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TwitterTom Cruise named in $250M Scientology lawsuit!
Xenu-lover -- oops, sorry -- longtime Scientology advocate Tom Cruise has been named in a $250 million lawsuit being brought against the church by a former member.
Ex-Scientologist Peter Letterese filed legal papers in Florida on July 15 alleging that members of the church harassed him after he left the church, the New York Daily News reports.
According to the Daily News, Letterese wants the church, which he calls a "crime syndicate," broken up under the federal RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) statute, used by federal agents to break up Mafia families.
He alleges that Cruise, an avid and outspoken Scientologist, promotes the church using his celebrity status and that Scientology head David Miscavage is "aided and abetted by the actions of Tom Cruise, his right-hand man for foreign and domestic promotion, as well as for foreign and domestic lobbying. He has assisted the syndicate in acquiring funds and (made) his own donations of money believed to be in the multiple tens of millions of dollars."
Investigator Paul Barresi, who has worked for Cruise and who told the Daily News about the lawsuit, insists: "Letterese is just using a celebrity name to get attention."
And of course, Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw has told the paper, "This is a frivolous suit based on falsehoods."
Does Peter stand a snowball's chance of winning this suit? And should Tom Cruise be named in this suit? Or is it just a way to get public attention on the case? Most importantly, will Cruise counter-sue?
Photo: Scientology poster boy Tom Cruise at the MTV Movie Awards earlier this year.
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i think this news is way better than "myspace" got sold too little!!! LMAO!
As far as Peter winning, who cares? The media attention to this suit will enlighten and save many from falling into the greedy sucking proboscis that is scientology. Revealing the crimes that scientology commits and the pyramid scheme it is, will stop people from joining the cult and therefore the truth will save families and lives.
i think this news is way better than "myspace" got sold too little for it's value!!! Yeah. Way better news.
Didn't you leave out a fact that Letterese lost a similar suit in July?
Xenu is spelt with an "X" not a "Z" fyi. Also exscientologykids.com has started thier "Voices in Unison Project". Thats the wbsite that was founded three exscientologists, one of them being the niece of the current leader of Scientology David Miscavage, Jenna Miscaviage Hill.
Rumor.
If you just read the history of this organization, they way they have bullied and harassed anyone(including the IRS) that disagrees with them, you then know anything is possible.
Why dont people just give Tom Cruise a break. according to The omniverse Almanac, he's one of the good guys. www.extramarbles.com
This lawsuit will go nowhere, and I imagine Cruise will retaliate. That's just my prediction, although it would be awesome if someone in an official capacity actually took a close look at Scientology for once.
Dear Ms. Snead:
I am general counsel for Church of Scientology International. You are presently running a story on your website about a lawsuit filed against my client by one Peter Letterese. It is clear that Mr. Letterese's scatter-shot naming as defendants more than 60 organizations and individuals including Google and Yahoo! was designed just to garner publicity for his frivolous claim.
Mr. Letterese's allegations are false and my client's position is not adequately represented in the story, which originally ran in the New York Daily News. I would request that in the event you do not simply decide to remove the piece from your website, you include the following statement responding to the claims made in the story.
Thank you for your consideration.
Very truly yours,
Elliot J. Abelson
LAW OFFICES OF ELLIOT J. ABELSON
8491 WEST SUNSET BOULEVARD $ SUITE 1100 $ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90069-1911
TELEPHONE (323) 960-1935 $ FAX (323) 650-0398
STATEMENT FOR PUBLICATION
The case filed by Peter Letterese and his company Creative Desperation is
frivolous and obviously designed to generate publicity for himself.
In this case, he is suing more than 60 people and entities, including Google,
Yahoo! and the American Arbitration Association. In July 2008, the Federal Court
of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit rejected similar claims and affirmed that the
Church's use of the book in question is fair use.
Letterese's company was penalized $266,000 by a California Court stating
that his company has "filed numerous, repetitive and frivolous motions" and
"refused to comply with [court] orders, even though its counsel was warned several
times that serious [penalties] would result from such failure." The lawsuit is as
meritless as his other filings.
Elliot J. Abelson