A month ago, Leah Remini went public with a sordid affair that had been happening behind the scenes at her A&E series, Scientology and the Aftermath.
“Scientology sent in a plant to our program to try to set us up,” she tweeted. “Now they are going after the Aftermath Foundation and Aaron Smith-Levin for trying to help him.”
She was referring to a young Florida man named Morgan Bradham who had been filmed for an episode of the third season of Aftermath, but then had said he would commit suicide if the show aired. A&E pulled the episode, at great cost to the production. But then, Smith-Levin said in a video, Bradham was part of an attempt, with another Scientologist, Cinjin Nichols, to get him criminally charged for suggesting that the three of them should conspire to place some kind of USB device on a Scientology computer to hack into the church’s network. In his video Smith-Levin characterized the hacking concept as a joke that had simply come up in conversation, and not an actual conspiracy. He said that Scientology was attempting to use Nichols and Bradham to harm him after it had already harmed the series by having an episode canceled.
Well, now we have the police report from the Clearwater Police Department investigation, which you can read for yourself. It tends to back up Smith-Levin’s account that this was a joke that Scientology tried to turn into a real criminal matter. The police declined to charge anyone after conducting interviews.
But our favorite part is at the end, when Bradham and his attorney Steven L. Hayes complained to the police that Smith-Levin had revealed the investigation in his video. They then learned from the police that the investigation (and this report) were eventually going to be public anyway.
Oops. We have a feeling no one explained that to Bradham or Nichols before they agreed to call the cops.
There’s a lot to absorb here in the report, and we’ll just let you tell us which are your favorite parts.
Nichols/Bradham Police Report by on Scribd
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HowdyCon 2019 in Los Angeles
This year’s HowdyCon is in Los Angeles. People tend to come in starting on Thursday, and that evening we will have a casual get-together at a watering hole. We have something in mind, but for now we’re not giving out information about it.
Friday night we will be having an event in a theater (like we did on Saturday night last year in Chicago). There will not be a charge to attend this event, but if you want to attend, you need to RSVP with your proprietor at tonyo94 AT gmail.
On Saturday, we are joining forces with Janis Gillham Grady, who is having a reunion in honor of the late Bill Franks. Originally, we thought this event might take place in Riverside, but instead it’s in the Los Angeles area. If you wish to attend the reunion, you will need to RSVP with Janis (janisgrady AT gmail), and there will be a small contribution she’s asking for in order to help cover her costs.
HOTEL: Janis tells us she’s worked out a deal with Hampton Inn and Suites, at 7501 North Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank, (818) 768-1106. We have a $159 nightly rate for June 19 to 22.
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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] Scientology TV gives viewers a glimpse of the church’s most secret locations — but why?
[TWO years ago] The real reason Leah Remini is taking a wrecking ball to Scientology
[THREE years ago] Trial set in New York on April 7 over Narconon drug rehab hiding connection to Scientology
[FOUR years ago] ‘Going Clear’ subject Hana Eltringham Whitfield fills us in on a Scientology secret or two
[FIVE years ago] Jon Atack: Why I call Scientology a cult and not a church
[SIX years ago] Scientology’s Sneaky Infiltration of New York City Schools
[SEVEN years ago] Russia Still Going About Things All Wrong, and More in our Scientology Stats Roundup
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,394 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,523 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,027 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,507 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 570 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 458 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,765 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,633 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,407 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,181 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,527 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,093 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,013 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,180 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,761 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,021 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,061 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,773 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,299 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,388 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,528 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,848 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,704 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,823 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,179 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,481 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,587 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 1,989 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,861 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,444 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,939 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,193 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,302 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on March 22, 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
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
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 | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
