private school
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
s, humanitarian organizations, and businesses, founded as an alternative education school in Denmark circa 1970. The organization is controversial in Denmark, where it runs a number of schools primarily for troubled youth. Some former students and employees have described the organization and its controlling body, the Teachers Group, as a political cult. Investigations by journalists and law-enforcement agencies have suggested the presence of an extensive
money-laundering
Money laundering is the process of concealing the origin of money, obtained from illicit activities such as drug trafficking, corruption, embezzlement or gambling, by converting it into a legitimate source. It is a crime in many jurisdictions ...
network within the group's commercial and non-profit ventures, wherein charitable funds are diverted to private businesses and individuals, including several of the group's leaders. In 2013, several of Tvind's senior members were sentenced ''
in absentia
is Latin for absence. , a legal term, is Latin for "in the absence" or "while absent".
may also refer to:
* Award in absentia
* Declared death in absentia, or simply, death in absentia, legally declared death without a body
* Election in ab ...
'' to prison in Denmark for suspected
tax evasion
Tax evasion is an illegal attempt to defeat the imposition of taxes by individuals, corporations, trusts, and others. Tax evasion often entails the deliberate misrepresentation of the taxpayer's affairs to the tax authorities to reduce the tax ...
and embezzlement, after an earlier acquittal. , the defendants, who are wanted by
Interpol
The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...
, are believed to be hiding in Mexico.
Overview
Following a provision of the Danish constitution that allows any group to form a school and receive government funding, Tvind has founded numerous private schools across Denmark. According to ''
The Copenhagen Post
''The Copenhagen Post'', also stylized ''CPH Post'', is a weekly newspaper providing Danish news in English both nationally and internationally; it is the only English-language newspaper printed regularly in Denmark.
History and profile
Founde ...
'',
Over time, the group's financial dealings grew to encompass various non-profit and commercial enterprises such as African AIDS work, South American plantations and second-hand clothing dealers.
Some former members of the group have made allegations that Tvind is run as an authoritarian cult, controlled by an inner circle known as the "Teachers Group". Its purported leader, Mogens Amdi Petersen, born 9 January 1939 in
Tønder
Tønder (; german: Tondern ) is a town in the Region of Southern Denmark. With a population of 7,505 (as of 1 January 2022), it is the main town and the administrative seat of the Tønder Municipality.
History
The first mention of Tønder might ...
, had been in hiding since the 1970s and reappeared in 2002 when apprehended on charges of fraud and tax evasion. , Petersen and a group of the organization's leaders are facing charges of fraud in Denmark.
History
Tvind was founded by Petersen, then a young, radical idealist. Petersen is said to have collected about 40 followers and established a government-funded alternative school system for troubled youth in Denmark.
In 1972 the Tvind base was founded in West
Jutland
Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...
on a plot of farming land called Tvind, where several schools were built as well as a teachers training college. At that time, all of Tvind's schools received public subsidies in accordance with the very liberal education laws in Denmark.
It is located in the countryside near Ulfborg in Western Jutland, Denmark - 12 km from the North Sea.
1970s and 1980s
More 'Tvind Schools' began to emerge and after 25 years more than 30 schools have been established all over Denmark and some abroad. An estimated 40,000 children and adults have attended Tvind Schools since the first school was established in 1970.
Tvind soon became a popular center for youth counter culture in the 1970s and 1980s. The world's largest electricity producing turbine, known as Tvindkraft or Tvind Power, was constructed on the school grounds in Tvind in the mid 1970s in a collaboration between volunteers, teachers and students. In 2008, The European Association for Renewable Energy awarded Tvind the European Solar Prize for education, in recognition of the effort of planning and building the turbine in the 1970s."Appreciation Tvind School". ''eurosolar.de''. Retrieved October 2015.
Tvindkraft has since supplied the energy needed for the schools in Tvind.
The building of Tvindkraft inspired and gave rise to a growing wind turbine industry in Denmark.
Danish government subsidies, Special Act and Danish Supreme Court decision
From 1970 to 1996, the Tvind schools received government financial support and supervision in accordance with Danish laws for private schools. Official support of The Necessary Teacher Training College, Tvind's volunteer training school in Denmark, had ended four years earlier, in 1992.
