Twice now, we’ve partnered with “Apostate Alex” Barnes-Ross to bring you the speeches of Scientology leader David Miscavige.
On November 3, Dave addressed the IAS gala under the big tent at Saint Hill in East Grinstead, England. And last Saturday, he gave a stemwinder to the audience at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Both times, those speeches were leaked to us, and Alex put out the audio track while we posted the full transcripts.
Dave made lots of claims in those speeches, and so we thought we’d discuss that with Alex, and also catch up with him on what else he’s been up to.
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Continuing our year in review: The stories of March 2023
We checked in on Dani and Tami Lemberger at their independent Scientology mission in Haifa, Israel.
It was sad and surprising to hear that former Scientology Sea Org member Jenny Burpee, who had played such an important role in Kat White’s life, had died at only 39.
Scientology tells Judge Gail Killefer that it has assembled an arbitrating panel for Valerie Haney’s case, but it won’t tell Valerie which people have been chosen. And for good measure they say they want $107,000 in sanctions from Valerie. (They didn’t get it.)
What a treat: For our podcast, we interviewed ‘Q: Into the Storm’ figure Fredrick Brennan, who turns out to be very knowledgeable about Scientology!
Clarissa Adams joined the podcast to tell us how Scientology continues to rip families apart to the present day.
Clearwater’s mayor, Frank Hibbard, suddenly resigned, and we talked it over with Mark Bunker. What a strange move.
We figured it was time to tell you about John Blosser, Scientology’s latest reporter shill, who had begun targeting Graham Berry, but who has been targeting your proprietor, Mike Rinder, and Leah Remini for years. A disgraced former reporter for the National Enquirer (and imagine how hard you have to work to become disgraced from that job), he sometimes admits that he’s working for Scientology’s Freedom magazine, and other times keeps quiet about it. What a job.
With all of the recent action in Valerie Haney’s case, she agreed to an interview about it which we placed at Rolling Stone. Nearly four years after filing her lawsuit, she was facing the prospect of having to submit to Scientology’s “religious arbitration.”
On March 28, Judge Olmedo made a series of important rulings ahead of Danny Masterson’s retrial, which included the great news that she’d be allowing Claire Headley to testify as an expert on Scientology.
Then, on the last day of the month, a devastating setback in the labor trafficking lawsuit filed by Valeska Paris and the Baxters: Saying his hands were tied, Judge Thomas Barber granted Scientology’s motion to force the case into “religious arbitration. Incredible.
A LOOK BACK AT MARCH 2022: Valerie Haney’s motion for reconsideration is turned down, and she’s still stuck in arbitration. Jane Doe 1’s 2004 letter to Scientology’s IJC requesting permission to report Danny Masterson to the LAPD. The latest roster of wealthy whales keeping Scientology afloat. We were shocked to learn of the death of Ginger Sugerman. Will Smith’s fateful slap of Chris Rock at the Oscars naturally aroused curiosity about Smith’s involvement in Scientology. And we were stunned to learn that Hanan Islam, still under indictment, had died of cancer.
A LOOK BACK AT MARCH 2021: First new footage of Shelly Miscavige in years, from a 2001 event. Steve Fishman got out of prison years early. Scientologist-owned ‘Real Water’ turned out to be poisoning people. ABC Mouse honcho Doug Dohring forked out another $10 million to Scientology and its “LRH Hall.” Rizza Islam named one of the twelve worst sources of online antivaxx disinformation.
A LOOK BACK AT MARCH 2020: Grant Cardone pushing pushing bogus stem cell cures. David Miscavige was briefly scheduled for a deposition. Danny Masterson’s accusers spoke out in sworn declarations. The pandemic arrives and cancels the L. Ron Hubbard birthday event. Mark Bunker gets elected to city council in Clearwater. We got our hands on David Miscavige’s secret briefing for Scientologists calling the pandemic a “planetary bullbait.”
A LOOK BACK AT MARCH 2019: R.M. Seibert made the entertaining Scientology-US Government-NY Yankees connection. Evidence that Tom Cruise and John Travolta both attended the LRH Birthday event. Sunny Pereira remembers when Lisa Marie Presley brought Michael Jackson into the Celebrity Centre. The London Org sends out an auditor training success story by Isabella Cruise. Man (later identified as Brian Statler) is shot dead at the Inglewood Ideal Org.
A LOOK BACK AT MARCH 2018: Scientology TV finally debuted, and featured David Miscavige in a short monologue. That same night, Leah Remini asked ‘Where’s Shelly?’ on the Aftermath. Arnie Lerma shot his wife in the face and then turned the gun on himself. And we learned that Kirstie Alley had achieved OT 8.
A LOOK BACK AT MARCH 2017: Scientologist actor Danny Masterson was under investigation for multiple rapes. Joy Villa mulled a run for Congress. We caught Marty Rathbun helping his old nemesis, the Church of Scientology, in a court case. We traced Marty’s dramatic arc from Scientology critic to Scientology attack dog. Leah Remini turned out to have helped finance the Scientology/NOI dance. Kuba Ka charmed us in a lengthy interview. And Reza Aslan laid an egg.
A LOOK BACK AT MARCH 2016: Attorney Ken Dandar dodges a million-dollar bullet. Tabatha Fauteux’s boyfriend tells us what really happened in her death while training for Scientology’s Narconon network. Belgium blows its prosecution of the church. And the saga of former Scientology helper cop, Skip Young.
