Special Assignment: Palace Of Gold

[suchandra]

Special Assignment: Palace Of Gold

 

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The palace of gold, built as a tribute and home for the founder of the Hare Krishnas. It took Marshall County members 7 years to build the palace in the 1970s.The New Vrindaban community sits on 3,000 acres in Marshall County. In the 1980s, it was the largest Krishna community in the country with close to 1,000 followers. Now a little over 100 followers live here.It was during those turbulent times in the 1980s that the local Krishnas couldn't escape the headlines. Marshall County Sheriff John Gruzinskas was a West Virginia state trooper in the 1980s and he spent years investigating crimes committed in New Vrindaban. The investigation led to the conviction of the former leader of the commune, Swami Bhaktipada. Bhaktipada was convicted on a variety of racketeering, mail fraud and conspiracy charges.Another community member, Thomas Drescher, was convicted of the murders of two former Hare Krishna followers. He's now serving life in a West Virginia prison.Another crime involved the school that all of theyoung boys in the commune were sent. Gruzinskas said they had several instructors that not only physically abused the children but also sexually abused the children.The stain from those past troubles is still being dealt with by believers who blame the former swami. Gopa said the swami got carried away wit the power and the money. He felt like he could do whatever he wanted. Terry Tapa said most people have gotten over it. The problems that were there in the sense the people who were causing the problems are long gone..Judy Logsdon has lived near the Krishnas for years and has noticed the difference. Logsdon said the community is pretty low keyed now, not as busy as it use to be years ago.While the Krishna community has stabalized over the past several years, authorities have not closed the books on several unsolved crimes including two murders that may be connected to New Vrindaban. Gruzinskas said there was a fellow found burned up in a pile of brush and his wife was worth about $2 million. Gruzinskas said the man didn't want to give the money up to the swami like was told.And another unsolved case, a man from the Midwest who has been missing for years was reportedly last seen at New Vrindaban.And Gruzinskas said state police are also intensifying efforts to identify the remains of a naked body dumped 25 years ago along U.S. Route 250. Gruzinskas said Drescher is a possible suspect in the murder.As police continue to investigate, the Krishna community is trying to move forward, but lawsuits connected to the crimes have led to financial troubles. Despite that, community members say they have a lot of plans and a lot of hope.<!--stopindex-->

 

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