RICO Lawsuit Filed Against Church of Scientology

Today's New York Daily News reports that Scientology critic Peter Letterese has filed a $250 million federal lawsuit under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute against the Church of Scientology and a number of related organizations and individuals. Among those named in the lawsuit is actor Tom Cruise who, it is claimed, helped fund the Church's activities. The suit was filed in the Southern District of Florida on July 15. The 80-page complaint (full text) alleges that behind the apparent religious activities of various Scientology-related organizations is an elaborate criminal syndicate which sought to infringe intellectual property rights to a book by author Leslie Dane. Letterese bought the rights to the book in question from Dane's estate. Earlier this month in Peter Letteresse & Associates, Inc. v. World Institute of Scientology Enterprises, (11th Cir., July 8, 2008), the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a "fair use" defense as to some, but not all, of Scientology's uses of Dane's book.