From the Radio Free Michigan archives ftp://141.209.3.26/pub/patriot If you have any other files you'd like to contribute, e-mail them to bj496@Cleveland.Freenet.Edu. ------------------------------------------------ # Excerpt from FREEDOM Magazine, Volume 24, Issue 1, October 1991. FREEDOM Magazine is published by the Church of Scientology International since 1968. FREEDOM Magazine 6331 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 1200 Los Angeles, CA 90028-6329 # Exposing The Criminal Clique Called "CAN" Disclosures of criminality and perversions rock anti-religious hate group. A series of shocking revelations of criminality and bizarre misconduct have shattered the sanctimonious facade of the anti-religious hate group, the Cult Awareness Network, known as CAN. The latest disclosure is thatRichard Ross a "deprogrammer" under investigation in Washington State for unlawful imprisonment pleaded guilty in 1975 to charges of stealing $100,000 in diamonds and jewelry from a Phoenix, Arizona, department store. The criminal Ross has been singled out for effusive praise by Cynthia Kisser, executive director of CAN. "His name is among the half-dozen best deprogrammers in the country," Kisser said, while denyingcharges from national religious leaders that her group is little more than a clearinghouse for kidnappers who look to profit handsomely from breaking the religious beliefs of American citizens. The revelation of Ross' criminal past placed him in the ranks of others of criminal or perverse distinction in the Cult Awareness Network, such as the following: * Ted Patrick, a three-time convicted felon and notoriousdeprogrammer, who is up on new charges in Washington State for unlawful imprisonment; * Michael Rokos, who resigned as president of CAN in October 1990 after his sordid criminal background was exposed. In late 1990, it had been revealed that Rokos had accepted probation before judgment for attempting to get an undercover policeman to perform a perverse homosexual act entailing bondage, humiliation and an unusual form of masochism; * Deprogrammer Cliff Daniels, recently featured in CAN's newsletter and known to be a violent deprogrammer, who was arraigned on kidnapping charges in Missisippi on May 9; * Psychiatrist Louis Jolyon West, a hate-filled enemy of religious freedom, who has promoted stereotypes and misinformation about African Americans, Native Americans, and other racial and ethnic groups. West, a long-time experimenter with mind control drugs, is best known for having killed a bull elephant with an overdose of LSD; * Psychologist Margaret Singer, whose "thought reform" theories, used by CAN deprogrammers to justify their kidnappings, have been thrown out of court three times in a row by judges. The judges found that her theories had no significant backing in the scientific community, upsetting her highly profitable "hired gun" business of testifying against religions; * Deprogrammer Steve Hassan, CAN's current apologist for Singer's discredited theories, who once kept a victim tied up for three days while he tried unsuccessfully to force the victim to renounce his religious beliefs. Another victim of Hassan's was locked in a room for three days under guard and not allowed to use the restroom alone, and a third victim was gagged and dragged from her hotel room; * Priscilla Coates, head of the Los Angeles CAN chapter, who on a radio show in July admitted to having had a person held at her house against his will to be deprogrammed. On the same show, she blurted out that all CAN members were actually deprogrammers; and: * Mary Weeks, Advisory Board member to CAN's Northwest affiliate who pleaded guilty in 1986 to criminal charges stemming from a kidnapping and unsuccessful deprogramming attempt. * Recent Additions to the CAN Rogues' Gallery Drawn by the smell of money from deprogrammings, new adherents have been attracted to CAN who fit in well with its godless mix of fringe professionals and kidnappers for profit. One of these, Hana Whitfield, left South Africa and, according to a relative, changed her name after her brother stabbed and battered their father to death. Hana herself had earlier arranged to be in a hotel room alone with her father and went so far as to raise a gun behind him to kill him, but could not go through with the murder, her ex husband said. Her brother later did. Whitfield admits to taking the deadly psychiatric drug Prozac, known to make people more violent and suicidal. She charges $1,500 a day for deprogrammings, plus expenses. Her husband, Jerry Whitfield, who failed in an attempt to take over and seize the assets of a drug rehabilitation group that had gotten him off drugs, works with Hana. Jerry Whitfield, an alleged former drug dealer, is reported by relatives to be a wife and child beater. He and his wife are the subject of a criminal complaint which is under investigation by the state of California for counseling without a license. Sharp disputes over territory have broken out in the deprogramming ranks between the Whitfields, Steve Hassan, and Dennis Erlich, another newcomer to CAN's ranks, who brings with him a history of petty thefts and family abuse. CAN members have shown that they will kidnap and attempt to destroy the faith of anyone as long as the price is right. The long list of religions targeted by CAN deprogrammers includes the catholic Church, the Episcopal Church, the Church of Scientology, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), the Greek Orthodox Church, Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists and many independent Christian denominations. * Assaults Against Christian Denominations Deprogramming is a form of brainwashing which uses kidnapping, forcible restraint, assault, battery and even rape in an effort to get an individual to recant his or her chosen beliefs. Ross, who has carried out violent assaults, majorly against Christian denominations, is known to charge up to $20,000 for a single kidnapping and faith-breaking attempt. His victims have routinely been held hostage against their will and brutally intimidated in attempts to force