BY: CARANARAVINDAM DAS
Oct 01, 2011 — USA (SUN) — The following emails show the moral lacking of Bhakti Caru Swami and how he dealt with his prospective disciples on certain financial matters. My understanding is that the GBC EC eventually acted on the matter. These emails are from one of the lenders to Bhakti Caru Swami.
From: xxxxxx
Subject: Please Help Me
To: EC@pamho.net
Cc: “bkgoswami”
Date: Friday, March 19, 2010, 8:43 AM
Dear Members of the GBC EC
PAMHO AGTSP
My name is xxxxxxx and I was given this email address by HH Bir Krishna Maharaj. As you are aware of I have loaned $500,000 to HH Bhakti Charu Swami and his project of McPhar/AMG more than 3 years ago.
I had received numerous calls from Maharaj at that time stating how this would help create a much needed financial basis for ISKCON and how this would please Srila Prabhupada. I was reluctant and needless to say scared of loaning so much money to Maharaj especially since my father had to take a lean on his house for that amount.
Maharaj had assured me and my father that he would “guarantee” that the money would be paid back on time and be used for appropriately. It was with this assurance (of which I have a copy of this email from 3 years ago) that we proceeded to make the arrangements for the loan.
Now it is 3 years later and our situation has become dire since Maharaj and McPhar have done everything they can to avert paying devotees such as myself the due amount and never called or emailed to explain why.
Rather they have “turned their phones off”. However, the banks in USA are on my father’s back to get the money paid back. They have been threatening to take over the possesion of my father’s home to reliquenish the outstanding loan. I have been trying to help by working 80 hours a week to just pay the intereest on the loan but the bank now wants principal also paid.
I don’t know what to do but it makes me saddened to know that Maharaj would use his $4million dollar land in Ujjain as a bank guarantee (of which i have papers for also) to get money for McPhar/AMG. Why didn’t he use that money to pay back the devotees who gave so unselfishly to Maharaj so long ago.
I haven’t received one phone call from Maharaj saying sorry or anything of such sort. WE are suffering while Maharaj and others continue on their “preaching” mission. Is this the character that ISKCON is trying to instill in its neophyte members.
I used to chant 16 rounds and try my hardest to give that favorable impression of ISKCON to my parents and newly married wife. But this has severly hampered if not severed the relationship they have with ISKCON.
I implore the members of the GBC EC to have Maharaj pay my father back the money we desperatley need to pay back the bank. WE want to get our lives back in order and I want my spirtual life back on track.
If that doesn’t happen in the near month or so, my father will have to go ahead with his legal team to retrieve his money. That would involve the suit against ISKCON since Bhakti Charu Maharaj is a high ranking member of GBC and he represents ISKCON in his dealings.
Also, our lawyers would need the records of Maharaj’s contributions to ISKCON, including the $400,000 donation last year or year before to the Turley case (in reference to where that money came from).
I am desperatly trying not to go that route but we need justice and now. We have been hearing too much rhetoric and we need something done. Sudipto and Maharaj may promise you that they will make payments monthly to us next month but I assure you that we have heard that the last 2 years and have received one or two payments. WE can’t continue that way and our banks don’t allow us that freedom of foolish rhetoric.
I never imagined this to happen to me since I always spoke so highly of ISKCON and its members.
I would have loved to donate to the building of Srila Prabhupada’s dream temple in Mayapur but instead am fighting to get money back. How unfortunate.
Please Help me
sincerely
XXXXXX
From: XXXXXX
Subject: Sad day for devotees
To: “Bhakti Charu Swami”
Cc: “bkgoswami” Romapada.Swami@pamho.net, EC@pamho.net,
Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010, 11:23 AM
Dear Bhakti-charu swami
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
I hope Maharaj you are doing better; i had been reading your health updates and have come to know that your angiogram was performed and no blockages were found so no angioplasty was undertaken. So that is good news. It must be all the stress you are facing that is causing you so much anxiety and pains. But I don’t understand why you don’t solve this once and for all.
You have that property in Ujjain and could have used it as collateral for paying backk all the devotees you called again and again to try to persuade to make loans to MCPhar and yourself for this company. Now when we are all in distress, both financially and spirtually, we look up to you to help us. But what happened, You never even bothered to call again and tell us what happened. Instead, this has become a headache and you want nothing to do with this anymore. Well, its not that simple maharaj. You got us iinto this mess and I think its tiime you accepted responsibility for this and pay back all the devotees.
I have spoken to XXXXX and he has also told me his situation. WE are all struggling for what? Instead of signing off on a loan from BOI to AMG, you could have sold the land and paid the devotees. I read from your istagosthi that devotees donate almost hundred thousand dollars for your projects but I know wonder what projects are these that you are funding.
