Heber Jentzsch, 90, Scientology’s longtime ‘president,’ dies in nursing home

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We heard from Karen de la Carriere that her former husband, Heber Jentzsch, longtime ‘president’ of Scientology, died at a nursing home. Heber was a legendary figure in Scientology, one of its most recognizable executives as the church’s spokesman in the 1980s and 1990s. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“One of the more obvious case gains visible on a lower level case from TRs is physical changes such as increased whiteness of the whites of the eyes, color changes
in the iris, reduction or disappearance of creases and wrinkles from frowning and facial ridges, cessation of obsessive and continual body motion, and on many the awareness of a mind or bank as separate from themselves or their body. In order to avoid students on TR courses being cases and to preserve these two different uses of TRs, a delineation could be made of these two different uses, both valid in their own right: TRs for case gain, and TRs for pro auditor training.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1980

 
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Source Code

“This FBI man wanted his fortune told. So I waxed up my mustaches and readjusted the bath towel, said, ‘I see you working on a case.’ A very intelligent remark to an FBI man. Said, a case which is very, very confidential. Case number 132678.’ I said, ‘The man you want isn’t there.’ I said, ‘That’s all. Next.’ This guy goes off, and he starts figuring this out. And you could see this, you know; trying to clear this up. How did I know the number of a confidential case? Because it was the right number. Naturally it was the right number; he had the case card right in front of his face in a facsimile, and all you did was read the numbers in the upper left-hand corner.” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 9, 1957

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“Orgs should be warned. The Le Moate affair was rough on Paris and DK only because they weren”t fully warned she was a psychotic. Although why they reached for it is a bit of a mystery. There’s an old principle involved — experiential track. I have nothing against these people. Orgs are in the pc business, not Flag. We are in the management and OT business. Handling purely pcs here in these high velocity areas of top command introduces the flow at the wrong point. The purely pc flow enters at lower org levels. It is our job to put orgs there that can handle such cases. Sooner or later orgs will have to acquire and start running an institutional annex. It is too hard on them handling psychotics without these facilities. A psychotic is in a Condition of Treason on the first dynamic and extends it to the third and fourth with covert destruction. This isn’t because anyone else declared the condition. It just happens to be a fact. Being in treason on the first dynamic doesn’t always mean covert destruction on the other dynamics. Unhappy people, unhappy subject.” — The Commodore, January 9, 1971

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Hubbard mentioned Pain-Drug-Hypnosis, the Pilot mentioned Sex-Drug-Hypnosis, could we now be in the era of the now-we-live-inside-an-antenna-farm-based EDH where the EMF fields are being broadcast for the specific purpose of keying in specific phenomena in the body and/or the thetan’s vias? I believe I once read a quote of Captain Bill Robertson mentioning this phenomenon somewhere in the Ron’s Org material but I haven’t been able to find the reference. Its well known that a real, verified security clearance is required of any and all employees allowed to enter those fenced ground facilities at the base of the cell towers.”

