alt_religion_scientology/FACTNetARS19941021

TO: NEWS EDITORS

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL F.A.C.T.Net Inc. 1-303-473-011 or
Lawrence Wollersheim at 1-303-278-7708

CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY OF CALIFORNIA THREATENED BY RECEIVERSHIP

On October 26th, Tom Cruise, Lisa Marie Presley (Michael
Jackson's wife), Kirstie Alley, John Travolta, and other
Hollywood celebrities may find the bizarre and dangerous cult to
which they have pledged their loyalty forced into receivership,
(Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology of California, B023193,
LASC # C 332 027.)

By refusing to pay a U.S. Supreme Court approved
multi-million dollar court judgment the Church of Scientology of
California (Scientology) seems to have placed itself above the
law. "Receivership was the only answer for me," says Lawrence
Wollersheim, a former member and the lawsuit victor.
"Scientology vowed `not one thin dime for Wollersheim,' while
they stripped an estimated 500 million dollars in assets out of
the corporation, and then told my attorney that if I even tried
to collect it would be `World War III.' What else could I do?"

Scientology was ordered by the LA Superior Court not to
dissipate its assets so that it could pay the judgment if it did
not prevail on appeal. The appellate courts even waived the
normal posting of bond because Scientology claimed to be a
religion. According to Wollersheim, "If Scientology is a
religion then it is so only in the context of being similar in
nature to satanic and neo-Nazi churches."

Victims' rights organizations are watching this case
closely because of Scientology's reputation for abusing the
legal system and its alleged out-of-court harassment tactics.
Bob Penny, an expert on Scientology and a Director of
F.A.C.T.Net, a nonprofit cult information service said,
"Scientology's refusals to pay the Wollersheim judgment and
their endless tactical delays and strategy of bankrupting
opponents are attempts to intimidate and discourage thousands of
other Scientology victims and discourage use of the legal
process for legitimate redress of grievances." Penny estimates
pending suits and potential new suits against Scientology could
eventually total up to one billion dollars."

Wollersheim said he has already begun the process of seizing
Scientology's assets and that he feels no sympathy for the
celebrities involved. "These celebrities irresponsibly allow
Scientology to use their reputations to lure and exploit the
naive and vulnerable." Wollersheim also said that,
"Scientology's exploitative mind control techniques produce a
hidden casualty rate of suicides, attempted suicides, psychoses,
and neuroses. Scientology's total destructiveness over the last
forty years may already have surpassed Jonestown, Waco, and the
Swiss Solar Temple combined."

Wollersheim hopes putting this organization into receivership
will help stop the abuse and will prove to Scientology's leader,
David Miscavige, and its other top executives, lawyers, and
accountants that while "Scientology may act like they are above
the law, but they are not beyond it."

End

Mr.Wollersheim is available for media interviews through
FACTNet. Copies of the receivership court documents are
available in computer form (receiver.zip) via the FACTNet BBS at
1-303-530-1942, or by Internet file transfer at (Ftp.rmii.com),
log on as anonomous user using your e-mail address as your
password then go to pub2/factnet/receiver.zip) or by request via
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exempt nonprofit research and educational organization that
operates an electronic lending library and archive. FACTNet's
goal is to inform the public and promote dialog about human
rights abuse caused by cults and coercive mind control. For more
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#C-217, Golden, CO 80401, U.S.A., 1-303-473-0111 or on the
Internet see our World Wide Web information, catalog, and
services page at (http://www.acmeweb.com/factnet).