Why Scientology’s reclusive leader would risk re-emerging in England for the IAS gala

Several weeks ago, we told you that we were hearing from some of our sources in England that the IAS gala was going to be held there after an absence of four years.

Yesterday, Alexander Barnes-Ross reported that he had obtained a flier promoting that very thing, suggesting that the 2023 IAS gala will be held at Saint Hill, Scientology’s UK headquarters in East Grinstead, over the weekend of November 3-5.

The biggest implication of that, of course, is that Scientology leader David Miscavige plans to preside over the event, marking his return to international events after several years dodging process servers in Florida.

Before the pandemic, Scientology’s calendar was marked with four major international events that all wealthy Scientologists were expected to attend: A New Year’s event in Los Angeles; founder L. Ron Hubbard’s March 13 birthday in Clearwater, Florida; a week on the Freewinds cruise ship in the Caribbean in June or July; and then the IAS gala in East Grinstead, usually in October.

The IAS event celebrates the International Association of Scientologists and its major donors. It gives Miscavige an opportunity to hand out large gaudy trophies to Scientologists who have donated millions of dollars.

Once the pandemic hit in 2020, however, those events were confined to the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater, with Miscavige in attendance. As far as we know, he has not been seen outside of the Clearwater area since his last ‘Ideal Org’ grand opening in Ventura, California in February 2020.

So this would be a big step for him, traveling across the Atlantic to preside once again in the big tent that is set up for the IAS event. The last time it was held there, in 2019, Tom Cruise not only showed up, but he brought his children Isabella and Connor for the first time.

With celebrities and big donors arriving for their trophies, Miscavige would be making something of a statement by finally leaving his Clearwater fortress and risking being exposed to process servers or other members of the public by traveling to Saint Hill.

Isn’t that unusually bold of him?

Mike Rinder tells us, however, that if Miscavige is going to get international events going again, it makes sense to do it at Saint Hill for the IAS gala.

“Saint Hill is a much more controlled environment than any other venue, as he just has to get from his private jet landing into a vehicle and then drive onto the grounds at Saint Hill,” Mike tells us. “When I flew there on Tom Cruise’s plane with him, we landed at Farnborough, which is a private jet airport that has no direct public access, and you get cleared and drive the vehicle up to the plane.”

Other venues just don’t offer that level of security, he points out.

“At an Ideal Org grand opening he has to be visible on the street, (and not all General Aviation airfields have direct vehicle access to the planes). I don’t think he trusts the people at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. LA is also not a ‘safe’ environment at the Shrine because it is really big and hard to control and he has to drive there and back to wherever he comes from, stuck in LA traffic,” Mike says.

“So, if he is going to make his reappearance on the world stage, it’s the IAS event that would be the venue of choice. And it doesn’t hurt that they can amp up the hype for the whales with ‘COB will announce you himself and if you give enough he will present you with your trophy.'”

Mike acknowledges that Miscavige doesn’t have to come to England to hand out trophies to big donors, he can do that in Clearwater, as he has been doing the last three years.

There’s something else going on, Mike figures.

“I think he is feeling the need to ‘make a statement’: ‘I am not in hiding, despite what may be said.'”

 
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Technology Cocktail

“When the tone arm moves it is because mass is changing. When a pc is being the mass and no other mass or thing he cannot view it, as there is nothing there to view the mass but the mass. Thus we get cases that cannot as-is. These cases are just being the one valence or the mass or the somatic without being or seeing anything else.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1962

 
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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 [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman

 
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Source Code

“I don’t know whether parts of the body will rebuild or not. Auditors have hazarded that and they’re working on it. They’re trying to figure it out, trying to get the third tooth to grow where a tooth’s been pulled, trying to get this to happen and that to happen and trying to get a finger to grow, something like that. People’s limbs have lengthened two, three, four inches; their spines have lengthened, their height’s grown. And I’ve seen places on the body fill in where chunks had been pulled out. But I haven’t seen a whole limb grow, or I haven’t seen half a limb grow, I mean, and complete itself and be a full limb again. I don’t know. Possibly something to do with structural pattern or the bud or something has to be implanted along the line or something. One of these days we’ll find out what that is and then we’ll all have two heads.” — L. Ron Hubbard, October 4, 1953

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“FESTIVAL: The GREAT PEANUT RACE is the next major event of the Festival! The three lowest hour auditors in the last five days will engage in a death defying race pushing each a peanut around the entire circle of the Prom Deck amid the cheers of the multitude. The Contestants should be equipt with knee pads and gloves. Three peanuts must be provided of suitable size with spares in case of a track crack up.” — The Commodore, October 4, 1971

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Overheard in the FreeZone

“From my understanding of the tech, Thetans have no sex so sexual attraction itself is a GE abberation. In fact, thetan’s interest in human sexual intercourse and the associated sensations is one of the main reasons we became stuck inside our current bodies (blanketing, putting out tractor beams, etc.) Based on this and the fact that the 2nd Dynamic exists, I would say Hubbard believed that sex for any reason besides creation was abberative.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1997: Scientologist Josie Romero sued the New York branch of the Deutsche Bank, it was announced this week, claiming religious discrimination. “In her complaint, Ms. Romero alleges that a Vice-President of the DB Trader division of the German bank, on learning that she was a member of the Church of Scientology, made highly derogatory and offensive remarks about her religion. After Ms. Romero complained about his conduct, she was given almost no work to do. After repeatedly protesting to her superiors about her complete lack of work, Ms. Romero requested a transfer to another division of Deutsche Bank. Instead of granting her request, the bank put Ms. Romero on administrative leave for one month and then fired her. The bank asked her to sign away her right to sue or file a complaint over the manner of her dismissal, but she refused. The complaint alleges that the discrimination suffered by Ms. Romero is part of ‘a pattern and practice of discrimination against the Church of Scientology and its members’ and gives as examples the refusal of German branches of Deutsche Bank to open accounts for the Church of Scientology.”

 
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Random Howdy

“J&D is hard. Anybody can write something serious and emotional and get all the upvotes. We comedians are the true artistes.”

 
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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:

 
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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] Prosecution plans to call 1996 victim in Danny Masterson trial
[TWO years ago] Is this a list of all of Scientology’s active subsidiary corporations that a tipster fed us?
[THREE years ago] Scientology once again confirms our estimates for its tiny size
[FOUR years ago] For $100, Scientologist sorcerer will share secret of living to 150 (and we have the secret!)
[FIVE years ago] Scientology has its whales — and now the Underground Bunker does too!
[SIX years ago] Is Scientology’s notorious prison detail — the ‘RPF’ — a thing of the past?
[SEVEN years ago] Pam Bondi thrills at Scientology’s mecca, Hungarian TV bends over, & other updates
[EIGHT years ago] Meet the young Hollywood types who introduced Cathriona White to Scientology
[NINE years ago] Jon Atack: How to talk to a Scientologist to plant the seeds of doubt
[TEN years ago] WORLD PREMIERE: The Shrinking Cult of Scientology, A Video By Tiziano Lugli
[ELEVEN years ago] Mark Bunker Speaks, and Atlanta Burns
[TWELVE years ago] Philip Boyd, Saving Grace Actor, Rips “The Business That Is Scientology”

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on October 4, 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