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I,
Maria Pia Gardenia declare as follows:
1.
I am over the age of 18 years.
2.
The statements herein are of my own personal knowledge
and if called upon as a witness, I can testify competently
thereto.
3.
My name is Maria Pia Gardini. I am an Italian citizen.
4.
I became involved in Scientology through the Narconon
program. My daughter went into the program and at this
time she gave me some books to read about Scientology.
After 8 months or so she finished her program and told
me she wanted to continue studying Scientology. My mother
and I paid for her auditing up to OT VII.
5.
After she was on the OT levels, she convinced me to
meet some of the people in the Rome org. They convinced
me to do the purification rundown and to try auditing,
so I bought one intensive of "book one" auditing.
6.
I started the purification rundown: on the second day
I blew (left suddenly) the sauna. I was scared to death
of being in the heat for four to five hours. I was 49
years old and felt I would die. Members of the org came
to my home and convinced me to return and keep doing
it. They said I was just going through something and
if I continued, I would get out of it. So, I returned
and finished the rundown. I quickly told them I was
done, and I was done.
7.
I then started the auditing. My father was dead and
I had always been sad about his death. When I started
auditing, my auditor was a very warm and kind woman
and we audited almost the whole 12 hours that I had
purchased on my father's death. I went through a lot
of emotions talking about his death, crying and laughing
and at the end I did feel better.
8.
I then decided to continue. I wanted to buy another
intensive, but I was regged to buy 10 intensives more
of book one auditing. Meanwhile, they also sold me an
academy package so I could study to myself become an
auditor. Soon, I was getting auditing 3-4 hours a day
and studying an additional several hours a day.
9.
When I attested the completion of book one, I was told
I had to continue to handle the many more areas of my
life. I then bought all the Scientology Grades auditing
plus NED (New Era Dianetics.)
10.
I started on the objectives. This was the first failure
for me. Doing a drill called "Op Pro by Dup"
involving repetitive actions with a book and bottle,
I became so upset I threw the bottle at my auditor and
tore up the book used in the auditing. The auditor had
to physically restrain me to keep me in the room.
11.
Before I had just done auditing where I had talked a
lot, so of course one will feel better talking about
their problems. Now, this was something different.
12.
I ended up slapping the auditor and running from the
room. I ran home and that evening four staff members
came to get me. They explained to me that I had lost
control and if I finished the auditing I would regain
control. I returned with them and finished the auditing.
13.
I then audited the Grades 0-IV. I did not have any great
achievements during these. It was just sit there and
listen and talk to the auditor. I told the C/S that
I didn't have any "wins" on this (I in fact
told everyone this), but they reminded me that I had
had a lot of wins before on my book one and the grades
were just to stabilize me for my OT levels. They told
me to just continue.
14.
Then, they tried to audit me on NED, but after all the
hours of book one I was desperate.I had already talked
about everything! I became sick and was interviewed
by someone who said I had to do the CCRD. I had paid
for 12 ½ hours of NED and audited for 25 minutes.
When I tried to get the money back for these unused
hours they said no, I paid for the intensive and I had
started it. So that was the end of that money (about
$2000.)
15.
I then went to Rome and while I was there a "mission"
arrived from CLO Italy to recruit people into the Sea
Organization (SO.) They wanted me to join and worked
very hard on me. I agreed and they gave me a contract
for 1 billion years.
16.
In the mean time I had done the class IV internship.
They now wanted me to start in the SO, but I wanted
to go attest to clear first. I bought CCRD in Copenhagen
AOSH and went to do it. I was told, because I was a
Sea Org member the room and board would be free. When
I arrived, I was told "Free? CLO Italy doesn't
have any money on account here." I had to pay for
myself.
17.
They put me in a hotel that was owned by the church
called "Nordland." It was like a pigsty; so
dirty. I found one room that was less dirty than the
others and did not have other people in it.
18.
At this point I was now a class V auditor. It was terrible
in Copenhagen. I was given an auditor who was Swiss
German who did not speak Italian, but something similar.
I started eligibility with him and the session went
on and on and on because I could not understand him.
I was supposed to stay there two weeks but was there
two months. Then, I was told I had to buy more intensives.
I explained the language problem, so they switched auditors.
He spoke good Italian, so I finished eligibility in
two hours then moved to the CCRD. I then attested to
clear.
19.
Clear is supposed to be an expanded person. I did not
feel this. I really wanted badly to go back to Italy.
When I did go back, I simply changed suitcases and went
to Milano to train for the Sea Org.
20.
Now, I was put in the kitchen to cook for 70 staff members.
This was terrible. Then, they wanted me to wash dishes.
