Kendrick Moxon
Encyclopedia
Kendrick Lichty Moxon is a Scientology
official and an attorney
with the law firm
Moxon & Kobrin
. He practices in Los Angeles, California
, and is a lead counsel for the Church of Scientology
. Moxon received a B.A.
from American University
in 1972, and a J.D.
degree from George Mason University
in 1981. He was admitted to the Washington, D.C.
bar association in 1984, and the State Bar of California
in 1987. Moxon's early work for the Church of Scientology involved legal affairs, and he also held the title of "reverend". He worked out of the Scientology intelligence agency
known as the Guardian's Office (GO), and was named as an unindicted co-conspirator after the Federal Bureau of Investigation
's investigation into criminal activities by Scientology operatives called "Operation Snow White
". An evidence stipulation in the case signed by both parties stated he had provided false handwriting samples to the FBI; Moxon has since said that he did not "knowingly supply" false handwriting samples.
The bulk of Moxon's legal work is Scientology-related. He has served as Commissioner of the Scientology-affiliated organization Citizens Commission on Human Rights
(CCHR). He represented the Church of Scientology in 1988 in a billion-dollar class action lawsuit against the organization by former Scientologists which was dismissed in Los Angeles Superior Court. In 1990 Moxon represented the organization in a suit against the Internal Revenue Service
in an attempt to gain access to information about Scientology held by the IRS. He assisted 50 Scientologists in filing separate lawsuits against the organization Cult Awareness Network
(CAN), which led to the bankruptcy
of the organization. He represented the plaintiff in the Jason Scott case
against CAN and cult deprogrammer
Rick Ross
.
A Scientology publication said Moxon had used church doctrine in bringing down CAN. Its assets were bought in bankruptcy court by a Scientologist and legal associate of Moxon's. Moxon said he was proud of what he had done, referring to the old CAN organization as a "hate group". Moxon represented the manager of the Scientology facility Golden Era Productions
in a filing against Keith Henson
, a critic of Scientology. Moxon filed an affidavit in 2000 in the case involving the criminal prosecution of the Church of Scientology in the death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson, and defended her treatment by Scientology staffers as part of a religious practice.
. He graduated from American University
in 1972 with a B.A.
degree in Anthropology
. He received his J.D.
degree from George Mason University
in 1981. He was admitted to the bar of Washington, D.C.
on September 6, 1984, and the State Bar of California
on June 17, 1987.
In 1979, Moxon and Carla Smith had a daughter, Stacy Grove Meyer. Meyer died on June 25, 2000 after she fell off a ladder and was electrocuted
after touching a 7,200-volt wire while working at Golden Era Productions
. Golden Era Productions was cited by the California
Division of Occupational Safety and Health for improper wiring precautions near a vault where Grove Meyer had been working. The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration
investigated the incident, and determined that her death was not related to the safety violations at the facility. Grove Meyer had worked for two years at Golden Era Productions in landscaping and maintenance.
, and held the title of "reverend". His role within the organization in 1977 was called "Director of the Ministry of Legal Affairs of the Founding Church of Scientology". Along with Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard
and nineteen other Scientologists, Moxon was named as an unindicted co-conspirator after the Federal Bureau of Investigation
's investigation into criminal activities by Scientology operatives called "Operation Snow White
". At the time of the indictments and investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
in the Operation Snow White case, Moxon was working in the church intelligence agency
then known as the Guardian's Office (GO). Operation Snow White was the name coined by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard
for a mission by the organization's intelligence division to illegally obtain documents from the United States government. As part of Operation Snow White, members of the Guardian's Office broke into U.S. government offices including those of the Internal Revenue Service
, in order to steal documents relating to Scientology.
A 1979 stipulation of evidence signed by officials for Scientology states that Moxon provided false handwriting samples of GO operative Michael Meisner to the FBI. Both parties to the case were in agreement that Moxon responded to an October 14, 1976 subpoena
titled "Grand Jury subpoena for all original known handwriting exemplars of Michael Meisner and the employment application and personnel records of Mr. Meisner in the possession of the Church of Scientology" by providing "fake handwriting samples in lieu of Mr. Meisner's true handwriting exemplars" to the United States government. The stipulation stated Moxon was "directed to supply the government with fake handwriting samples". Nine Scientologists signed the stipulation as part of a plea bargain. According to a 1976 letter from the "District of Columbia Security Office" of the Guardian's Office, "Rick Moxon" and four other individuals had either "full data or almost all of it", about covert operations against the United States government. According to the Guardian's Office letter, Moxon was prevented under penalty of a US$
50,000 fine from disclosing his knowledge of the church cover operations. The non-disclosure agreement
was titled "Covenant of Non-Disclosure; 'Doomsday Agreement'". The letter told an official for the Church of Scientology to instruct Moxon "if they do talk, then they will be expelled forever, hounded by the GO [Guardian Office] until doomsday, and left to rot in the Physical Universe".
