Scientology propaganda update: The Fabos Factor is back as the entire US goes Ideal!

 
We want to thank the readers who send us some of Scientology’s latest propaganda. It never fails to fascinate us, the way this organization gets its members excited about handing over even more of their hard-earned cash for Scientology leader David Miscavige to turn into his vanity construction projects.

In particular, Dave’s “Ideal Orgs” promise to create a new “Golden Age” of civilization, and Scientologists are being told that they are tantalizingly close to this goal: Only 12 more gleaming cathedrals left to build to make the entire United States “Ideal,” at about $25 million per facility or so. Chump change.

In order to promote this idea, a “convention” has been scheduled to take place in a couple of weeks at the San Fernando Valley Ideal Org, with Scientologists expected to have their butts in seats from 9 am to 10 pm. Hey, those are Sea Org hours!

 
But wait, there’s a special treat in store if you show up: At 5:30 pm, the superstars of expansion will show up to hand out some awards! Let’s take a look at who’s going to be featured…

First, there’s Tom Cummins who, after Bob and Trish Duggan, is the biggest single donor to Scientology there has ever been. At last count, he had donated something like $40 million, and that’s just to the IAS, Scientology’s membership slush fund, and that doesn’t count the millions more he’s given to Ideal Org projects.

He runs a deregulated electricity concern in Florida, which we’re sure is completely not some kind of utility MLM. And look at this badass billing!

 
Also showing up is Tom’s partner in crime, his best pal and fellow electricity mogul, Jim Bridgeforth, who’s no slouch at about $15 million in IAS giving.

 
But the names that really caught our eye were this next couple, none other than Steve and Peggy Fabos, otherwise known to Scientology watchers as The Fabos Factor!

 
Well, it’s good to see that Steve and Peggy are back in Dave’s good graces, because we had noticed their scarcity from recent fundraising materials.

You may remember the backstory. In 2017, Steve’s son Shaun Fabos was recorded in a pretext phone call with Danny Masterson rape accuser Jane Doe 1, who got Shaun on the phone to ask him if he remembered her telling him, in 2003, about being attacked by the That ’70s Show actor, and just a few days after that incident occurred. While he was being recorded, Shaun said that he did remember Jane Doe 1 telling him that in 2003, and that he had been so angry he wanted to kick Danny’s ass.

Masterson’s prosecution considered this a key piece of evidence backing up Jane Doe 1’s case, and they planned on calling Shaun to testify about it. That was not just bad news for Danny, it meant that a Scientologist, Shaun, whose parents were wealthy members of the church, found themselves in a position that they might be contributing to the prosecution of a Scientologist celebrity.

We couldn’t help noticing that it was precisely at that time that Shaun’s father Steve and Steve’s wife Peggy suddenly stepped up their fundraising for the church, making a big show of being major donors to multiple Ideal Org projects around the country, and in fanciful outfits, calling themselves The Fabos Factor.

 
It sure looked to us like some kind of “amends” project, intended to make up for what their son was involved in.

As it turned out, Shaun’s testimony was a disaster. If prosecutors thought they could get a Scientologist to stick to the script and merely admit to what he’d said in a 2017 recorded phone call, they were mistaken. Not only did Shaun fight the direct examination (and was declared a hostile witness), but he volunteered some pure fantasy, that he’d actually been along on a 2003 Florida trip and could impeach Jane Doe 1 about her condition on that trip.

Shaun Fabos is not being asked by the prosecution to testify in the retrial, which is no surprise. But we couldn’t help wondering if his testifying at all had been just too much for Miscavige, and perhaps Shawn’s wealthy parents were out of favor.

But now, with their inclusion in this new Ideal USA convention, we can see that all is well, and The Fabos Factor is back. Hip, hip, hooray!

We only wish we could attend the convention and see all this star power in one room. It will no doubt be a barn-burner!

And hey, Canadian Scientologists are getting a convention of their own the very next week. This continent will be Cleared in no time!

 
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Technology Cocktail

“If I have fought for a quarter of a century, most of it alone, to keep this work from serving to uphold the enslavers of Man, to keep it free from some destructive ‘pitch’ or slant, then you certainly can carry that motif a little further. I’ll not always be here on guard. The stars twinkle in the Milky Way and the wind sighs for songs across the empty fields of a planet a Galaxy away. You won’t always be here. But before you go, whisper this to your sons and their sons — ‘The work was free. Keep it so.'” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1957

 
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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 as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.

 
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THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?