A Special Act passed in 1996 by the Danish Parliament discontinued the official support beginning January 1, 1997. This act prevented the Tvind schools from receiving such support under the general rules, which they otherwise would have been entitled to.The Supreme Courts Judgement of 19 of February 1999 in . A summary can be found in the Venice Commissions database CODICES DEN-1999-2-005 /ref>
In 1999, the Danish Supreme Court — in a unanimous, 11 judge ruling — set aside the Special Act on the grounds that it had circumvented the
Danish Constitution
The Constitutional Act of the Realm of Denmark ( da, Danmarks Riges Grundlov), also known as the Constitutional Act of the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply the Constitution ( da, Grundloven, fo, Grundlógin, kl, Tunngaviusumik inatsit), is the c ...
. The controversial decision was the first time in the history of Denmark's Constitution that the Supreme Court had ever discarded an act as being unconstitutional.
Despite the Court's ruling, the Tvind schools never regained financial support from the Danish government.
In the schools for children and youngsters the student base was shifted so that the focus is now on students who have been subjected to abuse, involved with alcohol abuse or other drug abuse, being from immigrant or refugee families with conflict ridden background or being orphans, etc. Financial support for training and education of such young people are available from the social services of the municipalities in Denmark, which are now providing the funds for the school fees and boarding fees. Those schools were named "The Small Schools" because of many smaller units with different programs.
Schools
The Travelling Folk High Schools
One type of Tvind institution, the "travelling folk high schools", were created to send teachers and students together to Third World countries with the ambition of improving living standards of the poor. Now collectively known as the "DRH Movement" (''Den Rejsende Højskole'' in Danish), these schools train volunteers for humanitarian work overseas. Some former DRH Movement students say that even after paying tuition of several thousand dollars, they were required to spend much of their time trying to raise yet more money by what some of them call begging in the streets. Students also complain that the training they received is not recognised by governments or aid agencies.Murphy, Paul (22 August 2008) "Concerns raised over college" ''Look North'' (BBC). Retrieved December 2011.Thompson, Tisha (June 9, 2009). "Planet Aid Denies Cult Connection". ''WTTG-TV'' (Washington, DC).Werner, Anna (December 2006). "Behind the Green Box". ''KPIX-TV'' (San Francisco).
In Denmark, these Folk High Schools are public institutions subsidized and supported by the Ministry of Education."For 25 år siden kom de første studerende til Tvind" (28 August 1997). ''Ritzaus'' (Denmark).
Special programs were established in the late 1970s and the beginning 1980s for young people from the so-called Frontline States in Southern Africa. The programs emphasized on vocational skills. Students from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and Guinea Bissau completed such programs.
Necessary Teachers Training College
The Necessary Teachers Training College (''Det Nødvendige Seminarium'' or DNS) was established in 1972. The training leads to a diploma in primary and secondary school teaching.
The Continuation Schools and the Free Schools
The first Continuation School for students from 14 to 18 years old was established in Tvind in 1974 and was followed by 6 other continuation schools and 6 international continuation schools with government financial support and supervision. The first International Continuation School received financial support from the EU Commission as well. The First Free School for pupils from 7–16 years old was established in 1976 and was followed by 6 other Free Schools, 5 of them boarding schools. These two school types were discontinued after the Government withdrew its financial support from 1997.
The Small Schools and The Second Generation School Cooperation
In 1979, the Small Schools started operations. Many of the students have experienced
neglect
In the context of caregiving, neglect is a form of abuse where the perpetrator, who is responsible for caring for someone who is unable to care for themselves, fails to do so. It can be a result of carelessness, indifference, or unwillingness an ...
and other difficult circumstances such as
physical abuse
Physical abuse is any intentional act causing injury or trauma to another person or animal by way of bodily contact. In most cases, children are the victims of physical abuse, but adults can also be victims, as in cases of domestic violence or wo ...
and parental
alcoholism
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomi ...
. Many are "runaways". The Small School at Red House near
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
the group is known as "Ulandshjælp fra Folk til Folk" (UFF). Headquartered in
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...