I said no. I never have washed dishes in my life. I
had my car there so I left again. I went back home for
2 days before they came and got me. This whole time
my daughter was progressing in Scientology. She was
at Flag and I was afraid that they would tell her I
was misbehaving and she would be upset with me. So,
I went back. When I went back, they told me I was done
with the first phase of my training.
21.
I then told them I had to go back to Rome to close up
the house. In Rome, there was another mission to get
people to do the OT levels in Copenhagen. I bought a
package for OT I-III. I wrote for permission to do these
levels instead of going to work. I received this permission
and went to Copenhagen to do my OT levels.
22.
While I was doing my levels in Copenhagen, I was paying
my own room and board and then they asked me to start
auditing their pcs.
I
HAVE EDITED OUT REFERENCES MADE TO CONFIDENTIAL OT MATERIALS
HERE
44.
While I had been auditing, there was a raid in Italy
and all of the organizations were closed. When I returned
to Italy after OT V, the entire org of Roma had moved
into my apartment (they had called me in Copenhagen
and asked to move into my apartment.) I had instructed
my building superintendent to let them in but to not
give them a key. They somehow got a key and made a copy
anyway. They were there all the time.the whole building
was protesting.
45.
So, when I returned, I made them leave. I found them
another apartment and paid for the first two months
of rent. It took five days for a cleaning company to
clean my apartment, it was such a mess.
46.
Now, I went to CLO in Milano to work. They were working
in a hotel because they had lost their building to the
government. I wondered what the hell I was doing there.
I had no job to do. We had Int (International Management)
missions in to handle the problems while I was paying
the hotel for everyone in CLO. I figured I would go
on to do OT VI and OT VII. One of my seniors thought
this would be good for me to do. At this moment, I was
running out of money. So, to do these levels I sold
my apartment in Rome. My mother was very, very angry
with this. She told me I was crazy and they will ruin
me. She was right.
47.
Now, I come to Flag. Again, I was supposed to get room
and board because I was a staff member. Bah. No room
and board! I have again to pay for myself.
I
HAVE EDITED OUT REFERENCES MADE TO CONFIDENTIAL OT MATERIALS
HERE
52.
I never went to my home to audit; I stayed at the Sand
Castle and audited for 8 months. When I wasn't auditing
I studied to be a class IX auditor and was auditing
public pcs.
53.
When I attested to OT VII, Captain Ron Norton called
me. I was validated as being a class IX auditor and
OT VII completion. What the hell was I going to do with
it? They asked me to sign on to work at Flag and they
would send another auditor to Italy to replace me. I
told them to call my senior.
54.
In Italy they were still trying to open up the orgs.
My senior did agree, though I said I had to go back
to Italy to finish up and prepare. I did this.
55.
When I arrived to start working at Flag, I was told
that they would put me in the Sand Castle hotel because
there is no room at the Hacienda. The Sand Castle was
dirty and had unbelievable cockroaches.
56.
They told me I had to pay 10% of what a public would
pay, since it was a public room. When they took me to
the room there was no furniture, no bed nothing. I complained
but was told it was too late at night to do anything.
I was told to sleep in a chair. I said no, I just arrive
after 10 hours of travel. It was February 8 and cold.
I ended up sleeping on the carpet.
57.
The next day I refused to go to work unless I received
a bed. They then showed me a bed that had been outside
in the garden; they were going to throw it away. It
was so dirty I would not put my dog on that mattress.
It had holes where rats had eaten it. I absolutely refused.
I told them I would start work on Monday. I went to
the store and bought myself a bed, blankets, chair and
sheets. I had it all brought to the Sand Castle.
58.
After one month, I was told they had a place in the
Hacienda Gardens for me. So, I put my stuff together
and they took me to the Hacienda. When they opened the
door, I plugged my nose it stunk so badly. There were
eight beds one atop of the other. At this point I said
take me to the captain.
59.
I went to the Captain and told him I will not live like
this. I want to go back to Italy. He said no, we have
a small apartment in the Hacienda that we rent. We will
give it to you for half price. I agreed to this and
paid $400 per month (this turned out to be full price.)
60.
Now, I moved into this apartment. At the end of the
first month, five other people were sleeping in this
apartment. They were putting staff members in my paid
for apartment. These people would eat my food and drink
my water. I returned to the captain.
61.
I said enough is enough. You broke all your promises
and I want to go home. The captain told me to return
to the Hacienda, wait three days and he will come visit
me and we will take care of this.
62.
In the mean time, I called an area realtor and arranged
to purchase a condominium. By the time I met with the
captain, I had my new home. At first, he told me no,
I couldn't stay off the base. I said it was this or
nothing. He told me to write a CSW, which I did, and
he approved it. Thus, I had special permission to live
outside of sea org quarters.
