TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Yesterday we saw photos from former Scientology film director Mitch Brisker from a re-shoot of a movie that was necessary because a key celebrity had defected. Today, we have more of Mitch’s photos from another re-shoot caused by a very different situation! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Locks can be contacted and blown through straight line memory techniques. The parent can be of great help in this part of the process because he knows pretty well
when he has created a lock, especially in an emotional blow-up of any kind. By remembering the standard pattern of his dramatizations during emotional crises, he can help the child or the child’s auditor to find the locks which will best help the child to overcome his difficulties. Whenever anaten is present in the child, and it is present when any engram is being restimulated, a lock can be created. The resulting aberration will depend on the emotion and pain of the lock as well as of the original engram. This fact, plus the nature of the aberration, can be used to determine which locks should be investigated first.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950
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“This quarter of the universe, by the way, is suffering from an overdose lousy civilization. See, that’s what it’s suffering from. It apparently has been recently conquered in recent times (in the last few hundred thousand years) but those who were conquered had already been — their governmental action had already been set up for their own failure, see? They’d been set up be conquered by using, themselves, mental technology which made slaves. They implanted their own troops. Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho, ah-ah-ah-ah-a ah-ah-ah.” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 21, 1963
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“I was looking over the schooner just down the dock, a handsome three master. PR-wise their appearance ship wise and crew-wise is ideal. Our crew is not yet poshly uniformed and ship appearance could do with upgrading. But for all its sharp appearance their sailors get drunk ashore and dump rubbish in the harbour. One thing no-one will excell us in is the friendliness of our crew, our orderly behaviours and pride in duty. That’s our PR gem!” — Lt. Cmdr Diana Hubbard, August 21, 1970
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“Justin Craig has initiated from the start a black PR campaign against Captain Bill Robertson’s tech and as such is expected to be an OSA operative at the service of David Miscavige and should be investigated fully.”
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1999: Bob Minton posted a description of Scientology harassment of Jeff Schmidt, a former business partner. “Jeff Schmidt is a close and dear friend of mine as well as a former business partner. In scientology jargon, those are his crimes and why he should be utterly destroyed. For the last two years scientology has been trying to do just that. Like me, most all of his friends have washed their hands of him because he is a marked man by scientology. His friends do not
wish to incur the wrath of scientology. Jeff has pleaded with me to stop going after scientology and at their behest urged me to sign a settlement agreement with scientology as recently as yesterday. Peter Franks had been caught in a criminal act involving trying to obtain information about offshore financial matters in the Channel Islands related to Jeff. Scotland Yard was willing to prosecute Franks but needed Jeff’s full cooperation. He would not help us. He wanted nothing to do with scientology or this fight. Sometime in late December or early January when Jeff was away from his office in London, someone broke into his office and copied every file he had. The very next day, a letter arrives from Inland Revenue commencing a tax audit. Inland Revenue informs Jeff that someone has delivered anonymously 16 boxes of copies of files, which were from Jeff’s office The tax audits continue to this day. His wife was scared. She was afraid of scientology because of what she knew about them and because of that, what was happening to them she perceived that scientology was responsible. In early April, they took their kids from school in London and moved to Brunei. Somehow, scientology pi, Peter Franks got the phone and fax numbers of Jeff AND his father-in-law. Jeff’s father-in-law is the Minister of State for Internal Security in Brunei. Daily faxes went and still go to the father-in-law about Jeff and his ties to religious bigotry in the form of Bob Minton, criminal activities involving Jeff, Jesse Prince and me in money laundering operations and of course Jeff’s criminal activities involving the rape and pillaging of third world countries while Jeff, Selwyn Lewis (another former partner who lives in South Africa) and I were partners together. Jeff has not lifted a finger to do anything to help me fight scientology. He has always been one of the most courageous and ethical people I have ever known. Yet he is persecuted and near the brink of ruin because scientology wants him to supply information to utterly destroy me. I can assure you and Jeff that it is very hard to continue to fight scientology while this is happening to such a close friend. His family hates me and blames everything on me. Jeff blames me and pleads for me to stop. But it is because of the pure unadulterated evil perpetuated by scientology that I cannot.”
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“It was speed which was readily available back in his day. When Hubbard talks about ‘Pinks & Grays’ he’s most likely talking about Dexedrine and Phenobarbital or Librium.”
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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, oral arguments scheduled for June 25. 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. Now serving time in 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 June 19.
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. Oral arguments hearing set for July 23.
— 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 upheld on appeal. Scientology expected to file additional petitions before case can return to Kalra’s court.
— 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] Expert: Why the state’s response is likely to kill Danny Masterson’s criminal appeal
[TWO years ago] Swimming against Scientology’s rip current: Lessons learned the hard way
[THREE years ago] ‘Ruin them utterly’: how PIs and volunteer members work against Scientology’s enemies
[FOUR years ago] Elisabeth Moss declines Valerie Haney’s nomination as arbitrator, says Scientology
[FIVE years ago] Why isn’t Scientology promoting the Covid-19 vaccines like it did hand-washing and masks?
[SIX years ago] The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 21: Parents who subscribe to ABCMouse
[SEVEN years ago] Has Scientology’s leader David Miscavige gone underground in the face of a legal onslaught?
[EIGHT years ago] See the Scientology-like ad for Scientologist-owned ABCMouse, made by Scientologists!
[NINE years ago] DOX: The full FBI file from its 2009-2010 human trafficking investigation of Scientology
[TEN years ago] Who are the clergy Scientology convinces to attend its ‘interfaith’ farces?
[ELEVEN years ago] VIDEO: Scientology rehab salesmen — Just exactly the humanitarians you imagined
[TWELVE years ago] Jon Atack: The games L. Ron Hubbard played
[THIRTEEN years ago] MONIQUE RATHBUN FILES SUIT AGAINST SCIENTOLOGY OVER HARASSMENT
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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 3,727 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,231 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,737 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,287 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,663 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,158 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,464 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,113 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,331 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,885 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,226 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,797 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,713 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,880 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,466 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,725 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,473 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,042 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,353 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,528 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,210 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,547 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,400 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,516 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,878 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,677 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,561 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,136 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,637 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,897 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 16,001 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 21, 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, 1995-2025 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
