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Patron Meritorious
Translation of a French article posted on Feb. 7, 2012 on the maville.com website:
Une enquête sur le suicide d'une adepte de la Scientologie classée sans suite
Une enquête sur le suicide d'une adepte de la Scientologie classée sans suite
Investigation into the suicide of a Scientologist discontinued
February 7, 2012
(AFP) A preliminary investigation into the 2006 suicide of a follower of the Church of Scientology in Colombes (Hauts-de-Seine) was discontinued last June, said a judicial source on Tuesday.
According to this source, the investigation did not succeed in building a case to prosecute the Church of Scientology, against which a complaint was filed by the children of the deceased woman in October 2008.
Her children reported the matter to judicial authorities because they believe that debts incurred by their mother due to her involvement with Scientology were what led her to take her life.
Her family's suspicions began after the discovery in her home of letters and documents referring to a litany of expenditures and debts for the benefit of the Church of Scientology.
On December 21, 2006, Gloria Lopez, who had been a member of the Church of Scientology for ten years, ended her life at age 47 by letting herself be hit by a train at the Colombes station.
Scientology, which has been classified as a cult by several parliamentary reports in France, was founded in 1954 by American science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard and is considered a religion in the United States and in some European countries. It claims to have more than 10 million followers worldwide and 45,000 in France.
The two principal Scientology entities in France - the Celebrity Centre and its SEL bookstore - saw their conviction for "organized fraud" confirmed on February 2 by the court of appeal, a decision that constitutes a first in France and has been described as "historic" by opponents of the Church.