crimes
Scientology has a long, well-documented history of breaking the law.
Date | Title | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientology's Crimes | |||
| Is Scientology Breaking the Law? | |||
| April 3, 1951 | Dianetics Group to Quit City Because 'We're Not Wanted' | The Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation, target of a suit accusing it of operating a medical school without a license, is moving its national headquarters out of Elizabeth because it has no desire to remain where it is not wanted. Transfer of the national headquarters to Wichita, Kan., effective April 15 was announced by the foundation. A spokesman indicated the principal reason is the pending District Court suit. | |
| April 11, 1951 | Hiding of Baby Charged to Dianetics Author | Mrs. Sara-Northrup Hubbard, 25, yesterday charged that her husband, L. Ron Hubbard, 40, inventor of "Dianetics," a new brand of psychology, had conspired to hide her baby from her. In a nine-page petition for a writ of habeas corpus she stated she had not seen the child Alexis Valorie, 13 months old, since February 23rd when the child was taken from her nursery and she herself' was "kidnapped" and taken to Yuma, Arizona. | |
| September 23, 1976 | Clearwater Sun: Police Hold Scientologists' Guns | Police confiscated a cache of weapons in a temporary Church of Scientology headquarters in Dunedin after the Scientologists abandoned the base | |
| December 15, 1977 | Church of Scientology member indicted as spy in Cal. Office | Los Angeles Times: Church of Scientology member indicted as spy in Cal. Office | |
| May 1, 1978 | article about Scientology criminal activity | In response to growing evidence about massive criminal activity by top Scientologists, Scientology spokesman Arthur J. Maren said the church had been engaged in "reform action ... a legitimate and traditional function of the church." Published reports that seized documents would show that, for example, a fake hit-and-run accident was staged in Washington in an effort to compromise the mayor of Clearwater, were denied. Maren also denied that the church regards anyone as enemies. "As a church which believes that man is basically good and devotes itself to helping others, we have no enemies," he said. Church documents released as a result of the court case have shown otherwise. [May 1978 - exact date unknown] | |
| May 3, 1978 | Church of Scientology says it is "spying" on government | San Francisco Chronicle: Church of Scientology says it is "spying" on government | |
| October 11, 1978 | Snakebitten Lawyer | (brief mention of Scientology) | |
| October 26, 1979 | Scientologists Admit Spying | Philadelphia Daily News: Scientologists Admit Spying | |
| November 24, 1979 | Scientologists Plotted To Frame A Critic as a Criminal, Files Show - Scientology's fair gaming of writer Paulette Cooper and oth | Boston Globe : Scientologists Plotted To Frame A Critic as a Criminal, Files Show - Scientology's fair gaming of writer Paulette Cooper and other Scientology operations. | |
| December 7, 1979 | 5 Scientologists sent to prison by federal judge | Associated Press: 5 Scientologists sent to prison by federal judge | |
| December 7, 1979 | 5 Scientologists Get Jail In Spy Planting | (brief mention of Scientology) | |
| December 28, 1979 | Book spells out rationale for church's 'spy system' (part 13 of a 14-part Pulitzer prize winning series) | St. Petersburg Times: Book spells out rationale for church's 'spy system' (part 13 of a 14-part Pulitzer prize winning series) | |
| January 25, 1980 | Files show spy reported woman's intimate words (about Scientology spying on Paulette Cooper). | "Another page referred to a time when, depressed about her problems, she had spoken one dark night about suicide. The secret agent told his superiors that on the outside he was sympathetic but inside he was laughing: "Wouldn't this be a great thing for Scientology?" " | |
| April 22, 1980 | Scientologists Tried To Silence Enemies | The Las Vegas Church of Scientology attempted to silence its enemies and critics in Nevada by waging propaganda and espionage campaigns against Las Vegas law-enforcement and business agencies. Documents seized from the church by the FBI reveal the church on a national scale conspired to steal grand jury transcripts, attempted to infiltrate the CIA, and launched a myriad of dirty tricks against public officials. | |
| August 3, 1980 | Scientologist Elizabeth Eagleton Wiegand, Senator Eagleton, Stephen E. Poludniak, St. Louis. Libby Wiegand, $220,000, company;, | Scientologist Elizabeth Eagleton Wiegand, niece of Senator Eagleton, and her attorney Stephen E. Poludniak are arrested and charged with extortion and conspiracy in St. Louis. Libby Wiegand had threatened to publicize embarassing information about the senator unless he purchased $220,000 of her stock in a family company; he refused to purchase the stock because he believed the money would go to Scientology. Although Scientology denied any involvement at the time, they later linked it to a Guardian's Office operation in their IRS Form 1023 declaration. | |
| November 27, 1980 | Two High-Ranking Members Of The Church Of Scientology Were Convicted On Burglary Charges Yesterday In What The Government Has Ca | (brief mention of Scientology) | |
| April 20, 1982 | Scientology Founder's Wife Loses Final High Court Plea, Faces Prison | The Supreme Court let stand the convictions of two former leaders of the Church of Scientology, rejecting their final efforts to contest the legality of the FBI's search of the church's Los Angeles offices in 1977. The court's action apparently clears the way for Mary Sue Hubbard - the one-time "controller" for the church group and wife of its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, who was not charged in the case - to begin serving a five-year prison term on a conspiracy charge. | |
| May 7, 1982 | Father Teaches Followers To Commit Crime, Son Says | Miami Herald: Father Teaches Followers To Commit Crime, Son Says | |
| May 9, 1982 | Witnesses tell of break-ins, conspiracy | "In a story of international intrigue, a former senior executive of the Church of Scientology testified Saturday about a worldwide sect network involving infiltrations, conspiracies and smuggling." | |
| May 10, 1982 | Sect to participate in hearing today? | "During the hearing's first four days, 16 witnesses told stories that alleged the Church of Scientology is a world-wide operation that routinely engaged in covert criminal activity against government officials, ex-Scientologists and others considered 'enemies' of the sect." | |
| January 8, 1983 | Scientology Spy Gets Four Years | Miami Herald: Scientology Spy Gets Four Years | |
| January 8, 1983 | Scientology founder's wife sentenced in conspiracy case | San Francisco Chronicle: Scientology founder's wife sentenced in conspiracy case | |
| January 15, 1983 | Religion Scientologist Faces Jail Term | Boston Globe: Religion Scientologist Faces Jail Term |