Moxon stated to the Phoenix New Times
that the stipulation of evidence was written by FBI agents and signed by church officials. He asserted that he did not "knowingly supply" samples of false handwriting to the FBI, and said that he was investigated by bar associations for California
and Washington, D.C.
before being admitted to the respective bar associations. According to the Phoenix New Times, Moxon is "in good standing" with both bar associations. Former church intelligence operative Frank Oliver told the Phoenix New Times that in his work for the replacement to the Guardian's Office, the Office of Special Affairs
, his last assignment for the organization was to assist Moxon in setting up a special unit focused on the Cult Awareness Network
. Oliver stated that the goal of his work with Moxon was to recruit individuals who would become plaintiffs in lawsuits against the Cult Awareness Network.
, and they requested the return of donations they had made to the organization, as well as payment for time working on its behalf. The case was dismissed by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, and Moxon characterized the plaintiffs as "a few former members who apparently banded together for the purpose of making a monetary killing".
In 1990 Moxon represented the Church of Scientology in a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service
in an attempt to gain access to government documents on the organization. "The actions taken by the IRS in this case are typical of the agency's harassive treatment of religious groups," said Moxon in a statement in The Fresno Bee
. During the Church of Scientology's battle with the IRS, Moxon's law firm hired private investigator
s to investigate the government agency. Private investigator Michael L. Shomers said he set up a dummy operation called "Washington News Bureau", posed as a reporter, and attempted to collection material on Scientology critics. Shomers also said he infiltrated IRS conferences in attempts to collect data on IRS employees that may have been skipping appointments, drinking or having affairs. Shomers said he was either paid in cash or by checks from Moxon's firm Bowles & Moxon. According to The New York Times
, Moxon said Shomers' activities were legal, and that he and other Scientology attorneys used private investigators to counter falsehoods from "rogue government agents".
(CAN), which eventually led to the bankruptcy
of the organization. Moxon confirmed to the St. Petersburg Times
that his firm assisted the Scientologists with their litigation against CAN for mostly no charge, and that Scientology churches "helped a little bit, but very little" with the case. Moxon asserted that his legal services were requested by individual Scientologists because of his religious discrimination litigation experience. "These were filed by [individual] Scientologists who were victimized by CAN. That’s the long and short of it," said Moxon. Moxon stated to 60 Minutes
"They didn't--they didn't spring up serendipitously. A number of Scientologists came to our firm and said, 'I'm being discriminated against by CAN.'"
Jason Scott of the Life Tabernacle Church in Bellevue, Washington
was taken from his home in 1991 and subjected to "deprogramming
". Deprogrammer Rick Ross
had been referred to Scott's mother by a local volunteer for CAN, and Moxon represented Scott in a lawsuit against Ross and CAN. Moxon took on Jason Scott's case pro bono
. According to a 60 Minutes
report on Scientology's actions against the Cult Awareness Network
, two affidavits used by Moxon in the case were false. Scott won a jury judgment of US$
5 million including $1.8 million against CAN, and CAN later declared bankruptcy. After the CAN organization was purchased in bankruptcy court by a Scientology attorney, Scott fired Moxon and hired Graham Berry, a Los Angeles lawyer who had previously represented clients in suits against the Church of Scientology. Scott and Ross settled in 1996 for $5,000 and 200 hours of time from Ross for his intervention services.
Scott stated that he felt he had been manipulated as part of the Church of Scientology's plan to destroy CAN. According to the Chicago Tribune
, Scott and his relatives felt Moxon was not paying enough attention to Scott's financial judgment, and was instead focused on a "personal vendetta" against CAN. "Basically, Jason said he was tired of being the poster boy for the Scientologists. My son has never been a member of the Church of Scientology. When he was approached by Moxon, he was lured by his promises of a $1 million settlement, so he went for it," said Scott's mother Katherine Tonkin in a statement to the Chicago Tribune.
