FREIHEIT [letterhead]
Since 1972 Published by the Scientology Church
Freihit - c/o SKD e.V. - Beichstr. 12 - 80802 Munich
Reverend Thomas Gandow
Representative for Issues of Cults and Weltansschauung
of the Evangelical Church
Berlin-Brandenburg
Heimat 27
14165 Berlin
Telefax 0 30/84 50 96 40
September 18, 2002
Subject: Minton and his former US Trust
Dear Reverend Gandow,
In preparing for the next issue of FREIHEIT magazine, we ask for your comments
on the below listed issues.
Here is the background.
As you surely know, US millionaire Minton once gave an allegedly private loan
to your (former?) comrade Caberta in the amount of $75,000. In the ensuing
investigation, around the middle of this year the Hamburg State Attorney's Office
leveled a fine against both defendants for offering/accepting favors. According
to press reports, Hamburg City Court suspended proceedings against both
defendants and ordered them to pay 7,500 euros.
However, Minton's past generosity was extended to other persons and
associations that define themselves as Scientology's opponents. As is known,
Minton publicly parted ways from his former comrades during a US court hearing,
as told by the press. This means that he will no longer be sponsoring the "
Leipzig Human Rights Award," which you co-initiated.
On Sunday, September 17, 2000, church services were held in the Luise Church
in Charlottenburg, in which you participated with Mrs. Caberta. At its
conclusion, another collection was taken up. At the request of the local
minister, Mrs. Caberta announced the purpose of the collection. It was to be sent
to the US "Trust" managed by Mr. Minton. This "Trust" was
dissolved by him in this year.
[end of page 1. footer says:] Chief editor for German-speaking countries:
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A recently published book tells, among other things, about a meeting between
two "well-liked gentlemen" in a five-star hotel in Berlin over a bottle
of champagne of the "Grande Dame" label, under the heading of "
Fall 2000 - have a good time with the money". One of the two gentlemen was
said to have been a multi-millionaire. At the end of their discussion, the multi-
millionaire was reported to have passed an envelope with money to the other less
well-off gentleman, with the words, "Have a good time with the money."
Because Minton is not only a millionaire and could doubtlessly have been regarded
as "well-liked", and because he was visiting Berlin to attend an event
with you in Fall 2000, one could almost conclude from this that the described
meeting was a discussion between Minton and you. Not only that, but rumors have
been circulating in the USA and in Germany besides, that Minton provided you with
German marks in an amount in excess of five figures, which it is said that you
used for expenses and/or to pay off a bank loan for your private building.
With the above in mind, we would like to ask you the following questions for a
series of articles on this theme:
On the matter of Caberta:
1. Do you still work together with Mrs. Caberta, the (possibly former) AGS
[Hamburg Task Force on Scientology] director?
On the matter of possible Minton expenditures:
2. Does the Fall 2000 discussion described in the published book with a multi-
millionaire in a Berlin five-star hotel refer to a meeting between you and Mr.
Minton?
3. If yes, is it true that you received an envelope with a large amount of
money on this occasion? If yes, what was the purpose of this money?
4. What do you say to the story that Minton gave you money in an amount of
five figures [i.e., greater than 100,000 marks] for the purpose of paying off a
bank loan connected with the financing of your private building? Does this
correspond to reality?
5. Supposing that Minton gave you the above-mentioned money in the amount of
five-figures, would that be in the form
a) a private loan or
b) a gift?
6. Supposing you received the above-mentioned amount of money and regard it as
a private loan, were the terms of the loan as to payment and interest as generous
as it was in Caberta's case?
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7. Since his alleged parting
from his former companions, which would include you, has he demanded his money
back?
8. Is it true that Minton
is no longer financing anti-Scientology campaigns that you have
initiated/supported (such as the so-called Leipzig Award)?
9. If true, what reason did Minton give for distancing himself from these
activities?
On the matter of what happened to the money taken in the church collection for
the US trust:
At no time was the US-trust, for which the Fall 2000 collection was taken,
charitable. It always operated for profit, and according to Minton's testimony in
court this year about a past agreement with a US attorney, it was meant for his
personal, financial gain. Because the corporate charter of the US-trust doe not
contain charitable considerations as mandated by US law, similar to the German
tax law, the purpose of any donations to the Trust was never stated. The
following additional questions arise from this in mind:
10. With regard to the attorney's agreement, as well as the charter of the
Trust, how is a donation justified to a Trust if the ultimate purpose of the
money is the private profit of a US millionaire, and how does this follow charity
laws, which also apply to the Evang.-Lutheran Church?
11. Might there be any donation distribution policies in the Evang.-Lutheran
Church? If yes, what do these state about the circumstances under which money can
be given to a private individual and/or to a for-profit organization?
12. Were these references known to the people who gave money at the
collection?
13. Up to the time the US-Trust was dissolved this year, it allegedly never
received a cent of the collection mentioned. Why has the payment of the donations
been delayed for so long and never carried out?
We ask that you have your kind comments to these questions prepared by this
coming Monday, so that we may take into consideration the factual aspects as
presented by you.
cordially,
/signature/
Georg Stoffel