Conviction New religious movements Scientology Paris, France · 2009

Church of Scientology convicted of organized fraud (upheld 2013)

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Evidence status

Convicted

Authority role

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Organization

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Scientology organizations pressured members to purchase courses, books, and purification services presented as necessary remedies for spiritual advancement.

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Sources

CBS News (2012) 'French court upholds Scientology fraud conviction', CBS News; and JURIST (2013) 'France high court upholds Scientology fraud conviction'. Available at: cbsnews.com / jurist.org (Accessed: 14 July 2026).: 'A French appeals court on Thursday upheld the Church of Scientology's 2009 fraud conviction on charges it pressured members into paying large sums for questionable remedies... The case began with a legal complaint by a young woman who said she took out loans and spent the equivalent of $28,000 on books, courses and ‘purification packages’ after being recruited in 1998.' France's highest court confirmed the conviction in 2013: 'The original ruling convicted Scientology's Celebrity Centre and bookstore in Paris of fraud following numerous instances of pressuring members... into paying large sums for questionable services and materials.'

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Source and tier basis: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/french-court-upholds-scientology-fraud-conviction/ Legacy citation preserved without a normalized source tier or evidentiary-role code. SHA-256 5051bd6cea3dca329c7dc9b9a23c374fb10d1cab2513d23fd14be33e0f2b4087
Retrieval: 2026-07-20 · Preserved; Bound by Fear automated source-preservation ledger

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