Undercover investigation: Scientology’s dangerous games with mental health care

Last night, an undercover investigation of Scientology was aired on Radio Canada TV.

Host Marie-Maude Denis and reporter Gaétan Pouliot focused their three-month investigation on Scientology’s Quebec Org, located in the Saint-Roch district in Quebec City. This was for the show called Enquéte, which in English means “investigation.”

I watched the show in French and have to admit they spoke a bit fast for my meager vocabulary, but it was a fascinating study to watch it unfold. (Also, I found a transcript of the show that Pouliot posted online.)

The team sent in a gentleman using the alias “Pierre.” He had hidden cameras and recorded everything.

While Pierre was going through the usual Scientology indoctrination, the rest of the team was interviewing actual medical professionals about what Pierre was being told.

There were the usual things that came up, like the Scientology hatred for psychiatry, attempts to get Pierre off his psychiatric medication, and then to steer him onto the Purification Rundown (at a mere $2,500). This included the usual massive doses of vitamins.

Some standouts for me were when Pierre was put on a meter and asked the question every new person gets, “Are you here to investigate Scientology?” He of course answers “no,” and that seemed to satisfy the auditor. Oops. Meter not working, Brigitte?

So after they’d tried to get Pierre to quit all of his medications, he was told he needed their “drug bomb.” Well, he had to go to some out-of-the-way garage where the car mechanic there, a man named Doris Sanfaçon, told Pierre that he could procure the drug bomb for him. Not sketchy at all.

Also, at the garage they told Pierre not to tell his psychiatrist that he was stopping his medication. Then for just under $200, Pierre becomes the proud owner of a big box of VitalBulk vitamins, approved by the Church of Scientology —but just don’t take them into their building, he’s told. Some legal juggling here.

Then, Gaétan researches these VitalBulk vitamins and finds out that according to Health Canada they are not legal as they don’t meet the safety, health, and quality standards in this country. Oops again, Scientology.

One last point, before starting a Purification Rundown you need a doctor’s OK to start. The doctor Scientology had been using was confronted by the TV crew and after a bit of a discussion said that he’d no longer do Purif approvals for Scientology. The good doctor said, “The problem is that I don’t know the program to be able to authorize this. This is where I am at fault. It’s not legal, it’s not clean,” he added, and promised not to work with Scientology any more.

My overall impression is that the Scientology Org’s methods were shady from beginning to end, but more than that it’s dangerous and puts lives at risk. This was made very obvious by this excellent journalistic expose of the Quebec Org.

— Phil Jones

 
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Technology Cocktail

“Almost all auditors, when the Itsa Line first came out, tried only to find FUTURE TA ACTION and never took any PRESENT TA ACTION. The result was continuous listing of problems and needle nulling in an endless search to find something that ‘would produce TA action.’ They looked frantically all around to find some subject that would produce TA action and never looked at the Tone Arm of their meter or tried to find what was moving it NOW.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1963

 
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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

“All this of course is, is, I’m just, I’m just kidding you mostly. I don’t believe that you’ve been in the universe seventy-six trillion years. I don’t believe you have any past before birth. I don’t believe that there’s any reason whatsoever for this universe to be here except that some fellow called the devil or something that built it. Uh, I don’t believe any of these things. And I don’t want to be agreed with about them. It infuriates me to be agreed with about them, so I’m not asking for anybody to agree with me. But I’m not asking for anybody to disagree with me either.” — L. Ron Hubbard, December 1, 1952

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“NEXT PORT: The next port has its drawbacks but also its advantages. It is a bit dusty and occasionally smelly. But it is very quiet. It has an interesting native area. And you can have ash trays by the ton at the pottery shop. Remember to bargain hard. Offer a third or less of what is asked and come up a bit when buying odds and ends.” — The Commodore, December 1, 1970

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“I think it’s great that the church has a healthy second dynamic, like you see young people running their orgs, very likely they are Scientology kids. Maybe it has something to do with marriage being respected and abortion being avoided. We don’t seem to have a young generation in the Free Zone. I guarantee you the church will always exist because it’s got a second dynamic, of course only in a quiet way though but that’s better than nothing. We need younglings and babies so start making them.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: Florida prosecutors have filed with the court in the Lisa McPherson criminal case, arguing that Scientology’s defense that Lisa consented to her treatment by virtue of being a Scientologist. From the St. Petersburg Times: “The Church of Scientology in Clearwater cannot rely on religious grounds to escape prosecution in the death of one of its members, Pinellas-Pasco prosecutors argued in a strongly worded document filed Monday. The wording aims to undercut an argument by church lawyers that Scientology staffers were giving ‘spiritual assistance’ to parishioner Lisa McPherson when she died in their care in 1995. The church is charged with felony counts of abusing a disabled adult and practicing medicine without a license. But it has argued that its care of McPherson was protected under the First Amendment and the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. “That means there can be no prosecution for McPherson’s death, the church’s lawyers have said. They also argued that no one — not even a judge — may question or inquire too closely about Scientology beliefs that formed the basis for McPherson’s treatment. They argued that the charges should be dismissed. But prosecutors, seeking to have the charges stand, argued Monday that the term ‘church’ usually refers to a ‘body of believers’ or a place where worship occurs. They say neither applies at the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, the church’s entity in Clearwater.”

Random Howdy

“I’m putting out a shoop challenge. I’m envisioning a shoop of LRH with a doll of Miscavige sitting on his lap and Tiny Cancer has a Tom Cruise doll sitting on his lap. The prize to the winner is a chicken dinner or a quadrillion Howdy bucks.”

 
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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. Sentenced to 30 years to life 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. Next pretrial hearing October 30.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Complaint filed August 2, Scientology submitting anti-SLAPP response Oct 26.
— 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: Discovery phase.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Ordered to mediation.

 
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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] After Danny Masterson mistrial: Transcript of the press conference and more reactions
[TWO years ago] The Danny Masterson court cases and Scientology: A video update
[THREE years ago] If the feds are sniffing around, they might look at Danny Masterson’s besties
[FOUR years ago] Scientology amps up shattering suppression in the wake of Leah Remini’s onslaught
[FIVE years ago] President George H.W. Bush dies at 94, and we remember a fateful October 1991 day
[SIX years ago] How L. Ron Hubbard used ‘past lives’ to set a trap for Scientologists
[SEVEN years ago] Leah Remini: Scientology’s new attack has a Katie Holmes angle they aren’t talking about
[EIGHT years ago] Legoland theme park donates $10,000 to Scientology front on behalf of Jenna Elfman
[NINE years ago] Hey, Dr. Phil, get a clue about Scientology and stop stiff-arming Lori Hodgson
[TEN years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: Fundraising Mailers Galore!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 1, 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