Half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued at by the county property appraiser. This means the total revenue of the "300" scientology businesses that are owned by the 9700 local scientologists is equivalent to 7.5 average car dealers. The church has shed no light on its plans. It was a very turbulent time. Miscavige cut off communication with the city. Asked directly whether Scientology orchestrated or paid for any of the sales, the church did not answer. Hayes, the attorney and parishioner involved in the rest of the North Marina purchases, was added as manager on the companies filings. And in 1977, the FBI raided Scientology's headquarters in LA and D.C. And they uncovered hundreds of thousands of memos and documents. Weve spent a lot of happy years here, Lares said. Ive been waiting for this neighborhood to clean up for 30 years, and I still think its around the corner, Rice said. Andrus did not respond to a phone message or email inquiring if he was involved in the 45 purchases in the blocks surrounding his condo project. February 1976: Scientology files a $1 million lawsuit against Cazares alleging he violated its constitutional rights with his public criticism. Flag is what they call it, and it's the international spiritual headquarters of the church. The companies paid a combined $11.8 million in cash for 28 undeveloped parcels, five empty commercial buildings and a dozen homes in the district, most of them dilapidated. If Epsteins client was not the Church of Scientology then who is his client? My sister is always struggling with money and drugs: I own a house with my husband and mother. (On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Times reported that since 2017, companies run by members of Scientology bought another 86 downtown commercial properties. Each had proposed major redevelopment projects, designed to lure new business into the empty storefronts that surround the city-owned waterfront and the churchs spiritual headquarters. Richard Tobias, an independent real estate appraiser in Pinellas County, said vast purchases of downtown real estate by entities tied to Scientology have cast confusion over the market. GARCIA-NAVARRO: And we reached out to the Church of Scientology about the Tampa Bay Times report. Through a spokesperson, Epstein said in an email that CA South looked into developing the properties on behalf of a client but walked away when the city did not relax a rule prohibiting a parking lot level facing North Fort Harrison Avenue. MCMANUS: You know, Lulu, from my reporting, I've learned that there's a lot of mistrust and suspicion still in the community when it comes to Scientology because a lot of the residents here were living in the city when Scientology arrived in the '70s, and they remember the tactics Scientology used. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? Do you own your house? The most recent deal came when a New York firm bought a former demolition yard on Nicholson Street for $593,400 on Oct. 20 and then flipped it two days later for $1 million in cash to one of the Scientology-tied limited liability companies, according to property records. City leaders spent tens of millions improving streets, subsidizing residential projects and hiring consultants. VIDEO: Finally, Scientific Proof that Scientologys Body Thetans Cannot Exist! All five City Council members said they doubted the rash of purchases were unrelated. Members have to answer to their ethics officer for any act of disloyalty to Scientologys mission. More reaction: What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover, The full history: Scientologys 40 years of conflict with the City of Clearwater, recapped, Slideshow: See every building owned by the church, Scientologys 40 years of conflict with Clearwater, recapped, See a slideshow of all the churchs buildings. Click here to read the story. It is headed by David Miscavige [1] . Tampa Bay Times reporter Tracey McManus has spent the last four years writing about Scientology and the churchs relationship with the city of Clearwater. Norm Novitsky hung up when asked by a reporter about the companies plans. NIO stock swings lower after reporting losses that were much wider than expected, 3Ms stock surges after company says DOD data show 90% of earplug plaintiffs had normal hearing, Marc Benioffs Salesforce fairy tale is crumbling down around him. In mid-2018, one year before the string of North Marina purchases took off, a company controlled by developer Brian Andrus, a longtime member of Scientology, bought the private marina next to the citys Seminole Boat Ramp. Another tell. When the city was considering buying the aquariums lot, Miscavige threatened to stop communicating until the 2020 election, when term limits would force most of the council out of office. Philip Kirkpatrick, Clearwaters senior economic development coordinator, said Stephen Epstein spoke with city officials in December about a potential commercial and multifamily project on the site. In Mesa, its the Mormon Church that dominates the area and I was able to work in that environment. Thirteen were existing tenants when he bought the properties. Buy up as much property as they can for the church whether they use it or not, whether they let it sit there and rot so no one else can be there.. Nearly all of the roughly two dozen people listed as operating the companies are Scientologists. Scientology came to downtown Clearwater in 1975. MCMANUS: It kind of started in early 2017. MCMANUS: Yeah, that's a good question. They haven't submitted redevelopment