January 27,2002

By Jayne Hustead
News staff writer

Whether the marriage between Gina and Richard Rosenkranz should be annulled will be the question when the couple, longtime residents of the Kashi Ashram in Roseland, take the matter to court this spring.

Circuit Judge Paul B. Kanarek this month severed from Richard Rosenkranz’s divorce petition the section alleging the marriage was a fraud and a sham perpetrated by his wife; their spiritual leader, Ma Jaya Bhagavati; and several other members of her religious community at 11155 Roseland Road.

After considering arguments submitted by attorneys for each side, Kanarek issued an order severing the annulment count and setting the annulment trial for March 21 and 22.

A divorce trial will proceed only if the annulment is denied, Kanarek has said.

Vero Beach attorney Russell Petersen, who represents Gina Rosenkranz, could not be reached this week for comment. Gina Rosenkranz could not be reached Friday.

Stuart attorney Noel Bobko, who represents Richard Rosenkranz, said Friday that settlement negotiations between the parties had broken down and seemed irreparable, but that he still hoped those representing Gina Rosenkranz "would listen to reason."

Following a recent conference call, Bobko said he sent a written settlement proposal to Gina Rosenkranz’s attorneys.

"But their response was different from what had been agreed to verbally," he said. "The demands they made were definitely out of the ordinary."

In December 2000, Gina Rosenkranz, 43, who lives on the Kashi Ranch and serves as Bhagavati’s personal assistant, filed for support but not divorce from her husband of 18 years.

She subsequently was awarded temporary support and temporary attorneys fees as the case grew to a divorce petition by Richard Rosenkranz and then his allegation of fraud and deceit.

Richard Rosenkranz, 59, who moved off the ranch in July 1999, said Friday the stalemate in the negotiations is a revenge tactic intended to drain him financially. "This is not a case of a simple secretary wanting a divorce. This is me against a multi-million dollar cult," he said.

Kashi spokesperson Sita Ganga has declined to comment on any aspect of the suit or Rosenkranz’s allegations of cultism.

Rosenkranz served many years as chief spokesperson for the Ashram.

Currently, he is self-employed as executive director of the Interfaith Call for Universal Religious Freedom and Human Rights in Tibet and president of the World Tibet Day Foundation.