Today, in Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Upinder Kalra’s courtroom, Scientology will be trying to derail the Bixler v. Scientology lawsuit, the one that was filed by Danny Masterson’s victims in 2019, even before he was charged criminally.
The DA’s office charged Masterson in June 2020, his trials happened in 2022 and 2023, and he was sentenced on Sept 7 to 30 years to life in prison. And now, the lawsuit filed by his victims is active again, but the Church is trying to cut it off at the knees with a motion to strike.
The victims have returned fire by posting much more detail about the harassment they allege they’ve been going through at the hands of Scientology, its leader David Miscavige, and Danny Masterson (who is now in state prison in Corcoran).
Previously, we’ve showed you the new declarations from Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, and Jane Doe 3. And today, before this hearing starts, we’re posting the declaration of a fourth accuser, Bobette Riales, someone we’ve heard less about than the other women. Bobette did not testify in the criminal trials, but we think you’ll find her allegations interesting nonetheless.
And once again, we ask you to imagine if this information were to be presented to a jury. And we’ll wait to hear what Judge Upinder Kalra decides to do today with Scientology’s motion to strike.
DECLARATION OF MARIE BOBETTE RIALES
I, Marie Bobette Riales, declare as follows:
1. I am over the age of eighteen (18). I have personal knowledge of the facts stated below and, if called upon to do so, could and would competently testify thereto.
2. I am a Plaintiff in the case of Bixler, et al. v. Church of Scientology International, Inc., et al.
3. I submit this Declaration in Support of Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Defendants’ Special Motion to Strike Certain Allegations and Corresponding Causes of Action from the First Amended Complaint of Plaintiff Riales (“Motion”).
4. I met Daniel Masterson in or around 2002 at a party in Palm Beach, Florida, when I was working as a model. We soon began dating and spending all our time together.
5. Defendant Masterson sexually assaulted me throughout our relationship.
6. I stopped seeing Defendant Masterson in or around 2004. After I stopped seeing Defendant Masterson, Masterson continued to text, call, and leave strange voicemails for me. Masterson would tell me that I was nothing, that he had boosted my career, and that I was a liar and a whore. He also told me that his crew and friends were watching me.
7. In or around April 2017, I contacted the LAPD and reported Masterson’s assaults. Once I spoke to police, Defendants and their agents began an intense harassment campaign against me.
Instances of Physical Surveillance and Harassment
8. Approximately seven months after first reporting Masterson’s repeated sexual assaults against me to the LAPD, it was publicly leaked on Twitter that I had talked to the LAPD. Since going to the police, Defendants and their agents have frequently and consistently followed and surveilled me. I have observed on multiple occasions cars parked near my home or location and the occupants of the cars staring at me and photographing me.
9. On multiple occasions, Defendants and/or their agents followed my children while they walked home.
10. On one occasion, my neighbor observed one of Defendants’ agents in my driveway taking pictures of my food truck, car, license plates, and home and looking into the windows of the home. It appeared that the man was armed with a firearm. My neighbor confronted him, and he fled. Based on my neighbor’s description of the man, I believe the man was a known affiliate of Defendants. That night, at approximately 1:00 a.m., in a room where my 12 year-old child slept, a window was shattered.
11. On at least one occasion, I confronted Defendants’ agents standing on my property taking pictures of my home. The men fled when confronted. My neighbors have repeatedly confronted Defendants’ agents while they were surveilling my home.
12. On another occasion, shortly after speaking with police, I was at a restaurant with friends when the table next to me began taunting me by talking loudly of anal sex and rape. When I left the restaurant, the individuals at the adjacent table left and followed me to my car.
13. Since going to the authorities, Defendants agents have repeatedly stolen my trash and my parents’ trash.
14. On several occasions, I found all the doors of my car had been opened.
15. One evening, I found a shoe print on my front door and damage to the door’s threshold, which appeared to be the result of someone trying to kick open my door.
16. I have owned and operated a food truck since 2017. On multiple occasions, Defendants and/or their agents attempted to break into my food truck and have otherwise vandalized the food truck.
17. In or around July 2018, I went on vacation with my children to a seaside location on the East Coast. Every evening, I observed people on a nearby balcony taking photos of me.
18. Since around December 2018 through the present, I have observed people outside my home at all hours who would remain near my property and watch me. If I left my property, they would follow me.
