---

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 23461 • Posted: Tuesday May 12, 2009  

---

10-year investigation concluded the group should be labeled a criminal organization

Two years ago a Belgian prosecutor recommended that the U.S.-based Church of Scientology stand trial for fraud and extortion, following a 10-year investigation that concluded the group should be labeled a criminal organization.

The prosecutor stated that Scientology’s Brussels-based Europe office and its Belgian missions conducted unlawful practices in medicine, violated privacy laws and used illegal business contracts. The twelve people formally charged were also accussed of fraud, extortion, and forming a criminal organization.

At the time, Scientology responded by saying it would investigate prosecutor Jean-Claude Van Espen.

A Belgian court was to decide today whether the Church of Scientology will be prosecuted. However, the debate was postponed indefinitely when lawyers for accused filed nine requests for additional research.

A judge will evaluate each request to decide whether they are necessary. If he rejects the requests, Scientology’s lawyers can file an appeal.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Fraud, Quackery, Scientology Tags: anti-psychiatry, Church of Scientology, cult, hate group, Quackery, religious cult, Scientology Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Fraud, Quackery, Scientology Read Another Article Previous entry: Spiritual healer Jomanda goes on trial Next entry: Controversial Muslim programmer new BBC head of religion RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Fraud Most Popular Today Guyana’s Jonestown suicide site gets plaque Scientology practices ‘putting people at risk’ Recession: Muslim schools in UK under threat of closure 1-year prison term for man who participated in cyber attack on Church of Scientology Web sites Australian police take up complaints about Scientology Appeals court upholds removal of children from cult leader’s compound Born in U.S., a Radical Cleric Inspires Terror Scientology’s feet held to the fire in Australia: Struggle between a church and the state

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.