Scientology’s relentless hard sell has driven some members to the edge of bankruptcy, wrote one former member who had experienced such tactics. [...]

KEVIN Rudd raised concerns about the Church of Scientology yesterday, as NSW police began investigating complaints from seven former Scientologists. The Prime Minister said he intended to examine allegations against the church before deciding whether to back independent senator Nick Xenophon's demand for a Senate inquiry. Senator Xenophon told parliament on Tuesday that Scientology was a "criminal organisation" hiding behind religion. In response to that statement, Mr Rudd said the senator was making "grave allegations". "Many people in Australia have real ...

They squeezed into a two bedroom apartment, all they could afford. Two couples and a single guy had left the Church of Scientology and joined up in Las Vegas, starting a mortgage business near the Palace Station Casino. They were faces in the crowd. Except that the two wives were important in Scientology history, sisters Terri and Janis Gillham. They were two of the original four "messengers" for L. Ron Hubbard. The founder ran his church from his ship, the Apollo, ...

London socialite alleges a secret royal marriage, hush money and dodgy defence contracts A Saudi prince is being sued in London for allegedly breaching a contract to pay £12m to the "secret wife" of his father for retracting damaging allegations about the late King Fahd. Lawyers acting for British creditors of Janan Harb are bringing the High Court action after the socialite went bankrupt last year owing £3m. Allegations about King Fahd in Mrs Harb's sworn witness statement, written to support ...