19. On or around December 2019, I was in my home when I discovered the outside of my home had been set on fire. An initial investigation by the Evansville, Indiana Fire Department revealed that the fire was intentionally set and that there were no human factors on the part of myself to explain the origin of the fire.
20. In or around February 2020, I observed a woman sitting outside my home for over nine hours surveilling me and my home.
21. Also in or around February 2020, my dog became violently ill. I contacted a veterinarian who examined the dog and told me the dog had been poisoned.
22. In or around Fall 2020, six people wearing earpieces followed me and my 11-year-old daughter at a large department store, causing my daughter to have a panic attack.
23. Additionally, on many occasions, I have been followed by strangers throughout my town or to the homes of my friends and family.
Instances of Electronic and Online Harassment
24. I have received numerous threatening online messages from Defendants’ agents on social media.
25. My phone and computer have been hacked repeatedly, and I have experienced technological issues with various devices I have purchased. Accounts belonging to me, including my email account, have been hacked, and photos and other documents have been deleted from my electronic devices.
26. Also, in or around 2023, I was the subject of attempted blackmail, with the blackmailer threatening to publish prurient videos of me if I did not pay millions of dollars. I understood the blackmailer to be an affiliate of Defendants.
27. In or around 2016, I started an online business using Amazon.com as a marketplace to sell clothing. My Amazon account was hacked and shipments were not made (despite my account indicating they were made), resulting in the loss of customers and product, and ultimately resulting in the destruction of my business.
28. Defendants and their agents posted false reviews about my food truck business and attempted to list my food truck for sale.
29. Beginning in or around late 2018, the Vanderburgh County office of the Indiana Department of Child Services received one or more anonymous calls alleging that I was abusing and/or neglecting my children. These allegations were false, but nonetheless resulted in a lengthy investigation of me. After numerous court hearings, no adverse action was taken against me.
30. In or around September and October 2018, Defendants’ agent Kathy Gold started publicly threatening me and the other Plaintiffs, and their relatives. Gold accused me and the other Plaintiffs of being religious bigots and liars and threatened to commit serious and violent crimes against us, including murder. A true and correct copy of one of Gold’s threats against me and the other Plaintiffs is attached hereto as Exhibit A.
31. In or around June 2023, shortly after Defendant Masterson was convicted, a known agent of Scientology tweeted about me and the other Plaintiffs:
Because those 3 women implied drug use by Masterson, every Scientologist in LA now knows they were lying. Scientologists just don’t use drugs. Every Scientologist who recognizes these women will spit on them, for the rest of their lives. I sure wouldn’t want to be them.
A true and correct copy of this tweet is attached hereto as Exhibit B.
32. Later that day, the same known agent of Scientology tweeted:
Since these women live in LA and there are thousands of Scientologists in every walk of life in LA, the three women who lied in the Danny Masterson case will get spit on a lot. I don’t think they will take it out on the jury or judge since these were just fooled and manipulated by a false “expert witness”. But the 4 women will live in hell, now and for the rest of their lives.
A true and correct copy of this tweet is attached hereto as Exhibit C.
Emotional Distress Resulting from Defendants’ Conduct
33. As a result of the foregoing, I continue to be in fear for my life and the safety of my family. I have suffered from stress, emotional strain, anxiety, panic, depression, fatigue, insomnia, and body aches.
34. On multiple occasions, I told individual that were harassing me to cease their actions and have gone to law enforcement about the harassment. I also believe my responses, reactions, and actions, including the filing of this Complaint in or around August 2019, made it clear to the Defendants that I wanted them to stop harassing me. In any event, I believe that my safety and the safety of my family would be in jeopardy if I made additional attempts to directly confront Defendants’ agents regarding their harassing conduct.
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed on this 8th day of January, 2024, at Evansville, Indiana.
Marie Bobette Riales
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Technology Cocktail
“A degraded being is not a suppressive as he can have case gain. But he is so PTS that he works for suppressives only. He is sort of a super-continual PTS beyond the reach really of a simple S & D and handled only at Sect 3 OT Course. Degraded beings, taking a cue from SP associates, instinctively resent, hate and seek to obstruct any person in charge of anything or any Big Being.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1967
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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.
