Mr. Pendery's website would lead you to believe he is quite a nice
fellow; successful businessman and concerned citizen.
http://www.rickpendery.net/
In the 1970s, Pendery became involved in one of Scientology's most
successful front groups, Narconon.
While the name may mislead one to assume it is a 12 Step programme,
nothing could be further from the truth. Narconon's mimicry is intended
to mislead. The support group Alanon is a Alcoholics Anonymous
organisation for friends and family of substance abusers. Narcan, the
support group for friends and family of drug abusers, is sometimes
referred to as Narcanon. You can see how this can lead to confusion.
Narconon is a Scientology front group that utilizes a dangerous
programme written out by L. Ron Hubbard and an ex-addict named Willie
Benitez. The treatment includes dangerously long sessions in a sauna,
coupled with the administration of toxic vitamin dosages. The programme
has been debunked by legitimate medical experts involved with drug and
alcohol rehabilitation, and its educational outreach programme has been
reviewed and dismissed by experts in the field. This resulted in the
1992 expulsion from public schools in California, Hawaii and other states.
The dangers of the program are detailed here:
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Narconon/detox.htm
Along with this medical malpractice, Narconon clients are also exposed
to Scientology teachings. While Narconon representatives usually deny
any links to organized Scientology, it is listed on the corporate chart
under the ABLE umbrella which also includes Applied Scholastics and
other front groups. The materials used in Narconon are from the Green
Vols, also used by paying customers of Scientology courses.
Narconon often claims a 70-80% success rate, a statistic that has also
been debunked. Does Narconon work that well? These pages suggest that
Narconon's statistics are not credible, and cannot be relied on.
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Narconon/doesitwork.htm
Narconon is a fraud. The very name is meant to mislead. Narconon reps
lie about their association with Scientology, their success rate, and
the scientific basis for their program. They lie to prospective clients
about the presence of medical staff, the cost and length and safety of
the program.
Mr. Pendery was appointed Director of Narconon, Texas. His website still
forwards the lie that Narconon is, "one of the most successful drug
rehabilitation programs in the world."
He then was appointed as Executive Director of Narconon in the United
States. Subsequently, he founded
Second Chance, essentially a front group of a front group of Scientology.
His association with Narconon, an organization so useless that lies are
employed to support it, suggests what kind of character Pendery has. His
ethical standards reflect those of Narconon and now, Second Chance.
Second Chance is a knockoff based on the Narconon programme. The big
difference is, Pendery and Second Chance sniffs out public money to fund
the program in states foolish enough to assume he and his programme has
any credibility. Of course, anyone who did some research online would
quickly uncover the truth about this fraudulent program. So why would
any legislator choose to promote this programme in their home state?
Simple. Mr. Pendery and his wife, Joy Westrum, are involved with the
National Foundation of Women Legislators. Founded in 1938, the
organisation has become infested with Scientologists who realise the
value of being able to get close to our nation's lawmakers.
In 1998, the president of Scientology front group Citizens Commission on
Human Rights, sent out a letter to Scientologists, begging for the money
needed to join the NFWL. CCHR is dedicated to eradicating psychiatry and
the mental health industry in general. Bruce Wiseman wrote, "terrific
opportunity has just arisen that will help us do just that.There is an
organization called the National Organization of Women Legislators
(NOWL), and as the name implies, this group is made up of top woman
legislators from local, state and the Federal Government. Senators,
governors, congresswomen and others are members of this group.
They meet periodically and hear from speakers that they consider have
issues of importance for their group. Their last conference drew 800
attendees. Their President recently called CCHR and asked if I would
address their next meeting. Needless to say, I accepted.
This is a magnificent opportunity for CCHR to get its message delivered
directly to some of the top policy makers in this country. "
Wiseman has since given up his position as president of CCHR to hold a
post as treasurer with the NFLW.
Since then, he has recommended his pals Rick Pendery and Joy Westrum for
positions on NFWL boards.
As Pendery's website states, "In 2001 Rick was asked to be the Private
Sector Co-Chair of the Crime, Justice, Terrorism, and Substance Abuse
Committee Policy Committee with the National Foundation for Women
Legislators, and he continues to serve the foundation in this capacity."
It's interesting that these two con artists have managed to ingratiate
themselves into the very structure on NFWL, but reflects somewhat on the
care these legislators give to researching programs and the backgrounds
of people promoting them. Remember, these are the same people we elect
to protect our interests.
Had the NFWL done their job in a thorough and concientious manner, they
would have found Mr. Pendery's criminal record for, among other things,
fraud.
Case number 683559 in the Superior Court of California was filed against
Rick Pendery for:
1. Breach of contract
2. Common Count
3. Conversion
4. Fraud
5. Negligent Misrepresentation
6. Suppression of Fact
7. Constructive Trust
8. Accounting
The three plaintiffs; Frank Piacente, Paul Hashimoto and John Calhoun
invested money in a Pendery Construction project. Mr. Piacente invested
$40,000, Mr. Hashimoto put up $150,000, and Mr. Calhoun invested
$25,000, for a total in excess of $215,000.
