In a French fraud case the Church of Scientology was fined $900,00.

The Paris court stopped just short of banning the fringe religion completely.

The Scientology French branch announced immediately that it would appeal the court’s decision.

The court convicted the Scientology French office, it’s library, and six of it’s leaders of organized fraud.

Investigators said the group pressured members into paying large sums of money for questionable financial gain and used “commercial harassment” against recruits.

The group was fined 400,000 euros ($600,000) and the library 200,000 euros ($300,000). Four of the leaders were given suspended sentences of between 10 months and two years. The other two were given fines of 1,000 euros and 2,000 euros.

However, the court did not order the Church of Scientology to shut down, ruling that it would be likely to continue its activities anyway “outside any legal framework.”