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368,379 people killed, 306,096 injured and over $2,815,931,000 in economic damages

What's the harm in Scientology?

Scientology is a religion founded by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. Many consider it to be a cult. Read more about Scientology

Here are 54 people who were harmed by someone not thinking critically.

Konrad Aigner Age: 43 Weiler Rumannsaigen, Germany	Died, lost $300,000 August 11, 1997
Konrad was a Scientologist for 22 years, donating thousands of dollars to the church. When he died mysteriously of multiple organ failure, his family was left in debt. German authorities raided the church offices to investigate. Read more & more

Christopher Arbuckle Age: 25 Portland, Oregon	Died October 26, 1991
He was taking a Scientology "Purification Rundown" which involved extreme exercise and vitamin megadoses. He died of liver failure and his parents filed suit against the church. Read more

Gerry Armstrong Los Angeles, California	Sued, harrassed, bankrupted 1982 - present
A former member of the Church of Scientology, he left and became an active critic of the church. In response, the church harrassed, terrorized, threatened and sued him, driving him into bankruptcy. Read more & more

Kaja Bordevich Ballo Age: 20 Nice, France	Suicide March 28, 2008
The daughter of a Norwegian Member of Parliament, she was studying in France and decided to take a personality test at a storefront Scientology center. She found the results "devastating" and committed suicide hours later. Read more & more

Jason Beghe Age: 48 Los Angeles, California	Spent $1M on Scientology April 2008
An actor, he quit Scientology after 12 years when he realized the Church's practices were harmful. In a long interview posted on the internet, he explains his concerns. Read more & more & more

Adam Bird London, England	£34,000 1994
A nuclear physicist, Adam sought out Scientology to help with his dyslexia. He paid them thousands borrowed from banks, and had church members lodging in his house. "They took over my life." Read more

Gabriella Bramucci Age: 55 Italy	Died (untreated cancer) August 6, 1997
Her husband unsuccessfully tried to pull his family out of Scientology. She believed the church taught her that all illness was psychosomatic. When she finally was hospitalized her breast cancer had spread to her liver and was incurable. Read more

Kyle Brennan Age: 20 Tampa, Florida	Died February 17, 2007
Kyle's father was a Scientologist, but he wasn't. Kyle took Lexipro to control his depresssion. Visiting his dad, he was found dead. Allegedly his father called the Church first before calling an ambulance, and that Kyle's medicine was locked away. Read more

John Buchanan Munich, Germany	Committed suicide May 2, 1994
A Scottish landscape gardener working in Germany, he accumulated huge debts to pay for church materials and courses. He committed suicide to escape these debts. Read more

Tory Christman Los Angeles, California	Abused & harassed after leaving Scientology 1969 - July 2000
She had reached a very high level in Scientology, working in the office tasked with silencing critics, when she became disillusioned with the church. She left, and the church went after her as a "Suppressive Person". Read more & more & more

Richard Collins Age: 24 Bristol, Avon, England	Suicide August 9, 1996
He left Scientology, but church members besieged him with telephone calls and letters to lure him back. He jumped from a suspension bridge to his death. Read more

Paulette Cooper New York, New York	Bankrupted, harrassed 1971
Scientology Read more

Roberto Deplano Age: 20 Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy	Suicide February 18, 1997
Desparate because he owed millions of lira to the Church of Scientology, he committed suicide. A former executive of the church (and his cousin) was later sentenced to 4 years in prison for extortion. Read more

Jocelyne Dorfmann Age: 34 Grangey-sur-Ource, Dijon, France	Died (untreated epilepsy) 1984
At a Narconon center (run by Scientology), Jocelyne was taken off the medication that controlled her epilepsy. When she had seizures, they assumed it was withdrawal symptoms. After she died, the center was closed & charges filed. Read more & more

Paride Ella Age: 22 Grassobio, Bergamo, Italy	Died February 19, 1995
Just beginning Narconon treatment, he endured 5 days of agony including vomiting and diarrhea. He was taken to a hospital and died. Read more

Dennis Erlich Clearwater, Florida	Burst appendix, hyperthermia
Two weeks after finishing a "Purification Rundown" in Scientology, his appendix burst. He also suffered hyperthermia and frequently breaks out in sweats since then. Read more & more

Peter E. Frei Age: 37 Dunedin, Florida	Died June 1988
His body was found floating, fully clothed, off the Dunedin shore. His wallet was missing and his apartment back in Switzerland had been burglarized. He had been a member of Scientology. Read more

Roxanne Friend Los Angeles, California	Kidnapped, lost $80K, Died 1992
While she was a Scientologist, she was refused medical care and held against her will. She escaped and sued the church, which settled out of court. By the time she escaped her cancer was incurable. Read more & more

