'Scientology fake' says France
Updated on 27 October 2009
The French branch of the church of Scientology has been found guilty of fraud and narrowly avoided being banned from the country.
A court in Paris heard the church used crooked methods after two members claimed they were cajoled into spending 21,000 euros (£19,000) and 49,500 euros (£45,000) on personality tests, vitamin cures, sauna sessions and 'purification packs'.
There were suggestions the court could ban the group from France but due to a mixup over a law passed in parliament just before the start of the trial in May, that was ruled out.
Instead, the court handed down suspended prison sentences ranging from 18 months to two years and fines of 5,000 euros (£4,500) to 30,000 euros (£27,000) to four leaders.
The plaintiffs' lawyer Olivier Morice said: "This decision is very important, very pedagogic to me and exemplary too.
"The court wanted to demonstrate that the methods used by Scientology are ones of crooks, in an organized way, by a gang."
Patrick Maisonneuve, Scientology 's lawyer, announced the church will appeal.
He said: ''What is important to me is that beyond the condemnation, which we will appeal against is that this association the Church of Scientology, and the court underlined it, can continue its activities."
