The Church of Scientology was convicted of fraud by a French court on Tuesday but escaped being banned because of a temporary change in the law.
The French branch of the US-based organization was fined 600,000 euros (US$902,200). Four of its leaders received suspended prison sentences of up to two years and were fined between 5,000 and 30,000 euros.
“This is an important and historic decision because it is the first time that Scientology has been found guilty of involvement in organized fraud,” Olivier Morice, one of the lawyers for the civil parties to the case, told reporters.
The case was brought by two former members who said they were cajoled into spending 21,000 euros and 49,500 euros on personality tests, vitamin cures, sauna sessions and “purification packs.”
However, prosecutors were thwarted in their attempt to get the group banned because of a change in the law which, for a few months while the case was under way, made it impossible to dissolve a legal entity on the grounds of fraud.
The law was changed back earlier this month, but that decision has no impact on the Scientology trial as the law cannot be applied retroactively.
“It is very regrettable that the law quietly changed before the trial,” Georges Fenech, head of the Interministerial Unit to Monitor and Fight Cults, told France 24 television.
“The system has now been put in place by parliament and it is certain that in the future, if new offenses are committed, a ban could eventually be pronounced,” he said.
The Church of Scientology, which says it has 45,000 members in France, welcomed the news it could continue to operate there.
The group said it would appeal the verdict.
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