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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“One girl had married a man named Tom. She was very dissatisfied with Tom. She very much liked a fellow named George. She separated from Tom and married George. We took her into her past and found that her mother was married to a man named George and was very much afraid that George would leave her. All this was in the poor girl’s engrams. They told her she had to love George and stay with George. There was a person in the case named Tom whom her mother detested. This girl had been in love with about twenty-three men, all named George. This was a reactive mind marriage.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 13, 1951
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“What one gets Comm Eved for is in the P/Ls, FOs, FSOs, CBOs and HCOBs. You can’t be Comm Eved for failing to follow an illegal order. You sure can be for departing from policy issues. Orders don’t equal orders equal orders. That’s the road to disaster. Some orders are senior to others. A dock worker telling you to put on your jacket is not the same as your division head telling you to do so. You have policy to keep things straight. If policy doesn’t cover, request clarification. If you are doing something other than your hat, sooner or later it will catch up to you. I count on you to wear your hat as laid down by P/Ls, FOs, CBOs, FSOs and HCOBs. Don’t let me down.” — The Commodore (1971)
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“I am an OT and irregardless of life’s circumstances I cannot be broken. Changing the world? Well that’s another thing. One OT has already proven it can be done. Look at LRH. Or even look at Sadhguru. Both are OTs and LRH was Guatama Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism, and Sadghuru was vida, the founder of mysticism. Look what both of those OTs have done in their times alone as OTs. Millions of people are going Clear. Thousands of OTs are being born. Have faith in yourself and have faith in humanity and you will succeed. Look at all things in life. Be there comfortably. And look don’t believe.”
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1997: Dave Touretzky reported a probable sighting of a Scientology private investigator at his home. Dave maintains the NOTS Scholar’s web site, which Scientology has threatened legal action against in the past few months. “On Friday Feb. 7, 1997, as I was leaving my apartment, I ran into the apartment complex’s maintenance man, Rich, who asked me if the ‘CMU investigator’ who was looking for me had managed to get hold of me. I asked him what he was referring to. It turns out that a few days before, Rich had spotted a suspicious-looking guy with an RCA camcorder filming the parking lot and my apartment building. The guy then went into my building and came out again. (I wasn’t home.) Rich asked him what he was doing, and the guy told him that he was an investigator for CMU (Carnegie Mellon University, my employer), and he wanted to speak with me. He asked Rich some questions about me, specifically, had they had any trouble with me such as wild parties or drugs. Rich figured I was being checked out for a job, so he gave the guy his own name and answered his questions as best he could. There was no dirt to tell; I’ve always had a good relationship with my landlord. The guy also said he’d heard that I was ‘a computer whiz,’ and asked about that, but Rich didn’t know anything about it. I informed CMU’s lawyer of these events. He was not amused to hear that a PI was running around claiming to work for the university. Perhaps OSA is planning a burglary. I am taking appropriate precautions.”
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“Scientology was touted as the religion for the space age, but stylistically it’s firmly stuck in the time period of, let’s say, 1950 to the 1980s. In its own way Scientology and its members come across as being every bit as tragically unhip as their Fundamentalist Christian counterparts. Squares from Space.”
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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] When John Travolta first opened up about his Scientology involvement
[TWO years ago] Here’s the 2022 Scientology Super Bowl ad, this year’s ‘mystery sandwich’
[THREE years ago] Let’s bring one of Scientology’s most notorious bag men out of the shadows
[FOUR years ago] Agency that wouldn’t check on Shelly Miscavige makes visit to Underground Bunker commenter
[FIVE years ago] ‘Aftermath’ subject Brandon Reisdorf arrested for entering San Diego Scientology church
[SIX years ago] Evidence, finally, of how Scientology obsessively tracks down its former members
[SEVEN years ago] A new document shows how much Scientology obsesses over every member’s status
[EIGHT years ago] SCIENTOLOGY’S SPACE MAN: As of 2013, active Scientologists fewer than 20,000 worldwide
[NINE years ago] Days before crucial hearing, Scientology pulls out a ghost to sway a federal judge
[TEN years ago] Scientology video: Some of the best L. Ron Hubbard word salad ever
[ELEVEN years ago] Underground Bunker Reader Gets Declared a Suppressive Person by Scientology
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 2,809 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,304 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,819 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,369 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,359 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,240 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,544 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,415 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 4,967 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,308 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 12,875 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,794 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 4,962 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,543 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,804 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 3,840 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,556 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,120 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,435 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,610 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 7,161 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,292 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,630 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,485 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,604 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 2,960 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,263 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,369 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,767 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,643 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,208 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,721 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 3,975 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,084 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 13, 2024 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