plans. ANTIFRAGILE LIMITED Among them was to make Clearwater known as the first Scientology city in the world.. This gallery shows all 60 properties Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas county and six additional retail properties the church acquired through limited liability companies in 2017. Rod Riley has no background in Scientology. Concerned he wouldnt be able to pay his mortgage, Argall said he deeded the building, appraised at $780,000, back to the previous owner. Thats not happening with almost any of these properties., [ More reaction: What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover ]. Your characterization that his religious affiliations somehow control his business activities is evidence of personal bias against his religion, Zaretsky wrote. And Scientology has an interest in keeping that insulated according to former executives that we've interviewed. The Times used the date that transactions were recorded in Clerk of Courts official record as the date of sale. Gentile also purchased several Clearwater companies owned by Scientologists who may have invested the proceeds into land deals. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. They now own most commercial property on every block within walking distance of the waterfront, putting the secretive church firmly in control of the areas future. Holding and president of Graymoss, Inc. [27] The architectural firm HOK was hired to deliver the project. Lares declined again when Fischler met him at a restaurant in Pinellas Park for lunch, and once more when she tried in May. The inn had stood empty since being damaged in a 1989 arson fire and the Church of Scientology acquired the land in 1991 after it had been purchased by local property developer Terence J. McCarthy, the owner of T.J.M. MCMANUS: Brokers representing these companies were approaching downtown property owners. Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Times with an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology. Real estate offices, vitamin shops and vacant storefronts fill prime locations that in a more vibrant downtown might hold breweries, restaurants and boutiques. After that, the Times writes, Scientology began grabbing property at an unprecedented rate, adding that they now own most commercial property on every block within walking distance of the waterfront, putting the secretive church firmly in control of the areas future. In fact, 22 of the first 33 buildings on Cleveland Street, considered the downtown districts main artery, are tied to Scientology. The city wants to turn downtown into a regional destination for food, drink and entertainment. Reporters analyzed thousands of rows of data and pulled more than 1,000 records from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser, the Pinellas County Clerk of Court and the Florida Division of Corporations. When the council voted to buy the property, the chamber erupted in applause. The church acquired three others in a land swap. Some landlords tied to Scientology have helped bring life to portions of downtown. The Church was unaware of the significant number of properties owned by Scientologists in the Clearwater area and are delighted you provided the information, the letter continued. But the couple isnt ready to let go. If this is Trish Duggans money, and Scientologist Osman Ozsan manages her money, then that could very likely make Trish Duggan the Scientologist financier behind the scenes on the Clearwater land purchases. Sponsored by HomeIPO.org Is it possible to get money (maybe $50k) without a loan? Melitta electrics and accessories are manufactured, marketed and distributed under a licensing agreement. David Gentile is creative with money and had hundreds of bank accounts and sub-funds when he ran GPB Capital. A sign in front of the business says, "Notice: This is one of the only spas in downtown Clearwater not owned by a Scientologist .". We also hold the distinction of being the first Scientology Church in the Southern Hemisphere. An elevated walkway connects the building to the Fort Harrison Hotel, the churchs first purchase in the city in 1975. Learn how your comment data is processed. The acquisitions mirror the pattern that unfolded downtown between 2017 and 2019, when companies tied to Scientology bought 100 properties within walking distance of the waterfront and the churchs international spiritual headquarters, then left many of those buildings vacant and lots undeveloped. Tal Ezra, a Scientologist who recently bought four parcels around an office where he has run his fuel management company since 2005, said hes considering office space and possibly a retail shop. It teaches that expanding Scientology is key to saving the world, then wields a system of totalitarian policies to keep parishioners in line. Then the council interfered with a land deal that Scientology demanded for its plan. But after he forwarded an email critical of the organization in 2012 to another parishioner, the church began an excommunication process that would have forced his partner of 24 years to stop working with him and his tenants to move out. Here is a map showing the parcels in purple which Riley is acquiring: We have previously offered our opinion that the $102 million in Downtown Clearwater land purchases made by Scientologists came from GPB Capital Holdings. About 72 percent of those properties are tax exempt for religious uses. Through a spokesperson, Epstein said in an email that CA South looked into developing the properties on behalf of a client but walked