Scientology OT 8 and ‘STAND’ blogger who expressed anti-vax views dies of Covid

 
Brian Duimovich was well known in the Camarillo area in Ventura County, California, where he owned a Mexican eatery a few years ago. But he lived most recently in Happy Valley, Oregon, a suburb of Portland, where he worked as a real estate agent and financial consultant.

He was also an OT 8 and third-generation Scientologist who was used by the church to attack Leah Remini and her A&E series, Scientology and the Aftermath.

In 2017, he wrote a stern letter to the Kia Motor Corporation because it was an advertiser on the program. Scientology’s supposed grass roots organization, STAND, posted the letter on its website.

Kia Motor Corporation

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Irvine, CA 92606

Dear Sir:

I am writing to you to communicate my utter displeasure that you are a sponsor of Leah Remini’s show, which is nothing more than a complete attack against my religion.

We are living at a time when it has become fashionable to attack the religious freedom of others. A&E and Remini are now at the forefront of religious discrimination, bigotry and hatred. I cannot condone this behavior in the name of “entertainment.” Freedom of speech does not include freedom to slander and tell lies. I no longer watch A&E or any show involving Leah Remini and I am considering cancelling my cable subscription because A&E chooses to carry this show which tramples on Americans who happen to be Scientologists.

I am a proud member of the Church of Scientology and have been for nearly 40 years, and I refute every statement that Leah Remini has made that attempts to show my church in a bad light. If even a fraction of what she spews were true, Scientology would not be flourishing as it is today.

Unfortunately, a fringe minority in our country can be incited to drive a car into a crowd in Virginia or drive a car through the front door of a Scientology Church in Texas. These are the same type of people as the one who just committed a most heinous crime against humanity in Las Vegas.

Your advertising dollars are supporting a twisted, bigoted message that has resulted in violence against Scientology Churches and Scientologists.

I will not support any company that funds or contributes to this bigotry. Please cease your support of this anti-religious hate show.

Sincerely,
Brian Duimovich

Two years later, Duimovich wrote a similar letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, again because the company was advertising on A&E. It was also posted to STAND’s site.

Mr. Jeff Bezos
CEO Amazon.com

Dear Mr. Bezos,

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I am writing to you to communicate my outrage that you continue to sponsor A&E Networks Leah Remini’s show. This revolting excuse for television is nothing more than an attack against my religion, an attack which just resulted in the death of an innocent 24-year-old Scientologist in Sydney, Australia.

We live at a time when it is fashionable to attack the religious freedom of others. A&E and Remini are now at the forefront of religious discrimination, bigotry and hatred. I cannot condone this behavior in the name of “entertainment.” Freedom of speech does not include freedom to slander and tell lies.

I am a proud member of the Church of Scientology and have been for nearly 40 years, and I refute every single statement that Remini has made that attempts to show my church in a bad light. If even a fraction of what she spews were true, Scientology would not be flourishing as it truly is today.

I call on you to stop your support of this anti-religious hate show. You have to be responsible for where you place your ads. Just instruct your advertisers to place this show on their “do not air” list.

Sincerely,

Brian Duimovich

Later that year, on August 26, 2019, Scientology and the Aftermath finished up its three-season run with a 2-hour special that won the series its second Emmy award.

If Scientologists like Duimovich celebrated that the show was ending its run, just seven months later they had another challenge to deal with: The coronavirus pandemic.

We’ve documented elsewhere Scientology’s response to the health crisis, claiming to be part of the solution by promoting mask use, hand-washing, and disinfectants. However, while David Miscavige directed the organization to put on that show, we saw that individual Scientologists were exhibiting very different behavior.

In October 2020, Duimovich expressed his displeasure when US Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon encouraged his constituents to get flu shots even as the pandemic was raging.

 
As Phil Jones explained on Wednesday, Scientologists, following founder L. Ron Hubbard’s criticisms of the medical profession, tend to be anti-vaccination, even though the church itself has no official prohibition against flu shots or the Covid vaccine.

We don’t know if Brian’s feelings about the flu shot kept him from getting vaccinated for Covid. But we do know that on September 4, a family member sent out this message while inviting friends to a celebration of Brian’s life.

 
Brian Duimovich was 53. He leaves behind several small children.

