Scientology convicted of fraud
Source: Agencies |
October 28, 2009, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A PARIS court yesterday convicted the Church of Scientology of fraud and fined it more than half a million euros - but stopped short of banning the group as requested by prosecutors.
The group's French branch immediately announced it would appeal the verdict. The court convicted the Church of Scientology's French office, its library and six of its leaders of fraud. Investigators said the group pressured members into paying large sums of money for questionable financial gain and used "commercial harassment" against recruits.
The group was fined 400,000 euros (US$600,000) and the library 200,000 euros. Four of the leaders were given suspended sentences of between 10 months and two years. The other two were given fines of 1,000 euros and 2,000 euros.
The Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology, founded in 1954 by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, has been active for decades in Europe, but has struggled to gain status as a religion. It is considered a sect in France.
The original complaint in the case dates back more than a decade, when a young woman said she took out loans and spent the equivalent of 21,000 euros on books, courses and "purification packages" after being recruited in 1998. When she sought reimbursement and to leave the group, its leadership refused. She was among three eventual plaintiffs.
The group's French branch immediately announced it would appeal the verdict. The court convicted the Church of Scientology's French office, its library and six of its leaders of fraud. Investigators said the group pressured members into paying large sums of money for questionable financial gain and used "commercial harassment" against recruits.
The group was fined 400,000 euros (US$600,000) and the library 200,000 euros. Four of the leaders were given suspended sentences of between 10 months and two years. The other two were given fines of 1,000 euros and 2,000 euros.
The Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology, founded in 1954 by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, has been active for decades in Europe, but has struggled to gain status as a religion. It is considered a sect in France.
The original complaint in the case dates back more than a decade, when a young woman said she took out loans and spent the equivalent of 21,000 euros on books, courses and "purification packages" after being recruited in 1998. When she sought reimbursement and to leave the group, its leadership refused. She was among three eventual plaintiffs.
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