Scientology cranks up its ‘noisy’ investigation of Leah Remini, and she fires back

 
Last week, we told you that Leah Remini has come under a new round of what appears to be a Scientology “noisy” investigation. Since then, we are learning that the operation has kicked into high gear.

Following the playboook Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard set down decades ago, the church targets people it considers enemies by sending private investigators to pretend that they are law enforcement officers or reporters seeking information in order to spread rumors about a target.

On March 26, we revealed that a former NYPD detective had boasted about being hired to tail Remini while she was filming a movie with Jennifer Lopez in Manhattan and Brooklyn. We also learned that a woman who called herself Valerie Morgan had showed up at the home of one of the sons of Angelo Pagan to ask if the young man had been mistreated by his stepmother, Remini.

Since then, we’ve learned that “Valerie” is on quite a tear. She visited the homes of Pagan’s two other sons (all three are in the SF Bay Area), she showed up at the house of a waitress who works for Pagan at his Studio City restaurant, Vivian’s Millennium Cafe, and then she approached Remini’s younger sister Shannon at the restaurant.

Morgan claimed to be a reporter working for a German magazine, but couldn’t name it when she was asked.

We called the number on Morgan’s business card, but were unable to leave a message because the voice mailbox had not been set up.

This seems a strange oversight for a reporter to make.

Morgan claimed that the German magazine was doing a “fact check” on Remini’s book, Troublemaker, which came out more than two years ago.

Yeah, sure.

So while Scientology is doing its best to present a more mainstream image of itself on its new television network (and failing badly), it continues to stay true to its authentic self with more “Fair Game” harassment and noisy investigations.

Remini herself responded to the ongoing intimidation campaign with an Instagram post which made it clear that it only made her more resolute…

 
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James Earl Ray in Los Angeles, a Scientology connection?

The Los Angeles Times has a piece today that by some miracle mentions Scientology. It’s a look at the months James Earl Ray spent in Los Angeles before he traveled to Memphis and assassinated the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

Matt Pearce’s article says that Ray was from the Midwest (not South, as many assumed) and had picked up the alias “Eric Galt” by the time he got to L.A. in November 1967. Over the next few months, he sought out numerous hypnotists and other potential gurus to help transform himself. One biographer claims that among the groups he had contact with was Scientology.

But no other biographer makes that claim, and the church itself denies that Ray had any involvement in Scientology.

Do any of our oldtimers have any memory of James Earl Ray/Eric S. Galt showing up for a course or two at an org in L.A. in early 1968? Let us know.

 
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Make your plans now!

Wow, it’s already April! Our flight and hotel is booked — who’s going to join us in Chicago? Remember, Friday (June 22) is Fly Day, and Saturday night (June 23) Chicago Fire star Christian Stolte will be helping us present things on stage as we hold our event at an actual theater this year. It’s going to be a wild time. Head over to our HowdyCon 2018 website to start making your travel plans!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on April 4, 2018 at 07:00

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Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts

Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news