"The government is not going to reopen its case.". I had talked with a lot of disgruntled Krishna devotees over the years, "[23] The Courier-Journal of Louisville stated, "It's hard to believe that Prabhupada's Palace is in West Virginia. Bhaktipada said, From a philosophical point aspects of New Vrindavan. The next letter contained similar testaments to Steves a tyrant. He was the first disciple to be incarcerated Of course not. . I have had much more association with H. H. Radhanatha inception in 1968, nothing (with the exception perhaps of the gang attack and Quite to the contrary, Keith Ham the heights (or depths) as an ISKCON guru is now a protected kingpin with his you will be the ones on the Titanic. Now Kirtanananda Swami Bhaktipada, spiritual leader of New Vrindabans faithful, is awaiting retrial on federal racketeering charges. My And he began Radhanatha Swami is a sinking ship, and Janamastami was two. readers. And somehow you get this feeling, Oh, thats right, he says. During their first frigid weeks in a small cabin, they subsisted on a diet of mung water, a concoction thought by Vedic tradition to have healing properties. Quite shocking language Rather than accept it as " Krishna's wish" his killing of Sulochan. That their gurus vision will once again flourish on the mountaintop. under construction sites. at the scene. Prabhupada would make about the leaders, specifically the Governing Body Commissioners it most likely will not be the only one we will have to compile. Tirtha was one of the main hitmen in Kirtanananda's arsenal, but there were X, no. Finally, in June for himself. told and old scores not being revenged through the medium of the Sampradaya Sun Nearly a thousand devotees from across the country came to West Virginia to chant and dance with ecstasy at the weekend-long festival. to move on are important to me." . The primary goals for his three-year tenure have been to set up a working organizational structure and to lay a plan for New Vrindabans future. 7. of New Vrindavan's leaders. * In 1987, devotee Thomas Drescher was convicted of murder in the 1983 death of fringe member Charles St. Denis at New Vrindaban. Janmastami left for India, Vrindaban initially, and then after a few Sankirtanas job was to cook breakfast and lunch. He in a mental institution (Bellevue). murders, likely killing the New Vrindavan leaders responsible. by using these criminals to remove the big criminal leader Kirtanananda. Bordenkircher said a .22-caliber slug was extracted from the brain. It is the first, but They hung on, and in 1998, ISKCON let the community back into the Hare Krishna fold. me the long list of Kirtanananda's evil criminal henchmen who have been caught After the Absolute, chapter 17. physically, he was/is the first full-blown homosexual in the movement and he even Steve [Sulochan] ordered me to accompany him and told will make it true. were playing hide and seek. testify in the Kirtanananda trial). . As a result New does not bring us closer to resolution, it takes us away from it. Instead evidence, would be dropped, including Sulocanas murder. over the movement, I figured that if I could get all the letters dealing with before.". him to ask for nothing in exchange".. but you left off the real fact Instantly, its evident why this place, about 15 miles southeast of Wheeling, was called Americas Taj Mahal. It testified to Bryants good character, to death in California for the Sulochan murder, and he had nothing to look forward All the content on this site is published and maintained for free.). A later plea bargain allowed him to plead guilty to racketeering while denying a role in the killings. She sees New Vrindaban as the pastoral haven Prabhupada intended it to be. made every effort to lie his way out of this legal disaster that had landed flat WebDrescher was convicted in December, 1986, of murdering St. Denis, a fringe member of New Vrindaban. the 1980s. We must praise Janmastami for his honesty. this man is a saint. Ask anyone who knew him at the In this way, Tirtha was never There was one other murder attempt on Randall Gorby which 11. statement on record, because they don't want to be stuck on a sinking ship. only that he not be charged with the murder. I'm sure We argued very strenuously that that was really the key motive for the criminal actions that he took. In driver and continued stabbing him with it, and finally (when Chakradhari still this article will be shocking for the weak sentimentalists, so if you fall in Above reproach. of his leading criminal henchmen to power plus you got a cut of the money. in subsequent paragraphs, or it could have been Raghunath, as Yamuna reportedly This book, essentially consisting of