More than two years ago the Los Angeles Police Department began an investigation into the allegations of three former Scientologists and a fourth woman who say that they were violently raped by Scientologist actor Danny Masterson between 2001 and 2004. Since April 2017, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has been preparing a case and waiting for DA Jackie Lacey to make a decision whether to file charges.
Our sources tell us that Lacey is very close to making a decision, but in the meantime, Danny Masterson has not been arrested or indicted, and he’s making the most of it. On Saturday, he joined his former The Ranch and That ’70s Show costar Ashton Kutcher at a Scientology wedding in Napa Valley, despite efforts by Kutcher and his wife, actress Mila Kunis, to keep their involvement under wraps.
The photo above was leaked to Twitter over the weekend, featuring, from left to right, Kutcher, Punk’d writer Matt Mazzant, groom and The Ranch actor Justin Mooney, Travis Case (Kutcher’s stand-in, and Cathriona White’s “twin” on Scientology courses), Masterson, and Masterson’s half-brother, Jordan.
Mooney, a Scientologist since at least 1995, and his bride Brittany Brisco were married by their friend, The Sandlot actor and longtime Scientologist Patrick Renna, who performed the Scientology ceremony at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Saint Helena, California on Saturday evening.
The reception featured grilled filet of beef, vegetable ragout, potato puree, and chocolate midnight cake. A photo of the wedding seating chart confirms that Ashton and Mila Kutcher were seated at Table 7 with Danny and Bijou (Phillips) Masterson, Mazzant, and Jordan Masterson…
Scientology’s website says that Renna was the moving force behind a mission opening in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles in 2013…
Film and television actor Patrick Renna spearheaded the establishment of the Mission’s new home. At Sunday evening’s dedication ceremony he said: “We have been given a gift of technology from L. Ron Hubbard that allows individuals to discover practical solutions to the multitude of real life problems they face daily—from difficulty with jobs, family and relationships, to the harmful effects of drugs and other pitfalls of life. And that is precisely what this Mission is here for—to help the individual change conditions and live a better life.”
Renna’s wife, Jasmin, was the mission’s Executive Director when it opened. One of the Scientologists on their staff was Mooney.
Mooney got a small part as a police officer on The Ranch, the Netflix series that starred both Kutcher and Masterson. But after Netflix faced public pressure over the LAPD investigation, in December 2017 it cut Masterson’s character out of the second half of The Ranch‘s third season.
Our sources tell us that Masterson’s criminal defense attorney, Tom Mesereau, has complained recently to the DA’s office that Masterson is unfairly unable to pursue more career options as long as DA Jackie Lacey delays her decision whether to file charges.
That might mean that Masterson is hoping to return to The Ranch, which is scheduled to begin filming its fourth season soon.
Kutcher has not been involved in Scientology, but he is known for championing human rights causes, particularly involving violence against women. He has not made any public statements about the accusations against his friend Masterson, which were alleged to have occurred during the time they were filming That ’70s Show.
More detail about the allegations faced by Masterson can be found at our recent story announcing that A&E is planning to run its delayed episode of Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath featuring interviews with Masterson’s accusers on February 18.
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Tonight, Leah Remini revisits Scientology’s most shameful scandals in its Florida ‘mecca’
According to last week’s episode of Scientology and the Aftermath, tonight Leah Remini and Mike Rinder will be taking on one of the most heartbreaking of Scientology’s scandals, the 1995 death of church member Lisa McPherson.
In 2015, to mark 20 years since that tragic series of events, we published three weeks of stories, intended to go deep into the incidents that led up to and included Lisa’s 17-day fatal stay at the Fort Harrison Hotel, posting the stories in real time. If you have time, you might go over those stories before tonight’s episode so that you have background on key facts. For example…
— How important it was that Scientology leader David Miscavige had become personally involved in supervising Lisa’s auditing, so when she had a mental breakdown, it would have reflected badly on Miscavige’s judgment. For Miscavige’s own reputation, it was best for McPherson to disappear rather than get the treatment she deserved.
— How caretakers, blinded by their adherence to L. Ron Hubbard’s quack treatment of mental illness, essentially watched a woman die of thirst while prevented from saying a word to her.
It’s a stunning case of criminal neglect that goes to the heart of what makes Scientology dangerous. And it engendered a strong reaction at the time, incuding the involvement of millionaire Bob Minton, who funded an effort to raise awareness of McPherson’s fate.
Minton’s project, the Lisa McPherson Trust, leased a storefront in what is now a building owned by Scientology, and held numerous demonstrations outside the Fort Harrison Hotel that, in those days, were aggressively countered by Scientologist operatives — including OSA director Mike Rinder.
We’re very much looking forward to seeing Rinder, today a subject himself of aggressive OSA tactics now that he’s an outspoken defector, talking over those heady days in the late 1990s with former LMT member Mark Bunker. It should make for some excellent television.
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Start making your plans!
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!
We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.
Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!
Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!
Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in our weekly series. How many have you read?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Joy Villa’s ex-manager on the ‘pro-life’ Grammys dress: We’re not fooled this time
[TWO years ago] Scientology recruits a new ally — a real life ‘Forrest Gump’
[THREE years ago] Scientology puts out a new ‘media guide’ that is as honest as you would imagine
[FOUR years ago] How Scientologists are dealing with the buzz around Alex Gibney’s ‘Going Clear’
[FIVE years ago] The best parts of Steven Mango’s ‘documentary’ on Scientology’s Celebrity Centre
[SIX years ago] More Signs of Scientology’s Armageddon as the Media Take Aim
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: May the Force Be With You!
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,344 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,475 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 1,977 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,457 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 520 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 408 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,715 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,583 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,357 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,131 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,477 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,043 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 6,963 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,130 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,711 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,971 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,011 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,723 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,249 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,338 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,478 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,798 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,654 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,773 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,129 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,431 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,537 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 1,940 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,811 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,394 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,889 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,143 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,252 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 29, 2019 at 07:00
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Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, 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, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | 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 | 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
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