The Fair Gaming of Michael Flynn
Scientology Fair Games Michael Flynn July 25 & 26, 1984
Riverside Press-Enterprise articles: July
25 1984 July
26 1984
The Riverside Press-Enterprise published an article entitled “Scientologists
claim adversary had $2 million check forged.” The brazenness of these
fair gamers – Jentzsch, Peterson and Ingram, all working for the little
dictator-to-be -- framing
Flynn, and holding press conferences to “legitimize” their “sincerity”
in the frame-up – is Goebbelesian.
The cult’s “press conference” is happening just over a month
after Judge
Breckenridge issued his decision in Scientology v. Armstrong, Los Angeles
Superior Court No. C 420153, in which he thoroughly decries fair game:
| "In addition to violating and abusing its own members civil rights, the
organization over the years with its "Fair Game" doctrine has harassed
and abused those persons not in the Church whom it perceives as enemies. The organization
clearly is schizophrenic and paranoid, and this bizarre combination seems to be
a reflection of its founder LRH. The evidence portrays a man who has been virtually
a pathological liar when it comes to his history, background, and achievements.
The writings and documents in evidence additionally reflect his egoism, greed,
avarice, lust for power, and vindictiveness and aggressiveness against persons
perceived by him to be disloyal or hostile." |
And it’s one day after Judge
Latey in London, England in the B & G Wards case issued his decision that
also criticizes fair game, and dispenses with the shore story that fair game had
been cancelled:
"'Fair game policy'
In his HCO Policy letter of 18th October 1967 L.
Ron Hubbard, Founder, directed:
"PENALTIES FOR LOWER CONDITIONS
(Applies both Orgs and Sea Org)
LIABILITY - Suspension of Pay and a dirty grey rag on left
arm and day and night confinement to org premises.
TREASON [that means to say, treason against Scientology] -
Suspension of pay and deprivation of all uniforms and insignia, a black mark on
left cheek and confinement on org premises or dismissal from post and debarment
from premises.
DOUBT - Debarment from premises. Not to be employed.
Payment of fine amounting to any sum may have cost org. Not to be trained or processed.
Not to be communicated or argued with.
ENEMY - SP Order. Fair Game. May be deprived
of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline
of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.
In his HCO Policy letter of 21 October 1968, Hubbard
directed:
"CANCELLATION OF FAIR GAME
The practice of declaring people FAIR GAME will cease. FAIR
GAME may not appear on any Ethics Order. It causes bad public relations. This
PL [that is, policy letter] does not cancel any policy on the treatment or handling
of an SP.
L. RON HUBBARD Founder"
It was suggested, but not pursued, that this did cancel the Fair
Game treatment. It did nothing of the kind as the last sentence shows. It was
cosmetic only for public consumption. Deprival of property, injury by any means,
trickery, suing, lying or destruction have been pursued throughout and to this
day with the fullest possible vigour.
Two give two illustrations: Beginning in 1977 the Church of Scientology
have conducted a campaign of persecution against Dr. Clark. They wrote letters
to the Dean at the Harvard Medical School and to the Director of the Massachusetts
General. Hospital. But they refused to gag him. Their agents tracked down and
telephoned several of his patients and interviewed his neighbours looking for
evidence to impugn his private or personal actions. They submitted a critical
report to a Committee of the Massachusetts State Senate. On three occasions during
the last five years a Scientology "front" called the Citizens' Commission
on Human Rights have brought complaints against him to the Massachusetts Medical
Board of Registration alleging improper professional conduct. In 1980 he was declared
a "Number One Enemy" and in 1981 they brought two law suits against
him (summarily dismissed, but costly and worrying). They distributed leaflets
at the Massachusetts General Hospital offering a $25,000 reward to employees for
evidence which would lead to his conviction on any charge of criminal activity.
They stole his employment record from another Boston hospital. They convene press
conferences calculated to ruin his professional reputation. It all failed, but
that is of minor importance to Scientology. "Throw enough mud and some will
stick." It has caused him heavy cost in time and money and anxiety. Mr. Armstrong
points out that the claim that "Fair Game" has been cancelled is untrue.
He was declared "Fair Game". They disseminated stories internationally
falsely accusing him of theft, hired paid bullies to harass him and his wife day
and night for over a month, threatened his life, assaulted him and hit him with
a car."
— Judge Latey |
The Press-Enterprise writer Ronnie D. Smith’s July 25, 1984 story, although
it parallels the Los Angeles Times article of July 24 covering the cultists’
press conference, contains some extraordinary language, that the cult has never
denied. Read this with the understanding that the cultists knew without any doubt
that Flynn had nothing to do with the forging of any check, and knew they were
manufacturing “evidence” to frame him:
"Church of Scientology officials yesterday
accused a top church adversary [Boston attorney Michael
Flynn] of conspiring with organized crime figures to steal $2 million from
Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard two years ago.
[...]
The allegations against Flynn were outlined yesterday at a Los
Angeles press conference attended by Scientology president Heber Jentzsch, church
attorney John Peterson, church spokesman Vaughan Young and a private investigator,
Eugene
Ingram.
The officials said evidence showing that Flynn conspired to counterfeit
and forge a Hubbard check has been given to the U.S. Attorney's office in Boston.
[...]
Ingram, a Los Angeles private detective hired by the church,
said two brothers -- Ala
and Akil
Tamimi -- and a third person who he said was a member of organized crime in Boston,
have identified Flynn as being involved in the scam.
[...]
Ingram is a former Los Angeles Police Department sergeant who
was fired in 1981
[...]
Akil's brother Ala Tamimi contended in court papers filed Monday
in district court in Los Angeles in a separate case that he had the Hubbard check
forged after Flynn gave him sample checks and offered him $400,000 -- Tamimi's
share of the $2 million.
Ala
Tamimi, who Ingram says is a forger, is in jail in Naples, Italy, pending
extradition to the United States in a separate fraud case. Ingram said Tamimi,
[ ] will be paid $25,000 for his information by the church
[...]
|
On July 26, 1984, the Press-Enterprise reprinted
the Ronnie D. Smith story with minor changes. Both versions contained Peterson’s
power of prophecy, predicting perfectly that Flynn would claim the cult’s
frame-up of Flynn was a frame-up:
"This is outrageous," said Flynn. "They are
manufacturing evidence to smear me because I exposed them. The allegations are
a joke. I plan to file a criminal complaint against Ingram, Peterson and the others.
This is a criminal conspiracy to frame me of a crime.. I am going to try to get
them indicted."
Church attorney Peterson countered: "He will claim this
is frame-up by the Church of Scientology. Mr. Flynn cannot withstand scrutiny
on this because we have the facts . . . and they show clearly without a doubt
that Mr. Flynn . . . and others conspired to counterfeit a check, they forged
a check and they tried to steal $2 million from Mr. Hubbard."
[...]
|
Flynn, of course, withstood enough scrutiny to sue the cult including Ingram
for the frame job, and to get the cultists to pay
him $575,000 for their fair game efforts.
Fair game is a huge moneymaker for Ingram and sleazy crooks like Peterson.
Consider the utter insufficiency of these criminals’ evidence:
"Other than the statements by the two brothers,
Ingram, the private detective, refused to provide detailed evidence that he claims
shows Flynn's involvement in the check scheme and with organized crime. He also
refused to identify others involved."
— Riverside
Press-Enterprise |
© 2004 SPDL, Gerry Armstrong, Caroline
Letkeman |
