Messy Aussie JW scandal sex & bank fraud

DannyHaszard

Brainwash spares cult reject jail
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - 8 minutes ago
A JEHOVAH'S Witness stole more than $50,000 from banks after being thrown out of the sect for getting pregnant out of wedlock, a court heard yesterday. ... Brainwash spares cult reject jail
Natalie Tkaczuk Sikora
07dec05

A JEHOVAH'S Witness stole more than $50,000 from banks after being thrown out of the sect for getting pregnant out of wedlock, a court heard yesterday. Coral Acacia-Volkmer, 27, avoided jail after telling the court she had been brainwashed by the cult for more than 24 years. The single mother of a boy, 2, was ordered to do 240 hours unpaid community work and repay more than $50,000 she stole from banks and credit unions. The Dandenong Magistrates' Court heard that between January 2003 and January last year Acacia-Volkmer presented 62 cheques at nine banking institutions totalling $155,895. The court heard she told the banks -- mostly in Hamilton -- they were wage cheques to withdraw the money immediately. She withdrew $53,920 before the cheques were dishonoured. A surfer, who last year competed in the Roxy Jam Tournament, Acacia-Volkmer has won two awards for customer service since starting with a telecommunications company two years ago. Her lawyer, Mr Michael Kuzilny, told the court his client was depressed after the Jehovah's Witnesses, including her own family, rejected her when she became pregnant. Mr Kuzilny said before becoming pregnant her marriage failed and her husband sold their home and took everything because men made the rules in the sect. Acacia-Volkmer became pregnant to another man and after the man left her she turned to crime to pay off her debts. "She was depressed and disillusioned with the world," Mr Kuzilny said. He said his client had no friends because she had been involved with the Jehovah's for 24 years. In that time she went to church five days a week and "walked the streets of Australia promoting the Jehovah's". He said Acacia-Volkmer had been forced to give more than half her wages to the church since she began working seven years ago. Acacia-Volkmer, formerly of Hamilton, pleaded guilty to 62 charges of obtaining property by deception. Magistrate Brian Clifford convicted her and released her on a 12-month community based order ----- Comment from Danny Haszard-I did in fact give the Watchtower ALL my 'disposable' income that I made during my youth working as a high paying Union Carpenter and that is the TRUTH. The f**ing Watchtower left me 'barefoot& pregnant' too!

Golf

Danny, thanks for staying on top of things. I'm shaking my head as I read this news.

"...men make the rules in the sect." Priceless.

Golf

ozziepost

The Herald-Sun is a tabloid newspaper in Melbourne but not in the worst tabloid tradition. Generally it's quite reliable - why, a year or so ago it even had an interview with Mrs Ozzie and I on a serious political issue of the time! (It was in their "Vox Pop'" column where they interview people on the street on a current contraversial issue.)

Still, there are some statements in the article that don't ring true and detracts from the accuracy of the overall story.

He said Acacia-Volkmer had been forced to give more than half her wages to the church

Does that 'ring true' for us in our dub experience? "Forced" to give half her wages? Unfortunately no supporting details are given.

she went to church five days a week and "walked the streets of Australia promoting the Jehovah's

Now that isn't true, is it? She wouldn't have gone to meetings five times a week but three times at most. The writer is confusing five meetings with five times. "Walking the streets of Australia promoting the Jehovah's" is a typically emotive comment from those biased against the JWs and does this reporter no good. Sticking to the facts would have been sufficient. She didn't need to embellish the story.

her husband sold their home and took everything because men made the rules in the sect

the reporter doesn't state how the assertion "men made the rules" is linked to he husband "t(aking) everything". Showing the WTS to be false doesn't need exaggerations and half-truths. The facts should speak for themselves.

misspeaches

He he he.... like yeah she went to the kingdumb hall 5 days a week and had to give half her income. Me thinks she was exaggerating on the facts somewhat to get a lighter sentence.

I wonder if any of our Melbournian posters know this girl? Es?

ozziepost

Sorry misspeaches, I was editing my post while you were posting. :)

misspeaches

That's okay Ozzie. Hope Mrs Ozzie is okay. Send her my love won't you.

By the way I completely agree with this statement:

Showing the WTS to be false doesn't need exaggerations and half-truths. The facts should speak for themselves.

blakky

lol, i remember seeing this on the news a while back.

Smart girl though...Blame everything on the WTS and get out of going to jail for fraud.

ozziepost

blakky,

Yep, it could do more harm than good. People downunder are sick of criminals blamimg their anti-social acts on others, and this lady could actually win sympathy for the WTS.

blakky

Ozzie,

I agree. Its just amazing that all the reports of criminal activity involving ex Jdubs, how alot of the cases focuses on their bad experience as a jdub and how they were taken advantage of by the sect/cult.

It does create sympathy for the WTS. But sometimes the court buys the arguement and gives a 'softer' judgement.

Beep,Beep

""A JEHOVAH'S Witness stole more than $50,000 from banks after being thrown out of the sect for getting pregnant out of wedlock,...""

Sorry but why is she still labeled a JW after being disfellowshipped ? Mr Hazzard, why don't you recognize that basic fact ? This story occurred AFTER she was disfellowshipped, hence she is not one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Thrown out for getting pregnant ? That's not the reason is it ? Most likely she was disfellowshipped for unrepentant wrongdoing.

This reporter needs to take a MORE objective look at her writing.

Out of curiosity, what was Susan Smith's religion when she DROWNED her children in a lake ?

Messy Aussie JW scandal sex & bank fraud

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