Former Kabbalah Center's workers filed a lawsuit against this cult:
NEW YORK, July 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht LLP filed a lawsuit today against the Kabbalah Centre, related corporate entities, and Kabbalah Centre leaders Yehuda, Michael, and Karen Berg. The plaintiffs allege that the Centre had a policy and practice of luring people to work for the Centre as so-called "chevre." The complaint alleges that the chevre were led to believe they would enlighten the world to the spiritual teachings of the Kabbalah, but in reality, the chevre were used to raise money for the Centre and personally enrich the Bergs.
"As Plaintiffs have alleged, chevre were not only used to raise money for the Centre, they also were required to perform personal tasks for the Bergs, such as walking their dogs and babysitting their children, and they did all of this without pay. Many had given their worldly possessions over to the cult and had to give up their relationships outside the cult. The chevre were isolated and without means, and their day-to-day lives were controlled by the cult. The cult even determined when and whom they could marry," said Shira Feldman, one of the lead attorneys who brought the case.
"It's amazing that chevre would have the courage to leave the Centre given how it controlled them. But they did, and we are here to seek justice for the former chevre under the labor laws in a collective and class action," said Deborah Renner, a partner at Pierce Bainbridge who heads the Firm's class action practice.
Plaintiffs seek backpay and other damages for the time they spent working for the Centre rather than pursuing their chosen livelihoods, on behalf of themselves and all other similarly situated former chevre.
The case is Greene, et al. v. Kabbalah Centre International, Incorporated, et al., Case No. 1:19-cv-04304, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. If you are interested in joining this action or learning more, the plaintiffs' lawyers can be reached at
contact@piercebainbridge.com.
To read the complaint, visit: www.piercebainbridge.com/kabbalah-centre-complaint/