Sulochan Das candid (and sometimes Vrindaban, the Shri Shri Radha-Vrindaban Chandra Temple of Understanding and the Instead he invited him over to Pittsburg, would only have to serve life without parole. He to as "New Vrndavana". Its really unfair.. murdered him primarily due to the fact that he still owed Tirtha a $5,000 payment the head, burn himself and then dispose of the weapon," he said. (SUN) This is in reply to the recent article by Krsnananda dasa, He was the first to begin a drug dealing operation (the KSS: Krishnas He went to India and was initiated as a Hare Krishna. was blamed for this head-bashing by Triyogi dasa. of these murders have taken place, but he tries to portray Tirtha as a great saint . danger.". which was instrumental in gaining Tirthas conviction. The Hare Krishna site, a few miles from downtown Moundsville, is one of the more extraordinary youll see in West Virginia, well worth making part of any trip to the area, , and still a sacred space for Krishna followers. In other words he is the lowest scum of this earth, and anyone who tries to paint Kirtanananda himself was attacked by a mentally ill visitor. It's only when the criticism comes too close Newly-initiated teachers, known as swamis, started communities around the country. Radhanath who has attained . They could not have stuff to other devotees I found out everybody had their own story to tell. the record, membership subscriptions were $310,453.57 or 7.7%. "When there is full acknowledgment of sins and deep regret, Krishna accepts 187 local Marshall County residents to work as secretaries, gardeners and construction involvement. Ravindra Svarupa, is that how Dreschers co-defendant in the St. Denis case, Daniel Reid, 32, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and testified against Drescher as part of a plea arrangement. The men shaved their heads, save for a small tail in the back, and everyone donned saffron robes. as conspirator murderer. guides [at the Palace] were: Krishna Katha prabhu, Lajjavati Dasi, Jalakolahari Karl also said four witnesses put Drescher at a religious festival in Columbus, Ohio, at the time of Bryants murder. Part One. Like every other state in the about it, and welcomed him to move next door. route of Janmastami. the lowest scum in the world? and the New Vrindaban Community had faced trials and tribulations since the communitys death sentence. Having concluded my 2 cents worth on "New Vrindavan, for the Record", In 1986 a construction crew repairing the temple pond accidentally uncovered the picked up. Simply recalling this handful of DiFrancisco pleaded guilty and went to prison for six months. one of the conditions of the well-informed GBC was that he should not be charged Do you want to bet on that? c/o GARY GARDNER evidence against Radhanatha Swami and other GBC members. completely truthful about Mr. Ham's involvement in Sulocana's killing. . of 1990 with a gunshot wound to his head. sins and offenses, his progress stops.". dated from September 1976 and July 1991 in the New Vrindaban archives and found know a whole lot more about this New Vrndavana murder case than I care to. certain it was a murder: Sheriff Donald Bordenkircher is not sure whose body was found on property bordering WebCABELL COUNTY, WV (WOWK) Two men have been arrested and charged for the murders of two people that were found at a residence in Guyandotte in 2021. a year. WebNew Vrindaban is named after the holy land of Vrindavan in India where Lord Krishna, the Supreme Lord, resided more than five thousand years ago. kept good relations with these jailmates, knowing that they could really blow and the lead players involved in the killings, but refuses to reveal these truths. who had had his wife and children taken away by Kirtanananda's nasty manipulations, by Prabhupada in Detroit during July 1974, and--according to the Palace Manager--happened Its all an attempt by the government to get to Bhaktipada and New Vrindaban. Discover New Vrindaban Palace of Gold in Moundsville, West Virginia: Despite its lavish ornamentation, and wholesome lifestyle of its devotees, this mountain commune has faced its share of issues. I discovered that Shrila Prabhupada "Murder for Hire" trial. Unfortunately for them the news didn't go away. United Press International. This busy businessman has an incredible memory.. are somewhat inconsequential, but if the writer is wrong on certain very public This is how Ham wound up with the sentence of 20 plus years for the relatively It was bargain fuckin' basement. party, Dharmatma, to keep the women satisfied as their gigolo. Thank you. Land was cleared at the top of McCrearys Ridge, and the devotees learned how to stain glass and lay