SCIENTOLOGISTS FACE ADDITIONAL CHARGES IN NARCONON FRAUD CASE AHEAD OF TRIAL

So, there’s some good news and some bad news for Hanan Islam, the Scientologist who is accused of running a sophisticated $3.8 million fraud scheme out of a Scientology Narconon clinic in Compton and is facing trial next month.

On the one hand, she made bail this week, and considering that she has been in the Los Angeles County jail system since October 1 and her bail amount was set at $250,000, she must be feeling pleased to be out of custody.

On the other hand, we just got our hands on a copy of the charges filed against her and three of her children, which have been updated and augmented since the four defendants went through a preliminary hearing and were bound over for trial.

Hanan and her three kids are looking at some pretty serious consequences here.

During the preliminary hearing, which took place October 1 to 7 at Los Angeles Superior Court, the state gave an indication of the volume of documentary evidence of the scheme the Islams are accused of operating: That between 2010 and 2013, Hanan 60, and her son Ronnie “Rizza” Islam, 29, and daughters Zakiyyah, 37, and Nimat, 43, operated a Scientology Narconon rehab clinic out of the World Literacy Crusade, a notorious Scientology front operation. Working with some corrupt local educators, the plot involved bringing unwitting high school students to the clinic, where they were shown films typically, but then “ghost writers” hired by the Islams created bogus treatment histories for the students so that the state Medi-Cal program could be billed as if the students had gone through extensive rehab programs. The scheme took about $3.8 million from Medi-Cal, the state testified.

Judge Michael Pastor, who bound over the defendants for trial, spoke about how serious and sophisticated the scam was. And as a result, the state has filed beefed-up charges against all four of the defendants. (A fifth defendant, Bayon Beverly Washington, failed to appear initially for the preliminary hearing and so her arraignment is being handled separately. We suspect she will also be included in the trial, which is scheduled to begin on November 21.)

This is what the Islams are facing…

Count 1: Presenting False Medi-Cal Claims
Penalty: 2, 3 or 4 years
Defendants: Hanan, Rizza, Nimat, and Zakiyyah

Special Allegation: Aggravated White Collar Crime
Penalty: 1 year enhancement
Defendants: Hanan and Zakiyyah

Count 2: Insurance Fraud
Penalty: 2, 3, or 5 years
Defendants: Hanan, Rizza, Nimat, and Zakiyyah

Special Allegation: Aggravated White Collar Crime
Penalty: 1 year enhancement
Defendants: Hanan and Zakiyyah

Count 3: Grand Theft
Penalty: 16 months, 2, or 3 years
Defendants: Hanan and Zakiyyah

Special Allegation: Aggravated White Collar Crime
Penalty: 1 year enhancement
Defendants: Hanan and Zakiyyah

Count 4: Failure to File Tax Return
Defendant: Hanan

Hanan Islam, besides facing the most charges, is also a previous felon, and so she may be looking at the higher end on the penalties.

Jeffrey Augustine, who has been reporting from court for us, says he has learned that at least some of the defendants have had the opportunity to plead to lesser charges, but chose not to.

Rizza Islam, meanwhile, made an appeal on social media for witnesses to come forward who might testify about being helped by the World Literacy Crusade and the Narconon clinic.

In other words, at this point it appears that the Islams, who have all pleaded not guilty, plan to fight for acquittals at trial. But now, the stakes are even higher, with all of them facing more serious penalties if they are convicted.

And a trial will bring out loads of evidence about what sorts of fraudulent activity took place under the licensed auspices of the Church of Scientology.

Should be interesting.

Here is the new charging document…

Islam Information: Charges by Tony Ortega on Scribd

 
——————–

Bonus items from our tipsters

Meanwhile, in Canada…

 
——————–

Source Code

“The Fifth Invader Force came in to use this area, and the name of this solar system is Space Station 33. They started to use this area without suspecting that the Fourth Invader Force had been there for God knows how many skillion years, had been sitting down, and they have their installations up on Mars, and they have a tremendous, screened operation…Now, as I say, this sounds science-fictiony. Well, don’t let it sound science-fictiony to you, because the truth be told, it’s not science fiction. In the first place, it’s not fiction, and it really isn’t very closely resembling what you read and call science fiction. Science fiction is just a very chimerical sort of a picture of it. Space is wild. There aren’t any writers down here and there’s no audience down here that could take real stuff about space. It’s wild!” — L. Ron Hubbard, October 30, 1952

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“I think that a Seck Check for all returnees (LRH or not LRH) must be a mandatory action.”

 
——————–

Random Howdy

“When people say they got some good out of Scientology, I think to myself, ‘Yeah, telling your problems, fantasies or opinions to anybody, including hookers and homeless people, makes everybody feel better…derp!.’ This blog is my ‘auditing’.”

 
——————–

Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!

Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
——————–

THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology hails study vindicating its rehab program — so we take a closer look
[TWO years ago] Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard as a cop in Los Angeles: What’s the real truth?
[THREE years ago] Scientology will go after your kids with its quack ideas on drugs — even at a Christian school
[FOUR years ago] Leah Remini dishes on Scientology — Live-blogging the ABC 20/20 special
[FIVE years ago] Scientology outside the official church: ‘I’m quite happy with the world the way it is’
[SIX years ago] Clearwater Tent Showdown: Scientology Reportedly Getting Ready for Events Next Week
[SEVEN years ago] Another Scientology Victory: Photos of Marc Headley’s Roof Being Repaired!

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on October 30, 2019 at 07:00

E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.

Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 14 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…

Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.

Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele