Dharmatma Das
Legal name Dennis Gorrick
Dharmatma
- Director of sankirtan (fundraising), New Vrindaban community
- 1973
Record summary
1 entry — 1 charge pending.
Last reviewedBio
Dharmatma Das, also called Dharmatma (legal name Dennis Gorrick), directed the sankirtan (street fundraising) operations of the New Vrindaban community in Marshall County, West Virginia, during the 1980s, leading its fundraising trips (Fourth Circuit, AP, WVU Libraries). According to the Fourth Circuit, he took charge of sankirtan after Terry Sheldon. On 14 March 1991 he was called as a prosecution witness at Keith Ham’s (Kirtanananda Swami’s) federal trial in Martinsburg, West Virginia (trial transcript). No further biographical facts have been confirmed.
Sources (4)
- [1]Opinion, United States v. Ham, 998 F.2d 1247 (4th Cir. 1993), Nos. 91-5350, 91-5430 and 91-5870 (appeals of Keith Gordon Ham, Steven Fitzpatrick and Terry Sheldon), Jul 1, 1993 (document)
- [2]The Seattle Times, Death Shadows Landmark Hare Krishna Temple -- Federal 'Demons' Hit Leader Of Center In West Virginia (David Wilkison) — AP report, Apr 17, 1994
- [3]Trial transcript, United States v. Ham et al., CR 90-87 (N.D. W.Va.), Day IV, 14 March 1991: title page, index and pp. 831, 833, 835 (testimony of Dennis Gorrick), Mar 14, 1991 (document)
- [4]West Virginia University Libraries, Henry Doktorski, Compiler, Records regarding Kirtanananda Bhaktipada Swami and the New Vrindaban Commune, A&M 4646 — finding aid, Apr 17, 2025
Record
1 entry · most established firstMail fraud — illegal fundraising solicitations
The Fourth Circuit's account of the evidence describes Gorrick directing New Vrindaban fundraising teams that sold merchandise bearing counterfeit copyrighted images. AP reported that he was sentenced in 1990 to three years in prison for mail fraud related to illegal solicitations; federal prison records show his release in March 1991.
Three years' imprisonment (AP). Released from federal custody on 29 March 1991, from FCI Jesup (Federal Bureau of Prisons record). Whether by plea or trial, and in which court, has not been confirmed.
Sources (4)
- [1]Opinion, United States v. Ham, 998 F.2d 1247 (4th Cir. 1993), Nos. 91-5350, 91-5430 and 91-5870 (appeals of Keith Gordon Ham, Steven Fitzpatrick and Terry Sheldon), Jul 1, 1993 (document) original
- [2]The Seattle Times, Death Shadows Landmark Hare Krishna Temple -- Federal 'Demons' Hit Leader Of Center In West Virginia (David Wilkison) — AP report, Apr 17, 1994 original
- [3]West Virginia University Libraries, United States v. Gorrick, Indictment — finding aid entry; Henry Doktorski, Compiler, Records regarding Kirtanananda Bhaktipada Swami and the New Vrindaban Commune, A&M 4646, Series 5, Box 14, Folder 5 original
- [4]Federal Bureau of Prisons — Inmate locator record: Dennis F. Gorrick, register no. 08908-017, released 29 March 1991 (FCI Jesup), Oct 2, 2026 originalcopy on this site
Photos
1
Places
1Timeline
Each status change in this record, on one axis, with the periods of the cases Dharmatma Das is involved in.
- 1990
- Charged1990 Mail fraud — illegal fundraising solicitations AP reported that he was sentenced in 1990 to three years in prison for mail fraud related to illegal solicitations. West Virginia University's finding aid for the Doktorski collection lists a folder titled "United States v. Gorrick, Indictment" (A&M 4646, Box 14, Folder 5; not seen). The Federal Bureau of Prisons' inmate record for Dennis F. Gorrick (register no. 08908-017) gives a release date of 29 March 1991, from FCI Jesup (Georgia). The judgment itself, its court and case number have not been found online; the case predates electronic filing.