Editing Rajneesh (section)

====Arrival in the United States====
In 1981, the increased tensions{{clarify|date=April 2025}} around the Pune ashram, along with criticism of its activities and threatened punitive action by Indian authorities, provided an impetus for the ashram to consider the establishment of a new commune in the United States.<ref>{{harvnb|Wallis|1986|p=}}, reprinted in {{harvnb|Aveling|1999|p=147}}</ref><ref name="Lewis124">{{harvnb|Goldman|2004|p=124}}</ref><ref>''Guru in Cowboy Country'', in: ''Asia Week'', 29 July 1983, pp. 26–36</ref> According to [[Susan J. Palmer]], the move to the United States was a plan from Sheela.<ref>{{harvnb|Palmer|1988|p=127}}, reprinted in{{harvnb|Aveling|1999|p=377}}</ref> Sheela and Rajneesh had discussed the idea of establishing a new commune in the US in late 1980, although he did not agree to travel there until May 1981.<ref name=Gordon94>{{harvnb|Gordon|1987|pp=93–94}}</ref> On 1 June that year he travelled to the United States on a tourist visa, ostensibly for medical purposes, and spent several months at a Rajneeshee retreat centre located at [[Kip's Castle Park, New Jersey|Kip's Castle]] in [[Montclair, New Jersey]].<ref name="America" /><ref name="NYT160981">{{Cite news|last=Geist |first=William E. |title=Cult in Castle Troubling Montclair |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=16 September 1981 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/16/nyregion/cult-in-castle-troubling-montclair.html |access-date=27 November 2008 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423054925/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/16/nyregion/cult-in-castle-troubling-montclair.html |archive-date=23 April 2012 }}</ref> He had been diagnosed with a [[prolapsed disc]] in early 1981 and treated by several doctors, including [[James Cyriax]], a [[St. Thomas' Hospital]] musculoskeletal physician and expert in epidural injections flown in from London.<ref name=Gordon94 /><ref name=Meredith308309 /><ref name="FF1-86">{{harvnb|FitzGerald|1986a|p=86}}</ref> Rajneesh's previous secretary, Laxmi, reported to [[Frances FitzGerald (journalist)|Frances FitzGerald]] that "she had failed to find a property in India adequate to Rajneesh's needs, and thus, when the medical emergency came, the initiative had passed to Sheela".<ref name="FF1-86" /> A public statement by Sheela indicated that Rajneesh was in grave danger if he remained in India, but would receive appropriate medical treatment in America if he needed surgery.<ref name=Gordon94 /><ref name=Meredith308309>{{harvnb|Meredith|1988|pp=308–309}}</ref><ref name="JMF22">{{harvnb|Fox|2002|p=22}}</ref> Despite the stated serious nature of the situation, Rajneesh never sought outside medical treatment during his time in the United States, leading the [[Immigration and Naturalization Service]] to contend that he had a preconceived intent to remain there.<ref name="FF1-86" /> Years later, Rajneesh pleaded guilty to immigration fraud, while maintaining his innocence of the charges that he made false statements on his initial visa application about his alleged intention to remain in the US when he came from India.<ref group="nb">"His lawyers, however, were already negotiating with the United States Attorney's office and, on 14 November he returned to Portland and pleaded guilty to two felonies; making false statements to the immigration authorities in 1981 and concealing his intent to reside in the United States." ({{harvnb|FitzGerald|1986b|p=111}})</ref><ref group="nb">"The Bhagwan may also soon need his voice to defend himself on charges he lied on his original temporary-visa application: if the immigration service proves he never intended to leave, the Bhagwan could be deported." (''Newsweek'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20090710170848/http://www.nealkarlen.com/newsweek/bhagwan.shtml Bhagwan's Realm:] The Oregon cult with the leader with 90 golden Rolls-Royces, 3 December 1984, United States Edition, National Affairs Pg. 34, 1915 words, Neal Karlen with Pamela Abramson in Rajneeshpuram.)</ref><ref group="nb">"Facing 35 counts of conspiring to violate immigration laws, the guru admitted two charges: lying about his reasons for settling in the U.S. and arranging sham marriages to help foreign disciples join him." (American Notes, ''Time'', Monday, November 1985, available [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1050625-2,00.html here] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709072745/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1050625-2,00.html |date=9 July 2009 }})</ref>