A LOOK BACK AT MARCH 2015: Federal Judge James Whittemore hamstrung the Garcia fraud lawsuit with a stunning ruling, we dug up even more evidence that L. Ron Hubbard used the threat of “R2-45” to intimidate former church members, Paul Haggis gave us his thoughts as Alex Gibney’s Going Clear debuted on HBO, and we got to hear Sylvia DeWall being declared an SP while it was happening,
A LOOK BACK AT MARCH 2014: John Travolta mangled Idina Menzel’s name at the Oscars. We interviewed Russell Miller as his book Bare-Faced Messiah came back in print after 27 years. Jillian Schlesinger told us her gripping story of escape from the Sea Org.
A LOOK BACK AT MARCH 2013: We had fun with SMERSH Madness. We leaked Sea Org life histories. Narconon Arrowhead CEO Gary Smith lost his professional certification.
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Technology Cocktail
“Psychotics (real, gibbering ones) are below auditing treatment in sessions. The measure used for them should be just rest and isolation from their former environments. And the first process used should be just getting the person to realize you are safe and safe to talk to.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1964
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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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“Every language has a basic word for ‘accept’ and a basic word for ‘reject’ which allows for no argument. Whereas they do have differences on such a thing as ‘associate.’ Look what Freud did with ‘associate.’ I’m being awfully hard on the old man this morning. There’s no reason to be hard on the guy, he actually was the entering wedge into psychotherapy. But I’m young and cocky and I didn’t have to write ‘Psychoanalysis: Terminable and Interminable.’ I didn’t have to write that. I will never have to write something, now, I know very well, called ‘Dianetics: Terminable or Interminable.’ Apathy, apathy. Imagine a guy beating the drum, beating the drum all those years, having to sit down and write that essay. This was one of the last essays he wrote. He knew he had failed before he died, which is the saddest thing that can happen to any man.” — L. Ron Hubbard, December 23, 1954
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“The boot top and hull need squaring up. The gold stripe and the gold name should be handled quickly. She should be prettied up for Christmas and the New Year. She is a very nice ship. Almost any other ship would leap about madly in the seas in which we run. She is also a very pretty ship and looks more like a yacht than most yachts do.” — The Commodore, December 23, 1970
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“I think us Scios need to look after our bodies and live longer as there’s a bit of a problem with div 6 in the Scientology world and until we have a healthy influx on new bodies into Scientology regularly, until the div 6 problem has been handled, we are going to have to make sure the bodies we’ve got are around for as long as possible. Like til you’re 120, no joke, and I actually expect more than that. This is vital for Scientology ATM. So to do this there are great supplements available, I take: Astaxanathin, Niacin, Reishi tea (so happy I can drink a supplement, so good), Alex Jones’s DNA Force, White Powder Gold and Resveratrol. Just a bit of this stuff everyday forever will stop the body from ageing….Our bodies have been designed to age and die, they’ve been programmed to by SPs, well we can get around this. Intelligent, awake people need to live as long as possible. This is no negotiable unless you want to get a new body sometime soon which might be right for you, but for the rest of us, we aint gonna die and we are gonna make Scientology a game for many more.”
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2000: The case of Raul Lopez against Scientology for defrauding him of the money he received in a head injury settlement was the subject of an article in the Los Angeles New Times. “Without exception, doctors advised him to adapt to his limitations and move on with his life. But that was before Lopez, 34, stumbled upon a Scientology booth at a Ventura County flea market. The Scientologists, he concluded, had what he wanted. ‘They were going to make me whole again,’ he recalls once believing. According to attorneys Dan Leipold and Ford Greene, Lopez also had something the Scientologists wanted: $1.7 million that was their client’s share of the court settlement stemming from the accident. As part of a potentially explosive case wending its way toward trial in Los Angeles superior court Lopez’s attorneys contend that the church and individuals associated with it swindled their brain-damaged client out of up to $1.3 million.”
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“One of the few things I appreciate about the cult is their retro-ness.”
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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 January 29, 2024.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.
Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Complaint filed August 2, motion to strike/anti-SLAPP motions by Scientology to be heard January 9, 2024.
— 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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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] Need last-minute gifts for the Scientologists on your list? We got your back, Santa!
[TWO years ago] INSIDER: How Scientology’s ‘Ideal Org’ scam works, and how members are victimized by it
[THREE years ago] Political dupe of the day: KC councilman helps Scientology front group with ‘murder’ signs
[FOUR years ago] Bernie Headley, 1952-2019: A man who fought against Scientology’s ‘disconnection’
[FIVE years ago] Scientology’s smear machine hurting your reputation? For $1,500 they can help with that.
[SIX years ago] A look back at the month when all hell broke loose for Scientology and Danny Masterson
[SEVEN years ago] LAPD needs two more weeks to respond to Leah Remini about missing wife of Scientology leader
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology’s 2015 in review: In March, HBO went Clear while we eavesdropped on Flag
[NINE years ago] Scientology hit with 25th lawsuit by Las Vegas attorney as he goes after Florida rehab
[TEN years ago] Scientology’s mecca wants you to come to Florida and run circles around a pole
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology’s 2012 in Review: Debbie Cook Makes Us Remember the Alamo
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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 3,252 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,767 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,317 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,307 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,188 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,492 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,363 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 4,915 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,257 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 12,823 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,742 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 4,910 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,491 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,752 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 3,788 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,504 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,068 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,383 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,558 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 7,109 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,240 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,578 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,433 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,552 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 2,908 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,211 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,317 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,715 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,591 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,156 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,669 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 3,923 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,032 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 23, 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
