Devra West aka
Surya Ma
FUNDRAISING SCAMS
I was Ms West's 'Business Manager' for 6 months in 2002 before leaving in disgust at her total lack of integrity.
One of the things that I learned, though not until after I left, was that these grand schemes she comes up with for fundraising were just to raise funds. In other words the schemes, plans, objectives were never meant to be realised they were just labels on which she could raise money. Money that went straight into her pocket.
Under cross examination from my lawyer Ms West admitted 'earning 3.6 million dollars in the four years up to 2003!
I understand that the current 'fund raiser' is the spa facility she touts on her website (using pictures of other peoples homes) but back in my day the fund raising idea that everyone had to get behind was the paying off of the mortgage on the Fred Burr Road property in Victor MT and the acquisition of more land around that property.
So Ms West, or Devra Ji as she was called then, came up with this fantastic presentation called the 'Restructuring Letter.' I myself helped with the visual design and signed off, as Business Manager, on the letter she wrote.
The letter (see below) was sent out to the entire mailing list and arms were regularly twisted to get funds flowing for this project. The reality is that not a single acre was bought using money that came in from this appeal. What did happen is that Ms West, once the charity, The Circle of Divine Unity, had been struck off by the Montana state government, Ms West moved the charity's property into her own trust fund and subsequently passed a large portion of it on to her son!
Nothing of a charitable nature was done with the money raised. Not a thing created. Nothing to show for all the giving except mortgages and loans for the donors and more designer clothes for her holiness.
I actually believed in what we were doing (duped like so many before and so many since) I still was amazed to hear from Ms West at a meeting we had at my home in 2003 that she did not believe in what we were doing. She stated that it, "was all rather far fetched!" (Click on this link and go to item 7 to hear Ms West say it herself!)
If it was far fetched and she did not believe in it why was she raising money for it? And what has changed over the past 5 years? Judging from the news in the Whitefish Pilot recently (click this link to read story) nothing!
Judging from the emails written to me in March 2007 by Surya Ma's office manager - nothing! Here is a small excerpt from one of her emails.
"Dr. Patricia MD and I are very afraid, but this does not preclude me from standing up for what is right even if I lose my life over it! Until last week Dr. Cole thought she was all alone and was happy just to have a normal life again. Upon contacting her for the first time last week, (since the court hearing last November), she realizes and accepts the fact that there are many other victims, including myself and it is unfair for her not to come forward in an effort to stop Devra (Surya Ma) from continuing her deceit and corruption of innocent people. Unfortunately, it always comes back to a money issue and the fact that she has hidden her assets in her home which is about to be foreclosed on. (This very much alarms me as this may be the only way to get some of the money back to those she has robbed)."
You can read the full email by opening this link.
Here are the elements of the 'Restructuring Letter' compare this grand scheme of 5 years ago with the current Spa Complex!
5. Map after New Land Acquired
7. Restructuring Letter - Summary
Copyright 2007. John Watson. All rights reserved.
