In his outstanding op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times, director Alex Gibney took a bold public stand in demanding that the IRS and the US Congress hold the Church of Scientology accountable for its sweeping and documented abuses of tax exemption.
Gibney knows whereof he speaks for he and his colleagues experienced firsthand the malicious and vindictive conduct of Scientology while making and releasing his acclaimed documentary Going Clear on HBO.
Gibney’s call to end Scientology’s tax exemption is now spreading as websites across the globe begin to report the story. The Guardian story.
We at the Scientology Money Project salute Alex Gibney for his stand in calling for an end to Scientology’s abuse of tax exemption. We urge other celebrities, political leaders, and persons of influence to join in the call to to call for the IRS to step in and revoke the Church of Scientology’s tax exemption.
Picking up on Gibney’s op-ed piece, Tony Ortega did a blog post entitled:
If you want the IRS to re-examine Scientology’s tax exempt status, it’s time to get real
This is where the rubber meets the road. If you want to help end Scientology’s IRS tax exemption now is the time to take action. Write letters to the political leaders and the taxing authorities in your country. Demand action.
You can also file a simple one-page form with the IRS.
IRS Form 13909 is a one page form that allows anyone – you don’t have to be an American citizen — to report the Church of Scientology and its related tax exempt entities for abuses of tax exemption. Download the form here.
Sections 1 and 2 ask for basic information including the EIN number. In this example, I have filled out information for the Religious Technology Center (RTC):
The EIN numbers for Scientology Organizations:
Church of Scientology International – EIN 59-2153393
6331 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 1100
Hollywood, CA 90028Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization EIN 59-2143308
210 S. Fort Harrison Avenue
Clearwater, Florida 33756-5109Church of Scientology Flag Ship Service Organization
118 North Fort Harrison
Clearwater, Florida 34615US IAS Members Trust EIN 52-1840679
1311 New Hampshire Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027Church Of Scientology Religious Trust EIN 91-6254980
6331 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 1011
Hollywood, CA 90028Religious Technology Center EIN 93-0801236
1710 Ivar Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Sections 2, 3, and 4 ask for details:
Examples of the Church of Scientology using 501(c)(3) tax exempt dollars to engage in both propaganda and systematic violations of public policy:
• The Church of Scientology International spends tax exempt dollars to pay attorneys to hire private investigators for the purposes of engaging in systematic acts of spying, harassment, and intimidation directed against former members of the Church, critics, journalists, and filmmakers who expose Church abuses. Private investigators are paid tax exempt dollars to follow, photograph, and collect data on their “targets” and report this information back to the Church. This is part of a Church of Scientology conspiracy to attack, intimidate, silence, and destroy these people.
• Paying attorneys to hire private investigators who then illegally purchase the phone records of against former members of the Church, critics, journalists, and filmmakers who expose Church abuses. This illegal invasion of privacy is done in order to have Scientology-paid PI’s track the calls and contacts of former members of the Church, critics, journalists, and filmmakers.
• Using illegal means to obtain the flight and other travel information of former members of the Church, critics, journalists, and filmmakers in order to stalk and harass them.
• Making public the contents of private confessional data of former Scientologists in an attempt to smear, impugn, and humiliate former Church members who speak out against the abuse of the Church.
• The Church of Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs pays tax exempt dollars to hire writers, videographers, and social media specialists to create false, defamatory, malicious, and deceptive propaganda in the form of hate websites and publications. This malicious content is directed against former members of the Church, critic, journalists, filmmakers, and others who publicly expose Church of Scientology abuses.
• Paying for Google ad campaigns to promote Scientology’s malicious hate websites and smear campaigns directed against former members of the Church and critic, journalists and filmmakers who expose Church abuses
• Spends countless millions of dollars on lawyers to defend David Miscavige and the Church from the legal consequences arising from their own illegality, e.g. the Squirrel Busters.
• Deceptive and misleading fundraising activities. For instance, are monies raised by the IAS to “defend the Scientology religion” really meant to fund David Misavige as he spies on former Church members, critics, people in the media, and even his own father? Are these monies intended to fund Scientology’s malicious activities and then pay for endless lawyers to defend these activities as happened with the Squirrel Busters?
• Contrary to IRS Code, the Church of Scientology and its related entities do not make their 990 information widely available to the public. CCHR appears to be the only exception and publishes its 990’s online.
How to File an IRS Form 13909 Complaint
1. Write a statement of facts and include relevant documents. Include these with the IRS complaint Form 13909. When I fill out the online 13909 PDF I save it. I then add documentation in the form of additional PDF’s, When complete, I combine multiple PDF’s into one PDF and e-mail it to the IRS: eoclass@irs.gov.
2. Be sure to date and sign the form and include your contact information. You may wish to check the box marked “I am concerned that I might face retaliation or retribution if my identity is disclosed” if you have concerns about Church retaliation. Note: You can submit the form anonymously.
3. Send it to the IRS by one of three methods:
• Email: Prepare your documents as PDF’s or web links, and send your complaint form with supporting documentation to eoclass@irs.gov.
• Fax: fax your documents to (214) 413-5415
• Mail: mail your documents to:
IRS EO Classification
Mail Code 4910DAL
1100 Commerce Street
Dallas TX 75242-1198
You can also write letters to the Ms. Tamera Ripperda, Director of Exempt Organizations, IRS. She is located at 1111 Constitution Avenue, Washington D.C. 20224.
