Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 54
“Mind Control”
In his case, Wollersheim, who joined the church in 1969 and left it in 1980, charged that
Scientology‘s courses and rites drove him to a deep depression and stole his ability to think
for himself. At one point, according to his lawsuit, he was held on a ship and deprived of
food and sleep, which caused him to develop bipolar disorder. Wollersheim said that this
was a ―mind control‖ tactic. He also said that Scientology counseling techniques ―are
designed to either break you or make you a slave. I was on the edge of insanity.‘‘
Wollersheim, who lives in Nevada, said that after he left the church, Scientologists tried to
drive his novelty business into the ground through boycotts and nonpayment on requested
merchandise. On his Web site, www.factnet.org, Wollersheim issued a statement: ―The cult
that vowed it would never pay me one thin dime has now paid over 86 million thin dimes.‖
(Los Angeles Times, Internet, 5/11/02 AP, Internet, 5/11/02)
Lawrence Wollersheim reviews the complex history of his case, and comments on the recent
settlement, on his website, FACTNet.org. (May 9). He says, among other things: “I promise
that everything that Scientology sought to hide from public scrutiny in my case (by stopping
the hearings with their $8,760,000 payment to the court) will go to the proper government
authorities. Everything in my case that can be made available to other new cases suing
Scientology will be made available as soon as possible.”
Scientology Foe Minton Ends His Opposition, Testifies on Scientology’s Behalf
Robert Minton, who has spent an estimated $10 million fighting Scientology and financing
lawsuits against the organization, is now supporting Scientology‘s appeal to dismiss a
wrongful death against the group that Minton‘s now defunct Lisa McPherson Trust had
brought against them.
Prosecutors say that Scientologists took member Lisa McPherson from a hospital to their
headquarters so that she could avoid psychiatric treatment, and then force-fed her
unprescribed medicine and forcibly restrained her, after which she died.
Minton accuses Tampa attorney Ken Dandar, who represents the McPherson estate in the
lawsuit, of misconduct in the case. Minton, who said he faced contempt charges, claims
Dandar urged him to commit perjury, and he wants to clear the record. Dandar says that
Minton is lying and being extorted by the church in an attempt to derail the lawsuit, set for
trial in June. (Bradenton (FL) Journal, 5/20/02, Internet)
"Here's a man who put in six years and $10-million, and all of a sudden, he's having an
about-face?" Dandar said. "All you have to do is apply common sense." Indeed, there is
speculation that Scientolgy must have found some skeleton in Minton‘s closet. But Minton
has said that his withdrawal stems from the legal strain of the McPherson case, the threat of
the contempt charge, and a fear of going to jail for perjury.
Minton‘s close friend Stacy Brooks, a former Scientologist and critic [Minton was never a
church member], has also taken a new tack. She said of Minton: ―I think he was swept up
in the idea he was really fighting evil. Neither he nor I feel that way anymore.‖
Minton testified that he put $2 million into the Lisa McPherson Trust and put up $2.5 million
for The Profit, a film by two Tampa Bay area Scientology critics. He says he also gave
$700,000 to Lawrence Wollersheim, a former Scientologist who recently collected an $8.6
million settlement from Scientology, and he has funded lawsuits in Germany and France
against Scientology. (Deborah O‘Neil, St. Petersburg Times, 5/18/02, Internet)
Minton called Dandar ―a lying thief,‖ and said, ―I am now of the belief Mr. Dandar is only in
this for the money.‖ He said that his one-time friend, former Scientologist Jesse Prince, was
“Mind Control”
In his case, Wollersheim, who joined the church in 1969 and left it in 1980, charged that
Scientology‘s courses and rites drove him to a deep depression and stole his ability to think
for himself. At one point, according to his lawsuit, he was held on a ship and deprived of
food and sleep, which caused him to develop bipolar disorder. Wollersheim said that this
was a ―mind control‖ tactic. He also said that Scientology counseling techniques ―are
designed to either break you or make you a slave. I was on the edge of insanity.‘‘
Wollersheim, who lives in Nevada, said that after he left the church, Scientologists tried to
drive his novelty business into the ground through boycotts and nonpayment on requested
merchandise. On his Web site, www.factnet.org, Wollersheim issued a statement: ―The cult
that vowed it would never pay me one thin dime has now paid over 86 million thin dimes.‖
(Los Angeles Times, Internet, 5/11/02 AP, Internet, 5/11/02)
Lawrence Wollersheim reviews the complex history of his case, and comments on the recent
settlement, on his website, FACTNet.org. (May 9). He says, among other things: “I promise
that everything that Scientology sought to hide from public scrutiny in my case (by stopping
the hearings with their $8,760,000 payment to the court) will go to the proper government
authorities. Everything in my case that can be made available to other new cases suing
Scientology will be made available as soon as possible.”
Scientology Foe Minton Ends His Opposition, Testifies on Scientology’s Behalf
Robert Minton, who has spent an estimated $10 million fighting Scientology and financing
lawsuits against the organization, is now supporting Scientology‘s appeal to dismiss a
wrongful death against the group that Minton‘s now defunct Lisa McPherson Trust had
brought against them.
Prosecutors say that Scientologists took member Lisa McPherson from a hospital to their
headquarters so that she could avoid psychiatric treatment, and then force-fed her
unprescribed medicine and forcibly restrained her, after which she died.
Minton accuses Tampa attorney Ken Dandar, who represents the McPherson estate in the
lawsuit, of misconduct in the case. Minton, who said he faced contempt charges, claims
Dandar urged him to commit perjury, and he wants to clear the record. Dandar says that
Minton is lying and being extorted by the church in an attempt to derail the lawsuit, set for
trial in June. (Bradenton (FL) Journal, 5/20/02, Internet)
"Here's a man who put in six years and $10-million, and all of a sudden, he's having an
about-face?" Dandar said. "All you have to do is apply common sense." Indeed, there is
speculation that Scientolgy must have found some skeleton in Minton‘s closet. But Minton
has said that his withdrawal stems from the legal strain of the McPherson case, the threat of
the contempt charge, and a fear of going to jail for perjury.
Minton‘s close friend Stacy Brooks, a former Scientologist and critic [Minton was never a
church member], has also taken a new tack. She said of Minton: ―I think he was swept up
in the idea he was really fighting evil. Neither he nor I feel that way anymore.‖
Minton testified that he put $2 million into the Lisa McPherson Trust and put up $2.5 million
for The Profit, a film by two Tampa Bay area Scientology critics. He says he also gave
$700,000 to Lawrence Wollersheim, a former Scientologist who recently collected an $8.6
million settlement from Scientology, and he has funded lawsuits in Germany and France
against Scientology. (Deborah O‘Neil, St. Petersburg Times, 5/18/02, Internet)
Minton called Dandar ―a lying thief,‖ and said, ―I am now of the belief Mr. Dandar is only in
this for the money.‖ He said that his one-time friend, former Scientologist Jesse Prince, was