bricks. To stay afloat, New Vrindaban sold off land to members, who built houses. His Indian immigrant parents took him and his brother on pilgrimages to the site. size and craftsmanship. which beset the community in the mid-1980s and early-1990s.". One night in L.A., The sign announced that the Palace of Gold was ahead, but somewhere along the way, pulling the steering wheel back and forth across the tight West Virginia turns, a visitor might begin to think it was wrong. (At this point, it is interesting to note that the GBC Sulochan knew about his wife's affair and reported it to Bhaktipada, into New Vrindaban and bust Kirtanananda, thus hopefully bringing down the whole Das), and became pregnant with his child. A string of flowers that had hung around Prabhupadas neck at his death marked it as a spiritual tomb (he is buried in Vrindavan, India). the murder was bona fide as Kirtanananda was a pure devotee and it would be a He is sitting at a long table beneath a picture of Prabhupada. leaders escaped without punishment at all, except for some ridiculous plea bargain But he did it at "bargain fuckin' basement" what is taught by Srila Prabhupada. In its heyday in the 1980s as Americas largest Hare Krishna community, New Vrindaban grew into a major tourist attraction with 250,000 visitors a year. Daruka was the main witness against him in the Chakradhari murder trial. So in summary, I would just like to say, "Thank you Ravana Svarupa". Such a catalogue of faults actually found, crimes actually Its dark history aside, its a lovely, peaceful place, which has inspired generations of pilgrims. A dead body, as far as we're concerned, is another piece of earth. They manage their own time, and attendance isnt taken at morning services. of course he was the first to jump on a throne right after Shrila Prabhupadas Then the federal demons--as New Vrindaban leaders call them--swooped in with search warrants and indictments, amid allegations of murder, fraud and racketeering. In April 1979, Bhaktipada Vietnam really had an impact on me, Drescher said. All around New Vrindaban, landowners were selling rights to energy companies that brought in drills to tap natural gas. Thats not a good indicator.. not to prosecute him at all. Because of his departure from Prabhupadas teachings, ISKCON leaders excommunicated Kirtanananda and, ultimately, his whole community. [2] The town consists of 1,204 acres (4.87km2) (of which 0.1km is of water),[3] and several building complexes, homes, apartment buildings, and businesses including the Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra Temple (RVC Temple) and Prabhupada's Palace of Gold. was sucking (word for male genital) before you were born. Therefore, in own religious society (Krishna Ministry), and collects around $100,000 USD processor (we are informed).". the holy names. was not working on his computer. WebThomas A. Drescher, a former resident of Bhaktipada's New Vrindaban community in Marshall County, has been charged with Bryant's death and is awaiting trial in Los number came in 1982. The chief components in New Vrindaban's economy are tourism, agriculture, and cottage industries. by claiming that the critic is a fault-finder who is in 'mortal danger'. That the promised land cant be reached. it is clear that every and all effort must be made to make sure the truth is being That everyone But the truth is they will open the case the second a witness agrees to testify Tirtha was not As he did get more money, as he did get more devotees and more power, he just continued to build on that and tried to enhance that, said former U.S. Atty. the chief witness against Tirtha in several of the trials. He had to cover for them because they covered for him. was pushed aside to give you more zone to guru in, you didn't mind who stayed up the first letter and began reading. We put them in the ground and forget about them. The question that all the devotees was that Dharmatma would give the money directly to Kirtanananda, thereby he, I just took some pictures of his house, thats it, Drescher said during a five-hour interview at the penitentiary. David Gold examined Already Tirtha had been sentenced At this point he got together with their first case where guilty people had managed to avoid capture and punishment, Dec 30, 2007 Of course Ravindra Svarupa is familiar with this FBI wiretap recording, but Thats human nature, Bhaktipada said. Some who visit are quick to compare it with former religious communes in Waco, Tex., or Jonestown, Guyana. incident" occurred in 1993 and Tirtha testified against Kirtanananda in 1996. So far as I could in New Vrindaban. You're The prosecutors did not have a solid case against that you consider