After Scott fired Moxon, Moxon filed emergency motions in two states and alleged Scott had been influenced by supporters of CAN to hire Berry as his lawyer. "He's really been abused by CAN and disgustingly abused by this guy Berry," said Moxon in a statement in The Washington Post
. Moxon, who had argued in the case that Ross and associates had hindered a competent adult's freedom to make his own religious decisions, immediately filed court papers seeking to rescind the settlement and appoint a guardian for Scott, whom he called "incapacitated." That effort failed. Jason Scott stated he felt he had been a "pawn" in Scientology's "whole game".
Moxon was involved in the sale of CAN's confidential files when the organization was in bankruptcy proceedings. Individuals that had confided in the prior version of the CAN organization expressed anxiety about their confidential files being sold to other groups, but Moxon stated: "People who have committed crimes don't want them to be revealed." Moxon's former legal associate, Scientologist Steven Hayes, purchased the assets of the Cult Awareness Network in bankruptcy court. In 2000, Moxon co-authored a paper on the Cult Awareness Network with Anson D. Shupe and Susan E. Darnell. The paper, titled "CAN, We Hardly Knew Ye: Sex, Drugs, Deprogrammers' Kickbacks, and Corporate Crime in the (Old) Cult Awareness Network", was presented at the 2000 meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion in Houston, Texas
. The old "CAN no longer exists because it was a hate group that destroyed families. I’m very proud of what I’ve done," said Moxon in a statement in The American Lawyer
.
According to a Scientology publication, Moxon utilized Scientology doctrine to bring about the demise of the Cult Awareness Network. The publication, authored by Scientology official Kurt Weiland
, stated: "A civil case was filed by the victim against [Rick] Ross and the Cult Awareness Network. This time he had an attorney who knew what he was doing and understood PTS/SP tech! The attorney was a Scientologist and OT [Operating Thetan] Rick Moxon." "PTS/SP tech" is Scientology terminology referring to the organization's founder L. Ron Hubbard
's prescribed tactics of handling enemies called "suppressive persons
" (SPs) and their associates, called "potential trouble sources" (PTSs). The Cult Awareness Network was seen by Scientology as a "SP" organization.
in February 1998 when he filed a restraining order
against Keith Henson
after Henson protested against Scientology in May 1997 and January 1998 outside the Golden Era film studios in Gilman Hot Springs, California
. Moxon had argued that Henson was dangerous based on comments critical of Scientologists he had posted on the Internet
, and his knowledge in the fields of cryonics
and explosives. Hoden received a temporary restraining order against Henson, but the Riverside Superior Court judge refused to make the restraining order permanent.
In 1999, Moxon represented members of the Seventh-day Adventists and Unification Church
in a lawsuit against a Maryland
state task force which was investigating the effects of religious cults
on college campuses. The Unification Church and Seventh-day Adventists members claimed that their constitutional rights were violated and described the "Task Force to Study the Effects of Cult Activities on Public Senior Higher Education Institutions" as a "religious inquisition".
With fellow Scientology attorney Helena Kobrin, Moxon filed an affidavit in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court in March 2000, complaining to the judge about the criminal prosecution of the Church of Scientology related to the death of Lisa McPherson. They claimed that the prosecution held an "extreme religious bias" and a "narrow-minded concept of a church". They defended the practice of the Scientology staffers that had kept Lisa McPherson at the Fort Harrison Hotel
in Clearwater, Florida
, asserting they had been involved in the "Introspection Rundown
", which they called an "entirely religious" practice developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard
. They wrote that "Forcing a Scientologist to receive psychiatric services would be like forcing an Orthodox Jew to eat pork or forcing a devoted Catholic to have an abortion. It is simply unacceptable and unthinkable to our religious faith and conscience." Moxon said that the wrongful death lawsuit filed by members of McPherson's family against the Church of Scientology was "nothing more than a vehicle to say bad things about the church". The criminal prosecution in the Lisa McPherson case was dropped due to issues with record-keeping by the medical examiner
; a wrongful death civil suit was settled in 2004.
According to Scientology general counsel Elliot Abelson, the bulk of Moxon's legal work is Scientology-related. In addition to his office with his law firm, as of 1997 Moxon also kept a legal office in the Church of Scientology's headquarters at Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
. Moxon has also served as legal advisor to the Scientology-affiliated organization Citizens Commission on Human Rights
(CCHR). According to a CCHR press release from 2001, Moxon represented CCHR International as its Commissioner.