away when the city did not relax a rule prohibiting a parking lot level facing North Fort Harrison Avenue. Since July 2019, eight limited liability companies managed or operated by members of the church have bought 45 properties in North Marina, including Chesneys. I would ask that you clarify the reference to CBRE. Huestler said broker Terri Novitsky calls him every now and again to see if hed be interested in selling. In recent puff piece media coverage in Clearwater, we are told that Riley: is in the process of buying 15 tracts in the Clearwater Marina area to develop what he is calling the Clearwater Marina District a connected walkable community with modern offices, retail, luxury condos and a boutique hotel, as well as affordable housing. And the Times found that in six cases buyers paid quadruple a propertys value. Scientology leader David Miscavige had his own redevelopment plan. But in the 70s, Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Scientologys government espionage scheme, which sent 11 Scientologists to federal prison. Hes starting to assemble properties, Allbritton said. Be informed that their owners are local Scientologists who support the abuses of Scientology leader David Miscavige. After leaving Caliber Wells, Rodney Riley began working with Megan and Stephen Epstein. More interesting is that the 15 parcels of land Riley plans acquire in Clearwater are owned by Scientologists. It is all so convenient for Rodney that it appears to be scripted. The owner of a nationwide company that makes and markets aloe vera skin cream. Even city leaders said they didnt know the full extent of the purchases until they were shown maps created by the Times. It does not include properties recently bought by companies run by church members. CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) A newspaper report says the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent more than $100 million over the past . This is a story for another time. He shows up in Clearwater from Arizona a few months ago. Limited liability companies managed by Hayes, the attorney whos done work on behalf of the church, bought almost the entire square block directly east of the North Ward school. Investigative journalism like this is the most expensive work that we do. Another Scientologist, Rick Argall, owned a building on downtowns Garden Avenue that housed six Scientologist-run businesses, including a chiropractic clinic he operated with a fellow church member. I think it throws a stake in it when one party owns 50 percent or so. Gentile also purchased several Clearwater companies owned by Scientologists who may have invested the proceeds into land deals. But on the notice filed with Pinellas County for the roof replacement at 801 N Fort Harrison Ave., Andrus signed his name as a manager of the company that owns the building. After the City Council voted to buy the lot in April 2017, Miscavige refused to talk to city officials for the next two and a half years. They keep their operations going. $99 million of the purchases were paid for in cash.. We have previously presented a case that the $103 million was provided by Scientologist David Gentile's GPB Capital Holdings. The Tampa Bay Times reports that members of the church have spent $103 million on property in the city of Clearwater known as "The first Scientology city" since . Fifty-eight are in the city of Clearwater and 49 are downtown. Rice said hes been surprised that he has not been approached by brokers trying to buy his 10,000-square-foot building. Mike Rinder, who led the churchs intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said that when it comes to property around Flag, theres no real distinction between whether its owned by the church or a parishioner. The property wasnt on the market. But even when the church isnt in control, its presence can deter development. They came in under a fake name to buy the Fort Harrison Hotel, a historic hotel right in the center of downtown. They have control over what businesses, if any, come in. Any property owned by a Scientologist or linked to a Scientologist is owned by the church, because the church owns its parishioners, said De Vocht, the former executive in charge of real estate, who reported directly to Miscavige. All together, 32 companies bought 92 downtown properties since 2017. They envisioned apartment buildings with ground-floor stores, winding paths with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and a concert venue that would draw visitors from across the region. My true love gave to me/Three French hens/Two turtle doves/And a partridge in a pear tree). Church officials used a straw corporation to buy the historic Fort Harrison Hotel and moved in under a fake name. Letsgetstarted. City Council member Mark Bunker said although the church is not the official buyer of the downtown and North Marina properties, there is reason to believe Scientology leader David Miscavige is orchestrating the parishioner-operated companies making the acquisitions. Typically, when people buy commercial real estate, they move forward with construction or redevelopment. Originally founded in 1955, we are the oldest Scientology Church in Australia. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Just out of curiosity, when you say the tactics that they used in the '70s, what were those? But after a dispute with the city, Miscavige cut communication. One of these accounts shows discretionary assets of $134.77 million. If so, it's technically possible with a home IPO. Suspicion swirled. They paid $26 million. ), [ Slideshow: See every building owned by the church ], In the 90s, a Scientology magazine listed the churchs goals for 2000. What's more, the Times found a Scientology magazine from the 1990s that listed goals for the new millennium. The family of Moises Agami, a developer whose companies bought 20 storefronts and a parking lot last year, has donated at least $10 million. I believe its irrational to buy property and not fully utilize it.. (Guess he hasnt seen the game tapes), US Supreme Court refuses to block Florida execution of Donald Dillbeck, Red-hot USF women close out home schedule with explosive offensive showing. In a letter, the church said the Times is misinterpreting Scientology policy and that other religions also practice shunning. In 2016, city consultants began planning what has become a $64 million effort to reinvigorate the waterfront called Imagine Clearwater. Even as Scientologys footprint expanded, and nearby Clearwater Beach became one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States, downtown businesses struggled to stay open. The Church of Scientology, its members and companies controlled by its members have spent $103 million over the past three years buying retail property in downtown Clearwater, Fla., according. He was overseeing the religion from aboard a ship to avoid investigations into tax evasion and fraud when he selected Clearwater as a spiritual headquarters. Former parishioners say the church has a history of interfering in Scientologists downtown business. Fair Game: Leah Remini & Mike Rinders Podcast, The Aftermath Foundation: Help for Those Who Want to Leave the Sea Org, Scientologys Membership Contract Goes Down in Flames in Court, Chris Shelton's Sensibly Speaking Podcast, Dr. Steven Hassan's Freedom of Mind Resource Center, Stefani Hutchison's Confront & Shatter Blog, The Aftermath Foundation: Helping Those Who Have Left the Sea Org, More Scientologists Getting Into Crypto: Alfreddie Johnson and Karilyn Youngman-Trammell and Their Solar Gold Cryptocurrency, More Grant Cardone Fraud: His Plan for Businesses to Use Credit Cards to Pay for Cardone Sales Training and then Declare Bankruptcy, Church of Scientology International(158), Scientology Fair Game: Cult Leader David Miscavige Orders Attacks on Marc Headley and His Business, US Federal Prosecutor Now Investigating Retired LAPD Cop & Scientology Pal Captain Cory Palka for Corruption, Subpoena-Evader and Thug Life Scientology Leader David Miscavige Served a Subpoena by a US Federal Court on Valentines Day 2023, Scientologist David Gentile Goes Down in Flames in the Pretrial Phase of His US Federal Criminal Case. Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Scientologys government espionage scheme, which sent 11 Scientologists to federal prison. She reported full-time for six months, interviewing more than 90 people and reviewing more than 1,000 documents, to bring you this story. And $99 million of the $103 million in real-estate deals over the past three years were in cash. The companies paid a combined $11.8 million in cash for 28 undeveloped parcels, five empty commercial buildings and a dozen homes in the district, most of them dilapidated. Because the city rebuffed Miscaviges offer, Bunker, who has advocated against alleged abuses in Scientology for 20 years, said he sees the parishioner-involved real estate purchases that followed as a vindictive and desperate play to interfere with Clearwaters revitalization efforts. Whats more, the Times found a Scientology magazine from the 1990s that listed goals for the new millennium. The campus collects millions each week through fundraising and payments for expensive courses and high-level religious counseling not offered anywhere else. Yarbrough never learned the buyers identity. Scientologys survival depends on the preservation of its headquarters in Clearwater. Then he would try again, with new council members. City officials have long hoped for private investors to transform the North Marina Area, a 13-block district with undeveloped lots and 100-year-old bungalows overlooking Clearwater Harbor. He is linked to the Church of Scientology via the Epsteins and Trish Duggan. GARCIA-NAVARRO: What is the view of the local community? He saw the area improve when police cracked down on drugs and prostitution decades ago. Times investigative reporters pored over 1,000 deeds and business records, and interviewed more than 90 people, to connect the dots from the church buying its first hotel in the area in 1975, to Scientologists and their businesses now owning 185 properties covering 101 acres in the heart of downtown Clearwater which is also Scientologys headquarters, and home to its flag campus, to which Scientologists across the globe make pilgrimages. The memos were later seized by the FBI. Aaron Smith-Levin, a former Sea Org member, said a church ethics officer in 1993 pressured Smith-Levins father-in-law to sell Scientology a downtown property it wanted for expansion. And yes, everyone that works here is asked to keep politics and religion out . "You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear," he said, "so it's tough to make economic sense out . Lee sold when Fischler upped her offer to $410,000 cash for the building valued at $109,000 by the property appraiser. The analysis considered property within the general boundaries of Cedar Street to the north, Missouri Avenue to the east, Chestnut Street to the south and the Intracoastal Waterway to the west. It appears that Project Normandy is still operational. In response to detailed