Defendants failed to complete paperwork and defaulted on the agreement.
The projected investment scheme was to purchase and improve four real
properties. This did not occur. Pendery and Pendery Construction falsely
and fraudulently represented to plaintiffs that the funds would be used
for valid and authorized purposes. These representations were false, and
Pendery was aware of that. Defendants planned to use the money for their
own personal use.
In 1995, judgement for default was rendered in all three cases,
returning the plaintiff's money along with punitive damages. Mr. Pendery
simply failed to appear.
Mr. Piacente used a credit service bureau to collect. It is not known
whether the other two plaintiffs have recovered their money from Mr.
Pendery. Knowing this, have another look at Rick Pendery's self
promotional website with a new view as to his character and ethical
orientation.
Rick Pendery is clearly a fraudulent con man who has no business
anywhere near our legislators. Now let's look at his wife, Joy Westrum,
another piece of work.
"Jewelry Joy" sells junk jewelry in the summertime at resort areas. She
is also the other founder of Pendery's program, 'Second Chance.' She was
the individual in charge of a recent fiasco in Albuquerque, New Mexico,
where these con artists convinced the city that they could provide
inexpensive drug rehab to inmates of the local jail. The city leased an
old, unused facility to Second Chance, relying on Westrum's promotional
material rather than common sense and research.
What is Second Chance? In a paper written by Robert J. Desiderio,
Professor Emeritus of Law J.D., 1966, Boston College, Robert J.
Desiderio Professor Emeritus of Law J.D., 1966, Boston College, Second
Chance is accurately described. "The Second Chance Center is a private,
secular organization that operates a secure facility. Its [stated]
purpose is to offer an alternative to prison for persons who have
substance abuse problems. It provides rehabilitation program for those
individuals.
The Second Chance Center is not a part of the Church of Scientology. It
has no relationship, formal or informal, with the Church of Scientology.
The Second Chance Program is licensed to use secular protocol used by
Criminon International. Criminon International is secular nonprofit
organization that is not owned or managed by the Church of Scientology."
What this means is, Second Chance pays money up the corporate ladder of
Scientology for the rights to use various materials copyrighted by that
organization.
Second Chance is based on the Scientology front group program, Criminon,
which is based on the Narconon program. It includes saunas, vitamins and
Scientology as described above.
Pendery and Westrum use their association with the National Foundation
of Women Legislators to influence these lawmakers and promote Second
Chance whenever possible in a quest for public money to fund this
potentially dangerous piece of Hubbardian snake oil. A Google search for
Second Chance results in two types of hits; promotional press releases
and critical deconstructions of the program.
Second Chance's promotional websites claim tremendous success in an
Ensenada, Baja Mexico prison. The fact is, the program was dropped
because there was no followup of inmates after release. The Ensenada
Second Chance program is no more.
Nor is the Albuquerque, New Mexico Second Chance program. They were
evicted from their leased facility in December 2008 after it was
revealed that they were not abiding by their agreement with the county.
http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/politics/politics_krqe_albuquerque_city_pulls_plug_on_second_chance_200812
262319
They violated their agreement to house only male misdemeanor offenders
with substance abuse problems.
Authorities found that there were felons and women being housed in
Second Chance, that they'd installed a sauna without permits, that they
were housing overflow from other jails, and that, when they left, some
major appliances went with them in the middle of the night. The program
left employees and the city unpaid to the tune of thousands of dollars.
Joy Westrum vanished, along with county property.
Amusingly, she reappeared a month after the brouhaha in New Mexico in,
of all places, Hawaii. Once again, she was seeking public money for her
fraudulent program. Watchdogs from all over the country deluged Hawaiian
authorities with information on Westrum, Second Chance, and the fiasco
in Albuquerque.
Second Chance was rejected. Since then, Pendery and Westrum seem to be
laying low. There are disturbing indications that these two con artists
are trying to get Second Chance into the lucrative private incarceration
business, as did another con man in Montana. Michael Hilton nearly
closed a deal with his company, American Police Force to lease a jail as
a private correctional facility. The deal fell through after media
reports revealed Hilton's long history of fraud in California.
It seems that authorities are failing to research and background check
these con artists. It's only when the stories hit the media that their
con games are revealed and rejected.
Rick Pendery and Joy Westrum are clearly in this category, and when
their names crop up anywhere near public money, red flags should be raised.
--
xenubarb
Chaplain, ARSCCwdne
A walk down the path of history is crunchy with the crispy corpses of
those who pooh-poohed or ignored the clown car of ridicule when it
pulled-up to the curb.
Stephen Jones
Thanks, this is useful information. It has been webbed here:
http://www.lermanet.com/fraud//rick-pendry.htm
Maureen
Dang...whatta guy...and he looks so upstanding on his web site.
So, Brabz, what is your solution for someone
who has a drug and/or achohol problem?
You aren't the sharpest pencil in the box, uh LaserClam?
Peter
"That which works in $cientology
is not unique to $cientology,
and that which is unique to $cientology
does not work."
- Prufrock
<snip>
Excellent work Barbz!