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Nov 27, 1979
Cover blown, 2 spies came in from the cold — Clearwater Sun (Florida)
Nov 27, 1979
Cult sought to shield $8 million from IRS — Clearwater Sun (Florida)More: link
Type: Press
Author(s):
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) WASHINGTON—The project was so top secret and top priority that L. Ron Hubbard himself christened it. He called it "Goldmine." At stake was more than $8 million in Scientology money that the Internal Revenue Service might get if top-level sect "guardians" didn't work quickly and vigorously to protect Scientology from unfavorable IRS audits. The scheme was based in Clearwater, where in November 1975 the sect had just established its phony United Churches group. But top Scientologists around the country were prepared ...
Nov 24, 1979
Cult tried to control newspaper — Clearwater Sun (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) The Church of Scientology plotted to purchase or otherwise "control" the Clearwater Sun by attempting to cut the paper's advertising revenue, discredit reporters and editors and rally readers against it, according to sect documents released Friday.
Nov 8, 1979
Tampa jury may get sect documents — Clearwater Sun (Florida)More: link
Type: Press
Author(s):
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) WASHINGTON — Thousands of top-secret Church of Scientology documents now in the hands of the federal government will be used in widespread probes of the sect by the Internal Revenue Service, prosecutors in several states and grand juries In Tampa and New York, a top U.S. prosecutor said Wednesday. Scientology attorneys have filed four separate appeals requesting the return of the documents, which were the basis of recent conspiracy convictions of nine high-ranking church officials. Today, government attorneys are expected to ...
Nov 7, 1979
Letter indicates Hubbard came to city to 'save the operation' — Clearwater Sun (Florida)More: link
Type: Press
Author(s):
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) WASHINGTON — L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology, was so concerned with the success of his newly formed Clearwater headquarters that he visited there in late November 1975 to "save the operation." A letter Hubbard sent one of his top-level "Guardians" shows the founder wanted to make sure "this scene stays cool" while his United Churches of Florida front group established itself in the old Fort Harrison hotel and Bank of Clearwater buildings. The letter is included in ...
Nov 7, 1979
Sect front started to launder cash — Clearwater Sun (Florida)More: link
Type: Press
Author(s):
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) WASHINGTON — United Churches of Florida, the Scientology front group established in Clearwater in November 1975, was designed to be a tax shelter that could launder sect revenue nationwide, top-secret Scientology documents show. Sect founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote in September 1975 that United Churches was being created "to preserve the assets of Scientology . . . in case of a total wipeout of the Church of Scientology by IRS." The secret correspondence between Hubbard and highest-level Scientology "Guardians" show that ...
Nov 6, 1979
Russell inquiry angers Scientologists — Clearwater Sun (Florida)More: link
Type: Press
Author(s):
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) WASHINGTON — Top officials of the Church of Scientology considered Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney James T. Russell a major enemy because he pressed for an investigation about a gun found in Dunedin that may have belonged to sect founder L. Ron Hubbard. An April 14, 1977, memo between two sect "guardians," on file in the U.S. Courthouse in Washington, shows that Russell was dubbed a "suppressive person" making him a potential target for Scientology espionage and character assassination aimed at removing him ...
Nov 6, 1979
Scientologists' goal: world takeover — Clearwater Sun (Florida)More: link
Type: Press
Author(s):
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) WASHINGTON — The Clearwater branch of the Church of Scientology actively participated in a master plan of founder L. Ron Hubbard apparently aimed at taking over the world, internal cult documents reveal. In Clearwater, the plan centered on removing from office political and and media figures considered "enemies" of the cult: former mayor Gabriel Cazares, Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney James Russell, Clearwater Sun Editor Ron Stuart and local broadcaster Bob Snyder. But on a grander scale, Hubbard's scheme was to "obliterate" and ...
Nov 4, 1979
Memo: Scientologists aimed attack at local man — Clearwater Sun (Florida)More: link
Type: Press
Author(s):
Alan Gutwein-Guenther ,
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) CLEARWATER — A two-page policy memo written by four top Church of Scientology officials apparently singled out for attack a former vice president of a local bank, according to documents released last week by a federal judge in Washington, D.C. The memo, included among the documents, cites Wilby F. Anderson of Buttonwood Court as an "enemy," apparently because of a speech Anderson made before the city commission in 1975. Anderson, who at one time worked in the U.S. Department of Justice, ...
Nov 4, 1979
Scientologists: Sect wanted to make mayor a 'friend' — Clearwater Sun (Florida)More: link
Type: Press
Author(s):
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) WASHINGTON — Believe it or not, the Church of Scientology once wanted to be friends with Gabe Cazares. The former Clearwater mayor find that amusing today, having endured years of legal battles with the sect and waged bitter campaigns against its presence in Clearwater. In December 1975, when Scientology was establishing itself in the city under the guise of the United Churches of Florida, top sect officers thought Cazares would a good man to have on their side. Thus, according to ...
Nov 3, 1979
Judge rules papers available to public — Clearwater Sun (Florida)More: link
Type: Press
Author(s):
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) WASHlNGTON — Documents revealing a Scientology espionage campaign against government agencies ranging from the IRS to the Clearwater City Commission were declared open to further public inspection Friday afternoon by a federal judge. Scientology attorneys had argued strenuously that the papers should be sealed because they would cause "irreparable injury" to the church. The public availability of the dozen cartons of government-seized documents — the basis of last week‘s conspiracy conviction of nine top church officials — was in doubt until ...
Nov 3, 1979
Scientologists plot city takeover — Clearwater Sun (Florida)More: link
Type: Press
Author(s):
Richard Leiby Source:
Clearwater Sun (Florida) WASHINGTON — The Church of Scientology of California had big plans for the unsuspecting community of Clearwater when it arrived there in November 1975. In essence, the sect wanted to control the city's politicians, media and religious groups. To that end, the Scientologists have evidently failed. Hardly any Clearwater resident is not skeptical of the sect’s proclaimed goals and "reforrn" activities. Nevertheless, the church has purchased $8 million in Clearwater buildings and land and continues to work for the potential to ...
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