TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: In late 2021 we started to hear about a stunning fraud in Scientology, a method for obtaining multiple credit cards for Scientologists who had little or no credit. It even had a name: The Chase Wave. Now, we have new details about how this mass swindle took place. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Hypnotism, ‘psycho’ analysis, ‘psychiatry’ and other implant type therapies often key in and jam the track. These characters here, on any other planet and on the whole track dramatize implanting. The ‘therapy’ involved would be a temporary relief brought by suggestion. The wrong data of the ‘science’ itself operates as a whole track lie. Getting well or able depends on establishing truth. These “scientific” lies are alterations of actual laws. We often note electronics men have a rough case time. This traces to the lies Man uses for his ‘electrical science.’ As the subject is based on false assumptions, it itself tends to aberrate. Therefore we get out of the road any former ‘therapy.’ We can rehab any moment of release in it, handle any overrun, etc.” — 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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“Let’s return to the earliest moment that we can contact on the sperm sequence. The earliest moment. The earliest moment you can contact there. The first phrase that you get there will flash into your mind when I count from one to five. One-two-three-four-five. You are doing just fine, by the way. What was the phrase you got? No phrase? All right. Is there somebody there who says ‘Shut up’ or ‘hush’ or something? All right. Let’s shift over on the ovum sequence. Let’s contact the first phrase we get in the ovum sequence, the first phrase. When I count from one to five, it will flash into your mind. One-two-three-four-five. All right. Let’s contact now the earliest moment of pain or unconsciousness that you can reach, either sperm, ovum, preconception, wherever it is, the earliest phrase that we can reach. When I count from one to five, it will flash into your mind. One-two-three-four-five.” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 31, 1950
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“Hey PAC recruited 15 SO members in the last 2 weeks! So Pers SO is working. And Action Bu is just a blur of fast moving missions. We’re having to catch up with all the dropped balls and sloth of the last year or two. So that’s what I’m into. When balls get dropped I have to pick them up fast.” — The Commodore, August 31, 1970
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“Clearing this planet is going to take thousands of years and many lifetimes. There is no instant solution involving paying tens of thousands of dollars for ridiculously overpriced auditing from an egotistical self-styled guru or an organization composed of slave cultists. Anyone who really wants to make it will wade their way through the thousands of hours of study needed to understand the tech.”
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2000: A new book my the daughter of author J.D. Salinger includes mention of his experimentation with Scientology. From the New York Times: “J.D. Salinger’s daughter, Margaret, is visiting New York from Boston and staying at the Plaza Hotel. There is the possibility that her famously private father will try to stop her from publishing her memoir, ‘Dream Catcher,’ due out on Wednesday from Pocket Books. Mr. Salinger, 81, who has not published anything since 1965 and has not spoken publicly for years, is so determined in his seclusion that he successfully delayed the publication of a biography by Ian Hamilton because Mr. Hamilton had sought to use some of his letters. Mr. Salinger pursued Scientology, homeopathy and Christian Science. He drank urine, his daughter writes, and sat in an orgone box. He spoke in tongues, fasted until he turned greenish and as an older man had pen pal relationships with teenage girls.”
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“The reason I started watching Game of Thrones is because I thought it was going to be the Deadwood of medieval shows and show how dirty and brutal the times actually were like Deadwood did and there wouldn’t be a whole lot of Lord of the Rings type shit. Which aside from the white walkers and the dragons there really wasn’t. But I’m starting to notice more plausibility gaps and irrational character motivation.”
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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 May 31, 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] Liz Gale: How she grew up in Scientology, and then smartly traded it for being a pothead
[TWO years ago] The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see, Episode 4: Katrina Reyes
[THREE years ago] Tom Cruise’s Scientology superpowers, No. 3: Resisting between-life amnesia
[FOUR years ago] LEAKED: ‘SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS’ EPISODE THAT WAS SPIKED BY AUSSIE NETWORK
[FIVE years ago] Scientology ecstasy: ‘I have no idea where I would be right now without NED’
[SIX years ago] Sheriff’s Office report spells out tragic details of Scientology ‘Clear’ who took her own life
[SEVEN years ago] As Leah Remini’s second season hammers away, Scientology is losing its mind
[EIGHT years ago] Vance Woodward’s appeal fails as Scientology has the L.A. attorney on the hook for $90,000
[NINE years ago] Home, sweet ‘Freewinds’! We get a rare look inside a Scientology promotional seminar
[TEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Oops, Scientology reveals a key fact about the size of its membership
[ELEVEN years ago] The History of Scientology’s Weird Vaults — The Bizarre Battlefield Earth Connection!
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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 3,009 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,504 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,019 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,569 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,559 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,440 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,744 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,615 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,167 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,508 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,075 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,994 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,162 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,744 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,004 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,040 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,756 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,320 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,635 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,810 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 7,361 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,492 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,830 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,683 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,804 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,160 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,463 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,569 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,967 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,843 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,408 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,921 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,175 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,283 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 31, 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
