Supplement No. 1
to
Report on the Rama Computer Cult
UPDATE OF THE BASIC REPORT - SEPTEMBER, 1991
This supplement is prepared to provide additional information obtained
since publication of the basic report in February, 1991.
Contents
In the past six months there has been some public awareness of the
Rama cult and the activities of its members. Computer recruiters and
contractors have become aware that there is a group, most of them
previously living in California, who have falsified both their
training and their experience, and who have given bogus references in
order to obtain higher paying jobs. Information on this group has
circulated informally within the industry. In July and August two
computer industry employment newsletters , "Job Express" and
"Consultant's and Contractor's Newsletter, both circulated widely in
the New York area, published reports from recruiters who had been
defrauded by the practices of this group. One of incidents reported
was that NYNEX had retained a number of people from this cult who then
proved to be unable to fulfill their contract. Within the industry
they were beginning to be referred to as the "California Raisins".
On July 30th Newsday published a four page feature article on
Frederick Lenz and his followers that has been widely circulated in
the New York area also. The combined effect of the information
circulating in the industry, the articles in the industry newsletter,
and the Newsday article have made recruiters and contractors much more
aware of this group and the problems they can create. Recruiters and
contractors are now looking more closely at resumes for a variety of
things that indicate further inquiry is required such as where they
took their training, certain often used prior job references. (See
Supplement 1 to the basic report for a profile of the cult members.)
For example, Berkshire Systems International has been used by a number
of cult members as a reference. Also LA Micro Systems has been used
as a bogus reference.
Second hand information from those still in the group indicate that
they have been led to believe that the Newsday article would have
little or no effect since they have been taught that it exaggerated
the conditions within the group. However, they have been quite
concerned about the information that is circulating in the industry,
both informally and by the industry newsletter, since this affects
their employment, and, consequently, the income that Lenz can derive
from his followers.
>
Because of the publicity, and the industry awarness, group members
have found it increasingly difficult to find jobs. This has placed
considerable pressure upon group members, and upon Lenz. One member
who actually has solid credentials and is a capable peformer, has
found it increasingly difficult to get work and is now having trouble
with his creditors that he never had before in attempting to keep up
the affluent lifestyle that Lenz preaches and, at the same time, pay
Lenz. In one case a group member has contacted his parents to see if
there is some way they could ease the pressure on Lenz.
Lenz has reacted with increasing paranoia. He has variously talked
about moving the group back to California, or the west coast, or of
dispersing them throughout the country and holding his meetings with
them only once a month. Recently exited members report they believe
Lenz to be spending a substantial amount of time each month in
California.
One tactic Lenz has devised to offset falling revenues is to sponsor
trips to Europe for certain selected members. The members pay him
$10,000 for the trip, in addition to their own expenses. The
interesting aspect of this is that they pay him the money when they
reach Europe, which for a group of twenty, would give him a way of
moving up to $200,000 in cash out of the country without having to
bother with currency controls.
In addition, Lenz has increased the monthly fee to $5,000 to ofset
income from those who have left, and has been weeding out members of
the group who have had trouble in meeting his financial demands. The
effect of this on those eliminated from the group has usually been to
cause them to redouble their efforts to regain acceptance since they
fear terrible consequences. In one instance it has been reported that
upon learning that three people in the group had AIDS, Lenz'
assistant, at the conclusion of the last meeting, told them they could
not come back anymore, that the best thing for them to do was to move
to New Mexico and that if living became too painful to just "check
out."
All of these pressures have led to an increase in the number of people
leaving the group. However, the most stunning departure was that of
Dr. Chris Marasco. Dr. Marasco, along with his sister Darla, were
long time members of the group. Darla left the group in 1990.
Dr. Marasco became Lenz personal physician and one of the most trusted
members of the inner circle who doubtless has considerable detailed
knowledge of the Lenz financial and other activities. Dr. Marasco
has, apparently, resumed the practice of medicine in California
although his current whereabouts is not known. So far as is known he
has made no effort to contact any other ex-members. It may be some
time, if ever, before he is willing to talk to any unofficial group.
However, Marasco's help would be invaluable to any official agency
investigating Lenz.
It has been learned that, until a few months ago, Lenz had a number of
people working the campuses of colleges and universities in the New
York area recruiting new members. This effort has been only partially
successful. In March, it was learned that a number of the people who
were members of the "security team" for Lenz had licenses to carry
concealed weapons. This information was passed on to the Public
Safety Department at SUNY, Purchase, where the Lenz group was meeting.
The security personnel at SUNY checked the "security team" for
weapons, but found none. However, apparently because of this effort,
and possibly because the university authorities had passed on
information on Lenz to other institutions, the recruiting effort was
disbanded.
Tony Chester, who claimed to be a former student of Lenz but was more
likely to have been one of his recuiters, has left White Plains where
he was working part of the time in the data processing division of a
major company and is now in California starting his own cult group
closely patterned after that of Lenz. Tony was once of Christian
minister from Oregon. He was the companion of Brenda Kerber, a member
of the group who mysteriously dissappeared leaving behind all her
identification and possessions. It has been learned from people
leaving the group that Tony told them that, at the request of
Frederick Lenz, he entered Kerber's apartment and, prior to reporting
her dissappearance to the police, removed all papers and other
material which might connect her with Lenz.
The "Debs", the group of women previously forced out of the main
group, having moved to Seattle initially, now seem to be moving into
Northern California. Christine Comaford has established her
consulting firm in Sausalito and Karen Lever is believed to be working
now in the Palo Alto area.
As the pressure has increased on Lenz, and the number and income of
his followers has dropped, he has pressed harder for more money and
has become increasingly erratic. This poses a greatly increasing
danger to those members still with the group, and probably poses an
increased danger to the security of financial or proprietary
information of those employing group members. The dedicated members
may be unable to resist the increasingly bizzare demands made by Lenz
and may be led to do things with serious consequences. One person
formerly associated with the group was heard to remark that he had
paid no income taxe for three years. He said he thought it more
imporant to pay Lenz.
It was increasing outside pressure that initially forced James Jones
and the people's temple to move to Guiana, and then to drink the
cyanide laced cool aid. There has been no indication, so far, that
Lenz might do anything similar, but he does have sufficient control
over some follower so that the possibility exists.
[Note: Details on sources and names will be made available, as
indicated, to any bonfide governmental investigative agency or private
security organization.]
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