An ex-Scientologist, who is suing the church – and pin-up boy Tom Cruise - for damages, says the group is a criminal organisation, on par with the Mafia.
Peter Letterese has filed a $250 million federal lawsuit in the Southern District Court in Florida, alleging – among other things - that the church harassed him after he left.
But the outspoken critic of the controversial group has gone a step further by alleging that the Church of Scientology is a “crime syndicate”.
He wants it broken up under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisation law in the same manner as US authorities have broken up Mafia families in the past.
Letterese singles out the world’s most famous Scientologist, Tom Cruise, for special attention, due to his prominent role.
He says Scientology head, David Miscavage, is "aided and abetted by the actions of Tom Cruise, his right-hand man for foreign and domestic promotion, as well as for foreign and domestic lobbying.
“He has assisted the syndicate in acquiring funds and [made] his own donations of money believed to be in the multiple tens of millions of dollars."