TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We can’t get enough of the wonderful things readers send in which help us keep an eye on what the Church of Scientology is up to this very minute. Recent items include news of big donations, and claims that church founder L. Ron Hubbard was a civil rights icon! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Sometimes the C/S runs into the case whose attention is solidly fixed on something. When attention is fixed we have an unawareness of other things than the object of fixation and a lessening of Self-Determinism to a point of Other Determinism. Example: The pc is always bringing up cars. He has trouble with cars, has ARC Breaks about cars, W/Hs about cars, commits overts on cars. It worries him all the time, is a constant problem. The fixated attention case appears not to as-is and is usually stuck on the track in the ‘quiet’ portion of an incident. Ahead of it and behind it is extreme randomity. This is not easily confronted so is not-ised. The solution is to get the pc to exercise his attention putting it here and there.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1974
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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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“This is what? [Audience: 17th.] The what? [17th.] Of what month? [January.] 17th of January. What year? [AD 12.] AD 12. And where are we? [Saint Hill.] Huh? [Saint Hill.] Yeah, I know, but what planet? [Earth.] Earth. OK. Thank you very much. All right. Thank you very much for orienting me. I’ve been flying about here and haven’t had much time to look up.” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 17, 1962
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“The ship is doing much better and starting to pull up its socks. Therefore the general condition is raised to EMERGENCY…When the ship was injured against the dock it is interesting that the 1st Mate had been goofed up in Qual previously. These names are then associated with the decline of the ship condition by being in charge of the areas: DIANE McDONALD, OTTO ROOS, PHIL QUIRINO, NATE JESSUP, BILL HOWEY, through to greater or lesser degree neglect of duty…When we didn’t push the real targets, the ship wound up on my plate and the crew got caught in the resulting storm. Certain VITAL actions had to be COMPLETED before we could operate or sail. Lots of small actions were done but the big ones got no heavy push and so left us actually inoperational. We are now doing much better and the new mate line up is functioning very well especially with 2nd Deputy Captain Eltringham on the job!” — The Commodore (1969)
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“Anyone who knows me knows I’m a rebel; no one tells me what to do. Not even L Ron Hubbard. But I’m smart enough to know who winners are and who losers are. I know that I applied LRH Management tech inside Scientology Organizations and then outside Scientology Orgs and it always worked better than anything else I read or tried. Why re-invent the wheel? The wheel is already there and abundantly available. So when I find someone telling me to ‘look elsewhere’ or ‘try other things,’ I know this person is a loser because this person never applied the tech like we did to boom Scientology, like we did. Yes, in the wrong hands, Scientology Management and the Sea Org can become suppressive/oppressive groups in themselves. But like anything that is run by suppressives it itself becomes suppressive. Just like in the hands of psychotics, assault weapons can kill a lot of people, but in the hands of sane people, they do not kill. We can boom Scientology again. It is very easy and I am willing to help anyone who wants to see Scientology grow.”
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2000: From letters to the editor of the St. Petersburg Times: “I am a board member for the Lisa McPherson Trust and I take issue with the statements given by the cult of Scientology’s spokesman, Marty Rathbun. First, I am not an outsider, as Mr. Rathbun claims. I own a residence in Tampa and only moved here after the company I work for moved from downtown Clearwater because of the dark and threatening nature of the cult and its not-so-well-hidden agenda. The cult of Scientology has managed to insidiously insert itself into the very threads that control the business community of downtown Clearwater. When asked by the Lisa McPherson Trust to assist in finding office space downtown, I ended up going to every high-rise office building in downtown with vacant office space. In each case, we were turned down. When asked, some of the property managers were honest enough to say that they’d been contacted by the cult. We knew this to be true because we were followed by private investigators the entire time we were visiting these buildings. So when Mr. Rathbun says the reason we’re here ‘is to harass people,’ all I can say is that they accuse others of what they are guilty of. The Trust will produce the truth about Scientology and its management, the lies they tell their members and why they are trying to stop the trust. — Patricia Greenway, Tampa”
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“From what I’ve seen and read, status is very competitive and important in public Scientology. Except, instead of cars and homes and jewelry it’s Monty Python Roman titles, bowling trophies and dime store certificates.”
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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, 2023. Appeal brief due by December 23.
— ‘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 February 24, 2025.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, convicted of fraud, awaiting sentencing.
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. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, gets ruling to depose Jane Doe 1.
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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] Scientology’s legacy: A look back from a remarkable new perspective
[TWO years ago] Shelly Miscavige and her beagles: A Group Therapy podcast extra
[THREE years ago] You recruited people to Scientology: After you’re out, how do you deal with the regret?
[FOUR years ago] Portlanders, did you receive Scientology’s love letter?
[FIVE years ago] VALERIE HANEY’S OPPOSITION TO ARBITRATION: A strong no to Scientology’s legal gambit
[SIX years ago] Danny Masterson’s attorneys pounce on A&E’s plans for resurrecting an ‘Aftermath’ episode
[SEVEN years ago] The new Freedom magazine is here, and Scientology has never looked better!
[EIGHT years ago] Behold, it’s Scientology Jesus as you’ve never seen him before!
[NINE years ago] How Scientology hooks public officials on its addictive anti-drug front
[TEN years ago] L. Ron Hubbard fisticuffs! Scientology secrets unearthed in a new government disclosure
[ELEVEN years ago] ‘The Factors’: Another video the Church of Scientology would rather you not watch
[TWELVE years ago] Lawrence Wright’s Going Clear: We Don’t Think Scientology Is Going to Like This Book Much
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Joe Reaiche (1958-2024) did not see his daughter Alanna Masterson in his final 6,999 days.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,147 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,642 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,157 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,707 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,697 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,083 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,578 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,882 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,753 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,305 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,646 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,213 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,132 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,300 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,882 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,142 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,178 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,894 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,458 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,773 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,948 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,630 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,967 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,821 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,936 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,298 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,707 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,105 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,981 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,546 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,057 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,313 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,421 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 17, 2025 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
