Scientologist and chiropractor Joseph “Ben” Barton, 47, of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina is a nasty piece of work according to court records.  The owner of Midlands Physical Medicine LLC, the records show ample evidence of Barton being a sexual predator, a racist, and a financial felon.

In a US Department of Justice press release (scroll down to read it) Barton, the owner of Midlands Physical Medicine LLC, plead guilty to using the identity of another doctor in Florida without that doctor’s knowledge or permission to submit fraudulent Medicare claims in the amount of $194,000. Barton now faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Barton joins his fellow Scientologists and chiropractors Jeff and Jay Spina as felons convicted of medical insurance fraud. Jay Spina is presently serving nine years in US Federal prison and his brother Jay is soon to follow. Ben Barton is awaiting sentence.

In 2018, Ben Barton was sued for allegedly “forcing Scientology and sex” on one of his female employees. The employee sued under the name of Jane Doe. She claimed in her lawsuit that Barton fired her in retaliation after she refused his many unwanted sexual advances.

Jane Doe submitted text messages Barton sent her as part of the evidence in her lawsuit against him. Barton’s texts show him to be a sexual predator and a racist:

Jane Doe further alleged that Barton made an explicit video of him masturbating and sent it to her. This lawsuit becomes even more bizarre when we learn that sexual predator Barton was also seeking to “help” Jane Doe by converting her to Scientology. Jane Doe stated in her lawsuit:

23. Barton used his position of authority over Doe to pry her into sharing intimate details of her past, including the fact that Doe was the victim of prior sexual assault.

24. After learning of Doe’s painful past, Barton initiated many conversations with Doe concerning her sexual trauma.

25. Barton encouraged and urged Doe to open up about her sexual trauma under the auspices of helping her. In reality, Barton was preying on Doe’s vulnerabilities to sexually harass and exploit her.

26. Barton told Doe that through his practice of Scientology, he could sense emotional disturbances in people and could sense that Doe had suffered emotional trauma.

27. Barton claimed he wanted to help Doe with her weaknesses.

28. This “help” included Barton’s offer to send Doe to a facility outside of South Carolina which would help her overcome her inner issues.

29. Barton stated that he had attended this facility and that it helped him overcome some “inner issues” he was dealing with from his childhood.

30. Barton claimed this place would help Doe reevaluate the way she thought and believed.

31. Although Barton never provided Doe with the name of this facility, Barton informed Doe that his intention was to convert her into a Scientologist.

In his answer to Jane Doe’s lawsuit, Barton denied everything and claimed Jane Doe had consented to his sexual advances. Barton protested that Jane Doe had defamed his sterling reputation in her lawsuit. He asked the court to summarily dismiss Jane Doe’s case and award him legal fees. Jane Doe hit back at Barton’s claims of defamation in her answer:

26. There has been no constitutional malice and therefore, Defendants’ Counterclaims must be dismissed…

28. Plaintiff maintains a defense of truth, public interest in the knowledge at issue, and that her disclosures were required to defend herself and her reputation.

29. Plaintiff has a legal right to disclose the truth and therefore, the Defendants’ Counterclaims must be dismissed.

In one particular instance, Barton acknowledged the allegation that he kissed and fondled Jane Doe — and then removed his penis from his pants in front of her and demanded she perform oral sex on him:

Barton’s attempt to sexually prey upon a single mother who needed her job is quite sadistic.

Barton claimed he wanted to help Jane Doe by using Scientology techniques on her and recruiting her into Scientology. But how was Barton “standardly applying Scientology” by removing his penis from his pants, exposing it to Jane Doe, and demanding that she perform oral sex upon him?

Such conduct is obviously not approved by Scientology, but we engage in a reductio ad absurdum here to make a crucial point: Why did the Church of Scientology’s vaunted “technology” fail to address Barton’s sexual predatory nature and his penchant for financial criminality?

The Church of Scientology claims it can handle a person’s ruin but can it actually do such a thing? In Ben Barton’s case, Scientology only made him worse. Now the US Government will handle Barton’s ruin by incarcerating him for a long time. Barton belongs in prison.

We also ask why the Church of Scientology’s technology failed to handle alleged serial rapist Danny Masterson. Worse, why did the Church cover up Masterson’s rapes and act to silence his victims as alleged?

The Church of Scientology makes grandiose claims for its “religious technology” but look at the real world behavior of its members and of the organization itself.

Jane Doe’s lawsuit went into arbitration where she was awarded a $75,000 settlement. The court awarded her attorney fees of $13,975.72.

According to court records, Barton paid $25,000 of the settlement and then failed to pay the $50,000 balance. Jane Doe’s attorneys had to haul Barton back into court to compel payment of the court judgment.

Barton then made another $25,000 payment. Thereafter, he failed to pay the remaining balance of $25,000 plus legal fees for a total judgment owing of $40,757.00. Instead of paying the judgment, Barton had his attorney file a motion arguing that Jane Doe’s legal fees were excessive.

The last entry in the court docket for case number 2018CP4000156 shows Barton’s motion for reconsideration of legal fees still dragging through the court in February 2021. The remaining judgment Barton owes Jane Doe is accruing interest per statutory guidelines.

In addition to the financial judgment against him, sexual predator and racist Ben Barton now faces hard time in a US Federal prison.

Jane Doe has been acquitted: She never defamed Ben Barton. Rather, she exposed this bad actor for what he is.

Barton’s guilty plea underscores what we repeatedly write at this blog:  The tolerance for financial schemes, frauds,  and sexual offenses inside the Church of Scientology is appalling. And now Ben Barton, a member of “the most ethical group on the planet” is headed to prison. The entire world now knows what a monster he is.

The US DoJ press release on Dan Barton’s guilty plea:

Ben.Barton.DOJ.Arrest

The 2018 lawsuit: Jane Doe v. Joseph Ben Barton et. al.

Jane Doe’s 2019 Motion to Compel Settlement shows Ben Barton’s atrocious conduct. Specifically, Jane Doe alleges that Barton refuses to pay the settlement in full so that he can remain a tormenting presence in her life.