In March, we sent an email to a man named Michael DeLeon. He’s a motivational speaker who tries to convince kids that they should stay away from illegal drugs, and he draws on his own years of addiction and crime to keep them interested.
He spent years in prison after getting involved with a drug gang in New Jersey, and one of his stays in prison happened after he was implicated in the gang’s murder of his own mother. Finally getting out of prison for good in 2007, he set about turning his life around, and trying to help others avoid the mistakes he made.
Judging by his press clips, he managed to do pretty well for himself, and was becoming a pretty popular school speaker. But he came to our attention because for some reason he decided a couple of years ago to hook up with Scientology and its anti-drug front groups.
On the website for his operation, which he calls Steered Straight, DeLeon says that it has no religious or political affiliations. So why, we asked him, would he want to get involved with Scientology?
He never responded. But since that time, we’ve only seen him increase his work for the church, and so we wanted to get some of it down on the record as a warning for unsuspecting schools.
The other day, we pointed out that he was parading around with Miss Teen Ohio…
He enjoyed a recent trip to Clearwater Academy International, the tiny Scientology school we told you about recently. Actual caption: “Most rewarding day in a long time. Very impactful presentation this morning, almost more for me I think. Just an incredible school with massive success! Our future is in this young generation!”
At a Steered Straight event at the Fort Harrison Hotel, DeLeon was joined by Scientologist lifer Jim Meskimen…
And he’s also been featured on Scientology TV! Hey, that’s the big time…
It’s a shame he didn’t get back to us. We are still curious why, if he was doing pretty well on his own, he decided to hook up with a nefarious group like David Miscavige’s abusive gang.
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More guilty pleas in New York Medicare scam
Daniel Axelrod at the Times Herald-Record in Middletown, New York reports that the final two defendants in an $80 million Medicare scam have joined three others and pleaded guilty to their charges.
Jeff Spina pleaded guilty to three felonies. He and his brother Jay Spina, who previously pleaded guilty to one felony, are longtime, prominent Scientologists who have been deeply involved in the church’s front groups.
The Spina brothers are chiropractors, and they are now facing years in prison, accused of using complex schemes to try and hide the way Medicare was being ripped off by their clinic.
Axelrod reports that Jay will be sentenced on September 17, and Jeff on October 24.
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Bonus items from our tipsters
Meanwhile, in Canada…
Surely this clown is headed for a big fall, right?
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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] Whale watching: Your 2018 mid-year guide to who’s keeping Scientology alive
[TWO years ago] Fair Play: Before Leah Remini takes another whack, here’s a word from Scientology itself
[THREE years ago] Got a Purple Heart? Scientology wants to exploit you
[FOUR years ago] Florida rejects complaint over Scientology ‘disconnection,’ but Brian Sheen unbowed
[FIVE years ago] Kate Bornstein kicks cancer’s ass
[SIX years ago] Episcopal Church Objects to Being Included in Supreme Court Brief Supporting Scientology
[SEVEN years ago] Narconon Not Scientology? Then Why Is Its Leader in the Church’s Concentration Camp?
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,538 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,667 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,171 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,691 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 711 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 602 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,909 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,777 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,551 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,325 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,671 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,237 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,156 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,324 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,905 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,166 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,205 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,917 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,443 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,532 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,672 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,992 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,848 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,967 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,322 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,625 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,731 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,133 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,005 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,588 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,083 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,337 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,446 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 14, 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