I feel ashamed that I am thinking like this but You have left me and others “high and dry”. I have lost lots of faith in ISKCON and its leadership.
This situation is now with EC and its been over 3 weeks at least and no response from them. How can this society grow when its not willing to take hard steps to recitify its mistakes and take care of its members.
Please respond, somebody, to this email;
My father’s lawyers are just sitting waiting for my father to give the signal to go ahead with a lawsuit. It is I who have been able to stall them so long but I don’t think I have any choice.
sincerely disappointed
sorry to hear your story,but you should have been careful,being greedy yourself you gave milk to the serpent now that has created poison effect.hare krishna,hoping other have learnt their lesson not to invest and trust serpent in guise of a devotees.
pamho agtACBSP the same happened to me when i was devotee full time in Italy. Bhagavan Das was “guru, zonal acharya” of the area and the devotees told me everything belongs to Krsna so you have to give everything to Bhagavan Das because he is the dearest servant of Sri Krsna.
I just became devotee in 1980 so i didn’t know but they told me to do it and i gave all my saving everything to them.
Prabhupada: “Therefore I repeatedly request the management that you must be very expert in managing these temple affairs. Everything to the right point. Not a single farthing should be wasted. A Vaisnava must be daksa, expert in everything.
This is no excuse, that, “I have become a devotee. Therefore I am callous to all material things.” What material things? Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. Anything in relationship with Krsna, that is not material; that is spiritual.
I have several times explained that this temple, don’t think it is ordinary building. It is Vaikuntha. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu. Krsna has His house, prakara-sadmasu. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu. Sadma. Sadma means house. So we should take very, very careful attention that this temple is kept very nicely, managed very nicely.
Not that “I have become Vaisnava. Let everything be stolen or spoiled or broken. I have become Vaisnava. I cannot take care. That is not my consideration.” Because I have several times pressed on this point that everything in relationship with Krsna is Krsna.”
In sum, Prabhupada instructed that not one Paisa should be wasted and bookkeeping should be transparent and perfect that also non-Vaishnavas respect us.
ys
seva das
haribol
We must create as much publicity as possible on all these Kali-Cela criminals. In solidarity we should soundly condemn and expose them continuesly and where possible documented evidence should be presented. To condemn and expose kali-cela criminals such as Bir Krishna Goswami and Bhakti Caru Swami for their demonic activites is not wrong, is not criticism, is not vaisnava aparadha. It is the right decent thing to do for these people are giving our Krsna conscious society a very bad name and destroying devotees’ spiritual lives.
This also will ensure new members of the public coming to practice devotional service in Krsna consciouness, are made aware of such kali-cela con men walking among Krishna conscious devotees, wearing vaisnava cloths. Those currently practicing devotional service especially those in Iskcon should distance themselves and completely avoid such con men kali celas if they value their practice of devotional service to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.
PADA and a few other websites plus general members of the vaisnava community have been exposing these kali-cela criminals of GBC and other deviated members of iskcon for quite sometime. For one to plead ignorance and cry after the milk has been spilled such as the person in the above mentioned e-mail is just too bad. As the founder acharya of Iskcon HDG ACBSP use to say, for the cheaters the cheated are always available.
Caranaravindam Dasa, the e-mails above are dated March 19, 2010 followed by April 15, 2010 ending with —
” My father’s lawyers are just sitting waiting for my father to give the signal to go ahead with a lawsuit. It is I who have been able to stall them so long but I don’t think I have any choice.”
It is now 3rd October, 2011. What is the current situation. Did the person in the e-mail who loaned the money to Bhakti Caru Swami manage to file the lawsuit and get back his money ?
Many many persons have been swindled somehow or other by incompetent managers within ISKCON, the kings being Tamal and his men who would talk new bhaktas out of their life savings, by dint of their charisma within the movement.
I remember leaving Toronto temple in 1973 after seven months service there to visit my parents, aged 18, and on the way out, Sripati prabhu took my only money in the world, about $3.85. Thats three dollars eighty five cents. I hitchhiked and rode the train cars for free to get back to Winnipeg, and semi-starved for three days.
Years later, my parents lent the Winnipeg president two thousand dollars once. They didnt even inform me, the president, he just called up my parents’s home and asked for money, me a sankirtana book distributor.
I tell people, ” Never do serious business with the GBC ISKCON devotees.”
I once earned 17,000. dollars managing a sales center in Eatons Bayshore mall Ottawa, but the temple president did not issue my final cheque, and instead stole the money. He went bankrupt.
