Scientology spying on Anonymous: Leaked from the files of a church private eye

Saturday we revealed the appearance of one of Scientology’s notorious “black bag department” operators, a private investigator named Russ Andrews.

Now we’ve heard from a source who says that one of Andrews’ many operations was to spy on members of Anonymous in Seattle and to track them down and identify them for the Church of Scientology.

We have a document that our source says was produced by Andrews during this operation, and it demonstrates what members of Anonymous always suspected: That Scientology watched them obsessively in order to ID them for harassment.

The sudden arrival of the Anonymous movement was of course one of the most surprising and memorable episodes in Scientology watching history. In January 2008, a video of a Tom Cruise interview made by the church four years earlier was leaked to the Internet, and when Scientology tried to suppress it the Anonymous movement then took it on as a challenge. After posting an ominous video about how Scientology’s anti-Internet history was obnoxious to them, Anonymous then called for in-person protests in February 2008. Thousands showed up at pickets in cities around the world.

Here’s a local TV report of the protests that happened that February in Seattle…

 
Part of the point of showing up in large anonymous groups (many protesters wore masks) was to stymie Scientology’s reputation for retaliation. With thousands of protesters and with their identities hidden, how could Scientology’s notorious private investigators retaliate?

But Scientology did retaliate, with private eyes following protesters home, and with some even infiltrating Anonymous local groups: We’ve written in the past about Cierra Westerman, for example, who came forward and revealed that she had infiltrated Anonymous in Clearwater, Florida in order to help Scientology “doxx” (document) other protesters.

And in Seattle, our source says, Russ Andrews was flown out to join local Scientology operatives to try and ID members of Anonymous there in April 2009, more than a year after the protests had first begun.

By April 2009 monthly pickets were much smaller, of course, and so it was easier to ID individual picketers. One of them who went by the name “Kiltboy” was singled out for watching, our source says. They turned over to us notes that they say were compiled by Andrews after a 12-hour shift watching Kiltboy outside his home and following him into downtown Seattle.

Here’s the text of the document. We’ve removed some license plate numbers and one full name.

Work Product

C/5 Location:

Primary Objective: Locate / Identify Kiltboy

04/04/09

12:40
A blue Saturn sedan WA # [redacted] is parked on the north side of Unit A. This is the third day in a row this car is seen parked at this location. No other cars of interest are observed at this location.

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12:45
Silver Ford Taurus WA # [redacted] is parked on the street, in the “bike only” lane. It is believed Kiltboy and Gnome probably arrived in this vehicle.

12:58
A female believed to be Gnome and an unidentified male, tall, average build, dark curly hair, balding spot at back of head, stringy goatee and wire frame eyeglasses, are seen exiting from the parking area near Unit A. The male is seen wearing black leather jacket. The female is wearing a long wool maroon-colored coat. They walk to the north end of the block, cross over to the west side of the street, walk down to the south end of the block, cross over to the east side of the street and return to the parking lot and are seen entering Unit A. They appear to be conversing while walking.

13:09
The twosome approached and entered Unit #A. Kiltboy was seen standing in the doorway as they approached.

13:14
Red Honda Civic with CA # [redacted] parks on the street just in front of the Taurus. The driver is male, passenger is female (believed to be Flag Girl and Button Master). These people continue to sit in the car and the car headlights remain on for several minutes.

13:21
Kiltboy exits Unit A waiving his hand in the air and talking on a cell phone. He is wearing a green bandana, a dark-colored coat and a T-shirt with white letters. He approaches the Civic. Two platters of food are removed from the car and all three persons enter Unit A. The threesome entered Unit #A. Sea-Tac was observed standing in front of the Unit as the threesome approached. The driver shakes hands with Sea-Tac and they entered.

13:39
Dark green Hyundai WA # [redacted] pulls into the parking area and drops off a female who enters Unit A. The driver is a male with short dark brown hair. The female appears to be slightly heavyset with long straight hair, wearing a short-sleeve light blue blouse. She exits, approaches and knocks on the front door and is let in. He drives into the general area of Tyler and 35th (a few miles northeast of Unit A).

14:42
A gold Ford Focus takes the parking spot designated for Unit A. The driver is a male, mid to late 20s, short dark hair, dressed in shirt and tie and an overcoat. He enters Unit A with a key.

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15:27
The previous male in the tie exits Unit A, uses a key to lock the door, and in the Focus proceeds to an apartment complex leasing office at 6124 70th Ave Court W. A co-worker identifies him as “Walker”. Subsequent research indicates this person is [redacted].

18:07
[Walker] returns to Unit A in the Focus. He uses a key to enter the unit. Before entering the unit, he retrieves mail from a mailbox. He is not seen to exit again.

19:10 (approx)
The blue Saturn leaves from the Unit. It is driven by a tall, large build, young, bald, unknown male. The male is wearing a black hooded jacket. There is a female passenger with very short red spiky hair with him.

19:38
The tall bald male and female return in the Saturn and enter Unit #A with a key.

19:53
The first balding male left Unit A and went out to the Taurus. He got a hat out of the car, put it on and returned to Unit A.

20:30 (approx)
Kiltboy, assisted by two females, leaves the unit and walks southbound into the local neighborhood. The threesome eventually sat down for several minutes. He appears to urinate on a house, vomit and passes out on the street. He is wearing no shoes, a kilt and T-shirt.

20:42
Kiltboy and the two females return to Unit A. He appears to be stumbling as the girls assist him.