63.
So, I started to audit again. Then, there was a change
of captains. Ron Norton went to Gold and Debbie Cook
became the captain. This was in 1988. When Debbie Cook
became captain, my real problems started.
64.
First, she wanted me to move back to the Hacienda, or
she insisted that I share my condo with other staff
members. I told her no to both. At this time, I was
almost every week the auditor with the most hours in
the chair and that year I won the worldwide highest
auditing hours cup at the Auditors Day celebration.
At this point, I was a money making machine for them.
65.
I was always on the chair auditing. In September of
1990 I received a phone call from Italy saying my daughter
was in the hospital in Pavia in Italy and I had to go
to her at once. I CSW'd to go see her and it was approved.
66.
I returned to Italy and two months later, my daughter
died: November 18, 1990. She was 29 years old and an
OT VII.
67.
A bit before I left, however, I asked the senior C/S,
Kathy Webb, to give me a program to audit my daughter
because she was OT VII. This was to help her physically.
The answer was, with AIDS, she will die. What program
do you want? Give her a program to drop the body. Of
course, I never did such a process on her. You don't
go to a sick person and say, "I give you a program
to drop your body."
68.
Also in 1989 or 1990 they started releasing OT VIII.
I was told to buy a package on the Freewinds because
this is the only place OT VIII was delivered due to
its extreme confidentiality. I bought a package, but
then I went to Italy because of my daughter.
69.
Two days after my daughter's death, I took her to the
cemetery to bury her in our family mausoleum. On this
day, I was recalled to Flag. My daughter was not yet
buried. Flag phoned me and spoke to my mother, who told
them to fuck off and leave me alone and forget my phone
number. She was heavily against Scientology.
70.
When I spoke with them I told them my daughter had left
a daughter of 11 years old, Camilla, and I could not
leave imMediately. The called me every day, several
times a day to get me to come back imMediately. They
called with no regard to the 6-hour time difference
between the USA and Italy. They would call at 4:00 a.m.
and wake up the whole house of grieving people to demand
my return.
71.
On the 29th of November, 11 days after my daughter's
death, I returned to Flag. I left my granddaughter with
her stepfather and my mother. When I returned to Flag
I was very angry and the staff at Flag were astonished
at this. They could not understand why I would be mad.
I then went right back to work, but I was not able to
produce as well as I had before. Because of this, they
decided to send me to the ship to do my OT VIII.
72.
The ship was in the Bahamas. I had to buy my own ticket
to get there. When I arrived, I also had to pay for
my own room and board. I didn't want to sleep in the
staff berthing below decks, as it was extremely hot
down there, like 100 degrees. I could not do this. As
soon as I arrived, instead of starting my own program
I was put to work auditing others on their sec check
for OT VII and OT VIII eligibility. I was very valuable
to them as I could audit in three languages: English,
Italian, and French.
73.
Soon after I arrived, Milt Wolf, one of the ship captains,
and David Light, a registrar, sat with me and regged
me to buy books and materials. They also sold me a gold
OT bracelet that cost thousands of dollars. They sat
with me and would not let me go until I had bought and
bought. I ended up buying an extra suitcase to carry
all the materials I had bought. Eventually, I arrived
in the course room to start OT VIII.
I
HAVE EDITED OUT REFERENCES MADE TO CONFIDENTIAL OT MATERIALS
HERE
78.
The night I attested to OT VIII, I went ashore with
some friends to see the casino in Nassau. Guess who
was gambling there? David Miscavige, Guillame Leserve
and Ray Mithoff. Isn't gambling an overt in Scientology?
When I saw this, I was ready to leave Scientology. (EDITED
FOR OT MATERIAL) I wanted to leave, but this was very
difficult.
79.
When I was finished (ot8), (this was December 1990)
I returned to Flag. Now, I was trying to figure out
how to leave Scientology. The occasion came in October
1991 when I received a call that my mother was in hospital
and very, very sick. Now, I could return to Italy.
80.
I CSW'd to leave. My CSW was NOT approved. I went to
the Captain to talk to her and she told me no, it was
not important that my mother was dying. It was only
a body. I must stay at Flag and produce for Scientology.
81.
I again CSW'd to leave. Instead of giving it to the
Captain, I gave it to my DofP (Director of Processing)
for OT eligibility. Then, I went to my condo, packed
my suitcase, went to the airport, bought a ticket and
went to Italy.
82.
I thought I would be declared a blow, but after four
days in Italy I received, by fax, the CSW I had written.
It was approved. My mother died December 11, 1991.
83.
