TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: You’ve no doubt seen the news that Scientology’s chief ornament, actor Tom Cruise, is going to perform a death-defying stunt involving the Olympic flag at the Closing Ceremonies on August 11. But hang on, isn’t LA’s mayor, Karen Bass, supposed to be getting that flag? Uh-oh. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Auditing is a team activity. The day of the individual country doctor is dead. Even if an individual field auditor starts out as an individual he goes one of two directions — he overworks and squirrels himself into failure or he builds up a team—may only be a receptionist and an apprentice auditor but he is still building up a team. I have never seen individual auditors succeed over a long period. Failing to form or become part of a team, they eventually fade out or squirrel.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1971
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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 [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones
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“If you ever want to see tiredness overwhelm the PC, run him into the area of the whole track called Arslycus. And there thetans were actively producing matter, you see. And they were hanging off walls, making walls and making tilework and mocking everything up and smoothing it out and you couldn’t get away….How about the fellow who ran Arslycus? How about the overt, man? Look at that level of overt. Thetans by the ton, all around, working like mad to build walls and build this and build that and finally, through some mysterious circumstance that nobody has ever been able to trace, Arslycus fell apart and everybody fell and fell and fell. It, by the way, wasn’t on a planet. It was, of course, just a construction out in space as itself. Nobody had invented planets yet and planets undoubtedly were invented to cure things happening that happened at Arslycus because they had walls and roads and courts and houses and towering buildings and everything. And of course they just ran without foundation, Uninfluenced with gravity or anything else. And one fine day it all fell apart.” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 3, 1961
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“Suzette Hubbard, Ann Tidman and Terri Gillham are confined to the ship for a week for staying on liberty till after midnight without my permission, and for leaving the ship again after midnight, without my permission. QMs, please note.” — LRH Pers Comm, August 3, 1970
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“On a really positive note I attested to my advanced level yesterday. Took a year of slogging away, digging that ditch and blowing away mountains of charge to complete! Feels like a thick concentric layer of case has been handled finally! It’s just awesome. I love the newfound space to stretch my theta muscles and postulate with far less CI! All my dynamics feel calm and focused in alignment. You only know there was a large background noise when it switches off haha!”
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2000: Plans were announced this week for a benefit concert for the Lisa McPherson Trust, to be held in November in Clearwater. “The first annual benefit concert for the Lisa McPherson Trust. It is scheduled for Saturday, November 11, 2000 at a Clearwater, Florida venue to be announced at a later date. This event will feature area and regional musical acts, as well as appearances and speeches by former Scientologists and cult experts, among others. This event is being organized by area musicians, and all proceeds will be donated to the Lisa McPherson Trust.”
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“Hubbard went after anyone like a honey badger who tried to make one thin dime off of his con. If he remotely suspected you had plagiarized his plagiarizing he would declare you and sic the GO/OSA on your ass. He did this to the crazy couple who started the the Process Church and he also notoriously went after Werner Erhard, the conman who created EST. Erhard claimed that LRH had put out a contract on him.”
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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 August 26, 2024.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.
Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Leah seeking to amend her complaint.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: motion to file new complaint, hearing on May 29.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, on hold until appeal over new judge heard.
— 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] Coming Sunday: Valerie Haney talks to Aussie 60 Minutes in first TV sitdown since ‘Aftermath’
[TWO years ago] Amended complaint: Even more horror in labor trafficking lawsuit against Scientology
[THREE years ago] Scientology wants your money coming & going: Two new hype videos to loosen up your wallet!
[FOUR years ago] Karen Bass says she attended Scientology event because it was in her district. But it wasn’t.
[FIVE years ago] Out of sight, out of MIND: How Scientology tried & failed to destroy psychiatry in the UK
[SIX years ago] The two-wheeled spy who loves Blighty: An action report
[SEVEN years ago] ‘Going Clear’ author Lawrence Wright celebrates a milestone with a different kind of keyboard
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology appeals $1 million loss to Florida supreme court, and Ken Dandar gets canny
[NINE years ago] Scientology’s Freedom magazine congratulates itself for going ‘Ideal’
[TEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: More Scientology fliers than you can shake a stick at
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology’s Crumbling: Can Gerry Armstrong Begin to Think of Crossing the Border?
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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 2,981 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,476 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,991 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,541 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,531 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,412 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,716 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,587 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,139 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,480 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,047 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,966 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,134 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,716 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,976 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,012 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,728 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,292 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,607 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,782 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 7,333 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,464 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,802 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,655 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,776 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,132 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,435 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,541 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,939 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,815 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,380 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,893 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,147 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,255 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 3, 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, 1995-2023 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2023), 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
