TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: A Scientologist indicted for running a company into the ground with Scientology techniques turns out to be behind another questionable scheme. Fortunately for the public, a reporter has been tracking this schemer for a decade. ALSO: Linkin Park fans have reason to be outraged. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Don’t try to Word Clear Materials by Word Clearing Method 2 before the person has had a Word Clear Method 1. Actual experience shows that doing WC2 without WC1 restimulates earlier charge on words that have been misunderstood in the past. When a person has not had Word Clear Method I and tries to do Word Clear Method 2 on materials, it can go very slowly, the student (due to earlier charge on words) can become quite misemotional. Using Method 3 (going back to find the misunderstood word) is all right. And using common ordinary “Look up, don’t go past a misunderstood word” is all right.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1972
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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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“Back about 1605, something like that, I was set up, I won’t go into the story in any great degree. But it took a warship and a company of marines and a broadside to kill one girl. She was protected by four redcoats and me. And of course, we caught it in the first three seconds of play. Don’t you see, that was the end of us. But it was such a terrific ferocity against this girl, who by the way, was blind. And her face was so disfigured through a bomb assassination attempt, when she was a child at seven, that she had to wear a mask. A whole man-of-war and a company of marines landing in boats and a full broadside to kill this one girl. She was the last of the family of Charles V. She was the granddaughter aspirant of the old Holy Roman Empire, and one of the innumerable French that lived down here about sixty miles had decided she was a great menace to the throne. Well, I was being audited one day. I found myself sitting around with a picture of a girl on a rock, apparently about 1870. Didn’t compare with any track I had. Nice exterior view. It just didn’t make sense. Here was a girl, sitting on a rock in exactly the same location, in exactly the same place, and I knew what happened to the girl and I knew all about it and so forth, but I hadn’t ever known the girl. Fascinating. Apparently I’d kept a spot of attention on this person as a thetan for the next couple of hundred years. It was very intriguing. Funny part of it is that this girl, picking up another body after that, had gone along for a very long time and had then happened accidentally to be taken by her parents to exactly the same rock that she was killed on in 1605. And she became very ill and she sickened and she died! Just keyed her in complete. You possibly know the place. It’s right across from Gibraltar, and the Hotel Reina Christina is on the Spanish coast side. And it’s one of those rocks right close to the Reina Christina Hotel. And of course, it’s a tourist resort and her parents had taken her back there. What a dirty trick. That must have been some vacation, man!” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 6, 1961
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“ATTENTION, ATTENTION: For this afternoon at 1500 when the Newsreel cameraman will come board to film the ship, please be sure to not war the clear bracelet, otherwise it could be noticed in the film. Thank you!” — Love, Jone, PRO I/T, September 6, 1971
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“That awkard moment when you do an OCA to somebody and discover she’s crazy.”
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1999: The Industry Standard published an article on career nights at the Palo Alto Scientology org. “The church’s Palo Alto mission started hosting the lecture series in early August, featuring Scientologists prominent in the technology field. Critics say the church is trying to sucker unsuspecting job hunters into joining what many have labeled a cult, but a spokesman for the Scientologists says the group is just trying to provide an educational service to its technology-minded neighbors. At the first event, Craig Jensen, chairman and CEO of Executive Software, talked about how Scientology had helped him to find success in business, says church spokesman Mark Warlick. Carol Montgomery-Adams, VP of customer loyalty for the Sun-Netscape alliance, spoke last Wednesday at the second church-sponsored ‘career night.’ According to a company spokesperson, Montgomery-Adams spoke only about her career and made no mention of Scientology, although she is a practicing member of the church. ‘Carol’s talk last week had nothing to do with religion,’ says Sun-Netscape Alliance spokeswoman Mary Camarata. ‘She was just sharing her career story at a career night in response to a personal invitation.'”
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“The church that never forgives and never forgets. The Scientologists always pay their debts.”
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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:
— 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] Indie Scientologists go on the attack: Victoria Palmer plans Sep 23 protest at Big Blue
[TWO years ago] How Scientology churchified itself to capitalize on its IRS tax exemption
[THREE years ago] On this Labor Day, some insane stories of labor in Scientology’s ‘Sea Org’
[FOUR years ago] New letter about Scientology by J. Edgar Hoover shows up in FBI records search
[FIVE years ago] Elisabeth Moss snows another reporter about Scientology, but this one really hurts
[SIX years ago] Finally, Captain David Miscavige’s faux-military Scientology ribbons, described and decoded!
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology’s ultimate prize: For the first time online, the current ‘OT 8’ materials laid bare
[EIGHT years ago] As Louis Theroux’s Scientology movie hits theaters, its main subject accuses it of deception
[NINE years ago] VIDEO LEAK: Rare look at Captain David Miscavige giving shipboard Scientology briefing
[TEN years ago] Deputy ambassador of a small African nation? Scientology wants to buy you lunch!
[ELEVEN years ago] VIDEO: Scientology Leader David Miscavige’s Weird Explanation for the IRS Victory
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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 3,015 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,510 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,025 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,575 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,565 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 4,951 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,446 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,750 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,621 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,173 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,514 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,081 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,000 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,168 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,750 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,010 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,046 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,762 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,326 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,641 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,816 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 7,367 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,498 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,836 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,689 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,810 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,166 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,469 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,575 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,973 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,849 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,414 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,927 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,181 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,289 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on September 6, 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
