A lawsuit seeking unspecified back wages describes the Scientology compound outside San Jacinto as a virtual prison camp in which workers are forced to put in long hours in exchange for little pay, to give up their children to a boarding school where they are taught only about Scientology, and to give up their right to communicate with those on the outside.

Scientology spokeswoman Catherine Fraser declined an interview to discuss the allegations and asked for a list of questions in writing. She declined to answer questions about the lawsuit, saying she would answer only general questions about living conditions at Golden Era Productions.

Fraser said Scientology officials could not answer the other questions because they had not been served with the suit.

Nonetheless, she said in a written response: “With regards to your other outrageous questions about our staff, they are categorically denied.”

Barry Van Sickle, a Roseville attorney representing John Lindstein, acknowledged notice has not been served on officials at Gold Base, as the San Jacinto Scientology compound is known in some circles, but he has spoken repeatedly with officials and their attorneys.

Van Sickle said he has told the Scientology lawyers he plans to turn the complaint into a class action to represent not only Lindstein, but other former workers at the compound.

In a complaint filed with the California Superior Court in Los Angeles, Van Sickle accuses Scientology officials of human trafficking, violations of wage and hour laws, and illegal business practices primarily regarding labor issues.

In the suit, Lindstein alleges that he was separated from his parents when he was 8 years old and sent to a boarding school, where he was denied a general education and given books by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard to read.

Fraser said the school was closed 10 years ago when there were no more children of Scientologists to educate.

She said her own son attended the school and she knows he was doing well “because I saw him and he looked great.”

He is now grown and working overseas, she said.

“The children who attended this school performed physical chores like most other children, but were never forced to engage in any manual labor that was either unsafe or prohibited by law,” said Fraser in her written response.

Lindstein alleges that, as a minor, he was put to work at physical labor, including construction jobs, for long hours, sometimes so long that he was deprived of sleep.

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