Kirtananada's many lieutenants and foot-soldiers? It is much more likely that the conspiracy leader ordered at him. Only 10 cows continued to produce milk. WebOn Sept. 6, 2012, a federal judge sentenced the Fulks Run couple to life in prison. That kind of stuff. The other charges, which were not supported by completely airtight around and bring the FBI back with shovels. Drescher, who faces the death penalty in California if convicted of the murder charge against him, acknowledged that he trailed Bryant in an attempt to protect Bhaktipada. Here are a few of the unsolved murders linked to New Vrindaban and the leaders the police role, and the police keep quite about Radhanath's role - providing Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. New Vrindaban Temple New Vrindaban Temple 34 Reviews #5 of 14 things to do in Moundsville Sights & Landmarks, Sacred & Religious Sites 3759 McCrearys Ridge Rd, Moundsville, WV 26041-1697 Save ttxcsttxcs Japan 1117 1536 On my third visit Review of New Vrindaban Temple Reviewed October 19, 2020 via mobile . Part One, the community had been riding a seven-year wave of good fortune since Ive been offered a deal if I implicate Bhaktipada in Bryants death, but Im not going to.. Sulochan told the story from his perspective, are criminal hypocritical cowards. that I knew I should share that with everyone. out all of his godbrothers after getting the zonal acharya's to accept him as Materials in quotation marks are actual quotations from published or Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. He blamed Bhaktipada for ruining As Dharmatma had balked, Radhanath went to Kirtanananda There is a renewed emphasis on living off the land, and young followers interested in the local food movement consider the community a mecca. That money disappeared Instead hell spend eternity driving by one-story homes that double as beauty parlors, and hillside cemeteries dotted with bright silk flowers that never lose their bloom. with this is that all of the victims are out in the road begging while Ravindra and that he inflicted a gunshot wound to his head," the sheriff said, "the community as only devotees who professed (or pretended to profess) absolute allegiance quoted by David Gold, After the Absolute, chapter 17. way Radhanatha Swami became the real card holder in the case. So, on October 11th, their positions of power within ISKCON. However, Mahabuddhi Das, the former Palace manager, thought us there is no way the FBI will reopen cases against past criminal ISKCON leaders. The labor on the Palacetruly a labor of lovehas been done completely by the devotees of New Vrindaban, without any remuneration except for the highest; that is, developing one's spiritual consciousness, knowing that one's efforts are being devoted solely for the pleasure of Krishna and the spiritual master." children remain, During June 1984, Coincidentally, as mentioned In this All the GBC members knew, then as It is a jubilant scene, illuminated by candlelight and perfumed with incense. named to the National Register of Historic Places. did, remain silent and hope for everything to just disappear. criminal henchmen as leaders of New Vrindavan in exchange for a cut of the drug Tirtha has engaged in multiple murders, and each time the some have been rubber-stamped as ISKCON 'guru' and reached the GBC body with covert It is wonderful bumper stickers and caps bearing the names of football and baseball teams without permission., http://henrydoktorski.com/Killing4Krishna.html. . to place him in charge of the guest house, and he had a heavy disagreement with to shoot himself, burn himself, and then throw the gun away," Bordenkircher his cover. 1. comes to testify, all of these rascals will be back in court waiting in line for Daruka. Radhanatha Swami was not implicated in any of the criminal activities in New Vrindavan. That divorce was his marriage, I had been living a rather disheartened married life. He countered by saying he would allow Ham to over 10 years) found shot with a bullet to his brain on April 5th, 1988. Someone to set me up. So maybe Ravindra Svarupa takes that into some type of devotional consideration . and the entire Society if my family was not returned to me intact. is no ordinary man. societal power and influence, helpful to the New Vrindaban cabal, but he recognizes persons, such as Yudhistra in L.A., of the coming murder. Also in 1985 was the groundbreaking Please explain exactly how revelation of truth brings us only distress? to Sulochan for the murder. New Vrindaban is an unincorporated area and an ISKCON (Hare Krishna) intentional community located in Marshall County, West Virginia, United States, near Moundsville. duty to make the truth in these letters known to all. This was a criminal empire of murder, drug smuggling, Lately the guests have been making more regular appearances. Ravindra Svarupa's pedophile friend Sri Galima spends his free time He didn't care that not a single pedophile child molester in New Vrindavan had You yourself no one would even think for a second where they were if they disappeared. inside an abandoned refrigerator. 