Scientology boasts about LA wildfires response — with celebrity glam thrown in

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Not satisfied with press releases, Scientology is trying another method to get some attention for its ‘Volunteer Ministers’ playing for photo opps at the catastrophic LA fires: Can revealing that they have another young Hollywood starlet in the church get some eyeballs? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“Several recent cases have come to light where the person was permitted to go on upper grades, Expanded Dianetics, Power and even OT Levels whose drugs had not been handled. In each case there was no or poor case gain, organizational upsets and wasted auditing. THEREFORE IT BECOMES FIRM POLICY THAT ANY REGISTRAR, C/S, D OF P OR AUDITOR WHO PERMITS A PERSON WITH UNHANDLED OR PARTIALLY HANDLED DRUGS TO BE AUDITED ON ANYTHING BUT A FULL AND COMPLETE DRUG RUNDOWN INCLUDING NO INTEREST ITEMS WILL BE SUBJECT TO COMM EV WITH A MINIMUM PENALTY OF TREASON AND A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF EXPULSION. Tech must not be made to fail because of overt, covert or ignorant misapplication of tech. It is fully established that a chief cause of failure in cases is unhandled or only partially handled drugs including medical drugs, treatments and alcohol. This is a barrier to case gain and in this society at this time, the major barrier.” — 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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Source Code

“Had the most fiendish idea the other day. I’m going to write a science fiction story (I still do, you know). I got a wonderful idea of writing about a government scientist who goes mad, you see, and the security is so terrific that nobody can find out what he’s doing, see? Not even his own boss, because the security is so terrific, you know? And when he orders materials he can’t tell anybody in the materiel department what it’s for because, of course, it’s so secret. You see, his security is very great. And he goes ahead and he builds up this thing which makes space solid. See, space becomes totally solid. See? And then puts it over the light lines to all the government offices everywhere. And of course, all the space in all government offices, complete with personnel, gets totally solid. And the last person that’s left is J. Edgar Spoofer. And he tries to explain it to this guy, that this guy doesn’t have the right to go ahead and do this in any direction and that he’s going to arrest him. But the guy tells J. Edgar Spoofer, ‘But look, you’re supposed to safeguard security in the government. And it says right here that my work is under total security and all actions I perform are under total security, so therefore, you’re violating your own order.’ So J. Edgar Spoofer steps back and lets the entirety of the Department of Justice and his office get totally solid. And everybody lived happily ever after.” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 30, 1957

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“Celebrity Center doing very well. GI Affluence Trend since last SEPT! How do you like that! Hats off and a highly commended to Diana H., Yvonne Gillham and all the crew! Asho moving out in front with a high trend GI! Ira Chaleff and our Asho crew and USGO doing very well and USLO getting in there too! Very nice work and good teamwork by US offices! Asho Fnd not doing too badly but needs its own C/O. And good old AOLA still soaring into its Affluence Trend and all but Booksales normal or Affluence or Power GDSes, meaning its a near clean sweep of rising GDSes! It will be a $100,000 GI unless it overloads. The place must be simply bulging the walls. Fred Hare and our AOLA crew have recently been highly commended several times and are again. They need all the support they can get. I think Pac Plan should be revised to get Alex and Dave out there to give Fred a hand without changing anything they’ve got going but put in the Prod Org System. Wonderful to see what our people are doing and what they can do. This and all the good case gains aboard and in the field have me all cheered up!” — The Commodore, January 30, 1971

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Scientology just doesn’t achieve what it promises. It’s a borderline scam. It’s super cool and interesting and mind opening to new ideas and a different way of viewing life too, but Hubbard was outpointy. Many Scios are outpointy. The tech doesn’t cure aberrations or insanity, if anything it exacerbates it. The whole religion you could say handles the wrong why. The why Hubbard sells is engrams, then entities on the higher levels — handle those and the problems don’t go away, because they are the wrong whys. Occasionally they are the right why, so he alters the importance of these targets and says that everyone must do this tech all the time because it will handle everything. Hubbard engages in major alter importance salestalk. His religion was really a political movement taking on the corrupt western world, and possibly a super entertaining game of his to take over earth, which back then I would have supported even if I knew the engram stuff didn’t really work because we need people who are fighting the corrupt system. So I defs like that part of it. Even now if people get involved with the church they learn that big pharma is bad, the gov is not to be trusted, conspiracy theories, etc, etc. This is great stuff. But I’m only a half a Scio now in the same way that I’m half a Christian. I just know too much dodgy stuff about these religions to say I believe in them or fully support them. Hubbard chose Miscavige to assist him, remember that, and Miscavige didn’t have his body taken over by an alien thetan, that’s utterly ridiculous imaginary rubbish which Captain Bill spurts out. So the tech didn’t work on him. In fact the better imagination you have the better the auditing tech works on you. Makes you wonder.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: Time Magazine published an article on John Travolta’s movie project Battlefield Earth, based on an L. Ron Hubbard novel. “JONATHAN KRANE says the new deal calls for small indie Franchise Pictures, run by L.A. club owner and actress Tia Carrere’s husband Elie Samaha, to finance the production. Travolta, a Scientology adherent, will produce and star as a space villain named Terl. Hollywood insiders had gossiped that major studios shied away from the project because of the connection to Hubbard, but Krane insists the production is completely unrelated to the group. ‘I’ve never even dealt with or talked to the church on this,’ says Krane, who is not a member. ‘This is an action-adventure, science-fiction story. Period. The movie has nothing to do with Scientology.'”

 
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Random Howdy

“If any kid ever needed a hickory switch it was L Ron Hubbard.”

 
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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:

 
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SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

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] East Grinstead council gets an earful about Scientology, whether it wants it or not
[TWO years ago] EXCLUSIVE: Lisa Marie Presley on Scientology, its leader David Miscavige, and why she left
[THREE years ago] We wondered what was in that new Scientology app: Now we know because we got in!
[FOUR years ago] Scientology in Russia, a series by historian Chris Owen, part 3: The current crackdown
[FIVE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY FORCES RELIGIOUS ARBITRATION ON VALERIE HANEY IN KIDNAPPING LAWSUIT
[SIX years ago] Scientology targets Disney with anti-‘Aftermath’ rally, attendees number in the tens
[SEVEN years ago] A private eye comes clean: ‘Scientology is a disgrace to the world’
[EIGHT years ago] Putting back a family ripped apart by Scientology can be easier said than done
[NINE years ago] L. Ron Hubbard’s magic chalk, and other Scientology miracles at the ’07 Birthday Event
[TEN years ago] Another Secret Lives leak: L. Ron Hubbard enjoyed humiliating people under hypnosis
[ELEVEN years ago] Jefferson Hawkins finishes off our series on Scientology ethics with a reprieve
[TWELVE years ago] Scientology’s Atlanta Drug Rehab Crumbling: Executive Director Mary Rieser Out

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 30, 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

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone