Is Scientology breaking the law?

... There's evidence that they are.

Fraud

Many of the group's followers have been accused of committing financial scams, while the church is busy attracting the unwary through a wide array of front groups in such businesses as publishing, consulting, health care and even remedial education.

- Time Magazine, May 6, 1991

Allegations of Scientology fraud fall under a number of categories, among them failing to disclose Scientology affiliations in business training and services , breach of contract , financial fraud, and failure to pay promised refunds. The claims of various Scientology publications, especially Dianetics , also appear to be fraudulent.

A list of Scientology front groups includes several management training and consulting organizations that do not reveal their affiliation with Scientology when advertising their services.

Peter Alexander says Scientology will not or cannot repay funds he had on account (not even a refund, but money deposited for serviced not yet delivered)	Clearwater, FL	1998	a.r.s. Jun 16 1998
Janice Hayward's court documents describe Scientology's failure to pay a promised refund of $25,000. She says, "My experience with them has made me fearful for my life."	Arizona	Feb 1995	undated court document
Ariane Jackson documents the specific promises in Hubbard’s writings that guaranteed perfect results when she paid $1000 an hour for auditing at Flag - which nevertheless failed to deliver the promised results. She requested a refund of the over $400,000 she spent, and compensation for damages; Scientology’s response was to claim this was blackmail and extortion. The courts did not agree, even though Scientology appealed the ruling several times.	Clearwater, FL	late 1994	a.r.s., Oct 27 1996
Ariane Jackson tells how Jody Darling used IAS (Int'l Assoc of Scientologists) office equipment in the commission of a $200,000 investment with guaranteed payments and a guaranteed return, almost none of which were ever paid. It sounds as if Darling was attempting to evade tax laws, too. Ariane says that everything she states is well documented.	Los Angeles	1989-1994	a.r.s., Sep 10 1996
a Wall Street Journal article describes Scientology management techniques being taught at Allstate, leading to numerous complaints from agents on ethical and religious grounds	US, nationwide	1988 - 1992	Wall Street Journal, March 22, 1995
Wayne Whitney describes taking the (fraudulent) personality test, viewing a video full of lies about Hubbard's life, being told that Scientology help would only cost $2500 (it ultimately cost him over $150,000), and being promised that Scientology would cure his physical injury	San Francisco	Sep 1 1991	a.r.s., Feb 7 1996
Wilma Freeman's court documents allege breach of contract and negligent infliction of emotional distress	Arizona	Jun 1991 - ?	court documents Feb 3 1997
Gordon Campbell describes his sister's involvement in Scientology following management consulting services provided to her husband by a front group	Canada?	Jan 1991	a.r.s., Apr 20 1995
Roxanne Friend’s sworn court declaration states that Scientology was presented to her as a science, not something to be taken on faith, and that Hubbard states that all of his findings have been scientifically proven.	Los Angeles	1977 - 1990	sworn declaration , Dec 6 1991
Harriet Baker lost her home when Scientology refused to return money she had paid for services she had not used.	Los Angeles	June 1990	Time, May 6 1991
Bob Geary says Sterling Management told him they were not associated with Scientology. After getting involved with Sterling, the Gearys spent $180,000 on Scientology services and books, and Dorothy Geary was hospitalized after her last trip to the San Francisco Scientology office.	San Francisco, CA	Fall, 1988	Akron Beacon Journal, Jan 21, 1990 and Time, May 6 1991
Frank Notaro says he was assaulted and illegally detained when he picketed to get a refund	Los Angeles	Oct 5 1985	Madman or Messiah
Ken Long’s personal story cites California labor code which states that hiring employees without informing them of pending labor complaints (such as Ken's) is, in itself, evidence of fraud (Feb 1984, cited on alt.religion.scientology on Apr 2 1995)	FL and CA?	Feb 1984	a.r.s. post Apr 2 1995
Shiona Fox-Ness ’s public letter of resignation from Scientology states that Scientologists have been "lied to, tricked and deceived", and further states that many bulletins and policies clearly attributed to LRH were neither written nor signed by him	unknown	early 80s	webbed letter, 1984
"Warrior" lists several lies told to him by a Sea Org recruiter to get him to join the Sea Org	unknown	1975	a.r.s. post May 23 '97
An anonymous ex-Scientologist who spent about six months in Scientology as a teenager says was told he had to take a word-clearing course, but was not originally told it would cost $1500. When he responded by saying he wanted out of Scientology altogether and asked for a refund, he was permitted to stop the word-clearing course and return to Dianetics auditing	Washington DC	1975	web page, Apr 6 1995
Gerry Armstrong states that he discovered and was involved in massive fraud concerning, among other things, the organization's policies and practices, while he was in Scientology	unknown	unknown	a.r.s. Jul 24 1997
Andrew Falzon describes the hard sell following his personality test, and notes that several friends took the test and got the same response from Scientology	unknown	unknown	a.r.s., May 1 1995

This page was last updated on May 8, 1999.