Rajneesh movement

In 1981, Rajneesh appointed her as his personal assistant. In the same year, she convinced Rajneesh to leave India and establish an ashram in the United States.^[8][9] In July 1981, Rajneesh Foundation International purchased the 64,000-acre (260 km²) Big Muddy Ranch in Wasco County, Oregon, which became the site for the development of the Rajneeshpuram commune.^[8][10] She was appointed the president of Rajneesh Foundation International,^[8] managed the commune and met daily with Rajneesh to discuss business matters.^[8][11][12] According to Sheela, Rajneesh was complicit in and directed her involvement in criminal acts she and a group of Rajneeshees committed later.^[13]

Rajneeshee bioterror attack

By 1984, the ashram was coming into increasing conflict with local residents and the Wasco County Board of Commissioners.^[14] Sheela attempted to have both Rajneeshee candidates for the two open seats on the Wasco County Board of Commissioners win the November election.^[15][16] She had hundreds of homeless people bused into the ashram, and she had them registered as voters in Wasco County.^[8] Later, when the local election board rejected the voter registrations,^[17][18] Sheela conspired to use "bacteria and other methods to make people ill" and prevent them from voting.^[19][20] She had salmonella put into salad bars at ten restaurants in The Dalles, Oregon; about 750 people became ill with salmonella poisoning.^{[4][15][21][22]}

On September 13, 1985, Sheela fled to Europe.^[10][23] A few days later Rajneesh "accused her of arson, wiretapping, attempted murder, and mass poisonings."^[10] He also asserted that Sheela had written the book titled Rajneeshism and published it under his name.^[24] Subsequently, Sheela's robes and 5,000 copies of the Book of Rajneeshism were burned in a bonfire at the ashram.^[24] The book, published in 1983, included edited excerpts from Rajneesh's lectures. It lists no other author on its title page; its editor is given as "Academy of Rajneeshism."^[25]

After US authorities searching her home found wire-tapping networks and a laboratory in which the bacteria used in the attack had been grown,^[10] Sheela was arrested in West Germany in October 1985. She was extradited to the US in February on charges of immigration fraud^[26] and attempted murder.^[21][27] The Oregon Attorney General prosecuted her for crimes related to the poisoning of Commissioner Matthew and Judge Hulse^[28] while the US Attorney prosecuted crimes related to the restaurant poisonings.^[28] Sheela pleaded guilty on 22 July 1986 to first-degree assault and conspiracy to commit assault against Hulse^[28] and later to second-degree assault and conspiracy to commit assault against Matthew.^[28] She pleaded guilty to setting fire to a county office and wire-tapping at the commune. For these crimes, Sheela was sentenced to three 20-year terms in federal prison,^[29] ultimately reduced to 4+1⁄2 years,^[1] to be served concurrently. In addition she was fined $470,000.^[21][28][30]

Sheela was sent to the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, for female criminals.^[30] While there, she announced plans to make a "controversial documentary" about her life.^[31] In December 1988, she was released on good behavior after serving 29 months and deported to West Germany. Sheela later moved to Switzerland.^{[1][5][32][33]}