, Humana People to People claims on its website to be a "network of non-profit aid organizations in Europe, North America, Africa,
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
and
Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
, all working in the field of international solidarity, cooperation and development." Several programmes run by Humana People to People member organisations have been criticised by former volunteers as being ineffective, culturally insensitive, environmentally unsustainable and even abusive toward volunteers.Nordahl, Bjørn Olav; Sylte, Turid (23 October 2010) "Skreddersydd for svindel" (in Norwegian). ''Vårt Land'' (Norway) Follow-up reports (25–30 October 2010). English translation "A Perfect Fit for Fraud" ''tvindalert.com''. Humana People to People volunteers who are Teachers Group members are forced to donate up to 50% of their salary to fund the Teachers Group calls the "common economy." Humana employees, many of them from vulnerable backgrounds, are told that joining the Teachers Group is the only way to ensure job security. This practice has caused
UNICEF
UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to ...
to pull all funding from Humana project. High ranking positions within Humana People to People are reserved for Teachers Group members.
Tvind has also been linked to the College for International Co-operation and Development (CICD), located in Hull, East Yorkshire,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. Part of Tvind's "DRH Movement," this residential college advertises widely on the Internet as providing training for young people wishing to volunteer in Africa. However, many former CICD students have complained about poor teaching, low-grade facilities, and being obliged to work long, unpaid hours collecting and sorting used clothes for commercial companies allegedly owned by Tvind. CICD has hundreds of clothes collection boxes across
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...
.
Used clothes collection
Tvind and Humana People to People are alleged to be behind a group of similar organisations that have placed tens of thousands of used clothes collection bins throughout the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and
Western Europe
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...
. Advertised as supporting environmental causes, the organizations behind the bins instead sell the clothes and channel the profits to a small circle of Tvind leaders, say investigators. Humana People-to-People's donation bins can be found in many European countries except in Scandinavia, where clothes are collected under the name UFF.
In the UK, clothes collection organisations said to be tied to Tvind include the for-profit companies Green World Recycling, Planet Aid UK and Development Aid from People to People UK (DAPP-UK).
According to the
British Broadcasting Corporation #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
, the
charitable organization
A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good).
The legal definition of a ...
Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) is controlled by the Teachers Group. DAPP has been paid millions by the UK and US government for its work in Africa. An August 2016 report by the BBC, in partnership with the
Center for Investigative Reporting
The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) is a nonprofit news organization based in Emeryville, California. It was founded in 1977 as the nation’s first nonprofit investigative journalism organization, and has since grown into a multi-plat ...
, led the United Kingdom Department for International Development to suspend payments as well.
In 2019 Ulla Carina Bolin (named "Karin Bolin"), CEO and President of Humana People to People Italia, publicly admitted to be an active member of Teachers Group and expressed solidarity to the fugitive Amdi Petersen, sayng that the allegations against him are not really serious. Humana People to People Italia is the bigger player in the Italian sector of used clothes collection.
In the United States, the non-profits Planet Aid and Gaia Movement Living Earth Green World Action and the for-profit company USAgain, which have each placed thousands of clothes drop-off bins nationwide, have attracted both favorable and unfavourable publicity over their business. Planet Aid is a member of the Humana People to People Federation and has supported these projects economically. Planet Aid has stated that "less than 5%" of the 250 people working with the company belong to the Tvind Teachers Group. Some executives in USAgain have also stated that they personally belong to the group.
There are three other alleged Tvind-run clothes-collecting groups in the U.S., two of which are DRH Movement schools claiming to train volunteers for related humanitarian projects overseas through the Institute for International Cooperation and Development (IICD), located in
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in the northern part of Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts, United States. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolit ...
and in
Dowagiac, Michigan
Dowagiac ( ) is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,879 at the 2010 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Dowagiac is situated at the corner of four townsh ...
. Former students of IICD have reported being obliged to endure substandard living conditions, unreasonable work hours, bullying, and a "cult-like" atmosphere. Volunteers have also reported that they received little to no training, being instead required to solicit donations door-to-door, sell postcards on the street, and provide labour to Tvind-owned businesses under the guise of raising funds to support their overseas projects. Others recalled the aid programs themselves being fraught with mismanagement and even disastrous results.Willis, Jessica (11 February 2007) "Questions in Williamstown" ''The Berkshire Eagle'' (Pittsfield, Massachusetts). Retrieved February 2015.Eng, Monica; Jackson, David (13 February 2004) "Humanitarian work turns into servitude" ''The Chicago Tribune''. Retrieved July 2012. In June 2013, The two IICD schools changed their name to One World Center.
