Cult at Swap Meet
I've been told that the cult was spotted at the Kobey Swap Meet here,
with their "See A Thought" signs, e-meters, and books for sale.
Raul Lopez was suckered into the cult at just such a swap meet booth.
For those of you who don't know, Raul Lopez was in a head-on collision
in 1985, and suffered permanent brain damage as a result, leaving him
unable to care for himself. He received a $2.5 million dollar settlement.
The clams assured him that he could be cured of his disabilities through
Dianetics and Scientology, so he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars
on courses and materials. Worse, he was approached by several Scientology
scam artists who talked him into investing in various projects to the
tune of hundreds of thousands more! All totalled, he was bilked out of
$700,000 to $1,000,000 during his association with Scientology and
Scientologists. Available information indicates that he is now in
litigation with the "church" and individuals to try to recover
some of his money.
I think the Kobey management needs to be made aware of this. A check of
their bylaws suggests that, if they knew what they were allowing into
the swap meet, they may be opposed to it. Below are the relevent rules:
Moreover, the background provided on the daughter of the founder and
current head honcho suggests that the Kobey family has a sense of
community and social responsibility. Were they to be made aware of the
cult's true nature, I doubt very seriously that they would allow patrons
to be exposed to this egregious scam!
Kimberly Kobey-Pretto, who ran the day-to-day operations of the
business before Kobey became ill and took over even more responsibilities
when her father's health declined, is now President of The Kobey Corporation.
Under Kim's management, which in 1995 exceeded her illustrious father's
tenure, the swap meet has attracted record numbers of shoppers and
sellers -- and has solidified its reputation as a clean, family-style
operation.
In recognition of Kim's achievements, the U.S.-Mexico Foundation named
her Entrepreneur of the Year in 1992.
In addition to her leadership of the family business, Kim is active in
numerous civic and charitable organizations, including Partnerships in
Education and the Young Presidents Organization. A sponsor of the American
Cancer Society and the Crime Victim's Fund, she also works on behalf of
the Monte Kobey AIDS Fellowship.
Additionally, Kim's husband, Charles Pretto, is corporate counsel and
business development manager. Kara Kobey, Monte's eldest daughter, is
involved with a variety of civic projects benefiting the San Diego
community, such as work with The American Cancer Society.
Kobey's widow, Charlotte, is a member of the corporation's board of
directors, and has chaired the Monte Kobey AIDS Fellowship Endowment
Committee, which raises funds for AIDS research and treatment at UCSD
Medical Center's Owen Clinic.
I suggest that we engage in a letter writing campaign protesting
Scientology's presence at the swap meet. Naturally the buggers promoted
their "better world, no crime, stop drug abuse humanitarian"
nonsense. You all know what to emphasize in your complaints. I intend
to make up a packet containing the Time magazine article, information on
the potentially damaging Purif Rundown, and the Lopez court papers.
The office mailing address is: 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Suite K, San
Diego CA 92110-4531.
Thank you! Now sic 'em, boyz n' grrlz! -- barb
09/11/2000
Author: barb
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