Bob Minton

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Robert Minton

Born	circa 1947 United States
Occupation	retired banker Founder, Lisa McPherson trust

Robert Schenk Minton (born circa 1947 ^[1]) is a retired banker who helped Nigeria manage its debt ^[2] and a former critic of Scientology.

1 Fought Scientology
2 Founder, Lisa McPherson trust
3 Ceases criticism
4 Awards
5 References

[edit] Fought Scientology

Minton spent over $10 million fighting Scientology.^[3] He also participated in demonstrations in front of the Boston Headquarters of the Church of Scientology near his Beacon Hill home.

This included about $2 million he spent on the Lisa McPherson wrongful death case.^[3]
Minton offered a reward of $360,000 to anyone who would leave Scientology with enough information to cause the organization to lose its federal tax exemption. The amount of money was based on the amount of money critics say Scientology charges for courses.^[4]
On November 1997, he spent $260,000 to buy a house for a cat sanctuary for former Scientologists Vaughn and Stacy Young.^[4]
Minton also has given money to a number of other church critics, including three people whom the church brands as criminals for infringing on Scientology's copyrights.^[5]

After reports by Scientology alleging fraud in his Nigerian businesses, Minton successfully sued two German Scientology entities and a spokeswoman for a permanent injunction preventing them to repeat the libel. ^[6]^[7] The decision was confirmed on appeal. ^[8]^[9]

[edit] Founder, Lisa McPherson trust

Minton was also the founder of the Lisa McPherson Trust (LMT), an organization which brought a civil suit against Scientology for the wrongful death of Lisa McPherson and also helped and consoled ex- Scientologists who had negative experiences as well; operated out of Clearwater, Florida (Scientology's "spiritual" headquarters), frequent incidents between the LMT and Scientology would regularly ensue. ^[10]

[edit] Ceases criticism

In a testimony Minton spoke against Ken Dandar, the attorney representing Lisa McPherson wrongful death lawsuit against the Scientology.^[11] In a 26-page affidavit, Minton stated that Tampa attorney Ken Dandar asked him to lie, drew up false court records for him to sign and urged him to generate bad publicity for Scientology to prejudice potential jurors in the McPherson wrongful death case as Scientology tries to get the wrongful death case dismissed on grounds of serious misconduct by Ken Dandar and his client.^[12] Minton's affidavit gave new detail about how involved Minton was in the wrongful death case from the start, stating that he gave Dandar more than $2-million to keep it going and paying witnesses to testify against the church.^[12] Dandar took the witness stand to explain Swiss bank checks totaling $750,000 that Minton gave him.^[12] Minton also testified about two financial arrangements in which $800,000 of his money from Europe to the Lisa McPherson Trust, and that he had kept a portion of that money, because he wanted to hide the source of the Trusts funding from the Church of Scientology.^[13]

Minton’s turn came about after a Scientology probe onto Minton’s financial affairs.^[3] Over and over Minton was ordered into depositions and grilled by Scientology lawyers about his financial dealings.^[3] When Minton didn't show up for a deposition, he faced contempt of court.^[3]

“	I think Mr. Minton is in all manner of trouble, Mr. Minton has perjury problems. Mr. Minton has contempt problems. . . . I think Mr. Minton has IRS problems.	”
—Judge Susan Schaeffer, ^[13]

It is not exactly clear why Minton suddenly stopped his criticism of Scientology and attempted to stop the Lisa McPherson wrongful death case he had funded.^[3] Jesse Prince said in court records that after the meeting Minton showed him a draft of a RICO suit prepared by Scientology, seeking $110-million in damages.^[3] Ken Dandar, the lawyer in the case, said Minton called him frantically saying:

“	Ken, you have to help me, they've got me this time. If you don't drop the case Monday morning, the blood and death of my daughters, my wife and myself will be on your hands.	”
—Bob Minton, ^[3]

Critics of Scientology believe that Minton was blackmailed by the Church of Scientology.^[3] But in accordance with Minton on Saturday, March 16, 2002 he called Mike Rinder and in April 6, 2002 they meet.^[3] Minton says there were lies told in the case, he feared Scientology would uncover those lies in court and he would be sent to jail for perjury.^[3] Minton revealed to Rinder a series of lies he said he had told under oath.^[3]

“	I don't want my life defined by Scientology anymore. I just want some peace.	”
—Bob Minton, ^[3]

Despite the allegations, the judge in the case declined to remove attorney Dandar from the case, and stated that she did not believe Minton's testimony, and that he had lied in an attempt to escape income taxes.^[14] Six months before, she had already remarked that it was irrelevant how much money Minton had put into the case. ^[15]