them to recant their chosen religious beliefs. * Opportunist Following his 1975 arrest, Ross admitted that he and his accomplice, who worked at the store, had planned the heist for three weeks. At the time he was taken into custody, Ross was already on probation following two prior arrests, one for conspiracy to commit burglary in April 1975 and one for attempted robbery in December 1974. Prior to being sentenced, Ross was given a psychiatric evaluation which noted, "The most significant aspect of Rick's past history is that he is an opportunist. When he gets caught doing something that he should not do or something that is a little shady, his characteristic response is, 'It's pretty disgusting the way they make such a big deal about things.'" The examining doctor noted that Ross' psychological problems were serious enough to have led him to make a "quite serious suicide attempt." A letter to the judge from Ross' attorney acknowledged Ross' "record of anti-social, criminal conduct," but asked that the sentencing take into consideration his "clear background of serious psychological and emotional problems." Despite the seriousness of the crime, the Phoenix robbery proved to be far from the end of Ross' criminal activities. The man described as "an opportunist" found another outlet for deprogrammmg . Ross has been accused of kid- napping a young Seattle man, Jason Scott, who was held hostage during a violent "deprogramming" by Ross and several associates in March 1990. Scott told authorities that after he had been abducted, he was held in handcuffs with his mouth taped shut. Later, he was kept handcuffed to a bed and held against his will for five days. During that time, four men, including Ross, continuously harassed and insulted Scott, denigrating his religious beliefs for 10 to 14 hours a day. Scott eventually escaped his captors and reported the assault to the authorities. Seattle police found barred windows, handcuffs and varions other restraints at the condominium where Ross had carried out the attempted faith breaking. * Praised by Hate Group Despite Ross' past and present criminal activities, members of the Cult Awareness Network continue to praise him. "Rick has cooperated extensively with the national office of this organization," said Reg Alev, a director of one of CAN's affiliates. "We recommend him highly." The head of CAN's Los Angeles atfiliate lauded him. "Rick has helped me with all kinds of questions, situations and problems," she said. Ross, who has boasted of having participated in more than 100 deprogramming assaults, is not the first CAN member to have been convicted on criminal charges. In October 1990, then CAN president Michael Rokos resigned his position amid a storm of publicity that exposed his previously hidden criminal record. Rokos had served on CAN's national board ol directors for four years and had been an active member of the Baltimore CAN affiliate before being elected national president in October 1989. Rokos stepped down following news reports describing his 1982 arrest by an undercover Maryland State Police vice squad officer. The press accounts revealed that in July 1982, Rokos had attempted to induce the undercover policeman to perform a perverse homosexual favor. When caught, Rokos resisted arrest by attempting to forcibly expel the arresting officer from his vehicle. * Convicted Felon CAN's first and premier deprogrammer is Ted Patrick, the notorious "father of deprogramming," who was also instrumental in founding the organization. In his 1976 book, Let Our Children Go, Patrick described his brand of violent assault and faith breaking: "[D]eprogramming is the term, and it may be said to involve kidnapping at the very least, quite often assault and battery and almost invariably conspiracy to commit a crime, and illegal restraint." In June 1974, Patrick was sentenced to a year in jail for false imprisonment (suspended on parole). A year later, he spent 60 days in jail on the same charge. From 1976 onward, he was further convicted or charged with kidnapping, conspiracy, abduction and sexual battery. Patrick was later barred trom entering Canada after an attempted deprogramming assault on a Catholic nun. Patrick has continued to be an honored guest at CAN conventions. * Topless Dancer Cynthia Kisser, executive director of CAN since June 1987, has been another long-time advocate of forcible restraint and assault conducted under the guise of "deprogramming." Despite a glowing description of Kisser' s background in the CAN newsletter announcing her appointment, it was recently revealed that in 1975, Kisser reportedly worked as a topless dancer at the Blue Note Lounge in Tucson, Arizona. She was fired after allegedly harassing the customers. Denied her previous vocation, she overnight became an expert on religion so she could put her harassive techniques to use on parishioners. Further data on her lack of qualifications came out under cross-examination in a court case, when Kisser revealed that her actual studies of religion that would qualify her as an expert consisted of a three-hour course at college in World Religion. Kisser has few qualms about her open support of deprogamming-for-hire. In 1978, she deprogrammed her own sister, then went on to conduct other assaults. In a July 25, 1988, letter, Kisser noted that at one time CAN's national board had formed an "ethics committee" for deprogrammers. The committee, however, was later disbanded "because of potential liability problems that could arise for CAN" on advice of CAN's lawyer. Those liabilities presumably stem from the fact that Kisser and other CAN members have continued to support deprogrammers like Richard Ross. Attempts to hide connections to criminal activities did not keep CAN and Cynthia Kisser from being named as defendants in a $72 million suit involving an illegal videotaping of a woman being harassed and abused concerning her religious beliefs. * CAN is Hiding Under a Tax-Exempt Cloak Kisser and other CAN members profess no faith of their own they simply object to other people freely practicing their own beliefs. Their "experts" are