Scientologists claim adversary had $2 million check forged

Riverside Press-Enterprise
July 26, 1984
By RONNIE D. SMITH
Press-Enterprise Staff Writer

LOS ANGELES — Church of Scientology officials Tuesday accused a top church adversary of conspiring with organized crime figures to steal $2 million from Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard two years ago.

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The allegations against Flynn were outlined Tuesday at a Los Angeles press conference attended by Scientology president Heber Jentzsch, church attorney John Peterson, church spokesman Vaughan Young and a private investigator, Eugene Ingram.

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Ingram, a Los Angeles private detective hired by the church, said two brothers -- Ala and Akil Tamimi -- and a third person who he said was a member of organized crime in Boston, have identified Flynn as being involved in the scam.

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Ingram is a former Los Angeles Police Department sergeant who was fired in 1981

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Akil's brother Ala Tamimi contended in court papers filed Monday in district court in Los Angeles in a separate case that he had the Hubbard check forged after Flynn gave him sample checks and offered him $400,000 -- Tamimi's share of the $2 million.

Ala Tamimi, who Ingram says is a forger, is in jail in Naples, Italy, pending extradition to the United States in a separate fraud case. Ingram said Tamimi, [ ] will be paid $25,000 for his information by the church

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"This is outrageous," said Flynn. "They are manufacturing evidence to smear me because I exposed them. The allegations are a joke. I plan to file a criminal complaint against Ingram, Peterson and the others. This is a criminal conspiracy to frame me of a crime.. I am going to try to get them indicted."

Church attorney Peterson countered: "He will claim this is frame-up by the Church of Scientology. Mr. Flynn cannot withstand scrutiny on this because we have the facts . . . and they show clearly without a doubt that Mr. Flynn . . . and others conspired to counterfeit a check, they forged a check and they tried to steal $2 million from Mr. Hubbard."

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Other than the statements by the two brothers, Ingram, the private detective, refused to provide detailed evidence that he claims shows Flynn's involvement in the check scheme and with organized crime. He also refused to identify others involved.