On the 21st of December, Flag started regging me for
the money I was inheriting from my mother's death. Please
see my other affidavit for the completion of this story.
I
declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the
United States of America and the state of Florida that
the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed
in Grosetto, Italy this 14th day of February 2001
Maria
Pia Gardini
Declaration
of Maria Pia Gardini
I,
Maria Pia Gardini declare as follows:
1.
I am over the age of 18 years.
2.
The statements herein are of my own personal knowledge
and if called upon as a witness, I can testify competently
thereto.
3.
My name is Maria Pia Gardini. I am an Italian citizen.
The Flag Service Organization defrauded me of $1,000,000
while I was working on their staff as a highly trained
Class IX auditor.
4.
On the 21st of December, 1991, Tito Mazza, who was the
Flag Service I/C [in charge] in Italy, and Marco Puggelli,
who was a Flag FSM [field staff member], came to my
home in Italy seeking a donation for a Class VIII project
at Flag. Shortly after they arrived, Debbie Cook, the
Commanding Officer for the Flag Service Organization
in Clearwater, Florida, called on the telephone concerning
this same project. She told me the cost of executing
the program was 2 million dollars U.S. and she wanted
me to finance the entire project. I told her I would
never give them 2 million dollars whereupon she said
she knew I would inherit a large sum of money from my
mother's death just 10 days before and felt I should
give them the money. I continued to say no and asked
them to leave. They would not but stayed and continued
badgering me. Finally, one of them took me into a side
room and told me if I just gave them a check to prove
to the Captain of Flag that I was a good scientologist
they would leave. They repeatedly told me I should be
a good scientologist and give them the money. I was
also at this time very vulnerable. My daughter had died
one year before and my mother had now died 10 days before.
I was alone in the world. I finally gave them a check
for $30,000 and they left. At that point I told them
not to return asking me for money.
5.
The morning after, my maid came into my bedroom and
told me there were two people sleeping in a car in my
garden. I got dressed and went to see who it was. There
I found two sea org members whom I recognized as working
for Flag and the Flag Ship Service Org. When I approached
the car to tell them they could not come into my garden
in the middle of the night, they got out of the car
and asked me for coffee. I took them into the house
and gave them coffee. They then fell asleep in my home.
Around ten o'clock, I received a phone call from Debbie
Cook, who told me I had not given enough money and I
needed to give more to the two staff members at my home.
She went on and on about the project needing my help,
that Italy was really down and it could be the first
Clear country etc. Finally, I gave another $50,000.
6.
In Spring of 1992, I returned to Flag. The day after
I arrived, I went back to work as an auditor in the
Sand Castle hotel. That afternoon, at 2:00 p.m., I was
called by Captain Debbie Cook to go to the registrar
area in the Fort Harrison hotel. I am sure this day
was Wednesday. When I arrived Captain Cook was sitting
in a small, back room accompanied by Piers Almquist
and a CMO messenger. I was directed to go into the room
and the door was closed behind me.
7.
After the door was closed, Debbie Cook said to me "We
want to know how we can help you in your inheritance
cycle." This was to speed up my receiving the inheritance.
I told her I had my family lawyer and other professionals
taking care of things and that I needed Italian professionals
taking care of it, not Americans. She said they knew
I had a beautiful villa and other nice things and that
I really needed to help with the Italian Class VIIII
project. I told her I could not give any more money;
my money was in Italy and my banker would need my signature.
She told me they would arrange for scientologists in
America and Italy to loan me money, then I could return
to Italy later and get the money to pay them back. She
also wanted me to call my banker right then and find
out how much money I could take out of Italy at that
moment.
8.
At this point, I didn't know what to do. I told her
it was too late in Italy for me to call the bank and
I would call in the morning and talk to my banker to
see how much money I had in my accounts. Upon this promise
of mine to call my banker in Italy, they let me leave
the room. I then returned to work.
9.
The next morning at 8:00 a.m. I was preparing for work
when I was told not to start working but to return to
the Fort Harrison. I did this, and when I arrived at
the Fort Harrison I was directed to the same little
room. Inside waiting for me were the following people:
Debbie
Cook -- Captain FSO
Piers
Almquist - a registrar
David
Foster - a registrar
Pilar
Saldiariagga - Commodores Messenger
John
Lundeen -- Supervisor of the registrars
Chiara
Staples - my FSM
10.
Chiara had been called in and asked to lend me money.
She had $50,000 in cash in a bag and told me she would
loan me the money if I promised to pay her back as soon
as I returned to Italy and received my inheritance.
Under pressure, I agreed to do this. Almost imMediately,
Dave Foster told me that this amount was not enough.
11.