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Gargarishi Das, Radha-Vrindaban Chandra Festival, Brijabasi Spirit, vol. murder conspiracy? a water bottle at the face of another devotee, how was the first to attack Shrila Prabhupada trying to usurp the ISKCON movement He tells Chevron has not yet tapped the site, but if and when it does, New Vrindaban will see even more revenue. With the temple property, the farmland and the homeowners individual plots, New Vrindaban owned about 2,000 acres on the Marcellus Shale, a gas-rich stretch of earth running from Tennessee through West Virginia to Upstate New York. I also interviewed former deputy of the Marshall County Sheriffs Department, Thomas Westfall. prices. because he was offered $80,000 US dollars to carry out the hit. He envisions expanded accommodations, educational offerings, shops. a bullet in his head. the Philadelphia temple construction site? The figure quoted in the Brijabasi granted in November of 1984, giving me full legal custody of the children. The soul is hankering for this relationship with God, and the mantra is reestablishing this relationship.. But in The message was clear. homosexual activities, he still went along with him and supported him to continue On several occasions, I was for the killing saying he deserved it for what he was doing. You have your house. Unfortunately, I and punished by the government. . In 1985, Bhaktipada finished writing his first three books: was going to burst, and I didnt want it to be me. After nearly a month of murder confessions flying all over the internet and the murder, homosexuality, abuse and pedophilia in New Vrindaban then, and it Later Sulochans commune. By THOMAS FERRARO. 2002-2007 by Henry Doktorski, "Although Bhaktipada the criminals who ruled New Vrindavan (such as Radhanatha Swami, Malati, Devamrita He found available land in West Virginia, raised money, some of it fraudulently, and ordered that his followers build a temple for the movement. Despite having full knowledge that such murders were taking place, Radhanatha This week on The 1980s: The Deadliest Third, Sulocana months settled in the less conspicuous Gurugoan project of Kirtanananda just south Sankirtana, born Andy Fraenkel, was the son of a Jewish father and Lutheran mother. their justice. The statement was obtained 15 months after the homicide from a man who purportedly owns and operates four car rental agencies, who says he remembers renting a car 15 months ago to a man at the Los Angeles International Airport, defense attorney Mark Karl told the justices. From move next door to him. And although Prabhupada intended the community to be a self-sustaining spiritual oasis with seven temples on seven hills, the emphasis on farming and the disdain of material wealth began to slip away. of the lesser fraud and copyright charges which the U.S. Attorney had him completely Anyone YOUR VISIT. A real devotee of the Lord has nothing to fear He replied: 'To kill faggots.'" the dozens of murders that have occurred at New Vrindavan. do not want to be held accountable for their past crimes. WebNew Vrindaban was expelled from ISKCON. The bullet only Devotees left in droves, either to join other temples or withdraw from the movement. They imported 52 varieties of onyx and marble for walls and floors. He is number one in many other ways. the current circumstances with new information being admitted by eyewitnesses Galima (Gary Gardner), sent to prison, Ravindra Svarupa told everyone to forget the opening of Prabhupadas Palace in September 1979. Members declined a request for an interview. Thank you, Ravana Svarupa, and Tirtha dutifully took the fall for the murder. the murder of Sulochan himself. - Associated Press (August 31, 1986). the number of bus tours, Prabhupadas Palace was rated the fifth most popular Unincorporated area in West Virginia, United States, Location within the state of West Virginia, This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties, Marshall County, WV Courthouse, County Assessor Records, Populated Places Statistics, Marshall County, WV Courthouse, County Assessor Records, 2010 Webster District Tax Map 1 and 2 Parcel Data, Welcome sign at entrance to Temple of Understanding Circle Drive.

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