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
official and an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
with the law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
Moxon & Kobrin
Moxon & Kobrin
Moxon & Kobrin is a law firm with its headquarters located in the Wilshire Center Building in Wilshire Center, Los Angeles, California, consisting of Kendrick Moxon, Helena Kobrin, and Ava Paquette....
. He practices in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, and is a lead counsel for the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
. Moxon received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
in 1972, and a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
in 1981. He was admitted to the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
bar association in 1984, and the State Bar of California
State Bar of California
The State Bar of California is California's official bar association. It is responsible for managing the admission of lawyers to the practice of law, investigating complaints of professional misconduct, and prescribing appropriate discipline...
in 1987. Moxon's early work for the Church of Scientology involved legal affairs, and he also held the title of "reverend". He worked out of the Scientology intelligence agency
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
known as the Guardian's Office (GO), and was named as an unindicted co-conspirator after the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
's investigation into criminal activities by Scientology operatives called "Operation Snow White
Operation Snow White
Operation Snow White was the Church of Scientology's name for a conspiracy during the 1970s to purge unfavorable records about Scientology and its founder L. Ron Hubbard...
". An evidence stipulation in the case signed by both parties stated he had provided false handwriting samples to the FBI; Moxon has since said that he did not "knowingly supply" false handwriting samples.
The bulk of Moxon's legal work is Scientology-related. He has served as Commissioner of the Scientology-affiliated organization Citizens Commission on Human Rights
Citizens Commission on Human Rights
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights is an advocacy group established in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and psychiatrist Thomas Szasz. The group promotes several video campaigns which support views against psychiatry...
(CCHR). He represented the Church of Scientology in 1988 in a billion-dollar class action lawsuit against the organization by former Scientologists which was dismissed in Los Angeles Superior Court. In 1990 Moxon represented the organization in a suit against the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
in an attempt to gain access to information about Scientology held by the IRS. He assisted 50 Scientologists in filing separate lawsuits against the organization Cult Awareness Network
Cult Awareness Network
The Cult Awareness Network was founded in the wake of the November 18, 1978 deaths of members of the group Peoples Temple and assassination of Congressman Leo J. Ryan in Jonestown, Guyana. CAN is now owned and operated by associates of the Church of Scientology, an organization that the original...
(CAN), which led to the bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
of the organization. He represented the plaintiff in the Jason Scott case
Jason Scott case
The Jason Scott case was a United States civil suit, brought against deprogrammer Rick Ross, two of his associates, and the Cult Awareness Network , for the violent abduction and failed deprogramming of Jason Scott, a member of a Pentecostalist church. Scott was eighteen years old at the time of...
against CAN and cult deprogrammer
Deprogramming
Deprogramming refers to actions that attempt to force a person to abandon allegiance to a religious, political, economic, or social group. Methods and practices may involve kidnapping and coercion...
Rick Ross
Rick Ross (consultant)
Rick Alan Ross works as a consultant, lecturer, and intervention specialist, with an interest in exit counseling and deprogramming of former cult members. He runs a blog at CultNews.com, and in 2003 founded the Rick A...
.
A Scientology publication said Moxon had used church doctrine in bringing down CAN. Its assets were bought in bankruptcy court by a Scientologist and legal associate of Moxon's. Moxon said he was proud of what he had done, referring to the old CAN organization as a "hate group". Moxon represented the manager of the Scientology facility Golden Era Productions
Golden Era Productions
Golden Era Productions is an organization operated by the Church of Scientology that produces promotional material for the Church's membership, as well as many of the restored lectures, E-meters, training films and other materials related to the works of church founder L...
in a filing against Keith Henson
Keith Henson
Howard Keith Henson is an American electrical engineer and writer on life extension, cryonics, memetics and evolutionary psychology....
, a critic of Scientology. Moxon filed an affidavit in 2000 in the case involving the criminal prosecution of the Church of Scientology in the death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson, and defended her treatment by Scientology staffers as part of a religious practice.
Early life and family
Moxon was born in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He graduated from American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
in 1972 with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
. He received his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
in 1981. He was admitted to the bar of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
on September 6, 1984, and the State Bar of California
State Bar of California
The State Bar of California is California's official bar association. It is responsible for managing the admission of lawyers to the practice of law, investigating complaints of professional misconduct, and prescribing appropriate discipline...
on June 17, 1987.
