A totally unexpected update to a viral story we did earlier this year

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: In February, we received an email from a longtime reader, asking for our help after his wife received an unwanted sexual video from Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando. Now, months later, we have an update on that story we did not see coming. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“If a child is not robbed of his main goal, growing up, he can quite often salvage himself. But the child’s idea of the adult world depends on the adults around him. If the child looks at mama and sees that she is really a sort of nursemaid for him, and that he can make her do most anything he wants her to do, and that she is always moaning and complaining about having so much work to do, about her health, about a lot of things, he is certain to conclude that he doesn’t want to grow up to be like mama. If he looks at papa and sees that papa works all day at the office, comes home at night and sits in a chair doing nothing for the rest of the night, and ‘plays’ by pushing a little white ball around on the lawn, the child may well decide that he doesn’t want to be like papa, either. The child is making a pretty good analysis of the situation if he decides that he’d rather stay a child anyhow!” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950

 
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Source Code

“I’ll give you an idea. You’re coffee shopping with somebody and you say, ‘You realize that there’s a GPM devoted to homosexuality in the between-lives implants? There is one!’ And he says, ‘Oh, I don’t really think so.’ He says, ‘Well, get the idea now, just get the idea of “to be a homosexual.” Just get that idea for a moment, and you’ll see.’ Ha! That, of course, throws that GPM alive, see? Just discussing it isn’t going to do very much about it, see. You got to concentrate, somebody’s got to concentrate his attention on it! Him or somebody else, you know, has got to look right at it, you know, straight at it and bang!” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 28, 1963

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“With a checksheet on this and on that, Ship Admin and Specialist actions as well as standard Pol and Tech courses, a member of Flag gets to be one of the most educated fellows you ever did see. If the society taught all these things in college it would be quite a society. A member of Flag doesn’t really realize all he’s come to know I suppose until he compares it to what others know or don’t know. Some of the actions of the world or society or other ships look pretty dim.” — The Commodore, August 28, 1970

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Great Success Story for OT 9 (CBR). Well, I certainly know why this level is called Phoenix. That is the perfect name! I am only a few sessions in, but let me see if I can describe it for you. We all have constructs we have assembled for one reason for another and by which we operate. Both sides of the bridge, from my observation, serve to dismantle constructs so that we my operate more by postulate and closer to a native state. Constructs are sneaky things in that until revealed by auditing or training they are difficult, if not impossible to find. What Phoenix does is find, reveal and implode constructs. Each session is not at all dissimilar to placing charges on key structural points of a huge building in your city, detonating them and then watching an old, outdated and imposing edifice crumble before your eyes… AND THEN literally emerging from the ashes. There are a few more constructs in my city to address, but without these first few obstructions in the way I am enjoying a view of the blue sky that was hidden behind them.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: Charlotte Kates reported a revenge picket against Bob Minton and Stacy Brooks in Philadelphia. “Last night I enjoyed a lovely dinner with Bob Minton, Stacy Brooks, Rod Keller, and Ken Dandar. Suddenly a woman came over to the table, put her hand on my shoulder, said ‘Charlotte Kates!’, turned around to her male companion, and said, ‘Let’s go.’ I explained that that was Helene Furlong, the Field Control Secretary at Philly Org, we met the two of them outside. Helene was accompanied by a public named Leo, who introduced himself to us as Helene explained that she’d heard ‘some pretty bad things’ about me. I explained to her about what I’d learned on the Internet. She said I was stopping people from going free–and I told her that I have a webpage. It provides information. It doesn’t *stop* anyone’s free choice. Then Stacy began to explain about her experiences at Int Mgmt, with David Miscavige. Helene took Leo’s arm a few times, and told him ‘We have to leave,’ but Leo stayed to listen to our answers, and ask more questions. He asked Stacy and I if we missed the tech–to which Stacy replied that no tech is worth having to give up everything else. He told me he was sorry I wasn’t on staff anymore, as Helene convinced him to go. Hands were shaken all around. Six picketers showed up at the Park Hyatt this morning to picket Bob and Stacy with new orange-and-white signs.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Hezbollah, Hamas, Black Panthers, IRA, and Hells Angels have all done more charity work than the Church of Scientology ever has or will.”

 
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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] FBI raids Tampa church, indicts leaders for forced labor: So why not Scientology?
[TWO years ago] Scientology restarts ‘Celebrity,’ but spills underage confession in ‘Source’
[THREE years ago] Before Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard wanted to be thought of like one of his pulp fiction heroes
[FOUR years ago] Valerie Haney names Tom Cruise for arbitrator (and Shelly Miscavige if Tom is busy)
[FIVE years ago] Tom Cruise’s Scientology superpowers, No. 5: Leaving his body with full perception
[SIX years ago] Clearwater Councilman Mark Bunker’s radical suggestion: Embrace Scientology?
[SEVEN years ago] London, Scientology is coming for you!
[EIGHT years ago] It’s primary day in Florida, and here’s how Scientology will be voting
[NINE years ago] Tomorrow’s ‘Leah Remini’: When Scientology destroys a family, it burns it to the ground
[TEN years ago] How Scientology’s anti-psychiatry front turns a real controversy into fake outrage
[ELEVEN years ago] WOW: California judge orders trial to determine if Scientology drugged incoming rehab patients
[TWELVE years ago] Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest Scientology video in the history of Scientology videos
[THIRTEEN years ago] Scientology Legal Roundup: Per Wickstrom’s Fine Whine, And More!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 28, 2026 at 07:00

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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.

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