Extension and Seeking Claims

[Guest guest]

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Forgive me if this is a duplicate transmission. Because of the importance of

this matter, we are asking that you distribute this message far and wide.

Time is of the essence.

 

Your servant, Anuttama dasa

 

**************

 

Dear Prabhus,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

The application deadline for filing a claim in the Chapter 11 abuse case has

been extended until August 15, 2003.

 

It is urgent that this information is widely distributed. After August 15 no

claims will be accepted.

 

Can you please send this message out electronically, as well as by personal

contact to any and all gurukulis who may benefit from this information.

Also, ask those you send it to to pass it on as well.

 

It is very very important that any youth who may have been abused or

mistreated file a claim now. There will not be another extention date.

 

Below and attached are:

 

1) A letter of explanation from Anuttama dasa on behalf of the GBC urging

those with legitimate claims to file, and

 

2) A letter from Gupta dasa with more information how to file.

 

Please send these out far and wide and encourage contacts that should file

to do so.

 

Thank you.

 

Your servant, Anuttama dasa

 

***********

 

GBC ENCOURAGES YOUTH TO SEEK COMPENSATION VIA CHAPTER 11

July 9, 2003

 

Dear Devotees and Friends,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

I am writing on behalf of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC)

regarding the child abuse lawsuit and Chapter 11 Reorganization proceedings

underway in United States Federal Bankruptcy Court. Please share this

information with anyone who could benefit from it.

 

The opportunity currently exists for young people who were abused to get

significant financial and other assistance from ISKCON through these court

proceedings.

 

The GBC urges any young person who may have been mistreated or abused at a

gurukula (or temple) in the 1970s, 1980's, or 1990's to come forward and

file an official claim to seek compensation, or assistance, through the

current proceedings in the Federal Courts.

 

The decision of North American temples named in the suit to seek Chapter 11

Reorganization was approved by the GBC. The purpose of the reorganization

was to 1) provide a fair system to assist any young person who may have been

abused in the past, and 2) protect innocent devotees from losing their

temples.

 

A federal judge will soon study the assets of the ISKCON temples/projects

involved and decide how much they are able to pay. The exact amount of

compensation and different levels of distribution are still to be determined

by the Court. The number of individuals filing claims will not affect the

amount of money the temples must pay.

 

Filing a claim does not mean one is "joining" the existing lawsuit. Nor will

filing a legitimate claim at this time hurt ISKCON, or be an offense to

Srila Prabhupada. No ISKCON member should criticize someone who files a

claim.

 

It is imperative that anyone who has a legitimate claim files (registers

their name) immediately. The Court has set a deadline of August 15, 2003 for

filing, and claims must be received by that date. Names submitted after

August 15, 2003, will not be accepted. Per court order, all claims will be

kept "under seal," or confidential. The privacy of individuals filing claims

will be protected and personal information will not be made public.

 

To file a claim, please go to the website harekrishnaclaims.com for detailed

information. This is valid internationally, and is not restricted only to

those abused in North America.

 

Your servant,

Anuttama Dasa

ISKCON Minister of Communications

 

 

****************

 

Gurukuli Claims Deadline Extended

by Gupta das

 

July 7, 2003, Los Angeles, CA. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court entered an Order

today which extended the Gurukuli claims deadline in the ISKCON Chapter 11

cases to August 15, 2003. All Gurukulis now have additional time to file a

claim for compensation. Claim forms must be RECEIVED (not just mailed) by

both the California court and West Virginia court on or before August 15,

2003.

 

Claims received after August 15, 2003, will be disallowed.

 

For FedEx delivery of the claim forms, use "Clerk of the Court" as the name

of the recipient. FedEx also requires a telephone number. For the U.S.

Bankruptcy Court in California use (818) 587-2900. For the U.S. Bankruptcy

Court in West Virginia use (304) 233-1655. Note that there is a minor

correction to the preprinted address on the West Virginia claims form. The

street name is spelled Chapline (with an "e"), NOT Chaplin. While this

minor printing error should not create a problem for mail delivery, it could

cause a delay for FedEx delivery.

 

To protect claimants' privacy, claim forms are automatically filed by the

Clerk of the Court "under seal." This means that all of the information

provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be available

to the public.

 

For more information and to download claim forms go to

www.harekrishnaclaims.com. To read about how to file a claim go to "ISKCON

Chapter 11 Claims Deadline." To read about the privacy of a claim go to

"Court Rules Gurukuli Claims Are Confidential."

 

With regards,

 

Gupta dasa

Joseph Fedorowsky

lawyer (AT) oxfordlaw (DOT) com

gupta (AT) krishnabooks (DOT) org

 

"Iskcon Chapter 11 Claims Deadline" is available at

http://www.chakra.org/discussions/GurJun08_03.html and at

http://www.vnn.org/world/WD0306/WD08-8119.html.

 

"Court Rules Gurukuli Claims Are Confidential" is available at

http://www.vnn.org/world/WD0306/WD21-8151.html and at

http://www.chakra.org/discussions/GurJun24_03.html.