N.J. Judge Orders ‘Gay Conversion’ Charity to Shut Down

A Jersey City, N.J., nonprofit that provided therapy it said would eliminate same-sex attraction has been ordered to close, writes the Associated Press. State Superior Court Judge Peter Bariso granted a permanent injunction Friday against Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing, which was found in June to have committed consumer fraud by charging for the gay-conversion counseling.

The June verdict and last week’s shutdown order stemmed from a suit filed in 2012 by former clients of the charity, known as JONAH, who claimed the group made bogus claims about its services. Gay-conversion therapy “is premised on the lie that homosexuality is a disease or disorder,” said David Dinielli, the plaintiffs’ attorney. “This case proved it to be a lie.”