A third DRH Movement school in the U.S., Campus California, had been located in Etna, California, but reportedly closed under mysterious circumstances in December 2009. The organisation has since relocated to Richmond, California, where it has continued with its used clothes collection bin operation in the
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...
and the Central Valley. In November 2014, Campus California announced its new name, Recycle for Change.
Criminal investigations
Tvind has historically received a great deal of interest from both media and officials. Minister of Education Ole Vig and the Parliament attempted to tighten the legislation in order to prevent the Tvind Schools from receiving public funds. The Danish Supreme Court declared such attempts as contrary to the Danish Constitution. Vig was advised by the National Audit Office and the Parliament's Barrister (Kammeradvokaten) to raise the case accusing Tvind School Center of fraud. Around two years later, the Public Prosecutor in Aalborg dismissed the case - the materials did not contain sufficient evidence for prosecution.
According to a 2001 case summary by Danish police and Denmark's Public Prosecutor for Serious Economic Crime, Tvind's scope had by 1992 "expanded far beyond pure school activities". Such activities were said to include the ownership of
Third World
The term "Third World" arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Western European nations and their allies represented the " First ...
fruit plantations, farms, shoe factories and sawmills,
aid agencies
An aid agency, also known as development charity, is an organization dedicated to distributing aid. Many professional aid organisations exist, both within government, between governments as multilateral donors and as private voluntary organizatio ...
, used clothing shops as well as the leasing of property, ships and containers.The Chief Constable in Holstebro and The Public Prosecutor for Serious Economic Crime (Denmark) (1 November 2001) "Case Summary: The Public Prosecutor v. Mogens Amdi Pedersen et al" (PDF). Retrieved June 2011. Numerous media reports as well as investigations by European governments suggest that Tvind's alleged controlling body, the Teachers Group, is a political cult involved in criminal financial activities.Waterman, Michael (February 3, 2010 ) "Mysterious Danish Group Builds Exotic Compound on Baja Coast" ''San Diego Reader''. Retrieved June 2011.Wakefield, Rebecca
(21 March 2002) "Trouble From Denmark" ''Miami New Times''. Retrieved June 2011. In Denmark, Teachers Group leaders have been prosecuted for serious
financial crime
Financial crime is crime committed against property, involving the unlawful conversion of the ownership of property (belonging to one person) to one's own personal use and benefit. Financial crimes may involve fraud ( cheque fraud, credit card fra ...
s, with two convictions in separate trials, in 2006 and 2009 respectively."Tvind: Danish court convicts 1, acquits 7, in fraud case involving humanitarian groups" (1 September 2006). ''Religion News''. Retrieved February 2015."Humanitarian Fraudster Convicted"
(20 January 2009). ''Copenhagen Post'' (Denmark).
British journalist Michael Durham has tracked the "many interconnected businesses, properties and charitable operations around the world" owned by Tvind/TG.
Annually, alleged Tvind-run non-profit companies in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
,
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
and elsewhere receive millions of dollars in governmental and private-sector funding intended for Tvind-related humanitarian programmes in
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
and other areas of the Third World. Danish prosecutors have claimed that Tvind members instead channelled a portion of funds earmarked for charitable use into purchases of property and luxury items, offshore
tax havens
A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, or ...
and private business investments, all controlled by Tvind's top leaders.Durham, Michael (9 June 2003) "Enigma of The Leader" ''The Guardian'' (UK). Retrieved June 2011.
