TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Marc and Claire Headley have been great favorites of ours ever since they knocked us out with their stories of escaping Scientology, which Marc told so well in his book ‘Blown for Good.’ But we were taken by surprise when we heard from them after a recent story that we posted. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“So let us look at psychs again — what they call ‘treatment’ is a suppression (by shocks, drugs, etc.) of the ability to think. They are not honest enough, these psychs, being just dramatizing psychotics themselves for the most part, to publish the fact that all their ‘treatments’ (mayhem really when it is not murder) make people more stupid. These actions of shock and crazy evaluative counselling etc. lower IQ like an express elevator going down to the basement. They do not tell legislators this or put it in their books. This is why they say ‘no one can change IQ.’ They are hiding the fact that they ruin it. So the psych in prisons is engaging in an action (shocking or whatever) that makes people who are already criminal even stupider.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1982
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“Some time, by the way, when you haven’t anything else to do, read Gibbon’s ‘Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.’ That’s quite a thing. I undertook that some years ago because I was having trouble sleeping. But I decided I would read it from one end of that many-volumed volumes to the other — read the whole thing. And it was quite an interesting exercise. I hope I never get so ambitious as to start reading the Encyclopaedia Britannica from one end to the other. But, I will say, I am running out of reading matter now that Ian Fleming has picked himself up another body. May have to do it.” — L. Ron Hubbard, May 18, 1965
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“UPPER OT GRADES: By this time there must be about fifteen OT grades above Clear already developed. These exist in research form and have not been released. AOLA is begging for a new one, having delivered 500 OT VIIs. The danger is that an AO or org starts delivering to the same people and disconnects. Jbg broke itself doing this once. Affluent on selling illegal Power Processing, it suddenly used up all its CF. It had not fed in anyone at the bottom — no Testing or HAS or Dn or Lower Grades. It used up its CF hot prospects on Power and that was that. Jbg’s decline dates back to this period. It’s a way of disconnecting from the Public. AOs should be hammering SHs to get people through Solo R6EW and onto Clear and getting Clears onto lower OT grades.” — The Commodore, May 18, 1971
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“The insanity that the modern western culture has forced upon me is vanished (e.g, radical feminist and social liberalism and political correctness). The new area of Scientology has taken it away and made it disappear. I feel great today, I feel human again, I feel new. I have my space again, my bigness is restored. Finally I can travel with confidence again, with personal culture and space. The damage a man can have in the east concerns some ‘radical religious Abrahamic fucked up view point.’ In the Neo west there other fucked up insanity (post moderation). Scientology saved me from both pig-fucked philosophies. This journey started with my auditor Bernie and today after I finished the Hubbard Certified new ERA Scientologist, I become free again.”
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1995: The Phil Donahue show aired a live broadcast on Scientology on Monday. Heber Jentzsch ineptly fended off fairly soft questions from Phil. I think most posters to a.r.s rated it as unsatisfying due to the condition that Heber placed on the show: that no critics of Scientology be present on stage. The only thing I learned was that Heber has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Utah. The most absurd moments came when a woman claimed the Purif cleaned out her arteriosclerosis after doctors gave her two years to live.
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“All the E-meter is capable of is measuring galvanic skin response. It has as much scientific, technical value as X-Ray glasses and Sea Monkeys.”
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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 March 9.
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, which is now fully briefed. Awaiting the setting of an oral arguments hearing.
— 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. Oral arguments hearing on March 3.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration. 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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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] More Scientology big-donor shenanigans to keep us entertained
[TWO years ago] POOF: Scientology decides the 2022 L. Ron Hubbard Birthday Event never happened
[THREE years ago] Verdict watch: Will defense attorney Philip Cohen’s sartorial splendor be a factor?
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s homophobia: Checking in with Derek Bloch 10 years after we first met him
[FIVE years ago] Jane Doe 1’s brutal testimony about alleged rape by Danny Masterson on Day 1 of prelim
[SIX years ago] A shocking glimpse inside Scientology’s floating cathedral: ‘All I hear is desperation’
[SEVEN years ago] Graham Berry does it again: More Scientology financial fraud spelled out in legal demand
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology’s founder in 1948: Dianetics was ‘unfrigidizing’ women into ‘nymphos’
[NINE years ago] To whet your appetite for season 2, A&E airing 2-hour ‘Leah Remini’ special on Memorial Day
[TEN years ago] Scientology responds to Garcia accusations; sexy Virginia congressional candidate visits an org
[ELEVEN years ago] Just two blocks from Scientology’s LA headquarters, Paulette Cooper shone
[TWELVE years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology fundraising fliers try desperately to hide the truth
[THIRTEEN years ago] Jon Atack on the Hypnotic History of Scientology Auditing
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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 3,632 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,136 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,642 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,192 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 3,182 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,568 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,063 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,367 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,018 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,236 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,790 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,131 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,702 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,618 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,785 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,371 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,630 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,378 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,947 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,258 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,433 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,115 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,452 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,305 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,421 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,783 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 4,197 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,582 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,466 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,030 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,542 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,802 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,906 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 18, 2026 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter.
Our book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is 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, 1995-2024 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2024), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
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Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
