Unsolved:World Literacy Crusade

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Short description: Scientology front group

World Literacy Crusade (WLC) was a non-profit organisation formed in 1992 by the Rev. Alfreddie Johnson to fight illiteracy, and supported by the Church of Scientology.[1][2] The group uses "study technologies" and "drug rehabilitation technologies" developed by L. Ron Hubbard, the Church's founder.[3][4] It has been characterized as a "Scientology front group",[5][6] and has been promoted by celebrity Scientologists such as Isaac Hayes and Anne Archer.[1]

The LA Times reported in 2008 that about 100 protestors gathered outside of the World Literacy Crusade offices after being sold fake low cost housing vouchers for as much as $1500. Officials at WLC admitted to selling the free vouchers, but stated they did not know they were fake.[7] The Compton, Californian offices of the WLC housed a drug detox program using “dry heat sweat therapy”.[8] In 2015 the executive director of WLC, Hanan Islam, Ronnie Steven Islam (AKA Rizza Islam) and her adult children were arrested for Medi-Cal fraud and insurance fraud for billing for this detox program.[9][10][11]

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Lewis, James R. (2009). Scientology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 9. ISBN 9780199715954. https://books.google.com/books?id=MtW90YkkB3gC&pg=PA9. Retrieved 10 November 2015. 
  2. Lewis, James R. (2012). Hammer, Olav; Rothstein, Mikael. eds. The Cambridge Companion to New Religious Movements. Cambridge University Press. p. 137. ISBN 9781107493551. https://books.google.com/books?id=RM0AAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA137. Retrieved 10 November 2015. 
  3. Mallia, Joseph (1998-03-02). "Church keys programs to recruit blacks". Inside the Church of Scientology. Boston Herald. http://www.apologeticsindex.org/s04a04.html. Retrieved 2008-03-18. 
  4. MacLaughlin, Jim; Gully, Andrew (1998-03-19). "Church of Scientology probes Herald reporter - Investigation follows pattern of harassment". Boston Herald. http://www.apologeticsindex.org/s04a12.html. Retrieved 2008-03-18. 
  5. Breitbart, Andrew; Ebner, Mark (2004). Hollywood, interrupted : insanity chic in Babylon - the case against celebrity. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. p. 128. ISBN 9780471450511. https://archive.org/details/hollywoodinterru00brei. Retrieved 10 November 2015. 
  6. Smith, Ronald D. (2013). Strategic planning for public relations (4th ed.). New York: Routledge. p. 209. ISBN 9781136172489. https://books.google.com/books?id=f4STAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA209. Retrieved 10 November 2015. 
  7. "Renters in search of affordable housing get scammed" (in en-US). 2008-03-21. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/03/many-people-are.html. 
  8. "As rehab operators fight to reopen clinics, criminal pasts come to light | The Center for Investigative Reporting". http://cironline.org/reports/rehab-operators-fight-reopen-clinics-criminal-pasts-come-light-5592. 
  9. Socialcult (2016-04-11). "Scientology's Disappearing Front Groups: Applied Scholastics". http://socialcult.com/2016/04/11/scientologys-disappearing-front-groups-applied-scholastics/. 
  10. "Hanan Islam et al, charge documents" (in en). https://fr.scribd.com/document/293598999/Hanan-Islam-et-al-charge-documents. 
  11. "Rizza Islam". https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/rizza-islam. 

References