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Church of Scientology linked to IRS theftsWASHINGTON (AP) - Newly released documents say Church of Scientology leaders stole Internal Revenue Service records on singer Frank Sinatra and Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley.Church memos in the documents reveal information was stolen on Bradley, Sinatra and other well known figures “to show IRS collection of non-tax related data on famous people.”The church claims the IRS and other agencies have carried on a vendetta against it over the years.The actual records on Sinatra and Bradley were not among the six cartons of documents released Thursday by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Richey. The documents were seized in 1977 during FBI raids of the church’s Los Angeles offices.Last Friday, Richey convicted eight church leaders of conspiring to steal government documents about the church. A ninth member was convicted of a misdemeanor theft count.Just before the verdict, Richey released documents used by the government in tne criminal case. Thursday, he began making public remaining documents seized in the raid.The newly released church documents said scientologists had a “doom program” to discredit the American Medical Association. Other church records said leaders met with Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and tried to start a smear campaign against Sen. Dennis DeConcini, D-Ariz.One document, dated May 16, 1977, said 3 agents got placed in 2 AMA offices.“It fell apart in Oct. ‘75 when the D.C. (District of Columbia) missionaire (a church official) leaked data to the press which identified one of the agents. The AMA called in a firm of investigators who blew the Chicago agent..and then traced a connection to the D.C. agents.”Medical organizations have criticized the church’s counseling program.Three church members claimed in a document that they spoke in 1975 with Kennedy, who agreed with their goal of abolishing Interpol, an international police organization.Kennedy’s press secretary, Tom Southwick, said he could not confirm the meeting nor the views attributed to the senator.Documents dated 1977 said the church wanted to “get a rumor campaign going on DeConcini.” After the documents were read to gim Thursday night, DeConcini said the church could have been reacting to his support of deprogramming” — an effort to convince members of religious cults to quit the groups.EVERY DAY SAVEw on finest fashionable women’s clothing and accessories- 0/ WITH YOUR ) /O VOTING STUB
Newspaper Details
Franklin News Herald
Franklin, Pennsylvania, US
Mon, Nov 05, 1979
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
NA, 07 Aug 2024
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