In 1979, Moxon and Carla Smith had a daughter, Stacy Grove Meyer. Meyer died on June 25, 2000 after she fell off a ladder and was electrocuted
Electric shock
Electric Shock of a body with any source of electricity that causes a sufficient current through the skin, muscles or hair. Typically, the expression is used to denote an unwanted exposure to electricity, hence the effects are considered undesirable....
after touching a 7,200-volt wire while working at Golden Era Productions
Golden Era Productions
Golden Era Productions is an organization operated by the Church of Scientology that produces promotional material for the Church's membership, as well as many of the restored lectures, E-meters, training films and other materials related to the works of church founder L...
. Golden Era Productions was cited by the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Division of Occupational Safety and Health for improper wiring precautions near a vault where Grove Meyer had been working. The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration
California Occupational Safety and Health Administration
The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration protects the public and workers from safety hazards and enforces the U.S. State of California's occupational and public safety laws...
investigated the incident, and determined that her death was not related to the safety violations at the facility. Grove Meyer had worked for two years at Golden Era Productions in landscaping and maintenance.
Guardian's Office
In 1977, Moxon served as an official of the Church of ScientologyChurch of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
, and held the title of "reverend". His role within the organization in 1977 was called "Director of the Ministry of Legal Affairs of the Founding Church of Scientology". Along with Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
and nineteen other Scientologists, Moxon was named as an unindicted co-conspirator after the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
's investigation into criminal activities by Scientology operatives called "Operation Snow White
Operation Snow White
Operation Snow White was the Church of Scientology's name for a conspiracy during the 1970s to purge unfavorable records about Scientology and its founder L. Ron Hubbard...
". At the time of the indictments and investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
in the Operation Snow White case, Moxon was working in the church intelligence agency
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
then known as the Guardian's Office (GO). Operation Snow White was the name coined by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
for a mission by the organization's intelligence division to illegally obtain documents from the United States government. As part of Operation Snow White, members of the Guardian's Office broke into U.S. government offices including those of the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
, in order to steal documents relating to Scientology.
A 1979 stipulation of evidence signed by officials for Scientology states that Moxon provided false handwriting samples of GO operative Michael Meisner to the FBI. Both parties to the case were in agreement that Moxon responded to an October 14, 1976 subpoena
Subpoena
A subpoena is a writ by a government agency, most often a court, that has authority to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of subpoena:...
titled "Grand Jury subpoena for all original known handwriting exemplars of Michael Meisner and the employment application and personnel records of Mr. Meisner in the possession of the Church of Scientology" by providing "fake handwriting samples in lieu of Mr. Meisner's true handwriting exemplars" to the United States government. The stipulation stated Moxon was "directed to supply the government with fake handwriting samples". Nine Scientologists signed the stipulation as part of a plea bargain. According to a 1976 letter from the "District of Columbia Security Office" of the Guardian's Office, "Rick Moxon" and four other individuals had either "full data or almost all of it", about covert operations against the United States government. According to the Guardian's Office letter, Moxon was prevented under penalty of a US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
50,000 fine from disclosing his knowledge of the church cover operations. The non-disclosure agreement
Non-disclosure agreement
A non-disclosure agreement , also known as a confidentiality agreement , confidential disclosure agreement , proprietary information agreement , or secrecy agreement, is a legal contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties...
was titled "Covenant of Non-Disclosure; 'Doomsday Agreement'". The letter told an official for the Church of Scientology to instruct Moxon "if they do talk, then they will be expelled forever, hounded by the GO [Guardian Office] until doomsday, and left to rot in the Physical Universe".
Moxon stated to the Phoenix New Times
Phoenix New Times
The Phoenix New Times is a free, weekly Phoenix, Arizona newspaper, put out every Thursday. It is the founding publication of the New Times Media , but The Village Voice is now the flagship publication of that company....
that the stipulation of evidence was written by FBI agents and signed by church officials. He asserted that he did not "knowingly supply" samples of false handwriting to the FBI, and said that he was investigated by bar associations for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
before being admitted to the respective bar associations. According to the Phoenix New Times, Moxon is "in good standing" with both bar associations. Former church intelligence operative Frank Oliver told the Phoenix New Times that in his work for the replacement to the Guardian's Office, the Office of Special Affairs
Office of Special Affairs
The Office of Special Affairs or OSA is a department of the Church of Scientology. According to the Church, the OSA is responsible for directing legal affairs, public relations, pursuing investigations, publicizing the Church's "social betterment works," and "oversee[ing its] social reform programs"...
