Comments on: The Scientologist who wouldn’t fly: The rise and fall of insurance mogul Richie Acunto

By: Joon Kang

Joon Kang — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 16:27:00 +0000

Survival Insurance was my introduction to Scientology. I was discharged from the US Air Force in 1993, I was looking for a job and noticed an ad in the newspaper for insurance sales, it looked good, I interviewed, got the job, went through the training and went on the sales floor. One thing I noticed was that it was a click, then I later learned it was because the Scientologist employees got the all the perks and I remember seeing Mr. Acunto during the sales meetings every week. But seeing how shady everything was, I quit, the funny thing is, other Scientology insurance companies wanted to recruit me, oh the irony…

By: Moonchalk

Moonchalk — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 17:12:00 +0000

“In 2000, Acunto’s PR man, Guy White, began putting out the word that
there was a new investment opportunity with Acunto’s various companies.”

The date is WAY off here. The Insuresuite scam started in’96. Shares were being sold by late ’97. About ’99 Reed Slatkin sued Richie over a jointly owned entity that financed insurance premiums for customers. Reed was of course trying every means to pull in cash to keep his own scam going at the time.

By: Peter McMahon

Peter McMahon — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 04:52:00 +0000

In reply to janedoe2. I guess Richie became a scumbag over the years. Being a true believer can do that. But still, he should have seen the light by now.

By: JD

JD — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 21:02:00 +0000

Oh, wish I knew about this thread back in November. One of those trophies would be in my office right now. The stories I and people I know could tell about working at Survival (so funny seeing his son in one of the videos). The other people I used to work with really admired the movie Glengarry Glen Ross and would tell the new employees to watch it. I would secretly tell them they should actually watch The Boiler Room (now it would probably be The Wolf of Wall Street). Last I heard was Richie was still living on his boat in the Marina and it was chained to the dock because he hadn’t paid his slip fees.

By: MeekoDev

MeekoDev — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 19:06:00 +0000

I remember the original Crash and Burn of Survial here in California. I never knew he was a clam until now. Thanks for the good investigative reporting Tony, as always.

By: Sebastian L. Jackson

Sebastian L. Jackson — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 15:19:00 +0000

I want to ask anyone here if they have any personal knowledge of another former Scientologist, a man by the name of Jim Humble. He was with Scientology for 25 years until he left the church on bad terms, and has gone on to found his own cult called the Genesis II Church for Health and Healing. Humble’s church is based in the Dominican Republic and has a strong presence in Latin America, but has gotten publicity during international speaking tours featuring Humble.

Genesis II Church is an extremely sleazy in that it sells something called the “Miracle Mineral Solution,” which Humble claims is a cure for numerous diseases (cancer, autism, AIDS, Ebola, malaria, etc.) but is really industrial bleach. Their M.O. is exactly like Scientology’s, which is the sale of pseudo-scientific service under the guise of a “church” and “freedom of religion” (even though Genesis II openly admits to being non-religious). Despite such dodges, they have recently gotten negative attention in Australia and New Zealand.

I notify local press when Genesis II announces the dates of their upcoming “seminars”, so I would like as much background information on Jim Humble as possible. Under what circumstances did he leave the church? What was he like when he was a member? If there are any ex-Scientologists on this thread who remember his case, inquiring minds want to know.

By: Lady Squash

Lady Squash — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 05:40:00 +0000

In reply to Missionary Kid. Interesting. "Having pizza delivered to them" is going above and beyond just being nice. I'm impressed. Good for Leah. Very disappointed to hear the other celebs were so uncool. I've cleaned up my comment so Tony doesn't get in trouble with his provider. : )

By: Missionary Kid

Missionary Kid — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 13:41:00 +0000

In reply to Lady Squash.

You’ll have to ask Derek about his experiences, but IIRC, he said most celebrities treated sea org people either as if they didn’t exist, or as a lower order of being or servants. For the most part, as I remember it, ordinary sea org members were kept away from celebs.

Leah and her sister joined the sea org as kids, but her mother rescued them and pulled them out of it because they were so miserable. Leah knew how tough the life could be. Derek said that Leah had pizza delivered to them and talked to them like they were people. She was the only celebrity who did anything nice for them. Leah was never an abuser.

Derek can correct me on this.

By: Lady Squash

Lady Squash — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 05:56:00 +0000

In reply to Missionary Kid. I am surprised to hear that any celebrity would treat a Sea Org with anything other than respect. AS a regular person, it was unthinkable. But I am not surprised that Leah would be different.

By: Stephanie Loving

Stephanie Loving — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 20:23:00 +0000

In reply to chuckbeattyexseaorg75to03.

“Delving into one’s trillions of years ago false memories of delusional “past lives” is a total waste” …. ya think?!?!?! Very well put CB. Amazing waste of present time!