<[Ron has a Bridge to sell you]
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology leader David Miscavige has diminished the church’s drug rehab network, Narconon, in the face of so many lawsuits in the US. But at one time, Narconon was going to take over the world, which Patty Moher reminds us in this terrific story of her time running a clinic. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Method 9 is probably the top key method of Word Clearing today. You would be utterly amazed to find somebody who habitually reads Western stories cannot pass an M9 on them. He sees, ‘He mounted his roan (a type of horse)’ and he understands from this, ‘He roamed around the mountains.’ He has become so accustomed to not-ising his inability to understand what he is reading that he thinks it is ordinary. Isn’t that the way everybody reads?” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1979
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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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“As there are sharks about the ship, the overboard ceremony is about to be resumed for Dianetic Auditors who flub commands, fail to complete sessions or fail to let PCs have wins or who fail to complete study from the Coaudit group and get onto auditing. Two flubbed Dn sessions out of 10 is about what we’re running just now and that is 2 too many. Dianetics is very simple to do. The great auditors are the VIIIs. We have had several Dianetic auditors who were great. They are now moving on up through VI to VIII. This new scarcity of flubless Dianetic auditors results I am sure from lazy study and false passes on materials and TRs 101 to 104. I want a flood of new Dianetic Auditors who have actually passed their bulletins and drills.” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 19, 1969
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“SQUIRRELS: Been hearing reports on a couple squirrels — Bernie Green (in NY) and Jack Horner (in LA). They’ve been goofing it up for ages. Typical no case gain cases, up to their ears in undisclosed overts. They’d sell their grandma for a fast buck. Horner is wildly opposed to organizations or systems of any kind. He has the trick of talking somebody off the third dynamic into the first dynamic. He shows them how the system is doing them in and how it should all be only for No. 1. B. Green evidently got that way as a Terrorist in the Middle East. Horner totally flipped when he ruined one too many women. The first dynamic and the fast buck and how all systems are bad seem to be a common denominator to these poor nuts.” — The Commodore, August 19, 1970
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“Can someone message me, I have questions about a dream I had that woke me up to telepathy and a purple cool telepathic space dude who looks sad but not angry but stern about teaching me and a lot about manipulation and group confidence as well as simple knowledge in telepathic process in the universe and how belonging is powerful. I mean in this dream we were all wearing white tuxedos and a white very old male was the Channeler and I have no idea about Scientology and what it stands for completely but one thing is for sure I’m not the same.”
1996: Alvin Brattli reported this week that Scientology is distributing L. Ron Hubbard mouse pads to publicize the cult’s web sites. “Did you all know that the COS is handing out L. Ron Hubbard mousepads for free? Neither did I, until they gave one to me. My friends in Chicago took me out sightseeing, and asked me whether there were any particular places I wanted to visit. An idea popped into my mind, and I decided that I wanted to visit the local org to ask them if they knew this Xenu guy, just for the hell of it. Being very helpful, my friends drove me to the org (which is located on 3009 N. Lincoln, btw.) and parked nearby. I then strolled over to the org and stopped, looking innocently at their window display. Then this friendly woman started talking to me, asking me if I knew anything about Scientology, if I knew anything about L. Ron Hubbard or not, and so on. [S]he asked if I had access to the Internet. I answered ‘yes’, and then she started running around the whole org, looking for one of their mousepads (with their URLs printed on them). On seeing the mousepad, I get these strange associations with North Korean propaganda. More than half of the area of the mouse pad is dedicated to L. Ron Hubbard, and the rest is divided evenly between the Scientology and Dianetics logos. Also, the three URLs http://www.lronhubbard.org, http://www.dianetics.org, and http://www.scientology.org are printed in their respective part of the pad. The pictures on the mousepad are identical to the ones you will find on those web sites.”
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“I know of two people who left the Jehovah’s Witnesses and joined Scientology. You might be surprised at the amount of cult cross-pollination that goes on. There is a certain ‘follower’ personality type in this world.”
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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. DA’s response to appeal brief due August 13.
— ‘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 December 1.
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 Does’ response to Scientology’s appeal brief submitted July 30. Scientology’s reply due October 20.
— 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. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
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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 greatest ever justification for its expensive TV channel is here
[TWO years ago] PODCAST: Sands Hall updates us on her Scientology memoir adventure!
[THREE years ago] Danny Masterson lawyers telling tales of woe ahead of October rape trial: Another strategy?
[FOUR years ago] Tom Cruise’s Scientology superpowers, No. 9: Mocking up an automobile out of thin air
[FIVE years ago] Valerie Haney reacts to setback in lawsuit against Scientology: ‘I will continue to fight’
[SIX years ago] Even when it gets good press, Scientology reminds us that it uses slave labor
[SEVEN years ago] Oh gross: Scientology Sea Org now saluting donors who give for ‘Ideal Orgs’
[EIGHT years ago] What Scientology itself says about the way it’s going to change how your mind works
[NINE years ago] Gawker goes dark, but its impact on Scientology — and Tom Cruise — will never be forgotten
[TEN years ago] Why Steve Fishman — of the notorious Fishman Papers — is today serving 21 years in prison
[ELEVEN years ago] LAWSUIT: OKLAHOMA OFFICIALS HID WRONGDOING AT SCIENTOLOGY DRUG REHAB
[TWELVE years ago] How Does Scientology’s Cosmology Really Work? Historian Jon Atack Has a Theory
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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 3,360 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,864 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,370 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,920 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,910 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,296 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,791 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,095 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,746 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,964 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,518 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,859 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,430 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,346 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,513 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,095 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,354 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,391 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,107 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,671 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,986 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,161 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,843 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,180 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,034 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,149 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,511 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,920 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,310 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,194 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,759 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,270 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,530 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,634 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 19, 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
