FFWPU’s Response to Recent D.C. Superior Court Ruling

NEW YORK, August 30, 2023 — The D.C. Superior Court’s recent ruling is unfortunate because the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification International believes there is indeed a legal avenue to pursue Preston Moon for his self-dealing and other fraudulent conduct. 

Preston Moon’s manipulation of the First Amendment to avoid scrutiny of his unlawful corporate gymnastics for his own self-interest is of great concern to the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification International and sets a dangerous precedent that puts the sanctity of all religious organizations at risk.  

Concern over Preston’s fraudulent activity has been voiced by this same Court in 2019 that found, “the individual Defendants breached their fiduciary duty owed to UCI” and “misappropriated assets legally belonging to Plaintiffs.” And in 2022, the D.C. Court of Appeals also raised a “fraud or collusion” exception to the religious abstention doctrine in instances where religious figures “act in bad faith for secular purposes.” 

We maintain that this is such an instance. Our aim is to protect the organization and hold wrongdoers accountable for actions that we believe – and the court previously agreed – fall outside ecclesiastic concern. 

Despite the Superior Court’s erroneous ruling, we will continue to seek justice.