Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Oklahoma

[CommunicatorIC]

Tony Ortega: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Oklahoma
http://tonyortega.org/2013/09/25/na...t-down-in-georgia-has-court-loss-in-oklahoma/

Excerpts:

Scientology’s drug rehab center in the Atlanta area, Narconon Georgia, has cut a deal with county and state officials, and in return for surrendering its license and shutting down an operation that was already on life support, the facility escapes prosecution on credit card fraud and insurance fraud that was said to be in the millions of dollars.

But Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter tells us that doesn’t mean he’s given up on prosecuting individuals.

There’s also big Narconon news coming out of Oklahoma today: Jeanne LeFlore of the McAlester News-Capital is reporting that Pittsburg County Associate District Judge James Bland has ordered Scientology’s flagship drug rehab facility, Narconon Arrowhead, to turn over evidence of employee use of illegal drugs and alcohol for the years 2004 to 2010 in the lawsuit brought by the family of a Narconon patient who is in a vegetative state after a 2008 drug overdose, Heather Landmeier.

Legal Document: Narconon Georgia Non-Prosecution Agreement
http://www.scribd.com/doc/171002764/Narconon-Georgia-Non-Prosecution-Agreement

 

[CommunicatorIC]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

 

[CommunicatorIC]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

By Christian Boone

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A controversial Norcross drug treatment facility with ties to the Church of Scientology will avoid any potential criminal charges after surrendering its license to the state.
But the investigation into allegations of insurance fraud by those running the facility isn’t over, Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said.

“Narconon as a corporate entity has been relieved of criminal liability but no individual is,” Porter said Wednesday. “Certainly we’ve discovered discrepancies between what was billed and what was provided. The key now is to identify those individuals who were submitting the claims.”

For more, read Thursday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/narconon-of-georgia-surrenders-license-avoids-pros/nZ7Sw/
​

 

[AnonyMary]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

From Narconon Reviews:

Narconon of Georgia Non-Prosecution Agreement

This is a ridiculous agreement between the Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter and Narconon of Georgia.

They get to do community service spreading their dangerous program information to the community for 6 months and get off scott free on all insurance crimes in exchange for turning in their license, which was already revoked but being desperately appealed despite the evidence they should be shut down. Now they get to reapply in a year for a new license.

More on this later but here is the agreement

UPDATE: We have been informed that the case is still under investigation by the DA’s office (‘you can’t arrest a corporation’) and that individuals could still be prosecuted but I don’t see that happening if their investigation boiled down to ‘inadvertent billing errors’. Additionally, a attorney who contacted me made an important point “And the so-called public service should have been specifically barred, instead of mandated!!!”

http://narcononreviews.net/narconon/465/

Narconon of Georgia’s license was already revoked and they were desperately trying to save it ( despite the solid evidence against them on all their violations ) by appealing it with the state OAH. *They had an upcoming Administrative hearing scheduled for the 30th, which this all cancelled. There was a very good chance they would have lost the appeal and be forced to close anyway. Why was the Gwinnett County DA making deals for the state licensing regulatory agency that result in less than what they would have gotten at the administrative Hearing? They now get to reapply for a license after 1 year. They now get to spread all their dangerous program propaganda about drugs in the community for 6 months.

There will be more on this tomorrow, including an interview with Mr. Porter. Til then…

* While their licensed was revoked, they were allowed to remain open and continue operating until they exhausted their appeal.

 

[Purple Rain]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

From Narconon Reviews:


http://narcononreviews.net/narconon/465/

Narconon of Georgia’s license was already revoked and they were desperately trying to save it ( despite the solid evidence against them on all their violations ) by appealing it with the state OAH. They had an upcoming Administrative hearing scheduled for the 30th, which this all cancelled. There was a very good chance they would have lost the appeal and be forced to close anyway. Why was the Gwinnett County DA making deals for the state licensing regulatory agency that result in less than what they would have gotten at the administrative Hearing? They now get to reapply for a license after 1 year. They now get to spread all their dangerous program propaganda about drugs in the community for 6 months.

There will be more on this tomorrow, including an interview with Mr. Porter. Til then…

Yes, I was wondering about that. It seems to me more sucky to prosecute the individuals when they were pressured to do it as part of the organisational modus operandi while the corporation itself - of whom to some degree the staff are also victims - gets off scot free. What the hell is with that?

 

[AnonyMary]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

Yes, I was wondering about that. It seems to me more sucky to prosecute the individuals when they were pressured to do it as part of the organisational modus operandi while the corporation itself - of whom to some degree the staff are also victims - gets off scot free. What the hell is with that?