Debbie Cook then had an idea. She suggested that "Teresa",
the wife of Gerald Bloom, who was a Class V C/S, could
also lend me money. Teresa was called in and asked to
loan me money. She also said she did not have money
in the USA. Teresa was asked to call her mother in Switzerland
to arrange to loan me $100,000. The money was eventually
transferred from Switzerland to the Flag Accounts. I
was praised and told to go back to work, which I did.
12.
On the following Thursday morning, I was again called
by Captain Cook and told to go to her office in the
Coachman building. When I arrived she and John Lundeen
and another staff member who was an MAA and was also
Italian were waiting for me. It was before 9:00 a.m.
and they wanted more money. They pushed and pushed me
saying I must help Italy get the LRH materials. They
asked me to call my bank in Italy and talk to the director
to see how much money was available to me. I could not
lie to him because they put the phone call on speakerphone
and of course the other Italian staff member could understand
what was being said. The bank director told me that
I had just received money into my account from selling
a large piece of real estate. I tried to tell the director
that I needed that money for inheritance tax, but he
told me I had more than enough to cover it. So they
now knew I had money in my account. The Captain told
me to ask how much I could have sent to the United States
without my signature. He said if I faxed him my signature
and a copy of my ID, I could have all the money I wanted.
I wanted to kill this bank director, but of course he
didn't know what was going on.
13.
At this point, I ended up transferring $300,000 to the
Flag Land Base. I was very upset by this transaction
and by the fact that I was then highly commended at
the staff meeting for having donated so much. The whole
staff clapped for me, however I felt terrible and promised
myself that this was it. I would give no more money.
I was also given other benefits due to this contribution.
For example I had been asking for a lighter schedule
for months due to a heart condition. Regular Flag staff
hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. It was not until
after I had made this contribution that a lighter schedule
was finally approved for me.
14.
I then asked to return to Italy in order to see my attorneys
and finalize my inheritance and to visit my granddaughter.
I requested a leave of absence. I was told that it was
okay to leave, but before I left they wanted me to make
my total donation one million dollars and asked for
the balance to add to the previous donations. This was
all for the Italian Class VIII translation of materials
and to pay for people to come from Italy to Flag to
train. Throughout the day I spoke with my seniors in
the organization and begged to go back to Italy. I tried
very hard to avoid the issue of money. This was in September.
15.
One Thursday morning at 6:00 a.m., High Levy showed
up at my home. He told me that I had to come right away
to the Fort Harrison because they needed me. I arrived
at the Fort Harrison and was taken downstairs. In a
room awaiting me were Captain Cook and Dave Foster.
16.
They told me that Tito Mazza (who was one of the first
two men who came to my home in Italy) was on the phone
from Italy. Tito told me that the Italian statistics
were down and they really needed my money. He told me
he had found someone who could lend me $200,000. He
said he would go to the person in Italy and the two
of them would call me back in America and we would do
a conference call. He did this, going to the house of
Franco Baggio, who happened to be one of my pcs. Mr.
Baggio told me he could loan the $200,000, however,
he needed to get it from the bank. He also told me he
needed the loan paid off in one month. I did not agree
to do this and the Captain and Dave Foster badgered
and harassed me until I finally just hung up the phone.
17.
At this point, somebody called the Captain out of the
room, leaving just Dave Foster and me in the room. Mr.
Foster started yelling at me, becoming as red as a lobster
and getting so upset I thought he was going to have
a heart attack. He wanted me to give the money. He told
me I was not a good Scientologist; that my money was
Wog money and needed to go to scientology; and that
I was unethical. I kept refusing to give any more money.
Finally, Dave Foster slapped me in the face. I began
to cry.
18.
The Captain FSO then returned to the room. I told her
Dave Foster had slapped me. Dave Foster denied it. Captain
FSO then imMediately began asking me again for more
money. They kept badgering me, insinuating that if I
wanted to go home to Italy, I had better give the money.
Soon, I was an emotional mess. I wanted out of that
room and to go home to Italy. It was apparent to me
that neither would happen if I did not agree: so, I
finally agreed to give them whatever money they wanted.
At that point they again called Franco Baggio and I
told him to give the money. Franco then wrote a check
and gave it to Tito Mazza, who took the check to Luxembourg
and put it into a Flag account there. Only after this
did they let me out of the room. I then returned to
work.
19.
I now wanted to leave for Italy, but OSA was holding
my passport and though I had asked for its return every
night for twenty days, they would not give it to me.
I finally went to the Captain FSO at the end of October.
I begged to be able to return to Italy so I could get
the money to pay everybody back. Also during this time
I was sick with worry because they had told me they
wanted one million dollars and they hadn't yet gotten
that out of me. So every Thursday I was terrified that
I would again be called in and forced to give more money.