OT Scientologists may truly believe that they possess superpowers that make them invincible. But we’d rather have people like Brian around and maybe sneaking a peek at Leah’s show or this website.

And for those of you who take that chance, we urge you: Get the vaccine. It works. Your kids would rather have you around.

 
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Source Code

“Do you know that absolutely standard tech, complete, proper, hair line standard tech, used in organizations throughout the world, will at least triple the stats of each within 90 days? Couldn’t help it. And if it was really applied in a business-like fashion, and nobody messed it up in any way, shape, or form, one of our Division 5 people said we might even be able to take the planet within a year. It is hot.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 24, 1968

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“SORE ARM: ‘They take this spike, see, and they stab you and then fill you up with germs, see, and when your arm recovers then you find out it has to all be done again. And then you can go into any cholera area and not kick the bucket. And you don’t get quarantined and you can go to warm ports and not have to freeze to death all winter. So that’s why you get a sore arm.’ At least that’s how it was all explained to me.” — The Commodore September 24, 1970

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“As far back as the Egyptian hieroglyphs they called what we know as OT today ‘the advanced spirit being.’ On the other side of the coin, Scripture, before its polluted version which exists today, refers to this as sorcery. Scientology is simply the practice of Crowleyan/Satanic sorcery. Thus, we see today its implosion thru all its offshoots, Scientologists at war with one another and the love that LRH talks about in What is Greatness is non existent. In general what we are seeing on Earth, among all its religions and philosophies are simply diluted versions of Egyptian sorcery.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1998: Bruce Pettycrew reported this week that Scientology has obtained a restraining order which prevents him from picketing the org in Mesa, Arizona. “The Arizona branch of the Co$ is again attempting to deprive me of my right to free speech by abuse of the court system. This time they have an injunction from the Mesa, AZ municipal court. Needless to say, I will get this quashed and I will be seeking significant sanctions for this attempt to use the municipal court to impose a restriction that was already denied by the Superior Court of Arizona. I picket about once a week with a sign that says ‘Scientology lies’ and ‘Scientology hurts people’ At the municipal court level and with the lies contained in the document, these TROs are issued almost automatically. The Superior Court refused to issue an injunction without a hearing and refused to stop my picketing under the same law. That is why I am certain to get this quashed. The OSA representative lied on the petition.”

Random Howdy

“Yesterday you were merely irritating. Today you’ve placed yourself on the menu.”

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Next hearing set for November 10. Trial tentatively scheduled for February.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff’s sentencing to be scheduled.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Pretrial conference October 7 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial conference set for November 19.
— Joseph ‘Ben’ Barton, Medicare fraud: Pleaded guilty, awaiting sentencing.

Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30, 2020 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition to US Supreme Court submitted on May 26. Scientology responded on June 25.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: California Supreme Court granted review on May 26 and asked the Second Appellate Division to direct Judge Steven Kleifield to show cause why he granted Scientology’s motion for arbitration. Oral arguments scheduled for Oct 5.
— 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: Third amended complaint filed, trial set for June 28, 2022.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 23. Appeal hearing held Aug 23-27.

Concluded litigation:
— 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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THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON

We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links, including our four days in Los Angeles covering the preliminary hearing and its ruling, which has Danny facing trial and the potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison.

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 BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. 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] VALERIE HANEY SEEKS WRIT: Victims’ rights groups show support, Scientology cries bigotry
[TWO years ago] Another national census is in, and Scientology comes in at a mighty 0.007 percent!
[THREE years ago] A Scientology enforcer dies, and one of his former victims is the only one to eulogize him
[FOUR years ago] Scientology got plenty of photo ops out of hurricanes in Texas and Florida. But did it help?
[FIVE years ago] Flirt with Scientology, and its dogged letter writers will hound you forever
[SIX years ago] Leah Remini book out Nov. 3: ‘Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology’
[SEVEN years ago] Rathbun v. Scientology: Another appeals court hearing, this time with everything on the line
[EIGHT years ago] JASON BEGHE ON LEAH REMINI: She’s Right, Scientology Does Want Her to Fail
[TEN years ago] Scientology Dropkick: Commenters of the Week!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on September 24, 2021 at 07:00

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The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), 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, 15 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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