Scientologist Elizabeth Eagleton Wiegand, Senator Eagleton, Stephen E. Poludniak, St. Louis. Libby Wiegand, $220,000, company;,

Date: August 3, 1980
Scientologist Elizabeth Eagleton Wiegand, niece of Senator Eagleton, and her attorney Stephen E. Poludniak are arrested and charged with extortion and conspiracy in St. Louis. Libby Wiegand had threatened to publicize embarassing information about the senator unless he purchased $220,000 of her stock in a family company; he refused to purchase the stock because he believed the money would go to Scientology. Although Scientology denied any involvement at the time, they later linked it to a Guardian's Office operation in their IRS Form 1023 declaration.
( categories: )