Exactly!

It could have gone something like this but Narconon of Georgia is broke...

JPMorgan in talks to settle government cases for $11 billion, source says

JPMorgan Chase is in talks to pay state and federal authorities $11 billion to resolve investigations into its sale of shoddy mortgage securities during the financial crisis, a person familiar with the talks said Wednesday.

If the bank were to agree to such a settlement, it would represent a tremendous win for the government after years of public criticism over its struggle to hold Wall Street accountable for its crisis-era misdeeds....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...750f7e-1efe-11e3-94a2-6c66b668ea55_story.html

3 states are currently investigating different Narconon and related facilities for insurance and credit card fraud. My hope is that soon there will be a federal RICO case because of the pattern of organized crime used by each on the insurance and credit card fraud scams. Perhaps the federal government will step in and sue the big kahuna's Narconon Int, ABLE Int and RTC. That's where the corporate accountability will come into play.

 

[JBWriter]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

Yes, I was wondering about that. It seems to me more sucky to prosecute the individuals when they were pressured to do it as part of the organisational modus operandi while the corporation itself - of whom to some degree the staff are also victims - gets off scot free. What the hell is with that?

From afar, it looks like Co$/scientology cut an exceptionally good deal for themselves and, in the doing, left the staff to point fingers of blame at one another, with many (all?) headed to Court on criminal charges, at the very least.

Facing the realization of spending any time behind bars certainly won't be easy to manage emotionally -- but if there's an upside to that at all, it's this: ingrained loyalty to the very organization that abandoned an Ex-Narconon staff member in his/her time of real need might end.

If the loyalty ends, there's an increased chance such a person would be willing to testify in a civil lawsuit on behalf of a plaintiff and/or a plaintiff's family. Even if loyalty isn't a factor in the equation, that person might simply choose to give truthful testimony/evidence to assist any civil plaintiffs.

Not a whole lot to be happy about with this agreement, so I sure hope more information becomes available. The idea that the State of Georgia 'endorses by implication' the recklessly inane drug prevention outreach "methods" of Narconon for 6 months is troubling. And, imo, a danger to the public.

JB

 

[PTS]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

Long as they close for me that's the big win. Watching the cult humiliated by a string of fraud and theft charges would have been delightfully lulzy, but closing is more than enough.

And now,

Neener Neener Neener!!

 

[AnonyMary]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

Must read from the Underground Bunker today...

Shut-Down Scientology Drug Rehab Claiming It’s Full, Says Mother of Insurance Fraud Victim
by Tony Ortega

http://tonyortega.org/2013/09/26/sh...s-full-says-mother-of-insurance-fraud-victim/

Here is the audio of Mary Morton, victim of Narconon of Georgia insurance fraud explaining how she didn't trust that they were closed down after being informed by the state licensing agency not to come to court because Narconon was closed down, and what happened when she later called the facility local number.
[video=youtube_share;Q-LI7Q6t9ic]http://youtu.be/Q-LI7Q6t9ic[/video]

 

[Purple Rain]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

From afar, it looks like Co$/scientology cut an exceptionally good deal for themselves and, in the doing, left the staff to point fingers of blame at one another, with many (all?) headed to Court on criminal charges, at the very least.

Facing the realization of spending any time behind bars certainly won't be easy to manage emotionally -- but if there's an upside to that at all, it's this: ingrained loyalty to the very organization that abandoned an Ex-Narconon staff member in his/her time of real need might end.

If the loyalty ends, there's an increased chance such a person would be willing to testify in a civil lawsuit on behalf of a plaintiff and/or a plaintiff's family. Even if loyalty isn't a factor in the equation, that person might simply choose to give truthful testimony/evidence to assist any civil plaintiffs.

Not a whole lot to be happy about with this agreement, so I sure hope more information becomes available. The idea that the State of Georgia 'endorses by implication' the recklessly inane drug prevention outreach "methods" of Narconon for 6 months is troubling. And, imo, a danger to the public.

JB

You have to understand what its like on staff, and I would assume that would include Narconon, since I worked for Applied Scholastics myself - another finger of ABLE (or SoCo "Social Coordination" as it was previously known). Do staff go, "Oh my god, look how Scientology threw Mary Sue Hubbard under a bus?" No. Do they think, "Gosh, Hubbard really threw David Mayo under a bus?" No, they don't. This is how it works.... Scientology demonises the individual to the other staff members. They don't tell them, "These people in prison were just following orders," they tell them, "These criminals infiltrated our organisation and nearly brought it to its knees."