memos summarizing the reporting, the church criticized the Times for portraying its members as mindless robots and for having a preconceived agenda to present every Scientology story in a false and unfavorable light.. . NIO's stock slumped toward a 2 1/2-year low, after the China-based EV maker reported a much wider-than-expected loss and revenue that fell short of forecasts. The impact is clearest in the heart of downtown. Im concerned, Mayor Frank Hibbard said. He took over Bob Lees Auto to continue the business legacy and served on the Downtown Development Board for a decade. (I'm in Clearwater). They now own most commercial property on every block within walking distance of the waterfront. This is the Church of Hyper-Surveillance that knows everything about the private and business lives of its members; their social media activities; and even what they did in their past lives. And it's all surrounding the city's downtown waterfront. GARCIA-NAVARRO: And I guess the larger concern is that this could really thwart the city's plans for redevelopment if the Scientologist organizations are going to have all this property that they're going to keep for their own purposes. Good luck on that. Amazing Place to Work. Fischler approached Bosi again in September. Tracey McManus is a Scientology reporter for the paper, and she joins us now. Clarification made on CBRE and thank you for pointing that out. A newspaper report says the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent more than $100 million over the past three years buying up huge sections of downtown Clearwater. Thank you for having us. (CBRE) in April 2016. Fischler did not respond to phone messages, a certified letter or a note left at her condo. Osman Ozsan is, in our opinion, one of the more notable Scientologists youve never heard of. The report notes that half of these properties have been bought since January 2017 after the organization and the Clearwater City Council presented competing redevelopment projects to the downtown district and its waterfront. The logical conclusion is Scientology must have some sort of a game plan in mind, but theyre not public with what it is, City Council member Hoyt Hamilton said as he looked at a map of downtowns new ownership. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So the fact that the church is now buying up these properties through proxy organizations would maybe ring some alarm bells for the community because of what has happened in the past. To reiterate our earlier point, Ozsan, Gregori And Company LLC has only two client accounts. The Tampa Bay Times discovered them by reviewing more than 1,000 deeds and business records, then interviewed more than 90 people to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding the transactions. [ The full history: Scientologys 40 years of conflict with the City of Clearwater, recapped ]. We don't know what they're planning to do with the properties. Rodney Riley is the CEO of RSR Capital Advisors in Clearwater, Florida. Seventy-three percent of the property is tax-exempt for religious purposes. According to his resume, he started the firm in 2003. Visit a quote page and your recently viewed tickers will be displayed here. Scientologist normally dont deal with outsiders in my experience. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with reporter Tracey McManus. EMPIRICAL PROSPECTING COMPANY LIMITED. In a letter to the Times, the church denied it ever tried to take control of the city. It has to be somebody with the money to invest in a real estate development deal. At first, I just wanted to make a short video about the buildings and programs they are doing in clearwater. How Riley made the jump from a regional Coldwell Banker slot in Arizona to suddenly handling a proposed $350 million Clearwater Marina District development is certainly interesting and raises questions we are looking into. They started hosting concerts on the waterfront that now draw thousands. They adopted a master plan in 2016 that envisioned housing, a hotel and shopping to complement what they hope will be Clearwaters revitalized downtown less than a mile to the south. A Scientology Based Company in Clearwater tried to Hire me and lie to me (VIDEO) So I just moved down to the clearwater area and I'm new to knowing that this is the "mecca" for scientology programs. Most of the sales have not previously been reported. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And the tactics they were using to establish area control included infiltration, spying, smearing enemies. . Our opinion is that Riley was instructed to get ahead of the story by bringing up Scientology before he was asked about it. This is a very interesting report. Howd that go? Mike Rinder, who led Scientologys intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said any property owned by a parishioner is in the churchs control. We don't know if they're just going to continue to squat on them - because they haven't done anything yet. They also pointed to the latest edition of their Freedom magazine for what they called an accurate portrayal of the church and its members in Clearwater. He demanded to see their financials, their board of directors. The Church is the largest property taxpayer in downtown Clearwater, paying nearly $1 million in property taxes last year. But Lee assumed the church was involved. Miscaviges offer to revitalize downtown hinged on the city ending its attempt to buy one vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. 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