TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We have a fondness for ‘independent’ #Scientology, whose biggest story in recent years is the supposed return of founder L. Ron Hubbard in the form of a California ex-con, now awaiting trial in Tennessee. What’s new is the origin story that popped up about him, and it’s a doozy. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“There are thousands of auditors across the world. Few of them are clear. Once or twice a year amongst all these one of them turns upon us. Rumours fly. People wonder. Eyebrows raise. Why? In a few years they’ll be clear. We’ve just begun the project. Right now they are not.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1960
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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 [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner
“I was in a hospital one time and my stomach wall wouldn’t heal. Been messed up. And so they kept feeding me custard. And after about the 465th custard, I just had some kind of an inkling I was coming around a little bit. Actually, what was wrong with me was I was utterly exhausted. I’d just been in combat theater after combat theater, you see, with no rest, no nothing between. And it sort of came to me that this was not the sort of a diet that I myself would select of my own free choice. So I used to slide out with a good-looking nurse, and — beg your pardon, she was a WAVE. And she knew where there was a wonderful Chinese noodle parlor. And so after I’d eat my custard, she would come in and we would go out the back gate and we’d go down and I’d have several egg foo yungs. And you know, soothing things like sweet and sour pork, you know, and so forth. I started to feel better, started to get back on my feet again. And it was those custards — I kept telling the doctors, you see — those custards were absolutely marvelous, particularly when served in Chinese restaurants under some other name. you weren’t supposed to eat anything else, you see. So then finally, finally, through the connivance of a couple of hospital corpsmen and several pals in the Marine, why, I got the wrong meal ticket issued to me, and there was a special diet table where they fed people nothing but steak! So I do know where all the steaks went that the civilians didn’t get, because they were all served at that table. Huge piles of steaks would come in, you see, and I’d demolish four or five of these steaks and feel much better. The medicos never found out about this. And I finally got restored to duty, ‘Certified for continental limits of the United States only. To stay where a proper diet and ration and adequate rest are assured.’ And of course, the next piece of paper back of that says, ‘Ordered to the Fifth Amphibious Force,’ you see.” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 30, 1961
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“HATS: Lack of hattedness is what makes an activity look inefficient. It’s what makes lines rough. HASs and HCO are responsible for hatting. Full and competent Hatting makes an org efficient and easy to work in.” — The Commodore, August 30, 1971
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“It’s NOT ENOUGH to just be Scientologists or going up the Bridge. The World has gone crazy and it will only get worse. The Church of Scientology is nowhere on sight. Scientology has gotten a bad name. Not enough auditing is occurring not to say anything about making auditors. You want more? There is ONE more thing that is even worse: AI is coming, artificial intelligence and that will put even more Automaticity in life. People believe they are soulless bodies or even animals. That’s rather grim. Only a strong group of people who can work together can do something about it and be heard. I don’t see any other way.”
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1997: Martin Hunt and Tilman Hausherr reported that Scientology is planning a large march on Berlin, to protest alleged human rights violations. “In a recent event, they said they need to ‘terminatedly handle’ the ‘situation’ in Germany by staging a mass crusade in Berlin, something like the Portland Crusade. The cult hopes to attract 25,000 people. The date is set for the day after the IAS Int Day on October 7th: October 8th, 1997. They also plan to flood the market with 6,000,000 Freedom Magazines. 10,000 IAS members will be flying into Berlin from all over the world on October 6th to protest Germany’s suppression of Scientology. The trip package costs $5000 and each member will get a pin from DM, himself, at AOSH UK, before flying on to Berlin. Jentzsch, Travolta, Corea, Archer, the Head of NAACP, etc. will be coming.”
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“Mooser, I wish you would stop telling people to set their activity to private. It’s important to be able to read the previous comments to figure out if they’re some nutjob troll or a real Scientologist, for example.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentencing on Sep 7.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Trial scheduled for August 15.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.
Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Complaint filed August 2, first hearing set for Dec 4.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration. Plaintiffs allowed interlocutory appeal to Eleventh Circuit.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— 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 sentencing of Masterson on Sep 7. Next hearing set for Sept 26.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Next hearing Nov 6.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Ordered to mediation.
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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] Freezone news: LRH 2.0 indicted by grand jury, new center opens in Buenos Aires
[TWO years ago] Scientology wants your toddler on the cans, and here’s evidence of it
[THREE years ago] Danny Masterson presses for Jane Does suing him to identify themselves as hearing nears
[FOUR years ago] Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard has some ideas about your ‘eternity’
[FIVE years ago] Kiosk-Gate: LAPD told Masterson accuser its Hollywood site was compromised by Scientology
[SIX years ago] DOX: L. Ron Hubbard’s son called him a junkie and sex pervert in FBI’s Scientology files
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology petitions California Supreme Court over disqualified judge in forced-abortion case
[EIGHT years ago] ‘Miss Lovely’ in London: Paulette Cooper writes another chapter in her amazing story
[NINE years ago] Scientology training includes how to physically pull cash away from a reluctant patsy
[TEN years ago] BBC Tracks Down Audio of 7-Year-Old Scientologist Neil Gaiman
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology Attacks The New Yorker. Hilarity Ensues.
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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 3,137 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,652 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,202 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,192 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,073 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,377 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,248 days.
Doug Kramer has not seen his parents Linda and Norm in 2,353 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 4,800 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,142 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 12,708 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,627 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 4,794 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,376 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,637 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 3,673 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,389 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,953 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,268 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,443 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,994 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,125 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,463 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,318 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,437 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 2,793 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,096 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,202 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,600 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,476 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,041 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,554 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 3,808 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,917 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 30, 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