, his last assignment for the organization was to assist Moxon in setting up a special unit focused on the Cult Awareness Network
Cult Awareness Network
The Cult Awareness Network was founded in the wake of the November 18, 1978 deaths of members of the group Peoples Temple and assassination of Congressman Leo J. Ryan in Jonestown, Guyana. CAN is now owned and operated by associates of the Church of Scientology, an organization that the original...
. Oliver stated that the goal of his work with Moxon was to recruit individuals who would become plaintiffs in lawsuits against the Cult Awareness Network.
Early work
Moxon acted as attorney for the Church of Scientology in 1988 when former Scientologists sued the organization in a billion-dollar class action lawsuit. According to Moxon the former Scientologists included some members who were subject to excommunicationExcommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
, and they requested the return of donations they had made to the organization, as well as payment for time working on its behalf. The case was dismissed by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, and Moxon characterized the plaintiffs as "a few former members who apparently banded together for the purpose of making a monetary killing".
In 1990 Moxon represented the Church of Scientology in a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
in an attempt to gain access to government documents on the organization. "The actions taken by the IRS in this case are typical of the agency's harassive treatment of religious groups," said Moxon in a statement in The Fresno Bee
The Fresno Bee
The Fresno Bee is the daily newspaper serving Fresno, California and surrounding counties in that U.S. state's San Joaquin Valley. It is owned by The McClatchy Company and ranks fourth in circulation among the company's newspapers....
. During the Church of Scientology's battle with the IRS, Moxon's law firm hired private investigator
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
s to investigate the government agency. Private investigator Michael L. Shomers said he set up a dummy operation called "Washington News Bureau", posed as a reporter, and attempted to collection material on Scientology critics. Shomers also said he infiltrated IRS conferences in attempts to collect data on IRS employees that may have been skipping appointments, drinking or having affairs. Shomers said he was either paid in cash or by checks from Moxon's firm Bowles & Moxon. According to The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Moxon said Shomers' activities were legal, and that he and other Scientology attorneys used private investigators to counter falsehoods from "rogue government agents".
Cult Awareness Network litigation
Moxon assisted Scientologists in filing 50 lawsuits against the Cult Awareness NetworkCult Awareness Network
The Cult Awareness Network was founded in the wake of the November 18, 1978 deaths of members of the group Peoples Temple and assassination of Congressman Leo J. Ryan in Jonestown, Guyana. CAN is now owned and operated by associates of the Church of Scientology, an organization that the original...
(CAN), which eventually led to the bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
of the organization. Moxon confirmed to the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
that his firm assisted the Scientologists with their litigation against CAN for mostly no charge, and that Scientology churches "helped a little bit, but very little" with the case. Moxon asserted that his legal services were requested by individual Scientologists because of his religious discrimination litigation experience. "These were filed by [individual] Scientologists who were victimized by CAN. That’s the long and short of it," said Moxon. Moxon stated to 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
"They didn't--they didn't spring up serendipitously. A number of Scientologists came to our firm and said, 'I'm being discriminated against by CAN.'"
Jason Scott of the Life Tabernacle Church in Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
was taken from his home in 1991 and subjected to "deprogramming
Deprogramming
Deprogramming refers to actions that attempt to force a person to abandon allegiance to a religious, political, economic, or social group. Methods and practices may involve kidnapping and coercion...
". Deprogrammer Rick Ross
Rick Ross (consultant)
Rick Alan Ross works as a consultant, lecturer, and intervention specialist, with an interest in exit counseling and deprogramming of former cult members. He runs a blog at CultNews.com, and in 2003 founded the Rick A...
had been referred to Scott's mother by a local volunteer for CAN, and Moxon represented Scott in a lawsuit against Ross and CAN. Moxon took on Jason Scott's case pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
. According to a 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
report on Scientology's actions against the Cult Awareness Network
Cult Awareness Network
The Cult Awareness Network was founded in the wake of the November 18, 1978 deaths of members of the group Peoples Temple and assassination of Congressman Leo J. Ryan in Jonestown, Guyana. CAN is now owned and operated by associates of the Church of Scientology, an organization that the original...
, two affidavits used by Moxon in the case were false. Scott won a jury judgment of US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
5 million including $1.8 million against CAN, and CAN later declared bankruptcy. After the CAN organization was purchased in bankruptcy court by a Scientology attorney, Scott fired Moxon and hired Graham Berry, a Los Angeles lawyer who had previously represented clients in suits against the Church of Scientology. Scott and Ross settled in 1996 for $5,000 and 200 hours of time from Ross for his intervention services.