repudiated psychiatrists and psychologists whose hatred for any form of religion is undisguised. Kisser has been a vocal mouthpiece for Eli Lilly, manufacturer of the controversial and destructive psychiatric drug Prozac. CAN President Pat Ryan, who has engendered sympathy from the death of her father, former Congressman Leo Ryan, is a lobbyist for the National Association of Private Psychiatric Hospitals. Her profession is note-worthy as deprogrammers have been reported to work hand in glove with psychiatrists to commit and drug victims who prove recalcitrant in giving up their religious beliefs. According to one report, Rick Ross, during a recent deprogramming in Yuma, Arizona, boasted that he and others were working to get the ability to use electric shock therapy in order to handle "resistive cases." Shock therapy is a controversial and destructive psychiatric depersonalizing technique given almost exclusively at private psychiatric hospitals. It is noteworthy that the use of electric shock for the purposes Rick Ross and his CAN supporters propose, is exactly that used by Russian psychiatric hospitals in Siberia to cure "resistive cases" of non-communists. CAN's flagrant abuses have brought mounting questions regarding how such a group, whose members want only violate constitutional rights, can enjoy tax-exempt status. Indeed, CAN won its tax-exempt status at the high point of violent deprogrammings done in its name, cloaking its activities under the mantle of "education." The IRS initially rejected CAN's tax-exempt status as its presentation of data was not sufficiently balanced. Yet, a short time later, while CAN's deprogramming members were in and out of the headlines for arrests on kidnapping and assault and battery charges, the IRS gave this hate group status as a tax-exempt organization. CAN's involvement with violent and illegal deprogrammings has continued unabated into the present. * Working for the IRS Its ravored status can be traced to its willingness to target and attempt to destroy groups the IRS is targcting. Cynthia Kisser boasted on radio that the IRS has come to her for information on religions that the IRS was investigating. While the full extent ot CAN's stool pigeon status for the IRS is not known, documentation exists of at least one IRS request for information to help it in its attacks on targeted religions. These abuses have moved several members of Congress to write to the IRS, questioning why CAN is allowed to enjoy tax-tree dollars to operate as a clearinghouse for deprogramming. In one recent letter, a congressman specifically asked the IRS to respond to the charges that CAN "is in violation of its tax-exempt status because it is still practicing deprogramming activities against other religious organizations" and "the IRS has condoned this activity through . . . its refusal to deny them tax exemption, though it is clearly improper." CAN's tactics are reminiscent ot those of the Nazis during World War II. Its leaders justify their atrocities and violations of the Constitution with the same type of propaganda employed by the Nazis. So why would the IRS give tax exemption to a hate group that is so obviously violating the First Amendment to the Constitution? Is this an indication that Adolf Hitler and his Holocaust hit men would have enjoyed tax exemption were they around today? IRS officials have no excuse unless they didn't know. Well, they do now and just as the Holocaust collaborators who tried to escape responsibility at Nuremberg were hung, so should the IRS be held accountahle. It is time the IRS stopped playing God. Many before, far more intelligent than the current batch of IRS religion haters, have tried - and the result has always been the same. The IRS should learn from the past and cease being the self-appointed arbiters of religion which our forefathers recognized as government tyranny. * CAN Faith-breaking Decried CAN has attempted to establish itself as a clearinghouse for other groups and organizations involved in deprogramming. Tantamount to making itself little more than a school for international terrorism, CAN has conducted "joint education programs" for anti-religion groups in Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Members of the group have been actively involved in numerous deprogramming attempts outside the United States. Deprogrammers in Europe, such as Martin Faiers, have run into stiff opposition; Faiers was sent to jail in Switzerland after a violent deprogramming attempt. CAN's deceptive, illegal prac- tices, hate crimes and rabid anti- religious campaigns have been decried by religious leaders across the country. "Forcible deprogramming is the most serious stain on religious liberty facing this country in the latter half of the 20th century," said the Rev. Dean M. Kelley, counselor on religious liberty for the National Council of Churches. Dr. Leo Champion, pasitor of the Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee, has described CAN's activities as "illegal and immoral. It's that out law enforcement agencies put a stop to this." One of the most outspoken critics of CAN has been Dr. George Robertson, executive vice-president of Friends of Freedom, an organization formed in 1987 after clergy of various denominations began expressing a growing concern about CAN's activities, especially the group's increasing number of assaults against Christian faiths. Describing Richard Ross as CAN's "number one deprogrammer," Robertson added that Ross "is one of three major deprogrammers in the country who specializes in attacking members of Christian faiths. That is despicable. No one has the right to try to forcefully deprogram anyone from his or her chosen faith.'' Noting that Ross is facing possible charges in connection with the Seattle abduction of Jason Scott, Robertson said, "We are going to see him put in jail." ------------------------------------------------ (This file was found elsewhere on the Internet and uploaded to the Radio Free Michigan site by the archive maintainer. All files are ZIP archives for fast download. E-mail bj496@Cleveland.Freenet.Edu)