Law firms are beginning to take notice of Church of Scientology-licensed and owned Narconon:

As I have documented, The Church of Scientology had >$1.7 billion in 990-T 2012 book value. There is perhaps two billion dollars more that Scientology does not have to file 990’s on.

US Narconons reported ~$60,000,000 in 2012 revenues. My guesstimate is that Narconon globally takes in $100,000,000 per ear.

Scientology-Narconon has deep pockets, and, Narconon International’s Legal Affairs Director stated in an e-mail that there is no scientific basis for Narconon’s claim of a 70% success rate. Tony Ortega broke this bombshell story:

LEAK: Narconon’s Legal Affairs Director Admits No Scientific Basis for Advertised Success Rates

From: Claudia Arcabascio
Subject: Re: Wolverton BBB complaint and suggested response
To: XXXXXX
Cc: “PRODUCTION NNI” , “John Walser A/ED NN FC”
Date: Monday, January 12, 2009, 4:36 PM
Dear XXXXXX,

Thanks for sent me this. I don’t have a copy of the letter received from the BBB which makes difficult for me to see if the answer is appropiate.

However, I see the letter okay less than the comment of “hearsay”. It is a generality.

I cannot reach Helena today to review this. Instead, I recommend the following:

1. Correct the letter (more ARC in the letter and change the expression of “hearsay” for specifics and do not say that we have 70% success (we do not have scientific evidence of it).

2. Send a copy of the letter received from BBB to Mike Toth along with the proposed answer (corrected by you).

3. Get okay from the attorney

4. Send the letter (preferably by certified mail return receipt request). Check out this point with Mike Toth first.

If you send to Mike Toth the complete data, it should not take for him more than 10 minutes of his time.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

ML,

Claudia

To the best of my knowledge, there is no peer-reviewed hard-science study of the efficacy of Narconon. Although the Church of Scientology can easily afford to fund such a study it has chosen not to do so.

Following 911, Tom Cruise funded a special Narconon center for first-responders. This center was called the New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project.  Both Cruise and Scientology used the center for PR and to fundraise for the Church. From the Wikipedia entry:

Tom Cruise explained his motivation for setting up the project in a Scientology promotional video that leaked onto the internet in January 2008.^[10] The Environmental Protection Agency had stated after the World Trade Center attack that the air was safe to breathe. The video narration contradicted this, saying, “The devastation had spread an unprecedented combination of toxins through the air — and it was lethal.”^[11] Cruise is seen dismissing the EPA’s all-clear:^[10]

“Of course, as a Scientologist, you go, that’s a lie. Outright lie. Liar. Fine. Finally you say, dammit, just go there and do it. Put it there, let’s go, here’s the money, let’s go. Let’s just get one person treated. I can’t sleep another night.”

In an appearance on CNN‘s Larry King Live, Cruise said that he founded the project out of concern that 9/11 survivors would suffer leukemia, parkinsonism, multiple sclerosis or cancer as a result of toxins in their fatty tissue. He advocated Hubbard’s “research” as the only way to deal with these problems, claiming, “Doctors do not know how to diagnose chemical exposures […] You go to a doctor and now he’s going to put you on more and more drugs, steroids and things that are ineffective.”^[12]

*****

Narconon is presently being sued for conspiring to misuse counseling credentials.

Narconon is also being sued for wrongful death and fraud in at least two dozen separate lawsuits.

Classed as a nonprofit Scientology “social-betterment” group, Narconon is a “licensee” of the Church of Scientology. This licensing is meaningless as Narconon is wholly controlled by the Church of Scientology. Sea Org members hold key positions and report to the Church of Scientology.

Narconon pays the Church hefty licensing fees and other fees in exchange for the use of Scientology’s copyrighted “drug treatment technology.” Some of the highest paid people in the entire Church of Scientology syndicate are Narconon salespeople and directors. Salaries for these people are typically >$100,000 per year. In 2012, one husband-wife team pulled in $500,000+ working for Narconon, this according to 990-T’s.

This “technology” uses megadoses of niacin and puts people into a sauna for many hours everyday until the “end phenomenon” is reached. The concept is that toxins are stored in fat and that megadoses of niacin and long hours in a sauna cause a person to “sweat out” toxins. Narconon variously claims this procedure is anywhere from 70-95% effective in treating drug addiction.

The “Purification Rundown” is self-referential; a person stays on the program until they feel purified. A person then “attests” to completing the Purification Rundown and writes a success story. If a person later sues the Church, such “success stories” may be used against them in court to argue that they were satisfied and had a succesful experience.