 To further justify its stance , the German government has also pointed to the long history of U.S. court cases involving Scientology , including the conviction of 11 top Scientologists in 1979 and 1980 for a conspiracy involving the infiltration of U.S. government agencies , wiretapping and the theft of government documents , a 1994 U.S. Supreme Court finding that Scientology practices took place in a " coercive environment " , and Scientology 's track record of pursuing its critics through malicious court cases and private investigators . In examining the potential threat posed by Scientology the German government has noted that Scientology organizations are " structured so as to make the individual psychologically and financially dependent on a Scientology system " , and that members often abandon contact with friends and family . 