[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH

— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see

[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf

— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond

[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney

 
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Source Code

“Is there any way to lick this thing called life? Well, that’s quite a thing to undertake, really. All in a few minutes, sit down with some preclear and go bang, bang, bang, and he feels better. Remember, this individual, at least so far as we can trace on an E-Meter has been about 76 trillion years on a track. He’s had experience after experience after experience after experience. He’s been through things they wouldn’t dare film or describe anywhere. And yet, we have the total conceit of — in using a few words — of attempting to resolve his wobbliness, his inabilities, his incapacities which have resulted from these experiences.” — L. Ron Hubbard, April 8, 1954

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“DEMOTION: Pending Comm Ev for muddying up port relations Mike Smith, Peter Warren, and Amos Jessup are removed from post and restricted to the ship. Ship’s Rep actions will be undertaken by the Purser and the 3rd Mate….I finally got data enough to get things handled and, with reservations, all is okay. If a problem or situation can’t be handled get it to somebody who can handle it. Don’t sit on it until the roof falls in. People only get bit for (a) not taking responsibility for their areas and for (b) failing to do their jobs or for (c) getting us in a mess through irresponsibility or stupidity.” — The Commodore, April 8, 1969

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Overheard in the FreeZone

“I found it confusing that Hubbard might have harmed some people. I think now I get it. Hubbard and possibly the real Illuminati see it as their duty to degrade the degenerate. If you let the moron go free, he might end up voting in a commie government or simply wreck life on Earth because he’s such an idiot. So Hubbard might have devised a way to trap and degrade degraded people so that they don’t stuff up Earth. Good and talented people rise above Hubbard’s tricks and break free to become a part of the elite of society and help the world. His trap is able to be gotten out of by logical people. Illogical people who are dangerous to the world (the degenerate lefty which you can see at silly protests in the streets) needs to be trapped and is trapped as they lack logic and only a logical classy mind can break free of Hubbards’ maze. So Scientology is a maze designed to trap the degenerate and to enhance the elite of society who are the only ones able to work out where the exit of the maze is.”

 
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Past is Prologue

2000: Hearings were held this week in both the civil and criminal cases resulting from the death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson. In each case, Scientology was arguing to dismiss the case because of the change in Dr. Joan Wood’s autopsy report from “undetermined” to “accidental”. From the St. Petersburg Times: “‘The entire basis for the state’s prosecution of this case has now collapsed,’ begins one of the many Scientology legal briefs arguing the case should be dismissed. The prosecution is grounded in ‘consuming prejudice’ against Scientology, the church alleges. Its leading argument for a dismissal: a February ruling by Medical Examiner Joan Wood, who now says McPherson died from an ‘accident’ stemming from a knee bruise that led to a fatal blood clot in her left lung. Wood once blamed McPherson’s death on ‘bed rest and severe dehydration’ at Scientology’s Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater, but has removed those words from the death certificate. The church also argues that the prosecution violates Florida law and the U.S. Constitution. Prosecutors, meanwhile, remain adamant that the church should stand trial for the actions of its Clearwater staffers, who tried for 17 days to nurse McPherson through a severe mental breakdown, but who also were present when she died at age 36 on the way to a distant hospital. In the process, prosecutors say, the church abused McPherson and practiced medicine without a license.”

 
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Random Howdy

“From what I’ve read registrars routinely tell prospective clients that Scientology can cure numerous physical aliments that the person is suffering from. That is medical fraud, is it not?”

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Mistrial declared November 30. Retrial scheduled, jury selection begins March 29. Next pretrial hearing: Feb 16.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing Feb 13.
— Rizza Islam, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for March 1 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next status conference Feb 13.

Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Complaint filed April 28 in Tampa federal court, Scientology moving to compel arbitration. Plaintiffs filed amended complaint on August 2. Hearing November 17 to argue the arbitration motions, awaiting ruling.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Selection of arbitrators underway. Next court hearing: March 15, 2023.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Stay in place at least through February 7.
— 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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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] This time, Scientology puts up no fight as Jane Doe 1’s new attorneys join the fray
[TWO years ago] Talk about ‘enabling’ Scientology, watch this craven plan to kick Mark Bunker off board
[THREE years ago] With Scientology largely shut down by the pandemic, the few remaining members reminisce
[FOUR years ago] Scientology admits in planning docs it expects only 6 walk-ins daily at new facility
[FIVE years ago] Scientology buys another derelict building in order to pretend that it’s expanding wildly
[SIX years ago] You tell us: What’s the current condition of the Church of Scientology?
[SEVEN years ago] Brian Sheen continues to fight Scientology’s ‘disconnection’ in unique and unusual ways
[EIGHT years ago] ‘Let him die’: Scientology leader David Miscavige had private eyes watching his father, say police
[NINE years ago] Mike Bennitt shares with us a creepy e-mail he received after filming Scientology events
[TEN years ago] An Interview with Brandon Ogborn About His Play, The TomKat Project
[ELEVEN years ago] Marty Rathbun is Big in the U.K., Still Waiting for Major U.S. Treatment

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on April 8, 2023 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, 1995-2022 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2022), 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

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone