Religion and Politics

How Scientology Exploits Foreign Workers

For New York magazine, Kevin T. Dugan reports that the Church of Scientology systematically recruits foreign workers to work in its religious compounds. Dugan alleges that the church instructs foreign recruits to tell immigration officials that they will perform only religious work in the United States, thus qualifying them for a special visa program. On arrival, however, some recruits say they were forced into providing free labor, with some alleging they worked shifts as long as 24 hours. Ekaterina Tikhonova, one of the victims, said, “It seemed like a prison camp.” The church denies the accusations of fraud or forced labor.

Read at New York Magazine

• Email
• Print