It sucks giant balls that this criminal organisation is not called to account but does not surprise me. I always suspect bribery or blackmail of the administrators involved. And that sucks too - that I can't just trust the legal system because of Scientology's long history of perverting the course of justice. I'm not naturally nearly skeptical or cynical enough, but as far as Scientology and any legal system goes I'm unhealthily cynical - to the extent of ALWAYS assuming they've found the price of the other stakeholders à la Joan Wood. And I detest them for that - it's like just another loss of innocence.

 

[LA SCN]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

Thanks to all above for the good work and reportage.

The public gets the idea and knows that the Church of Scientology is about as innocent as the Mafia.

Throwing its staff under the bus will work only so long as they are willing to fall on the sword of L. Ron Hubbard, the ultimate con man.

Harsh reality will cure them of this sooner rather than later.

 

[Ogsonofgroo]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

Ah yessssss! So fine a thing on Statsurday!

:dancer: :dancer: :dancer:

 

[MrNobody]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

Hmm... I don't understand this whole show...

I mean OK, I understand what the cult does: "We give up what we don't even own anymore (the license) and throw some of our minions under the bus who don't have the money to pay for the damages anyway, and in return you let us continue our criminal business in peace."

But what's the benefit for the state(s) with this deal? OK, they still can prosecute and arrest some poor individuals (how much does a jail cell cost per year?) and some small claims court procedures against some insignificant cult pawns should be relatively cheap, but letting the criminal organization continue it's "business" in their country is very expensive, no?

So where's the benefit in letting the criminal organization continue unchallenged in their country? Where is the "win" in that dirty deal?

 

[MrNobody]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

Thanks to all above for the good work and reportage.

Indeed.

The public gets the idea and knows that the Church of Scientology is about as innocent as the Mafia.

Throwing its staff under the bus will work only so long as they are willing to fall on the sword of L. Ron Hubbard, the ultimate con man.

Harsh reality will cure them of this sooner rather than later.

Did Mary Sue throw her husband "LRH" under the bus or did she prefer to "enjoy" her jail time?

Jus' askin'...

 

[Lermanet_com]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

It sounds like Scientology made someone in the State of Georgia an offer they could not refuse.

"Corruption Risk in Georgia - State Integrity Investigation LINK
www.stateintegrity.org/georgia‎
Georgia gets a grade of F for corruption risk and ranks 50th out of 50 states in the State Integrity


Perhaps the following historical precedent will add a bit of context: Reply from the CW DA to Miscavige from 1999, this in reply to an offer to settle the criminal investigation regarding the death of Lisa McPherson

"OFFICE OF THE STATE ATTORNEY SIXTH JUDICI.AL CIRCUIT OF FLORIDA
PASCO AND PINELLAS COUNTIES

February 4, 1999

Mr. David Miscavige
Chairman of the Board
Religious Technology Center

c/o Mr. Morris "Sandy" Weinberg, Jr., Esq.
401 E. Jackson Street

Suite 2525
Tampa, FL 33602

RE:
State of Florida vs. Church of Scientoloqy

Flag Service Organization, Inc.
CRC982O377CFANO S

Dear Mr. Miscavige:

I have received your letter of January 22, 1999 as well as the memorandum from Williams & Connelly to which your letter refers. While I do not agree with all of your comments concerning our prior discussions, Iwill concentrate on responding to the primary issues raised in your written proposal. You suggest that your intent is "peaceful" and, in deciding to respond in detail, we have taken you at your word. The initial "offer" made to Mr. Crow and Mr. Burgess, however, requested outright dismissal of the charges in exchange for a $500,000 donation to a local emergency medical care trust fund, repayment of investigative costs, enactment of certain corporate policies, and a somewhat ambiguous amount of "restitution" which was intended as some sort of reimbursement to my office rather than payment for the permissible financial losses, if there are any, suffered by the victim or her estate. Your oral proposal made clear that if we failed to accede to the requested dismissal, a "holy war" of litigation would result, lasting years and winnowing our office's human and financial resources.

Continues here:

 

[JBWriter]

Re: Scientology Drug Rehab Shut Down in Georgia, Ordered to Turn Over Records in Okla

Specific to Paragraph 2 above, one year has now passed.

Does anyone know if Narconon Georgia has applied for a new license from the Georgia Department of Community Health? :confused2:

JB