FFWPUI Continues the Fight to Hold Preston Moon Accountable for Alleged $3 Billion Scheme

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Family Federation for World Peace and Unification

Sep 05, 2024, 11:49 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification International (FFWPUI) continues to seek justice in the United States against Hyun Jin "Preston" Moon and his codefendants for allegedly misappropriating $3 billion worth of Church assets. In a new Court filing with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, FFWPUI argues that U.S. Courts absolutely have jurisdiction to try the case, where an individual fraudulently conveyed Church assets for his personal enrichment.

FFWPUI holds firm in its belief that the First Amendment does not reach the self-dealing and other breaches at issue in this case and, therefore, the Court has both the ability and responsibility to rule on this case.

In their latest filing with the Court, FFWPUI contends Preston Moon and his co-defendants put forward legally incorrect and factually untrue arguments to claim absolute immunity. Their arguments are nothing more than a "religious smokescreen" to shield their wrongdoing and to disguise this appeal as a dispute about succession. Yet, as FFWPUI explains in its reply brief:

"Abundant evidence exists that Defendants acted fraudulently and collusively and have reimagined the 'facts' to erect a religious smokescreen to avoid liability for purely secular wrongdoing."

"It is an affront to the rule of law for Defendants to contend that courts must abstain from enforcing legal rights and duties (e.g., a corporate director's fiduciary duty to refrain from self-dealing) if a defendant lays claim to 'messianic' status. As amici curiae aptly point out, "the First Amendment is not a shield behind which religious adherents can escape liability for social wrongs they committed," and adopting an abstention doctrine without a limiting principle sets a dangerous precedent, sheltering bad actors contrary to the public interest."

We know what this case is about: ensuring that bad actors, like the Defendants, cannot distort First Amendment religious protections to avoid answering for their wrongdoing. The Court can, and should, rule on this case, or it risks setting a dangerous precedent for future bad actors seeking to abuse religious protections to cloak their fraudulent and collusive activities.

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SOURCE Family Federation for World Peace and Unification