 
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Past is Prologue

2000: The doors of the Lisa McPherson Trust opened this week in downtown Clearwater. From the St. Petersburg Times: “An organization that says it wants to reform the Church of Scientology has followed through with its plans to open a headquarters at the epicenter of the Scientology world. The group, led by New England millionaire Robert S. Minton, on Wednesday purchased a small office building at 33 N Fort Harrison Ave., just 30 feet from a major Scientology building downtown. Minton and a five-member staff say they plan to educate local residents — including existing Scientologists — about abuses within the church. Scientology reacted Wednesday with strong words. ‘These guys are nobodies,’ said church official Marty Rathbun. ‘They bring absolutely nothing to this community.’ He compared it to the Ku Klux Klan opening an office in North Greenwood, a Clearwater neighborhood with mostly black residents. He said the notion that a group of outsiders needs to reform Scientology is absurd. Support for the church is higher than ever among its members, Rathbun said. He also said Scientology has worked hard to normalize relations in Clearwater, where city officials have included the church in discussions about downtown redevelopment for the first time since its controversial arrival in Clearwater during the late 1970s. Minton’s group has a different view. He and a staff that includes four former Scientologists say they have been embraced by locals, including some current church members. ‘Everywhere I go I’ve met people in the community saying, ‘Thank God you’re here,’ ‘ said Stacy Brooks, a former Scientologist who will help Minton lead the new group. ‘People are starved for information about Scientology: ‘What are they doing? Why do they act so secretive?’ At a closing Wednesday afternoon, an enthused Minton agreed to pay $325,000 for a two-story, 7,500-square foot building. The phones were hooked up and an Internet Web site was to be installed this week. A neighboring restaurant owner who supports Minton welcomed him to the block with a festive basket of bruschetta and a 1998 bottle of merlot. The new headquarters is two doors north of Scientology’s Clearwater Building, a renovated bank facing Cleveland Street that was one of the church’s first land purchases in the mid-1970s. The new group, called the Lisa McPherson Trust, is named for the 36-year-old Scientologist who died in 1995 while in the care of Scientology staffers. Her death has resulted in criminal charges against the church and a wrongful death lawsuit by McPherson’s family. Minton, a 53-year-old retired investment banker, is financing the lawsuit and says he has donated $2.5-million to anti-Scientology efforts. He said the trust has no quarrel with Scientology’s beliefs. ‘What we are opposed to,’ Minton said, ‘is the way they handle criticism.’ He also said the church’s ethics system is abusive and harmful to members. Minton said he hopes to prod Scientology into ‘acting like a church.'”

 
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Random Howdy

“I’ve never ever really been worried about a Scientology Jonestown. There’s no apocalyptic scripture and it’s too much about the money, and the participants are way too yuppie white bread for something like that.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. Appeal now fully briefed, waiting for 2nd Appellate District court to set a hearing date. Masterson has also submitted a habeas corpus petition.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Pleaded guilty on Nov 10 to a 17-year prison sentence (eligible for parole in two to three more years). Awaiting transfer to state prison.
— Aaron Matthes charged for SA of child under 12 years old: OT Scientologist facing multiple mandatory life sentences. Next pretrial court hearing set for Feb 2.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Judge Hammock’s ruling is on appeal. Leah’s respondent’s brief is due February 11.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ 15 days of arbitration completed, Val waiting for further word from the IJC.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal. Appeal fully briefed. Motion to replace Jane Does’ AI-tainted brief denied by court. Awaiting a court hearing date.
— 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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Other links: The prosecution of Danny Masterson. Leah Remini’s Fair Game Podcast. Leah Remini’s A&E Series. Scientology’s Celebrities, from A to Z. Bryan Seymour’s suppressed series, 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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Other links: The prosecution of Danny Masterson. Leah Remini’s Fair Game Podcast. Leah Remini’s A&E Series. Scientology’s Celebrities, from A to Z. Bryan Seymour’s suppressed series, 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 reacts to Los Angeles fire apocalypse, offers shelter at its orgs
[TWO years ago] English councillors squirm over question about Scientology abuses
[THREE years ago] David Miscavige says 4 new Scientology ‘Ideal Orgs’ are coming soon — but where?
[FOUR years ago] Is Scientology clown prince Grant Cardone slagging on super-richie Bob Duggan now?
[FIVE years ago] Scientology’s tough marketing sell, from the man who sold Dianetics to the masses
[SIX years ago] MASTERSON: Scientology wants Bobette Riales dismissed, others forced into arbitration
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology slimes ‘Aftermath’ guest with its favorite tactic: The P.O.W. video
[EIGHT years ago] ‘It was my job to get Mike Rinder’s trash’ — A former Scientology spy begins to spill her guts
[NINE years ago] L. Ron Hubbard’s writing about women that Scientology DOES want you to see!
[TEN years ago] ‘Archetypical newshound’ Paulette Cooper described in ‘thrilling account’ — Kirkus
[ELEVEN years ago] Full Forrest Ackerman interview from 1997 ‘Secret Lives’ film released for first time
[TWELVE years ago] Jeff Hawkins: How Scientology’s ‘Third Party Law’ explains anything they want it to
[THIRTEEN years ago] Excerpts of Lawrence Wright’s Book on Scientology are Predictably Awesome

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 9, 2026 at 07:00

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