This is all very typical. Donate, fine, just don’t expect money returned nor expect fair business tactics. An orange robe or tilak does not mean honesty in Kaliyuga. Apaprently, there are the insiders, and then there is the public to use and abuse for personal profits, profits soon lost, by Krsna’s mercy.
There are, on the other hand, a plethora of devotees and good honest and expert brahmanas who are disciples of Srila Prabhupada, who could use charity and even large donations very very effectively in spreading Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON. I humbly suggest following the Vedic way, and giving chairty to these individuals, instead of to naive sannyasis and bloated deviant institutions with delusions of detached economic infallibility.
Yes, we must be very careful to whom we loan or give money.
Sometimes we give out of kindness and sincerity, using our heart instead of our head.
One thing I was told about lending money. If you give money for a loan, do not expect the money back. That way you are not bothered by deal. Otherwise, you can worry everyday when someone is not paying the loan back as promised.
Also, if you are a new prospect for ISKCON, do not give any money if you are asked. It is a corrupt organization through and through. Best just to turn and run if asked for cash.Sad but true.
Haribol,
Bhakti Caru Swami published “An Open Letter from Bhakti Charu Swami” on Sampradaya Sun.
http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/11-11/editorials7977.htm
I don’t know if the mails posted above are real. Is there any follow up?
Following statement says quite different what Maharaj is saying in his letter.
“You got us into this mess and I think its time you accepted responsibility for this and pay back all the devotees.”
When reading his letter he appears quite innocent.
Hare Krishna
Bhakti Caru Swami clearly states that he officates as GBC. As a GBC it is his responsibility to instruct the devotees what to do and what not do from spiritual point of view.
His duty as GBC would have been to instruct the devotees not to get involved in such kind of business Prabhupada never would have authorized. Prabhupada always warned his followers, not to indulge in risky business but stick to book distribution.
Prabhupada: “Our first business is this book distribution. There is no need of any other business. If this book distribution is managed properly, pushed on with great enthusiasm and determination and at the same time if our men keep spiritually strong, then the whole world will become Krishna conscious.”
Then BCS states, “ISKCON was transitioning from a sankirtan-centred economy to a congregation-centred economy.”
This is pretty much in need of explanation since Prabhupada always wanted sankirtan and book distribution as main activity of his movement.
Since BCS is officiating as GBC it is his duty to disclose, why ISKCON was changed into a “congregation-centred economy”?
“Sudden diaspora of temple devotees”, as if the devotees had left out of their own. Meanwhile it is well-known known that all over Europe thousands of devotees were forced to leave ISKCON.
But BCS carefully avoids to mention why there was a “sudden diaspora” and he never saw any need for action to uncover the reason and why it happened? In sum, his reply gives rise to more questions than are answered.
Very well said. BCS admits his part in these sham dealings by encouraging his followers and disciples to engage in what is pure and simple: SPECULATION AND GAMBLING!! I thought this was one of the basic four regulations that a Vaisnava does not engage in??? BCS’s article to try and absolve himself of any responsiblity in this dire matter only reveals that he is guilty of the very thing he denies. Word jugglery, if you ask me!
Hari bol, Dear Prabhus,
Stop all these nonsense. You are all doing the greatest aparahada by criticising these pure devotees who been the greatest and disciples of srila Prabhupada. They have given their whole for propagating the hare krishna movement despite all the difficulties they are undergoing. You should stop all these nonesense right now and find some ways of sharing this precious gift received from srila Prabhupada to the world world. But I am sorry, I cant find all these in YOUR MAGAZINES. Please be aware that if you dont stop indulging in making offences again and again, Srila Prabhupada will not forgive you and you will have to face all these difficulties
It is You who are offending out of ignorance.
The Truth is that we, the ninety per cent, gave 100% of ourselves to service following Srila Prabhupada. Thieves and liars and murderers, whom you stupidly call “gooroos”, but who in reality were intent on cheating, then took over the maya I$con co. and were fooled by Maya, thinking that by occupying buildings they could then committ unlimited volumes of sins on the strength of their material position. TThus they and their followers all go to hell. Srila Prabhupada himself explained this clearly for us. Meanwhile they systematically abused, killed discredditted, assulted, raped, poisoned, threatened, strole evrything, sicked spies on us, took our services and handed them to paid minions and otrher liars, beat, and thus kicked out thousands of sadhus born into this world to serve Srila Prabhupada. WE ARE ISKCON as we serve Srila Prabhupada. YOu are
I$ ciacon. No greater sin has ever occurred within the last 10,000 years.
And you dare to say such foolish things before us who have given our lives in full surrender since the seventies and earlier, some of us?
Shame, sir!
Caru is a slime ball who particpated in poisoning Srila Prabhupada and is now being paid to shut up. Hare Krishna