Cult Of Scientology Convicted Of Fraud In France
Church of Scientology lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve
Not a good week for the cult of Scientology!
On the heels of Scientology's spokesman Tommy Davis's disastrous interview on ABC's Nightline last week, comes more news of Scientology's downward spiral.
It has just been announced, that France has convicted Scientology of fraud. This news must have Scientology's cult leader David Miscavige in quite the tizzy. Still nothing to say Miscavige?
David Miscavige is obvioulsy playing a "Where's Waldo?" in all this breaking news.
The cult was also fined more than 600,000 euro. This is equivalent to $900,000 US. Almost a cool million. The court convicted the cult library (SEL bookshop) as well as SIX LEADERS. Scientology was found guilty of pressuring members to pay large amounts of cash by using harassment tactics, and also illegally dispensing vitamins.
Four of the leaders were given suspended sentences which can be anywhere from ten months to two years and the other two leaders were given fines.
Of course Scientology is going to appeal this verdict. Which is no surprise there.
Although prosecutors were going for an all out ban on Scientology in France, the court recently denied the ban. But even though Scientology has not been banned from France, this latest PR flap can't be good news for Scientology, who desperately tries to hide all negative PR from it's members.
The Infinate Complaceny Blog Webiste did a wonderful break down of the story (Much thanks to Jonny Jacobsen):
Here is a summary of the verdict and sentences in the Paris trial of Scientology. I have laid it out in the same style I used for What the Prosecution Wants to give you an idea of how far the court followed their recommendations.Perhaps the most important feature of the judgement is what the court did not do: it made no ruling that would restrict the activities of either the Celebrity Centre or the SEL bookshop.
But the following individuals and organisations were convicted of organised fraud against some, but not all the alleged victims (of which more below):
The Association Spirituelle de l’Eglise de Scientologie CC (ASES), the Celebrity Centre, was convicted of organised fraud against the plaintiffs Aude-Claire Malton and Eric Aubry.
It was fined 400,000 euros and ordered to pay for the details of the conviction to be published in the major French and English-language news outlets including Le Monde, Le Figaro, Libération, the Herald Tribune and Time Magazine.
Continued on the next page
