve other defendants facing lesser charges - theft, complicity or abuse of confidence - were given suspended sentences of eight to 15 months each. Charges were dropped against 10 others." The Scientologists were charged in the death of Patrice Vic .

1996: France: Scientologists guilty of interfering with a witness. Three Scientologists were given suspended prison sentences for interfering with an expert witness in a Lyon trial. Charges of theft were proven.

1995: Canada: Scientology pays the largest libel award in Canadian history. Scientology was found guilty of libelling Casey Hill, the prosecutor responsible for bringing Scientology to justice for its egregious illegal acts in Canada.

1994: USA: Scientology fined for filing a frivolous lawsuit. Helena Kobrin, representing RTC (a Scientology corporation), was fined $17,775 for filing a frivolous lawsuit . (Using the law to harass critics is Scientology policy.)

1992: Canada: Scientology found guilty of breach of the public trust. Scientology itself and three Scientology executives were found guilty of breach of public trust in a case involving the theft of information from government offices.

1989: USA: Scientology Found Guilty of Inflicting Emotional Distress. In 1986, former Scientologist Larry Wollersheim sued Scientology for intentional infliction of emotional distress. The jury awarded him $35,000,000, which was reduced on appeal to $2,500,000. Scientology refuses to pay, and now owes Larry more than twice that (with interest accruing).

The appeals court agreed that Larry had been badly hurt by Scientology: it found that Scientology "coerced Wollersheim into continued participation," "seized Wollersheim and held him captive," and that "the Church's conduct was manifestly outrageous." In October 1997, the court found that the Church of Scientology International and Religious Technology Center are liable for the debt

1984: USA: Clearwater Police Investigator Recommends RICO Charges. Lt. Ray Emmons investigated Scientology as part of his duties. He found clear evidence of fraud and other crimes and recommended that federal and state authorities prosecute Scientology under anti-racketeering laws.

1980: USA: Top-ranking Scientologists guilty of burglary, forgery, infiltration, and obstruction of justice. Eleven Scientology executives, including L. Ron Hubbard's wife, pled guilty to a number of serious crimes. The stipulation of evidence included the following statement: "At all times material to the indictment, L. Ron Hubbard was, by virtue of his role as the founder and leader or Scientology, overall supervisor of the Guardian's Office."

1979: USA: Julie Christofferson Titchbourne sues Scientology for fraud. Julie Christofferson Titchbourne sued Scientology for fraud and outrageous conduct. She won her original trial and the first appeal; Scientology appealed a second time but settled with Julie before that appeal was heard.

1978: France: Fraud. Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard was convicted of fraud in a trial held in absentia.

Current News

Trial pending: USA: Scientology faces felony charges in the death of Lisa McPherson.

The state of Florida has filed felony charges of unauthorized practice of medicine and abuse and/or neglect of a disabled adult in the case of Lisa McPherson , who died in Scientology's custody on December 5, 1995. A civil suit has been filed by her estate, alleging wrongful death, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, fraud, battery, negligence, and practicing medicine without a license.

Other people have also reported fraud , the unauthorized practice of medicine, and false imprisonment.

Trial pending: Ireland: Brainwashing. Mary Johnston is suing Scientology, saying she underwent a personality change and her health suffered while she was undergoing Scientology processing. She recently won the right to see her auditing folder (notes kept on her from Scientology processing sessions).

Trial pending: USA: Fraud, false imprisonment, assault, extortion, kidnapping, defamation, invasion of privacy, infliction of emotional distress, and racketeering. Michael Pattinson is suing Scientology for several counts of fraud and a variety of other extremely serious charges. The suit garnered some national press (including stories in the Guide and Fab! and at MSNBC ) because it names John Travolta, alleging that Scientology claimed they could "cure" Pattinson's homosexuality and used Travolta as an example of a homosexual whose orientation they had changed.

Trial pending: Spain: Scientology leaders charged. Scientology officials face up to 30 years in prison on charges ranging from tax evasion to establishing an illegal organization. Narconon is also charged with criminal acts.

Trial pending: Undue influence and deceit. David Cresswell is suing Scientology for a refund of money he paid under "undue influence," relying on "deceit and misrepresentations."

Trial pending: USA: Fraud. A trust established by L. Ron Hubbard is one of several parties sued by attorneys seeking to recover funds; several of the suits allege fraud.

Ongoing investigation: Russia: Secret service investigating Scientology. "The Russian secret service has recently stepped up its surveillance of the Church of Scientology amid suspicions that it is violating basic rights of members, using violence if need be, and engaging in illicit financial business." Russian police raided Scientology's offices in February 1999.

Desertphile gave this follow-up answer on 5/30/2000:

Scientology - Major Criminal Convictions

1997 Italy: Criminal Association. A Milan appeal court has sentenced 29 members of the Church of Scientology to between nine and 20 months' jail for criminal association, the Corriere della Serra reported Saturday.

1996 France: Fraud and Manslaughter. A Lyon court convicted 14 Scientologists of fraud. The former head of the Lyon Scientology organization was found guilty of manslaughter in the alleged suicide of Patrice Vic.

France: Interfering with a Witness. Three Scientologists were given suspended prison sentences for interfering with an expert witness in a Lyon trial. Charges of theft were proven.

1995 Canada: Libel. The Supreme Court orders Scientology to make the largest libel payment in Canadian history for defaming lawyer Casey Hill.

1994 United States: Frivolous Lawsuit. RTC (a Scientology corporation) fined $17,775 for filing a frivolous lawsuit. (Using the law to harass critics is Scientology policy.)

