Paris court convicts Church of Scientology of fraud

Fines topping half a million euros are levied, but a prosecution request to ban the church is denied. The group's French branch says it will appeal the verdict.

The Associated Press

3:58 AM PDT, October 27, 2009

PARIS

A Paris court today convicted the Church of Scientology of fraud and fined it more than half a million euros -- but stopped short of banning the group as requested by prosecutors.

The group's French branch immediately announced that it would appeal the verdict.

The court convicted the Church of Scientology's French office, its library and six of its leaders of fraud. Investigators said the group pressured members into paying large sums of money for questionable financial gain and used "commercial harassment" against recruits.

The group was fined 400,000 euros ($600,000) and the library 200,000 euros. Four of the leaders were given suspended sentences of between 10 months and two years. The other two were given fines of 1,000 euros and 2,000 euros.

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