For those who dove into the IRS agreement way deeper than the FOIA sidebar team did - Got any contributions or suggested additions for adding more stuff to this page: Research: Church of Scientology vs. IRS Click the blue Contact Us button if you got readily available dox (leaks allowed) that need a good home & aids research related to scientology's tax exempt status & special tax breaks. When i get a chance - i hope to do more digging and possibly find actual copies of past FOIA requests made for the IRS investigation files to add the ones we just filled for lulz. As soon as I get done making cleaner/better refined PDF version of the leaked final closing agreement (the one up there now is temporary lump dump ugly copypasta), i might be able to take /r/ on assembling other dox that would be handy to have here but arent readily available in PDF form for sending in to the contact button. Also - in case u didnt notice... The IRS is nao officially gay - like sunshine & lollipops. Spread the word.
...which would all make sense, and would have even been helpful, except for your having mischaracterized Dennis Erlich's 'inFormer ministry' as a "reform Scientology" group which provides auditing services. Coupled with the fact that one Tom Klemesrud coincidentally appeared in this thread--the same Tom Klemesrud who has seized on every opportunity over the years to drag Dennis Erlich into his conspiracy theories--well, I'm going to suggest that the introduction of Dennis into this thread was disingenuous.
I'm working on assembling new content for website next. I'm thinking must-have links embedded intext to recent stuff includes: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/14/110214fa_fact_wright?currentPage=all http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/02/inside_scientol.php plus all the other links in OP that follows ^^these, in addition to this one: http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/article1150848.ece anyone got other relevant suggestions?
So we sorta covered ^^This same stuff but in slightly different way - we sent a polite FOIA Request for the finalized agreement only (let them keep their sekrit investigation files sekrit but atleast give us the means to make sure we know what we think we know) that included the prominent reference of Ortega's piece with a description for it taken from Tikk's post (see Page 3, item "D"). And were working on getting the inurement angle from OP on taxthecult.com so we can link to it with mass appeal. But here's a fresh thought I'm pondering for a slightly different IRS "write letter" strategy... With lurking all the tales of those enmeshed in seeking refunds & related refund hassles on ESMB, I've seen commonly used copypasta swapped around for letters threatening enlisting legal representation, plus going after the tax exempt status and/or seeking help with the senate ways & means committee to go after IRS in regards to Refusal to Honor refunds for unused services in the closing agreement's stipulations. The main pissing match point in ^^This mess at the end of many refund battles is the cult's classic extortion angle: You paid big bucks for an Intensive(12.5 auditing hours i think it is), but only used X hours of it. However LRH policy is twisted to say that the unused portion of a partially tapped intensive is forfeit... too bad, not our problem, you aint getting the last grand or so of your unspent monies on account because we already coerced a portion of the monies into our pocket so there is a broken/incomplete intensive & claiming nothing can be done to get the unused portion. Is there a way we can exploit ^^this common tactic of broken intensive partial refund denials to our benefit by informing the IRS? or atleast nullify it somehow... surely just making that baseless refusal is splitting some hair the wrong way? and if so what could a former member fighting that battle actually do about it if they really did wish to pursue the IRS over a violation of refund related stipulations?
I'm also pondering an interesting hypothetical... What if somebody who escaped int showed up here ITT enraged, with pics of lavish gifts & over the top luxuries for DM's benefit just like JB had but different circumstances that still amounted to inurement. And raging Ex SO says he's pissed as hell JB just leaked his incrementing evidence to the internet but didnt report it, says he wants to drop his dox w/ authorities David Love style instead. Asks us "What should I do? Where do I go? Is the correct answer to refer him to this, http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=106778,00.html For reporting "tax fraud activity" ? Or is there a better answer?
I like your thinking, good to be prepared in case of that hypothetical coming true. Or someone reading about that hypothetical and acting on their own without disclosing to us, and making that hypothetical a potential reality. I wish I had more to add of substance than this anonymous internet thumbs-up.
Actually thinking more like care packages or instruction kits for making it easier to REPORT DAT SHIT. As the age of torrential outpouring of leaks wanes, perhaps its time for new age of torrential outpouring of reports to the authorities. And I was thinking of SO youngsters like Danial Montalvo who went in as a kid and know nothing of the world when they break free as a young adult. If they have an urge to leverage a blow and no idea where to start or even whats a valid report to make, be nice if we had step-by-step guides for who to contact / what to do. And IRS reports would be a great place to start with this sort of thing. Then move on to other common abuses like immigration issues related to human trafficking / child labor getting reported to ICE, threats / extortion and harassment to local authorities, etc.
Possibly found the answer to my "how to report it" question - i forgot this ground has already been covered (i think) How To File An IRS 501(c)(3) Complaint Anybody know for sure if my assumption that ^^This would also apply specifically to inurement? Can we perhaps come up with a list of common cult tactics that are potential grounds for filing such a complaint? (IOW - be able to say "if you endured anything on this list, with these stipulations (timeframe or other restrictions?) you can file a complaint. Here's how...")
Relevant crosspost from new thread on ESMB related to inurement issues... juicy sauce is juicy. Tom Cruise-Private Benefit-what is old is new again http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?p=542218#post542218 See also: Tom's Scientology Secrets Exposed! Woman's Day, Mon 25 Apr 1994, p12-15 http://www.suburbia.com.au/~fun/scn/press/940425wd.htm
Altho coming from the indie camp, there appears to be alot of good work put into this extended article: The Tax Man Cometh http://blog.savescientology.com/2011/02/the-tax-man-cometh/ sans the "What LRH Intended" bit - FWIW, i'm impressed. EDIT: Relevant bit to discussion of inurement at the end...
Holy crap, this ^ should be its own thread. Really good research in there, and it clearly explains a lot of tax-exempt stuff that's always been confusing to me. Don't forget the detailed worksheets and dox that are posted in the article: Excess Benefits Worksheet Memorandum
Lots of website updates posted to the new IRS research index on exposescientology.com with a few more still to come. Major highlight in the new stuff is a much improved PDF version of final agreement, with integrated Table of Contents and key cross referencing links added for jumping between internal bookmarks, business entities external library references, and external U.S. Tax Code references for greater ease of major digging: http://www.exposescientology.com/irs/scientology-irs-closing-agreement.pdf Still Wanted on Closing Agreement - the list of exhibits was never webbed by OG that i can find, and i wander if a) Chris Owen might have it and/or b) if the Wall Street Journal would be responsive to poons asking for the online republication of the original piece that leaked the agreement + primary source materials (like the document cloud on New Yorker piece... appears to be all the rage in online journalism these days.) Also - we're still looking for feedback/suggestions on other useful stuff to add to the index page if anyone has useful thoughts to share.
It is possible that the list of exhibits was never included in the leaked draft copy of the agreement.
likely so, which is why poons to WSJ for republication and release of primary source dox would be huge strategic move methinks. but i suck at press poonage - somebody else should give it a try, they got cc'd on the FOIA request in the hopes they might get inspired on their own to repub/re-release stuff to show us a sign of support. but we got no initial bites on ^^That front yet, but more followup will follow once the sunshine week challenge to the IRS to give up the dox is over for 2011 operations.
bumpsies - a slightly tweaked version of the fabulous OP ITT has been crossposted to tikk's own blog: http://realitybasedcommunity.net/ar...urement_against_the_church_of_scientology.php (it never made it onto taxthecult.com so we took it elsewhere cuz i'm occasionally an impatient PITA pesty pest. Big Thks and <3 to tikk for tolerating my anal tendency when it comes to exploiting dam good dox )
