The French branch of the Church of Scientology has been fined $900,000 for defrauding vulnerable followers, a Paris court has ruled. But the group, which is officially considered a sect in France, was not banned from operating in the country. The group's lawyer said they would appeal against Tuesday's verdict. The court convicted six group leaders, the Scientology's Celebrity Centre, and its bookshop of organised fraud for preying financially on followers in the 1990s. Investigators said the group pressured members into paying large sums of money for questionable financial gain and used "commercial harassment" against recruits.
The French branch of the Church of Scientology has been fined $900,000 for defrauding vulnerable followers, a Paris court has ruled.
But the group, which is officially considered a sect in France, was not banned from operating in the country.
The group's lawyer said they would appeal against Tuesday's verdict.
The court convicted six group leaders, the Scientology's Celebrity Centre, and its bookshop of organised fraud for preying financially on followers in the 1990s.
Investigators said the group pressured members into paying large sums of money for questionable financial gain and used "commercial harassment" against recruits.
BTW, you'll have to explain how Scientology is "officially considered a sect in France" when there is no legal definition of neither sect nor religion as per French law.
The trial and subsequent convictions were for fraudulent activities, not personal beliefs or proselytism. Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.
