Scientology Lies

December 19, 1984: More than 100 OPP officers, some armed with sledge hammers and fire extinguishers, raided the church's Yonge Street headquarters as part of an investigation into tax exemptions claimed by the church. The police alleged that the church and several employees defrauded the public with representations about several church courses. The process of laying the charges began on Dec. 1 when OPP Detective-Sergeant Albert Ciampini swore a nine-page document that contained allegations about the church.

December 18, 1996: Lisa McPherson was a member of the Church of Scientology for 18 years before she died in December 1995. Any objective review can only raise more questions about what happened to the 36-year-old woman in the 17 days between the traffic accident and her death. A year later, the Clearwater Police Department still is looking for answers and avoiding accusations. Instead of cooperating, the Church of Scientology has responded by attacking the police department and complaining of harassment. It is standard procedure for Scientologists to discourage scrutiny with tactics that smack of intimidation. The Clearwater Police Department and the state attorney's office should not allow such a strategy to derail this investigation.

December 17, 1996: The Church of Scientology sent a statement to media outlets Monday attacking the police department that is investigating the death of one of its members. The Tampa Tribune reported Sunday that Clearwater police are trying to learn what happened to Lisa McPherson, 36, a member of the church who died a year ago after spending less than three weeks at the church's local headquarters. Scientology officials claim the police "planted a false story in The Tampa Tribune for the express purpose of creating hate and prejudice against the Church of Scientology."

December 17, 1986: A former archivist for the Church of Scientology has agreed to return thousands of pages of confidential church documents in exchange for an undisclosed payment as part of a settlement of his lawsuit against the church, attorneys confirmed Tuesday. The documents, which a Superior Court judge said portray church founder L. Ron Hubbard as "virtually a pathological liar," have been under court seal for nearly four years pending the outcome of Gerald Armstrong's fraud and misrepresentation lawsuit. Armstrong was a 12-year Scientologist who said he left the church disillusioned, taking with him more than 10,000 pages of the late L. Ron Hubbard's papers that purportedly proved that the church founder had misrepresented his military heroism and scientific achievements.

December 16, 1997: After a two-year investigation, local and state police are recommending criminal charges be filed in the 1995 death of Church of Scientology member Lisa McPherson. Investigators on Monday delivered their findings to Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe in the form of a "prosecution summary." Clearwater Deputy Police Chief Paul Maser said the document recommends charges, but he refused to discuss specifics or who might be charged.

December 15, 1999: A Hillsborough County judge has allowed Scientology's worldwide leader, David Miscavige, to be named as a defendant in a lawsuit over the 1995 death of church member Lisa McPherson. The lawsuit, filed by McPherson's family in 1997, has been amended to say that he "totally controls" and "micro-manages all of Scientology," and that his ecclesiastical role is part of an elaborate set-up to shield Scientology and its leaders from liability. The lawsuit also says Miscavige's subordinates informed him of McPherson's deteriorating condition and were acting on his orders as she became psychotic and was "imprisoned" for 17 days while in the care of Scientology staffers in Clearwater.

December 15, 1996: After spending half her life as a member of the Church of Scientology, Lisa McPherson told friends she was ready to get out. But on Thanksgiving a couple of weeks later, McPherson was not at home. Instead, she was at the Fort Harrison Hotel, Scientology's world spiritual headquarters. She was taken there Nov. 18 by Scientologists for "rest and relaxation." Seventeen days later, she was dead. An autopsy by the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner's Office showed McPherson's 5-foot-9, 108-pound body was severely dehydrated, her arms and legs were bruised, her skin was cracked and scaling.

December 14, 1999: After attending a management training program conducted by the Church of Scientology in 1992, Brittain began offering his LaFollette office staff free cruises or $1,000 cash bonuses if they met the revenue-boosting goals he set, according to his plea-agreement papers. He authorized his billing clerks to sign his name to insurance claim forms, the agreement papers stated, without reviewing them prior to submission. He also "engaged in actions" which caused the staff to submit the false claims on his behalf.

December 14, 1991: A Federal appeals court has legitimized a challenge to deductions for certain charitable contributions by a Scientologist, who contended that he had been a victim of discrimination. At issue is the deductibilty of contributions to religious organizations when the church or synagogue provides something in return. George H. Powell's victory means that the matter must now be reconsidered in court, and the I.R.S. and others are forced to take a fresh look at Scientology's contention that mainstream religious organizations also provide a quid pro quo for participation in religious services.