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22:45
The green Hyundai returns and parks in the front of Unit A. The driver does not get out of the car. Due to darkness the driver could not be seen.

22:54
The slightly heavyset female in the light blue blouse exits and departs in the Hyundai. She exits Unit A and gets into the car. Kiltboy came out to the car briefly and then returned to Unit A.

23:11
Flag Girl and Button Master leave in the Civic.

23:39
The tall bald male and female returned again in the Saturn and enter Unit #A with a key. They left earlier at an unknown time.

04/05/09

00:00 (approx)
Unit A is dark on both levels. A few minutes later back bedroom lights come on.

00:01 (approx)
Kiltboy exits Unit A and walks up and down the street. He has a jacket and a backpack on. He starts walking northbound and stops.

00:04

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The three additional people, Gnome, and balding male with the hat and another unknown front passenger exit the front door and say bye. Kiltboy does not appear to want to get in the car. He finally walks back as the other three walk out to the Taurus and gets into the back seat. Gnome also gets into the back seat. The car leaves and travels north bound on Interstate 5.

00:50 (approx)
The Taurus arrives at the Zindorf Apartments, 714 7th Avenue in downtown Seattle. Kiltboy and Gnome exit the Taurus and go inside. The Taurus leaves the area.

End

 
We want to make it clear that there’s nothing illegal revealed about the surveillance described in this document. Russ Andrews is a Scientologist who works for its Office of Special Affairs, and spying on people the church considers enemies is one of its main activities, as has been demonstrated in countless other videos and documents.

But it’s rare to get a look at raw work product like this, and we thank our source for sharing it with us.

We sent an email to Andrews through his company, Triwest Investigative Services, asking for him to communicate with us about his work for Scientology in general, and his activities in Seattle in 2009 in particular. We’ll let you know if we hear from him.

 
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Source Code

“Greece, in its Golden Age, could be said to have been at Tone 4. Perhaps in the first days of this country, when we were searching out a wilderness and building the nation, we could be said to have been at Tone 4. A nation follows in its cycles the same tone scale as individuals. A person can be as high as Greece was, or in a state of apathy as were the American Indians when they were destroyed as a nation. You can tell just what the mental health of a nation is by observing its actions. A country like Russia that is always angry is at 1.5 or 2. It is either angry or in a state of war. If a human being were in this band he would be titled insane. A state in this band could not help being a police state. The United States for a while was rather bored but getting along. However, this last war reduced us to around 2.1, which is rather overtly hostile — ready to fight. We are drifting back down the tone scale. Between here and death is totalitarianism.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 15, 1951

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“The actual value of a trained SO member is very high, yet is not being assigned a value. The wogworld tends to impress on people that the individual has no value. Welfare states deplore having people. Yet we run on and because of people. The value is actually too high to be calculated easily. Because value to self is all the wide world thinks of. Value to the group is discounted. Yet the whole value of a being is to his group and not to himself at all. The aberrated think of modern times says one has no real value to the group. Yet that is a being’s greatest value. We should work more on these lines in a practical sense.” — The Commodore, February 15, 1971

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Whenever Scientology doesn’t work it gets blamed on out-tech. Sometimes it might be the case, but Scientology itself is faulty. Hubbard never mentioned when things didn’t work from day one, for example in the Dianetics book he didn’t mention how some people can’t find engrams. They just can’t. He made out it was super easy to learn and works amazingly, but in the real world Dianetics didn’t pan out that way and Clear kinda doesn’t even exist.”

 
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Past is Prologue

2002: The St. Petersburg Times reported that Scientology is placing billboards to advertise their Volunteer Ministers program. “For Americans troubled by economic uncertainty, fear and grief, 1,100 Church of Scientology billboards going up in major U.S. cities claim to have an answer. ‘No matter how bad it is … SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT.’ The billboards are part of an unprecedented national media campaign by Scientology to reach what it calls ‘a nation still troubled by the Sept. 11 attacks.’ But the blitz disturbs some mental health experts who express concern about both the church’s motive and its expertise in treating emotional distress. The advertisements promote the services of Scientology’s volunteer ministers, parishioners trained in basic Scientology principles that the church says can solve problems ranging from grief to marital difficulties to drug addiction.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Jenna Elfman is jihadi-level crazy. She wouldn’t hesitate to go on a martyr mission if D.M. ordered her to.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to March 2.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Status conf. on Feb 16.

Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.

Concluded litigation:
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs.
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.

 
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SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks

The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.

SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.

LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH

An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.

SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z

Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

 
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. 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 a weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] DRONE FLYOVER: First look at Scientology’s drug rehab at Larry Hagman’s estate
[TWO years ago] The Axioms of Dianetics: L. Ron Hubbard’s science-y foundation of Scientology ‘tech’
[THREE years ago] Scientology mag: Why aren’t you in Florida already dumping all that sweet cash?
[FOUR years ago] Federal judge once again finds for Scientology’s nonexistent and Orwellian ‘arbitration’
[FIVE years ago] Chuck Beatty is right: L. Ron Hubbard lofted culty cosmic ideas a decade before ‘Dianetics’
[SIX years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: New ‘Continental’ Narconons opening soon?
[SEVEN years ago] Did John Travolta reveal too much about Scientology?
[EIGHT years ago] Blogging Dianetics, Part 7: The Hard Cell
[NINE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY’S DISGRACE: AN OPEN LETTER TO TOM CRUISE
[TEN years ago] Scientology and Proposition 8: Debunking the Church Myth That It Stays Out of Politics

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 15, 2021 at 07:00

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