Gary Fry London, England	£21,000 1993
He said he was so disoriented by Scientology procedures, they got him to sign a blank piece of paper. It cost him thousands. He went to court and got the money returned. Read more

Philip C. Gale Age: 19 Boston, Massachusetts	Suicide March 13, 1998
Philip was a promising student at MIT who was raised in Scientology. He committed suicide by jumping from a classroom building, on L.Ron Hubbard's birthday. His friends and classmates could not understand why. Read more

Mrs. Robert E. Geary Medina, Ohio	Hallucinations, nervous breakdown May 1988
When she lost sleep and had hallucinations during a "Purification Rundown" others in Scientology told her this was a good sign. Later she suffered a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized. Read more & more

Josephus A. Havenith Age: 45 Clearwater, Florida	Died February 25, 1980
A Dutch music teacher, he came to Florida to pursue Scientology. He began an extreme vitamin and mineral program prescribed by the church. He was found dead in his bathtub, immersed in water so hot that it had taken the skin off his body. Read more

Isaac Hayes (musician) Age: 64 Cordova, Tennessee	Income disrupted March 2006
According to Roger Friedman, it was representatives of Scientology that forced him to quit as Chef on "South Park" when the show lampooned the religion. "Isaac's income stream was severely impaired as a result." Read more

Gregg Housh Boston, Massachusetts	Harrassed in court April 2008 - present
His name was on the permits for the peaceful Anonymous demonstrations at Scientology in Boston. Because he is one protestor that can be identified by name, the church has filed spurious charges against him including one not enforced since 1806. Read more & more & more

Albert Jaquier Age: 59 Geneva, Switzerland	Died broke, out $833,913 December 11, 1994
He gave Scientology almost all his money, but in the end he died broke, alone and in ill health. His diary is online. Read more

Noah Antrim Lottick Age: 24 New York City, New York	Suicide May 11, 1990
Noah committed suicide clutching $171 in his hands, his only remaining money. He had spent everything else on Scientology in just 7 months. No representative from the church attended his funeral. Read more & more

Wilhelm Mack Age: 37 Grossbettlingen, Germany	Alleged suicide 1993
In just five weeks he had spent over 70K DM for courses and materials from Scientology. He regretted his involvement and wanted to leave the church. He was found hanged in his garage. Read more

Lisa McPherson Age: 36 Clearwater, Florida	Died (untreated psychiatric disorder) December 5, 1995
Lisa became a Scientologist at 18. She had psychological issues which were treated using the precepts of the church. When she died she was underweight, severely dehydrated and bruised. Charges were filed and later dropped. Read more

Susan Meister Age: 23 Casablanca, Morocco	Alleged suicide June 25, 1971
Originally from San Francisco, she was aboard a Scientology ship docked in Morocco when her body was found with a bullet wound to the head. There was no coroner's investigation of the death and many strange circumstances surrounding it. Read more & more

Robert George Mills Age: 42 Los Angeles, California	Suicide April 16, 1989
He achieved a high level in Scientology, and then moved to Nova Scotia. There he was accused of sexualling abusing a girl. He committed suicide. His story is illustrative of how Scientology can ruin lives. Read more

Roger Nind Age: 49 Australia	Died October 1992
He travelled to Clearwater, Florida to get a refund from Scientology. He was killed in an accident the day after he arrived. Read more

Andreas Ostertag Age: 38 Stuttgart, Germany	Died 1985
He was head of the Scientology mission in Stuttgart. He apparently drowned while swimming off Fort Desoto Park in Florida. Reports in Germany raised questions about the circumstances of his death. Read more

Michael Pattinson Age: 57 Paris, France	Lost thousands in Scientology 1973 - 1997
Scientologists claimed they could cure him of being gay. During his time in the church, they charged him over half a million dollars. Read more & more

Elli Perkins Age: 54 Buffalo, New York	Murdered by untreated schizophrenic son March 13, 2003
She was trying to treat her schizophrenic son with vitamins instead of medications, per the instructions of Scientology. He eventually murdered her on L. Ron Hubbard's birthday. Read more

Jeremy Perkins Age: 28 Buffalo, New York	Murdered his mother (untreated schizophrenia) March 13, 2003
His Scientologist family opposed treating his schizophrenia with drugs. Instead, a Scientologist osteopath recommended vitamins. He murdered his mother on L. Ron Hubbard's birthday. He was found not guilty by reason of mental disease. Read more

