Vakresvara Pandit Dasa
Legal name James Kenner
Vakreshvara PanditVarkeshvara Pandit
Removed — Jul 26, 2002
- Temple president, ISKCON Puerto Rico
Record summary
1 entry — 1 ISKCON finding.
Last reviewedBio
According to a 2002 decision of ISKCON’s Central Office of Child Protection, Vakresvara Pandit Dasa (legal name James Kenner) served in ISKCON’s New York community in the 1970s and in the years before 2002 was temple president of ISKCON Puerto Rico. The dates of his presidency, his birth year and his later activity are not confirmed in the sources reviewed.
Record
1 entry · most established firstSexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 14
ISKCON's Central Office of Child Protection found in July 2002 that he "did engage on several occasions in sexual activity" with a girl from the ISKCON Dallas community when she was 13 to 14; her complaint described him as about 40 at the time. The panel described the matter as "not a case of pedophilia, but rather a case of immoral sexual behavior with a minor". He denied the allegations.
The panel based its finding on the complainant’s written and spoken statements, statements from others corroborating details of her account, and an expert analysis of the written statements; it said it found inconsistencies in his own accounts. The decision does not give the dates of the events.
- 2000Reported allegationISKCON's child-protection office received the complainant's handwritten complaint.
- 2002ISKCON findingOfficial Decision (panel: Kaisori dasi, Praghos dasa, Jayasacisuta dasa), on a preponderance of evidence. ISKCON's 2016 GBC-approved statement refers to the case, noting that another devotee acted as his defence advisor in the child-protection process.
He was required to write a letter of apology and pay the complainant at least USD 3,000 over three years, failing which he would be completely banned from ISKCON. If he complied, he was barred from leadership, giving class or leading kirtan, positions of influence or representing ISKCON, staying overnight on ISKCON property and service involving adolescent girls; he could apply to have some restrictions lifted after five years. Whether he appealed or complied is not confirmed in official sources. No police or court case has been found.
He denied the allegations, according to the decision. No public statement by him has been found. [1]
Sources (2)
- [1]Official Decision of the ISKCON Central Office of Child Protection (Association for the Protection of Vaisnava Children) on the case of Vakresvara Pandit dasa (James Kenner), decided 26 July 2002 (transcription; signatures not reproduced), Jul 26, 2002 (document) original
- [2]ISKCON News, A Statement on Child Protection within ISKCON (Anuttama Dasa) — approved by the GBC Executive Committee on 4 June 2016, Jun 6, 2016 originalcopy on this site
People affected
1 people affected · 0 diedTimeline
Each status change in this record, on one axis, with the periods of the cases Vakresvara Pandit Dasa is involved in.
- 2000
- Reported allegationDec 4, 2000 Sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 14 ISKCON's child-protection office received the complainant's handwritten complaint.
- 2002
- ISKCON findingJul 26, 2002 Sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 14 Official Decision (panel: Kaisori dasi, Praghos dasa, Jayasacisuta dasa), on a preponderance of evidence. ISKCON's 2016 GBC-approved statement refers to the case, noting that another devotee acted as his defence advisor in the child-protection process.