20.
The Captain finally ok'd the return of my passport.
Soon after getting it, I was again called into a meeting
in the Captain's Office in the Coachman building. The
Captain told me to write a CSW to go to Italy and get
it signed by all of my seniors and bring it back to
Snr. Staff HCO and then to her.
This
was the end of October. At this time she asked me if
I had any more money in the bank. I admitted that I
did (lying to the Captain is an overt). She told me
the stats were down and I needed to again contribute
money. I was so anxious to get my CSW signed so I could
leave, I again wrote a check for Flag. This was for
$25,000 written on my account at 1st National Bank (Amsouth)
in Clearwater.
21.
After this, I tried and tried to get everyone to approve
my CSW to go home to Italy. Towards the end of November,
I received all necessary approvals. I finally left for
Italy in early December.
22.
When I arrived in Italy, my attorney told me that before
the 12th of December I had to pay the inheritance taxes.
I paid the taxes and then found that nothing was left
in the bank. I decided I had to sell some property,
as I was now virtually penniless.
23.
I then called Mr. Baggio and told him that I was not
able to repay his loan imMediately. He was furious.
I explained that I had given all of my money to Flag.
He didn't care.
24.
In January of 1993, I called Flag and told them that
I couldn't return as I was broke and was trying to sell
property. I spoke with Debbie Cook. Her suggestion was
that I put the property in the name of Scientology America,
and they would sell the property and pay back all of
the loans I had taken to pay FSO. I told her this was
not possible as the property was not fully in my name,
but also in the name of my granddaughter, who was a
minor, and another relative. Because my granddaughter
was a minor, the court would represent her in any sale
and put the money aside for her use.
25.
Debbie then directed me to stay in Italy to sell the
property, and while I was there to continue working
for Flag as a "missionaire." She said I should
audit people from my home. She would send the clients
to me. She said there were a lot of Italian people in
disagreement with Scientology who would not go into
an org but would come to my home or I could go to theirs.
So the people would pay Flag and I would audit them
in Italy. Of course, I got paidnothing to do this work.
26.
I now began to sell my art and antiques just to survive
until I finally sold the property. I was then able to
repay all the money borrowed on mybehalf. Franco Baggio
charged me 22% interest on the money. This had never
been discussed or agreed to between us.
27.
As soon as I paid Mr. Baggio, I received a call from
Captain FSO. She said she knew I had sold my property.
She called me directly because I had previously screamed
into the phone at another staff member, saying I was
sick of getting calls from Flag and to leave me alone.
Debbie Cook asked me at this time to pay the balance
of the $1 million she wanted. I refused. She then told
me I had to return to Flag. I said I could not. I reminded
her I was doing all sorts of auditing in Italy. She
insisted I return to Flag. I still refused.
28.
About two weeks later I was in Milano to audit some
OT VII's. At this time I was mentally a mess. My mother
had died, my daughter had died, my cousin had committed
suicide, I had given all of my money to Flag and my
families business had lost all of its assets. While
I was in Milano, Tito Mazza and John Lundeen bothered
me about making further donations. I finally broke down
and wrote a check for the balance to make up $1 million.
At this point, I had paid a total of one million dollars
to Flag and $40,000 to Franco Baggio for interest.
29.
Debbie Cook then called again to tell me I had not yet
made one million dollars. Per their account it was only
$960,000. I told her by my count it was one million
forty thousand. That was it. I refused to give any more.
30.
At this time, my family began expressing concern for
my mental state, saying they believed I was crazy for
throwing away all of my money to Scientology. One relative
was trying to convince my attorneys that I was completely
insane. This created a great deal of difficulty for
me. At this time I decided to never return to work at
Flag. My life was a living hell.
31.
I called Debbie Cook and told her I was not coming back
to work. Three days later, John Lundeen arrived at my
home with Chiara. These two insisted I pay the remainder
of money to make my donation for one million. This was
insane. I could stand it no more. I told them to take
any money they wanted, I didn't care. My nerves were
gone at this point. I was totally broken. I gave them
another $50,000.
32.
As far as leaving staff, I wanted to do it properly
per the policies of the FSO. So I returned in January
or February of 1994 to route out. I expected this to
take about one week. It took two months. This organization
did a Board of Investigation on me because I wanted
to leave staff. The result of this action was that I
was not qualified for the Sea Org. Therefore, they now
kicked me out. After all of the money I had given them
and all of the auditing I had done and my high training,
I was found not qualified.
33.
Also, while I was doing this routing out, I noticed
that there was not one Italian in the Class VIII classroom
studying. This is what I had paid the one million for.
