TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: 39 years ago today, Scientology members assembled to hear that L. Ron Hubbard had voluntarily left his body to explore ‘researches’ elsewhere. Once again we’re marking this anniversary with a transcript of the bizarre event that took place at the Hollywood Palladium that night. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Dianetics is NOT Scientology. A Dianetic Chain is not a release. If you try to use Scientology rehab tech on a Dianetic Chain, you have had it. It isn’t a ‘release’ (which is a key-out). A Dianetic Chain is an erasure. You can’t rehab erasures with ‘How many times?,’ etc.” — 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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“There was a tribe of Indians in the United States, some say before the arrival of white men, but they should re-classify that and say before the arrival of Pilgrims — before 1602, or something on that order, 1608, whenever they arrived — because that whole coast was in good communication with Europe for many centuries. Fishing boats from northern Europe used to come over to the grand banks all the time. As a matter of fact, the fishermen called it America, and we read a big fog about Columbus and all the rest of it. I’m sure Columbus came over, but Columbus never got to America. But anyhow, this is all very confused, but that’s history.” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 27, 1954
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“CONDITIONS: Arthur Hubbard is assigned N/E for being non-existant on cleaning stations for the last 3 days.” — M. Spence, for W/O Des Popham, January 27, 1970
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“I know a top Ron’s Org Scientologist auditor who has fallen for the QAnon scam. She clearly isn’t showing any superior knowledge, which I thought Scientology courses could deliver her. QAnon is a false anti-communist movement designed to mislead pro-Trumpers and get them to commit terrorist attacks so that the gov can then ban right wingers, lock them up and ban Trump from using social media. An intelligence agency runs Q, probably the FBI. Now if Scientology courses and auditing worked then people who have done them shouldn’t fall for intelligence agency operations.”
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1996: A German court this week banned a cult-operated company from training young people because of its use of the cult’s OCA personality test. From Reuters: “The court ruled that the personality tests were used to harshly interrogate the Dusseldorf real estate company’s trainees. The tests amounted to maltreatment of young people entrusted to the company, violating laws on vocational training. It was the first time a German court had ruled against the tests which the Scientology church also uses to recruit new members, offering expensive books and courses of treatment to resolve personality problems diagnosed in the tests. The Dusseldorf case centered on three young women who were in training at the real estate company in 1993. They were told to take the test to examine their communication skills. The women complained to the local Chamber of Commerce because they felt the company was exerting psychological pressure to make them take the test.”
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“Ever read any of the crap the conspiracy cult followers believe in? And they number in the millions, not tens of thousands. Remember in The Mist where the people trapped in the supermarket immediately start their own cult? That’s how most people think.”
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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] PODCAST: The three lives of Dennis Erlich, Scientology’s original Internet nemesis
[TWO years ago] 37 years ago: The eerie Hollywood Palladium sendoff for Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard
[THREE years ago] Academics bleat over Scientology’s loss in appeals court, and here’s what they’re missing
[FOUR years ago] Scientology takes boards down after Inauguration riots failed to materialize
[FIVE years ago] Scientology clown Joy Villa got glowing press again, and here’s what it left out
[SIX years ago] Oh, come on: Scientology ‘detox’ quackery now being touted for miraculous cures
[SEVEN years ago] His words are wise, his face is beard: 10 years ago, Anonymous got some good advice
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology, why are you keeping a cancer patient from seeing his only daughter?
[NINE years ago] 30 years ago today: ‘L. Ron Hubbard discarded the body he had used in this lifetime’
[TEN years ago] Why Alex Gibney’s ‘Going Clear’ is scaring the crap out of Scientology
[ELEVEN years ago] More fallout in France: Scientologist who asked for damages ends up paying instead
[TWELVE years ago] Sunday Funnies: Africa is Done!
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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 3,157 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,652 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,167 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,717 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,707 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,093 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,588 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,892 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,763 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,315 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,656 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,223 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,142 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,310 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,892 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,151 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,188 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,904 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,468 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,783 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,958 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,640 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,977 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,831 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,946 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,308 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,717 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,115 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,991 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,556 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,067 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,323 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,431 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 27, 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