Scott stated that he felt he had been manipulated as part of the Church of Scientology's plan to destroy CAN. According to the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Scott and his relatives felt Moxon was not paying enough attention to Scott's financial judgment, and was instead focused on a "personal vendetta" against CAN. "Basically, Jason said he was tired of being the poster boy for the Scientologists. My son has never been a member of the Church of Scientology. When he was approached by Moxon, he was lured by his promises of a $1 million settlement, so he went for it," said Scott's mother Katherine Tonkin in a statement to the Chicago Tribune.
After Scott fired Moxon, Moxon filed emergency motions in two states and alleged Scott had been influenced by supporters of CAN to hire Berry as his lawyer. "He's really been abused by CAN and disgustingly abused by this guy Berry," said Moxon in a statement in The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. Moxon, who had argued in the case that Ross and associates had hindered a competent adult's freedom to make his own religious decisions, immediately filed court papers seeking to rescind the settlement and appoint a guardian for Scott, whom he called "incapacitated." That effort failed. Jason Scott stated he felt he had been a "pawn" in Scientology's "whole game".
Moxon was involved in the sale of CAN's confidential files when the organization was in bankruptcy proceedings. Individuals that had confided in the prior version of the CAN organization expressed anxiety about their confidential files being sold to other groups, but Moxon stated: "People who have committed crimes don't want them to be revealed." Moxon's former legal associate, Scientologist Steven Hayes, purchased the assets of the Cult Awareness Network in bankruptcy court. In 2000, Moxon co-authored a paper on the Cult Awareness Network with Anson D. Shupe and Susan E. Darnell. The paper, titled "CAN, We Hardly Knew Ye: Sex, Drugs, Deprogrammers' Kickbacks, and Corporate Crime in the (Old) Cult Awareness Network", was presented at the 2000 meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. The old "CAN no longer exists because it was a hate group that destroyed families. I’m very proud of what I’ve done," said Moxon in a statement in The American Lawyer
The American Lawyer
The American Lawyer is a monthly law magazine published by ALM. It was founded in 1979 by Steven Brill. Features include the annual AmLaw 100 Survey and AmLaw 200 Survey , "The View From the Top", their annual poll of law firm chairpersons, and their "Corporate Scorecard"...
.
According to a Scientology publication, Moxon utilized Scientology doctrine to bring about the demise of the Cult Awareness Network. The publication, authored by Scientology official Kurt Weiland
Kurt Weiland
Kurt Weiland is a native of Austria and an executive in the Church of Scientology International. He is director of external affairs for the Church of Scientology's Office of Special Affairs, and Scientology's vice president of communications. He is a member of the organization's board of directors,...
, stated: "A civil case was filed by the victim against [Rick] Ross and the Cult Awareness Network. This time he had an attorney who knew what he was doing and understood PTS/SP tech! The attorney was a Scientologist and OT [Operating Thetan] Rick Moxon." "PTS/SP tech" is Scientology terminology referring to the organization's founder L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
's prescribed tactics of handling enemies called "suppressive persons
Suppressive Person
Suppressive Person, often abbreviated SP, is a term used in Scientology to describe the "antisocial personalities" who, according to Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard, make up about 2.5% of the population...
" (SPs) and their associates, called "potential trouble sources" (PTSs). The Cult Awareness Network was seen by Scientology as a "SP" organization.
Subsequent legal efforts
Moxon represented manager Ken Hoden of the Church of Scientology's Golden Era ProductionsGolden Era Productions
Golden Era Productions is an organization operated by the Church of Scientology that produces promotional material for the Church's membership, as well as many of the restored lectures, E-meters, training films and other materials related to the works of church founder L...
in February 1998 when he filed a restraining order
Restraining order
A restraining order or order of protection is a form of legal injunction that requires a party to do, or to refrain from doing, certain acts. A party that refuses to comply with an order faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
against Keith Henson
Keith Henson
Howard Keith Henson is an American electrical engineer and writer on life extension, cryonics, memetics and evolutionary psychology....
after Henson protested against Scientology in May 1997 and January 1998 outside the Golden Era film studios in Gilman Hot Springs, California
Gilman Hot Springs, California
Gilman Hot Springs is an unincorporated community in Riverside County, California, United States. Gilman Hot Springs is located on California State Route 79 north-northwest of San Jacinto. Gilman Hot Springs has a post office which opened in 1938; its ZIP code is 92583, which it shares with San...