An
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...
investigation into Tvind stated that "Tvind derives income from the creation of developmental aid organizations. Money is raised by the collection of used clothes. The clothes are recycled and sold in third world countries. The proceeds are sent to charitable trust funds established in off shore tax havens. ..In each of these organizations the funds are ultimately controlled by captioned subjects who divert the money for personal use. Little to no money goes to the charities".Danish media begun to air stories accusing Tvind of fraud as early as the late 1970s. Petersen, claiming to be a target for the SIS and the
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
, disappeared in 1979, and was not seen again for the next 22 years. He is alleged to have continued to covertly run his organisation from various locations, subverting Tvind's original humanitarian mission to create a lucrative financial web by diverting charitable funds into private coffers. Petersen's network soon became a business empire based on property and used clothes collection. Tvind has since then grown into a global conglomerate with numerous profit-motivated enterprises reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Its interests range from farming and timber to property, retail clothing and furniture, with businesses in Europe, the United States,
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
,
Belize
Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...
,
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
and China.
In February 2002, FBI agents in the U.S. arrested Amdi Petersen between international flights at Los Angeles International Airport. An arrest warrant for Petersen had been issued in 2000 by the international police agency
Interpol
The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...
extradited
Extradition is an action wherein one jurisdiction delivers a person accused or convicted of committing a crime in another jurisdiction, over to the other's law enforcement. It is a cooperative law enforcement procedure between the two jurisdi ...
Petersen to Denmark, where he and his top assistants would face trial for a multimillion-dollar
tax fraud
Tax evasion is an illegal attempt to defeat the imposition of taxes by individuals, corporations, trusts, and others. Tax evasion often entails the deliberate misrepresentation of the taxpayer's affairs to the tax authorities to reduce the taxp ...
and embezzlement scheme."Tvind boss comes home to face the music" (19 September 2002). ''Copenhagen Post'' (Denmark). Retrieved December 2011.
The trial began in 2003. Three years later, on August 31, 2006, Petersen, Tvind spokesperson Poul Jørgensen, top aides Kirsten Larsen and Ruth Sejerøe-Olsen, former chairperson for Tvind's 'Humanitarian Foundation' Bodil Ross Sørensen, financial director Marlene Gunst, and lawyer Kirsten Fuglsbjerg ( aka 'Christie Pipps') were all
acquitted
In common law jurisdictions, an acquittal certifies that the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as criminal law is concerned. The finality of an acquittal is dependent on the jurisdiction. In some countries, such as the ...
of charges. However, another former chairperson of Tvind's Humanitarian Foundation, Sten Byrner, was found guilty of fraud and given a one-year
conditional sentence
Conditional sentences are natural language sentences that express that one thing is contingent on something else, e.g. "If it rains, the picnic will be cancelled." They are so called because the impact of the main clause of the sentence is ''con ...
.
The Public Prosecutor in Denmark immediately
appealed
In law, an appeal is the process in which cases are reviewed by a higher authority, where parties request a formal change to an official decision. Appeals function both as a process for error correction as well as a process of clarifying and ...
the
verdict
In law, a verdict is the formal finding of fact made by a jury on matters or questions submitted to the jury by a judge. In a bench trial, the judge's decision near the end of the trial is simply referred to as a finding. In England and Wales ...
to a higher court. Petersen and four of his co-defendants fled Denmark shortly after being acquitted by the lower court. Poul Jørgensen, who had remained in Denmark for the appeal trial, was found guilty of tax fraud and embezzlement in January 2009, and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment. According to Danish prosecutors, Jørgensen diverted millions of dollars earmarked for charitable use into private businesses owned by Tvind leaders. In 2013, Petersen and four others were sentenced ''
in absentia
is Latin for absence. , a legal term, is Latin for "in the absence" or "while absent".
may also refer to:
* Award in absentia
* Declared death in absentia, or simply, death in absentia, legally declared death without a body
* Election in ab ...
'' to a year in prison for their suspected role in embezzling millions of Danish kroner from the Tvind Humanitarian Fund, an outgrowth of the Tvind schools. Danish police then instituted procedures for issuing an international arrest warrant, according to Jens Madsen, head of "Bagmandspolitiet", the Danish national
financial crimes
Financial crime is crime committed against property, involving the unlawful conversion of the ownership of property (belonging to one person) to one's own personal use and benefit. Financial crimes may involve fraud (cheque fraud, credit card f ...
division."‘Cult school’ leader sentenced to prison" (30 August 2013). ''Copenhagen Post'' (Denmark). , the five, who are wanted by the police agency
Interpol
The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...
, are believed to have taken refuge in a coastal resort compound in Mexico.