Heribert Pfaff Age: 31 Munich, Germany & Clearwater, Florida	Died (untreated epilepsy) August 28, 1988
His Scientologist doctor prescribed only vitamins for his epilepsy, despite regular attacks. Eventually he had a heavy attack and hit his head on a night table, and died. Read more

Rodney Rimando Age: 22 Los Angeles, California	Suicide November 25, 1986
He lived, ate and breathed Scientology, and traveled to Los Angeles to study it further. He fell to his death from the sixth floor of a church building in Hollywood. His mother said the suicide note found was not in his handwriting, and sued. Read more & more

Carrie Slaughterbeck Age: 23 Clearwater, Florida	Died (untreated heart condition) March 27, 1997
A prominent Scientologist convinced her to take algae capsules. Carrie had an irregular heartbeat, and died of a heart condition that the algae may have exacerbated. Church officials denied she was a member until shown her certificates of attendance. Read more

Guissepe Tomba Age: 26 Solaro, Milano, Italy	Died February, 1995
Just beginning Narconon treatment, he endured days of agony including vomiting and diarrhea. Then his heart stopped. Read more

Patrice Vic Age: 31 Paris, France	Suicide March 24, 1988
He could not scrape together the 30,000 francs he needed for hs next purification in Scientology. This weighed so heavily on him, that he committed suicide. The case led to a criminal complaint against the church. Read more & more

Kathryn Walicki Age: 15 Revesby, Sydney, Australia	Murdered July 5, 2007
Her sister suffered from a psychiatric disorder, but the family allegedly took her off her medication due to their belief in Scientology. Now she is dead. Read more

Linda Walicki Age: 25 Revesby, Sydney, Australia	Charged with murder July 5, 2007
She suffered from a psychiatric disorder, but her family allegedly took her off her medication due to their belief in Scientology. Now her father and sister are dead, her mother seriously injured. She faces murder charges. Read more

Michael Walicki Age: 52 Revesby, Sydney, Australia	Murdered July 5, 2007
His daughter had a psychiatric illness, but the family allegedly took her off medication due to their belief in Scientology. Now he and his other daughter are dead. Read more

Sue Walicki Age: 52 Revesby, Sydney, Australia	Seriously injured (stabbed) July 5, 2007
Her daughter suffered from a psychiatric disorder, but the family allegedly took her off her medication due to their belief in Scientology. She was seriously injured in a stabbing and her husband and other daughter are dead. Read more

Jerry Whitfield Cape Coral, Florida	Liver failure 1997
Jerry had undergone a "Purification Rundown" as a Scientologist, and later discovered it had caused permanent liver damage. Read more

Dr. Rudolf Willems Geneva, Switzerland	Suicide 1987
Scientology Read more

Margarit Winkelmann Age: 51 Zurich, Switzerland & Clearwater, Florida	Suicide January 11, 1980
She ceased taking Lithium and replaced it with vitamins and minerals as recommended by Scientology. She walked fully clothed into Clearwater Bay and drowned herself. Read more

Lawrence Wollersheim Los Angeles, California	Emotional injury, $8M damages May 9, 2002
After he quit Scientology, he sued the church for emotional injury. The case dragged on for years. The court ruled the church's practices are harmful, and the church paid out millions in damages. Read more & more

"Federica X" Age: 33 Torre dell'Orso, Meledugno, Italy	Died October 11, 2002
Federica complained of stomach pains while at a Narconon center, a few days later she was dead. Read more

Return to the list of topics

What's the harm in Scientology?

Konrad Aigner

Christopher Arbuckle

Gerry Armstrong

Kaja Bordevich Ballo

Jason Beghe

Adam Bird

Gabriella Bramucci

Kyle Brennan

John Buchanan

Tory Christman

Richard Collins

Paulette Cooper

Roberto Deplano

Jocelyne Dorfmann

Paride Ella

Dennis Erlich

Peter E. Frei

Roxanne Friend

Gary Fry

Philip C. Gale

Mrs. Robert E. Geary

Josephus A. Havenith

Isaac Hayes (musician)

Gregg Housh

Albert Jaquier

Noah Antrim Lottick

Wilhelm Mack

Lisa McPherson

Susan Meister

Robert George Mills

Roger Nind

Andreas Ostertag

Michael Pattinson

Elli Perkins

Jeremy Perkins

Heribert Pfaff

Rodney Rimando

Carrie Slaughterbeck

Guissepe Tomba

Patrice Vic

Kathryn Walicki

Linda Walicki

Michael Walicki

Sue Walicki

Jerry Whitfield

Dr. Rudolf Willems

Margarit Winkelmann

Lawrence Wollersheim

"Federica X"