This week I continued my interview with recent Sea Org escapee Katherine Olson, who generously shared her time with me to tell us about her decades of experience in the Sea Org and Scientology. In this second part, we discuss the recent controversies and financial crimes of Scientology from her perspective inside, her transfer to the Columbus Ideal Org (along with many other Sea Org members) and then what happened when Covid struck. There’s a lot of territory we cover here leading up to her escape, which you will hear a lot more about in our third episode next week, but I think you’ll find this interview absolutely fascinating. I sure did.
— Chris Shelton
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Bonus items from our tipsters
Consistent with what we’ve heard from The Insider…
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Did you know you can get an email every morning when we post our daily Scientology story? We know some of the folks who come to the Underground Bunker aren’t here to talk about the politics of the day, and that’s why we created a daily politics feature over at our other blog, The Lowdown, and we ask readers to take their political discussions over there. And if you drop us a line at tonyo94 AT gmail, we’ll put you on the list so you get a morning reminder that a new Scientology story has been posted — and only for our Scientology stories.
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“Many an auditor falls for this because the PC wants to know how come he was on the planet Yuk-zuk in a railway conductor’s uniform, you see? What was he doing there? And that’s all very interesting and we can assuage his curiosity to some degree, but if we go in for just assuaging the curiosity of the thing — dramatizing watching TV or something like that, you see — we unfortunately get into the situation where we’re not following down an engramic chain. So here, you see, is another great liability in running engrams. We get so absorbed in dramatis personae and that sort of thing, that we actually aren’t running the chain of engrams at all, we are simply trying to find out. See, get that as a liability, because it is a liability. You actually can find out all about what this PC was doing on the planet Yuk-zuk. You could find out all about it. The only trouble is the basic on it was on the planet Pan-wan, which was a trillion years earlier. You see?” — L. Ron Hubbard, June 11, 1963
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“No member of the Ships Company as per Flag Order is permitted to bring any pet aboard without permission. Gerry McLarty and Maria Bosselaar have brought aboard birds of the Psittacine family and Julie Blundell has a bird of unknown variety. These birds may endanger our free pratique at the next port entry. More particularly, Psittacine birds can develop psittacosis, an infectious virus disease, which can be transmitted to humans and so are a health hazard.” — Capt. Mary Sue Hubbard, June 11, 1969
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“Much like you have had free reign to spread entheta about our org and our members, I should be allowed to have my voice, so please stop attempting to suppress me by saying ‘stop it’ and ‘stop spreading entheta.’ Per LRH, ethics exist to HELP orgs, not destroy them. Please see references above. Moreover, LRH says that we are protected from ethics because of our up-stats. The case should be closed there. Moreover, LRH didn’t want a dictatorship to exist. As long as Scientology is introduced into the world and we can HELP people, we should. If our org is gone, along goes with it the world’s only online course room for independent Scientologists, video production to increase awareness of LRH and his materials, quotes, the first Scientology games, and then some.”
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1999: “Realpeach” posted a summary of recent revenge actions at her home. She is a regular protester at the San Francisco org. “I got a home picket by two Scientologists today, so I thought I’d report on it, and the last couple of incidents I hadn’t posted before. May 27, 1999: Two incidents. I got home at 7:20 pm to find two people picketing my house with the standard ‘Religious Bigot’ flyers attached to picket signs. Both were older people, who certainly ought to have known better, one man, one woman. Someone else came by later and left one of those rock-filled, rolled up flyers on the walkway to my house. May 30, 1999: It was the man named Craig who has picketed me before. But when I opened the door ready to get a picture, no one was there. June 6, 1999: Two picketers this time, the woman with the dark curly hair, and Craig. It has been my policy to do my best to not engage in discussion with the Scientologist Home Picket/Harassment Brigade. I do not wish to reward what I consider to be outrageous stalking. My neighbors however, have no such policy. In the strongest terms they advised the Scientologists to leave the neighborhood. Which, after a few minutes, the two Scientologists did. My neighbors also said that their kids don’t like to walk down the sidewalk when the Scientologists are there.”
“The fact that the mayor couldn’t revoke the license for the Scientologists to erect their circus tent in punishment for their egregious act I find outrageous. The U.S legal system is way too convoluted for my liking.”
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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 pretrial conference June 30. Trial scheduled for October 11.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Last hearing was on January 18, referred to grand jury. Additional charges also referred to grand jury after January 5 assault while in jail.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff’s sentencing to be scheduled.
— Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Pretrial conference June 9 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial conference set for September 19.
— Yanti Mike Greene, Scientology private eye accused of contempt of court: Found guilty of criminal and civil contempt.
Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Complaint filed April 28 in Tampa federal court.
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Eleventh Circuit affirmed ruling granting Scientology’s motion for arbitration. Garcias considering next move.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Valerie’s motion for reconsideration denied on March 15.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Next hearing scheduled for June 29.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Third amended complaint filed, trial set for December 6.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: New trial ordered after appeals court overturned prior ruling.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Lawsuit filed by the FTC and state of Georgia in August, now in discovery phase.
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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.
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] Scientology sends out a deluge of mailers as its newest Texas location prepares to open
[TWO years ago] Scientologist attorney gets her first ‘head on a pike’ with OC health officer resignation
[THREE years ago] Justin Bieber in the octagon? Why he couldn’t handle Tom Cruise’s Scientology powers
[FOUR years ago] When Scientology keeps a mother from her child in the ER: Lori Hodgson’s story
[FIVE years ago] Neil Gaiman’s sis begs her fellow Scientologists to donate to an already funded building
[SIX years ago] BILLBOARD 2.0 — Phil and Willie Jones set their sights on Scientology’s mecca in Florida
[SEVEN years ago] Augustine: How L. Ron Hubbard devised Scientology’s most diabolical legal mechanisms
[EIGHT years ago] OKLAHOMA EMPANELS GRAND JURY TO INVESTIGATE SCIENTOLOGY’S DRUG REHAB
[NINE years ago] Precious Bodily Fluids: Scientology and the Purification Rundown
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,692 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,197 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,747 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,737 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,628 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,934 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,803 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,577 days.
Doug Kramer has not seen his parents Linda and Norm in 1,908 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 4,381 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,697 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 12,263 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,182 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 4,350 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,930 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,192 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 3,228 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,943 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,468 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 823 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,998 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,549 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,698 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,018 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,873 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,992 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 2,348 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,651 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,757 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,155 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,031 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,614 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,109 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 3,363 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,472 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 11, 2022 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
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, 1995-2021 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2021), 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
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
Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
