Scientology

Apparently the Scientology Founder, L Ron Hubbard had been exposed as a fraud by British diplomats as far back as 30 years ago!

British diplomats investigating the qualifications of L Ron Hubbard exposed the Scientology founder as a fraud 30 years ago.

The science-fiction writer, who invented the religion now followed by celebrities including Tom Cruise and John Travolta, awarded himself a PhD from a sham 'diploma mill' college he had acquired in California.

British consulate workers in Los Angeles secretly gathered information on behalf of the government.

Whitehall officials launched the covert investigation after Scientologists threatened to sue over the government's 1968 decision to ban followers from entering the UK to visit the sect's headquarters in East Grinstead, West Sussex.

Fraud: Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard awarded himself a PhD from a sham 'diploma mill' college he had acquired in California

Britain needed to establish whether Hubbard was a charalatan to defend itself against any libel action.

The evidence was gathered during the 1970s and included the claim by a US official that the sect had sent bogus doctors to hypnotise a legal investigator, forcing him to retire 'due to his mental health'.

The Department of Health files, many of which were classified until 2019, were released to The Times by the National Archive following a Freedom of Information request.

Hmmm interesting....