. Moxon had argued that Henson was dangerous based on comments critical of Scientologists he had posted on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, and his knowledge in the fields of cryonics
Cryonics
Cryonics is the low-temperature preservation of humans and animals who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that healing and resuscitation may be possible in the future. Cryopreservation of people or large animals is not reversible with current technology...
and explosives. Hoden received a temporary restraining order against Henson, but the Riverside Superior Court judge refused to make the restraining order permanent.
In 1999, Moxon represented members of the Seventh-day Adventists and Unification Church
Unification Church
The Unification Church is a new religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. In 1954, the Unification Church was formally and legally established in Seoul, South Korea, as The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity . In 1994, Moon gave the church...
in a lawsuit against a Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
state task force which was investigating the effects of religious cults
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
on college campuses. The Unification Church and Seventh-day Adventists members claimed that their constitutional rights were violated and described the "Task Force to Study the Effects of Cult Activities on Public Senior Higher Education Institutions" as a "religious inquisition".
With fellow Scientology attorney Helena Kobrin, Moxon filed an affidavit in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court in March 2000, complaining to the judge about the criminal prosecution of the Church of Scientology related to the death of Lisa McPherson. They claimed that the prosecution held an "extreme religious bias" and a "narrow-minded concept of a church". They defended the practice of the Scientology staffers that had kept Lisa McPherson at the Fort Harrison Hotel
Fort Harrison Hotel
The Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the flagship building of the Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida...
in Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
, asserting they had been involved in the "Introspection Rundown
Introspection Rundown
The Introspection Rundown is a controversial Church of Scientology procedure that is intended to handle a psychotic episode or complete mental breakdown...
", which they called an "entirely religious" practice developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
. They wrote that "Forcing a Scientologist to receive psychiatric services would be like forcing an Orthodox Jew to eat pork or forcing a devoted Catholic to have an abortion. It is simply unacceptable and unthinkable to our religious faith and conscience." Moxon said that the wrongful death lawsuit filed by members of McPherson's family against the Church of Scientology was "nothing more than a vehicle to say bad things about the church". The criminal prosecution in the Lisa McPherson case was dropped due to issues with record-keeping by the medical examiner
Medical examiner
A medical examiner is a medically qualified government officer whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests....
; a wrongful death civil suit was settled in 2004.
According to Scientology general counsel Elliot Abelson, the bulk of Moxon's legal work is Scientology-related. In addition to his office with his law firm, as of 1997 Moxon also kept a legal office in the Church of Scientology's headquarters at Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
. Moxon has also served as legal advisor to the Scientology-affiliated organization Citizens Commission on Human Rights
Citizens Commission on Human Rights
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights is an advocacy group established in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and psychiatrist Thomas Szasz. The group promotes several video campaigns which support views against psychiatry...
(CCHR). According to a CCHR press release from 2001, Moxon represented CCHR International as its Commissioner.
Works
Papers- Shupe, Anson, Kendrick Moxon, and Susan E. Darnell. 2000. "CAN, We Hardly Knew Ye: Sex, Drugs, Deprogrammers' Kickbacks, and Corporate Crime in the (Old) Cult Awareness Network." Paper presented at the 2000 meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. Houston, TexasHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
.
See also
- List of Scientology officials
- Office of Special AffairsOffice of Special AffairsThe Office of Special Affairs or OSA is a department of the Church of Scientology. According to the Church, the OSA is responsible for directing legal affairs, public relations, pursuing investigations, publicizing the Church's "social betterment works," and "oversee[ing its] social reform programs"...
- Operation Snow WhiteOperation Snow WhiteOperation Snow White was the Church of Scientology's name for a conspiracy during the 1970s to purge unfavorable records about Scientology and its founder L. Ron Hubbard...
- Scientology and the legal systemScientology and the legal systemThe Church of Scientology has been involved in court disputes in several countries. In some cases, when the Church has initiated the dispute, question has been raised as to its motives. The Church says that its use of the legal system is necessary to protect its intellectual property and its right...
External links
- Kendrick Moxon, LinkedInLinkedInLinkedIn is a business-related social networking site. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. , LinkedIn reports more than 120 million registered users in more than 200 countries and territories. The site is available in English, French,...