Press

Press in the News

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March 18, 1994 Scientologists picket house Police were twice called to disperse pickets from outside the home of Jon Atack, an anti-Church of Scientology campaigner. Press
January 31, 1994 Independent: The Prisoners of Saint Hill The Scientologists call it "baby-watching", but it has nothing to do with looking after infants. TIM KELSEY and MIKE RICKS investigate the potentially dangerous, and possibly illegal, secret treatment that the world's largest cult uses to deal with difficult members. false imprisonment, Press, Saint Hill
January 21, 1994 Teacher is Jailed for Sex Offences A schoolteacher was yesterday jailed for five years after he admitted sexually molesting teenage pupils. Mark Kent, 32, of Forest Row, East Sussex, committed a catalogue of offences against boys at Greenfields school in Forest Row, where he worked. Greenfields is a private school which states in its promotional literature that it employs the "educational techniques" of L Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology. The school denies that it is an offshoot of the church, but many of the teachers are members of the cult; and the majority of pupils come from Scientology families. crimes, Press
January 2, 1994 Firms That Pay Late Still Have Power More than 100 companies and government agencies owe delinquent City of Austin utility bills exceeding $5,000 each but continue to receive service. Many of the delinquent customers consistently pay late or pay less than the amount due, maintaining large delinquencies but paying enough to keep the lights on. The Church of Scientology, which owns a commercial building near the University of Texas, is among the top nongovernmental delinquent accounts, owing the city $65,106 as of last week. Austin, finances, Press
December 22, 1993 Scientology's Assets Totaled in IRS Documents The Church of Scientology holds assets of nearly $400 million, including a cruise ship used as a "seagoing religious retreat," according to a detailed portrait of the group's financial network provided to the Internal Revenue Service. The papers, which fill nine file boxes, were submitted by the church as part of its 39-year-old attempt to gain tax-exempt status. The documents became public after the IRS granted an exemption to more than 20 Scientology organizations October 1. The papers offer an unprecedented public view of the huge organization, which includes two publishing houses, a 2,845-acre California ranch used as a school for the children of church staff members and more than 45 buildings on 500 acres in Riverside County. IRS, Press
December 9, 1993 Cult Prosecuted Over Safety of Commune Scientology, one of Britain's largest cults, is being prosecuted by a local authority for failing to ensure one of its largest communes is safe for human habitation. The Independent has been leaked documents from the church headquarters that show it may have misled safety inspectors over the number of adults and children living in the commune. The cult has persistently denied overcrowding in any of these communes and says they are fit for human habitation. It has, however, been confirmed that environmental health officers from Mid-Sussex are prosecuting the cult for failing to keep Stonelands, one of its largest communes, safe. London, Press, Scientology and Society
December 3, 1993 Jury Tosses Out Lawsuit Against Rafael Talk Show A jury Thursday rejected a lawsuit that accused Sally Jessy Raphael and her talk show of invading the privacy of a Church of Scientology member who was secretly taped. Dickerson, 61, was heard on the show saying she makes only $5,000 a year and loves washing dishes for the church. Press
November 21, 1993 Exempted, Not Vindicated David Miscavige, chairman of the board for Scientology's "Religious Technology Center," said recently that the IRS decision to grant his corporate empire a tax exemption was "a major victory for us." He added: "We were under siege. ... Now we've been vindicated." His smugness aside, the business of Scientology, which is to sell vulnerable people counseling services at rates up to $800 an hour, was not vindicated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. It was merely exempted from taxation. David Miscavige, IRS, Press, Scientology and Society
November 14, 1993 Scientology: The Opium Of The Stars How can you argue with the Scientology poster boys? Outside some Scientology centres are magazine covers of Tom Cruise and John Travolta addressing passers-by with the caption: "I'm a Scientologist. Come in and find out why." In 1978, nine top Scientologists, including [L. Ron Hubbard]'s wife Mary Sue, were jailed for burgling and wiretapping IRS offices. In 1984 in the Royal Courts of Justice Mr Justice Latey described Scientology as "corrupt, sinister and dangerous", "grimly reminiscent of the ranting and bullying of Hitler and his henchmen." John Travolta, Press, Tom Cruise
November 9, 1993 Woman Tells Judge She Was Threatened By Church Member A complainant in the sexual assault trial of Dr. James Tyhurst became visibly upset Monday when a member of the Church of Scientology entered the Vancouver courtroom. "Someone has just walked in," Jill Gorman complained tearfully from the witness stand. "He threatened me on the phone." Press, Vancouver

Press in the News

Date Titlesort icon Blurb Tags
May 12, 2006 Polish Scientologists Ordered to Remove Tents When Scientology erected tents in Warsaw's city center to attract new members, city officials ordered them taken down. Press
September 30, 1996 Patrice Vic Trial Begins - Scientology Executive Charged with Manslaughter Trial begins in the death of Patrice Vic. Scientology executive Jean-Jacques Mazier is charged with manslaughter, and 22 other Scientologists also face charges. crimes, deaths, France, Patrice Vic, Press