I had been told that my donations were for Italians,
yet in the course room were all kinds of people but
Italians. I went to Debbie Cook and told her she had
lied to me. I said right then that I wanted all of my
money back. Debbie responded that they were at that
point in time translating the material into Italian
so my money could be used to "free Italians."
Two years later, materials were still not translated
into Italian.
34.
When I finally returned to Italy, I found my situation
was terrible. My attorney told me to sell the family
villa. All the money was gone and I could no longer
afford it. I sold the villa and gave some of this money
to my granddaughter and about half a million to my son-in-law.
35.
At the end of 1994, I returned to Clearwater to sell
a condo I owned in Island Estates. At that time I went
to the Fort Harrison to visit Chiara. When I walked
in, a registrar for the Super Power project, Charmaigne,
and another registrar for special properties grabbed
me and sat me down. They asked me for money. I said
no.but they would not let me leave. I was at this point
completely unable to deal with these demands for money,
even though I knew it was harming me. I gave $20,000
to Charmaigne for super power project. I then went to
Chiara's house and hid out.
36.
After I sold my condo, I went to Amsouth bank to get
some money. When I came out of the bank two officers
from Scientology Special Properties in Los Angeles were
waiting for me. They wanted money to help put LRH materials
into titanium so it could be preserved for eternity.
They asked me to come to the top floor of the Fort Harrison
to see the new special properties. I just wanted to
go to Italy, now. I had my ticket in my pocket. I still
had to empty my condo and get out. I asked them to leave
me be. I told them to leave me alone or I would die
here in America. But they said, "Let's go"
and escorted me to the Fort Harrison where they badgered
me for the money. Again, I lost my will and just wrote
them a check. I gave them $25,000 from the condo sale.
37.
After this, I went to the bank, emptied the account
and I left for home. While I was at the airport in Miami
awaiting my connecting flight to Milan, I sat in the
VIP waiting room having a coffee. I received a call.
I was told there was someone crying on the phone. ImMediately
I worried that it was my granddaughter and something
was wrong at home.
38.
The person crying on the phone was Chiara at Flag. She
told me that Charmaigne had her locked in a room and
was badgering her, telling her she had to give them
$100,000 in my name for the superpower project. They
wouldn't believe Chiara when she told them I was already
gone. They told her to prove it, and thus Chiara was
calling me. I then had to verify for Charmaigne over
the phone that I was indeed in Miami.
39.
Charmaigne at once told me to return to Flag. I told
her no. Finally, I was yelling into the phone. I told
her I could give her not one penny more and that if
Chiara gave her the $100,000 I would not pay it back,
but Charmaigne would have to repay it herself.
40.
I returned to Italy. My life was very difficult now.
I had little money and again had to sell property to
pay my daily expenses.
41.
In early 1995, I called Debbie Cook. I told her that
now I needed help from her. I was an OT VIII class IX
auditor who had given over one million dollars to Scientology.
I never spoke to Debbie. Never once would she come on
the phone to speak to me.
42.
Now, I started to write to her. I also started writing
CLO and phoning OSA in Italy and asking for my money
back. I wrote and called many times saying I wanted
all one million. I was ignored. I then decided to go
to court.
43.
My family attorney wrote to the CLO Italy. The response
was for Flag to send Ellen Almquist to me in Italy to
audit me. I refused to be audited. For three days she
stayed at my home and tried to get me into session.
I would not go. She finally went away. Shortly thereafter,
they sent another auditor, one whom I was very fond
of and with whom I had previously worked. I still refused.
In fact, when he prepared a room to audit me, I took
a bottle of whisky in with me and said, "Ok. I
am ready to audit." He soon left.
44.
In 1994 Debbie Cook bought a new, $40,000 car. She told
me it was her FSM commission as she was the FSM on my
cycle. This is against the policies of Scientology as
far as I know. In fact, everyone who worked on this
gathering of the $1 million took commissions from this.
45.
During this time, I started drinking too much, just
to forget all that I had been through. Now, the CLO
wrote to my attorney and said I had to get my money
back from Flag, not them. My attorney then told me I
could sue them from Italy. When Flag found out that
I was suing, they started looking into my financial
situation. At this point, I wanted ALL money I had given
to Flag. So, I called their attorney in Rome. They proposed
a meeting with my attorney to come to some form of agreement.
46.
Their attorney set the time of the meeting one day before
a sale at my home to raise money. They had gone to a
public registry and obtained information on my financial
situation.
47.
At this meeting in Rome in their attorney's office was
myself, a person from CLO Italy, my attorney, the daughter
of their attorney, a woman from OSA Flag and a staff
member from Roma Org. For the whole afternoon we discussed
the situation. In the end, the woman from OSA told me
they knew I was in a terrible financial bind and she
offered me a check for 250 million lira ($180,000).