1992 Canada: Espionage. "In 1992, the Toronto branch was fined $250,000 for its role in espionage operations in the 1970s against the Ontario Attorney-General's Ministry, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. This criminal conviction of a church -- a rarity in legal history -- was upheld [in 1996] by the Ontario Court of Appeal." - The Globe and Mail

1988 Spain: Fraud. Scientology executive Heber Jentzsch arrested for fraud. Scientology posts $1,000,000 bail to free him. Jentzsch's trial is slated to begin in June 1999.

1980 United States: Breaking and Entering, Stealing Government Documents. Mary Sue Hubbard and 11 other Scientologists convicted of breaking and entering, and stealing US government documents. [source: Washington Post, January 8, 1983]

1978 France: Fraud. L. Ron Hubbard found guilty of fraud, in absentia.

Desertphile gave this follow-up answer on 5/30/2000:

Judicial statements regarding the Nature of Scientology

"Scientology is evil; its techniques are evil; its practice is a serious threat to the community, medically, morally, and socially; and its adherents are sadly deluded and often mentally ill... (Scientology is) the world's largest organization of unqualified persons engaged in the practice of dangerous techniques which masquerade as mental therapy." --Justice Anderson, Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia

"The government is satisfied that Scientology is socially harmful. It alienates members of families from each other and attributes squalid and disgraceful motives to all who oppose it; its authoritarian principles and practice are a potential menace to the personality and well being of those so deluded as to become followers; above all, its methods can be a serious danger to the health of those who submit to them... There is no power under existing law to prohibit the practice of Scientology; but the government has concluded that it is so objectionable that it would be right to take all steps within its power to curb its growth." --Kenneth Robinson, British Minister of Health

"The crime committed by these defendants is of a breadth and scope previously unheard of. No building, office, desk, or file was safe from their snooping and prying. No individual or organization was free from their despicable conspiratorial minds. The tools of their trade were miniature transmitters, lock picks, secret codes, forged credentials and any other device they found necessary to carry out their conspiratorial schemes." --Federal prosecutor's memorandum to the judge urging stiff jail sentences for 9 top leaders of Scientology who had pleaded guilty to criminal charges

"Scientology is both immoral and socially obnoxious...It is corrupt sinister and dangerous. It is corrupt because it is based on lies and deceit and has its real objective money and power for Mr. Hubbard... It is sinister because it indulges in infamous practices both to its adherents who do not toe the line unquestionly and to those who criticize it or oppose it. It is dangerous because it is out to capture people and to indoctrinate and brainwash them so they become the unquestioning captives and tools of the cult, withdrawn from ordinary thought, living, and relationships with others." --Justice Latey, ruling in the High Court of London

"[The court record is] replete with evidence [that Scientology] is nothing in reality but a vast enterprise to extract the maximum amount of money from its adepts by pseudo scientific theories... and to exercise a kind of blackmail against persons who do not wish to continue with their sect.... The organization clearly is schizophrenic and paranoid, and this bizarre combination seems to be a reflection of its founder, L.Ron Hubbard." --Judge Breckenridge, Los Angeles Superior Court

"In addition to violating and abusing its own members' civil rights, the organization over the years with its 'fair game' doctrine has harassed and abused those persons not in the church whom it perceives as enemies." --Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Paul Breckenridge, June 1984, in the Gerry Armstrong case

"In January 1980, fearing a raid by law enforcement agencies, Hubbard's representatives ordered the shredding of all documents showing that Hubbard controlled Scientology organizations, finances, personnel, or the property at Gilman Hot Springs. In a two week period, approximately one million pages were shredded pursuant to this order." --California appellate court, 2nd. district, 3rd. division, July 29, 1991, B025920 & B038975, Super. Ct. No. C 420153

"It is common knowledge among senior executives of the organization and it is the policy of CSC that members of the Boards of Directors are mere figureheads, without authority or control, not for internal corporate reasons, but rather to vest control in Mr. Hubbard. I have personal knowledge that in order to carry out this corporate fraud, organizational executives have engaged in the various unethical practices including backdating phony Board minutes and forging signatures." --Affidavit of Gerry Armstrong, former member

"When a person is subjected to coercive persuasion [as in Scientology] without his knowledge or consent ...[he may] develop serious and sometimes irreversible physical and psychiatric disorders, up to and including schizophrenia, self-mutilation, and suicide." --California Supreme Court, United States v. Lee [455 U.S. 252,257,258 (1982)]

"Substantial evidence supports the conclusion Scientology leaders made the deliberate decision to ruin Wollersheim economically and possible psychologically....We do not mean to suggest Scientology's retributive program... represented a full scale modern day 'inquisition.' Nevertheless there are some parallels in purpose and effect. 'Fair game,' like the 'inquisition,' targeted heretics. "Other testimony established Scientology is a hierarchal organization which exhibits near paranoid attitudes toward certain institutions and individuals -- in particular the government, mental health professions, disaffected members, and others who criticize the organization or its leadership... During trial, Wollersheim's experts testified Scientology's 'auditing' and 'disconnect' practices constituted 'brainwashing' and 'thought reform' akin to what the Chinese and North Koreans practiced on American prisoners of war... "Using its position as religious leader, the church and its agents coerced Wollersheim into continuing auditing even though his sanity was repeatedly threatened by this practice... Thus there is adequate proof the religious practice in this instance caused real harm to the individual and the appellant's outrageous conduct caused that harm... Church practices conducted in a coercive environment are not qualified to be voluntary religious practices entitled to first amendment religious freedom guarantees... "We hold that the state has a compelling interest in allowing its citizens to recover for serious emotional injuries they suffer through religious practices they are coerced into accepting. Such conduct is too outrageous to be protected under the constitution and too unworthy to be privileged under the law of torts." -California appellate court, 2nd district, 7th division, Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology of California, Civ. No. B023193 Cal. Super. (1986)

Further facts about this criminal empire may be found at Operation Clambake and FACTNet.

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