She said either I agree or I will get nothing. She spoke
in English and my attorney could not understand this.
I was really at the point of losing the last of what
I had. I asked the woman if I took the money, would
I still be in good standing with the church. She said
yes. I didn't want to go back, but I also didn't want
them all against me. I felt they were dangerous people.
I also told her I still had $29,000 in my account at
Flag and I wanted that returned. She said I would still
be able to get that returned per the church policy.
48.
I then accepted the check. We agreed that I would then
receive two more checks in the same amount. I signed
an agreement, which was in English. I asked for a copy.
They said it had to go to Flag and they would send my
copy with the second payment. They never sent it and
I have still never received a copy.
49.
When the third payment arrived, it was for 240 million,
not 250. I asked where are the other ten million liras.
Their attorney said it had been given to my attorney.
50.
Now, after I had received this money for repayment of
half of what I had given for the Class VIII Italian
project, I decided to get the money left on account
at Flag. I called FSO and asked to come back. I was
told that I could not return to Flag. I was not in good
standing with the church. I soon also received a letter
from the Ship saying I was a "refund." I have
never yet received a refund from the Ship Org.
51.
I have been cheated by this organization. I want my
money on accounts refunded; I want my money donated
to the Super Power project returned to me. I want the
other $500,000 returned to me. I have written them and
they are not willing to help me. They in fact have told
me that am trying to extort money from them. My attorney
in Italy did say that the agreement had no legal standing
in Italy.
I
declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the
United States of America and the state of Florida that
the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed
in Clearwater, Florida this 19th day of January 2001.
Maria
Pia Gardini
3.
On January 1, 1992 at twelve thirty in the afternoon
I was sitting at table for lunch with some friends i.e.
Franco Baggio, his wife Marilena and his son Alessandro,
Masimo Cavadenti (now deceased) and Letizia Pizza, when
a taxi entered my garden. Four people emerged. My butler
came to table to inform me of the visitors, as they
were quite unexpected. In Italy, you don't just drop
in on people on the first day of the year. It is to
be spent with family and close friends.
4.
I went to the window to see who it was. It was Charmaign
(last name unknown), who was the Super Power registrar
In Charge in Flag Service Org in Clearwater, Fl; her
husband; a staff member from CLO Italy named Simonetta;
and a public from Los Angeles, a blond haired woman
whom I never seen since.
5.
Charmaign stood in my garden yelling for me to come
down and pay for the taxi, as they didn't have a penny.
Mr. Baggio went instead of me. They then came upstairs
to the dining room and I asked why there were there.
Were they lost or what? Charmaign said no, she had come
expressly to me to talk to me about Super Power.
6.
All four people then sat at the table and began to eat
our meals. I was shocked by their horrible manners and
even smacked Charmaign's hand when she tried to take
food from my plate. This woman was in full Sea Org uniform
with stripes and everything. My butler was looking quite
shocked.
7.
This was my first year alone since my daughter and mother
had died and my friends and I were shocked that they
had come on this day to reg me for money. Charmaign
told me they were in Italy and came to "get their
stats up." So, they start telling me all about
Super Power project until Franco Baggio asked them to
stop so they could at least eat and they would discuss
it afterward.
8.
At this point, Charmaign began drinking wine, lots of
wine until she became totally drunk. We had to put her
in bed in the guest room with her husband. The rest
of us went into another room to talk socially.
9.
At 6:00 p.m. Charmaign woke up. She was yelling and
screaming, "Why did you let me sleep!" We
told her she was so drunk she couldn't stand up from
the chair. She then started right in telling me she
wanted $35,000 from me for a Cornerstone donation to
the project. She told me she would not leave the house
until I paid. This went on until 8:00 p.m. as I tried
to resist her in every way, even locking myself in the
bathroom for half an hour with her banging on the outside
saying she would never leave.
10.
My butler then came in and told us that dinner was ready.
I did not want Charmaign and company to stay for dinner
as I had other family arriving. Franco finally told
me to give her something so she would get out, so I
offered her a check for $10,000 to leave. I told the
butler to take one of my cars and take them to the train
station and put her on any train he could find.
11.
I was still a staff member of Flag at this time and
Charmaign was a senior officer to me. This is one thing
that made it very difficult for me to kick her out of
my home. I would have been in very strong ethics problems
if I had over stepped my limit in how I treated an officer.
I
declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the
United States ofAmerica and the state of Florida that
the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed
in Clearwater, Florida this 19th day of January 2001.
Maria
Pia Gardini
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