Yesterday, Valerie Ross provided another of her fascinating glimpses into the life of a Scientologist, someone so dedicated to the cause that she had, at one time, infiltrated and spied on the FBI for Scientology’s espionage wing, the Guardian’s Office.
Before she joined the GO, however, she got to know one of Scientology’s more legendary couples, Celebrity Centre founder Yvonne Jentzsch and her husband, the charismatic Heber Jentzsch, a former actor who became a well-known spokesman for Scientology as well as president of the Church of Scientology International.
For some time Yvonne and Heber became Val’s friends and even stepped in to help her get through some difficulties.
Along with the story, we posted a photo of Heber that Val had taken at a 1977 protest of the FBI’s raid of Scientology that year.
The mention of Heber and the photo naturally led some readers to ask us about his current whereabouts.
And it turns out that Val has some surprising information about that as well.
Despite his grand title as president of CSI, Heber Jentzsch actually had little power and like everyone else served at the pleasure of the true, ruthless leader of the organization, David Miscavige, who rules the entire Scientology movement as the “captain” of the Sea Organization. (Nominally, Miscavige is “chairman” of one Scientology subsidiary, the Religious Technology Center, but court documents show that he actually maintains control of the entire movement as leader of the Sea Org, which has no legal status.)
By the mid 2000s, Heber was, like so many other top Scientology officers, forced to go through the humiliating experience of being imprisoned in “the Hole,” a degrading confinement that Miscavige created for his top aides at the secretive international management base east of Los Angeles known as “Int Base” or “Gold Base.” Mike Rinder reported seeing Heber in the Hole during his own stay there before his 2007 escape from Scientology.
Like Rinder, Heber was allowed out of the Hole when Miscavige needed him, and in 2006 Heber was let out of the prison long enough to make one final on-stage appearance at the “Maiden Voyage” event that summer (see image above).
After that, the last time we saw Heber outside of Int Base was his surprise appearance at the Hollywood Celebrity Centre for a funeral for his son Alexander. Yvonne had died of a brain tumor in 1978, and Heber later married Karen de la Carriere, and they were Alexander’s parents. Karen has described how Heber was forced to divorce her by the church, and later, when Alexander died in 2012 at 27, by then Karen had left Scientology, and the organization kept her from her son’s remains.
At the Village Voice, we wrote about Karen being kept from her son and unable to hold a proper burial for him. Perhaps as a result of that embarrassing news coverage, Scientology took the unusual step of holding a memorial service for Alexander at the Celebrity Centre, and Heber was pulled out of Int Base to attend it. (Karen wasn’t invited.)
The only later report we’ve had about Heber was from Valerie Haney, who escaped from Scientology in 2016, and who subsequently told Leah Remini about a disturbing thing she witnessed before her escape.
Valerie Haney was involved in video shoots, and so she noticed that Heber was filmed for a video, but he was so infirm that the camera crew had to set up a special rig to help him sit upright for it.
Infirm, elderly, and busted down to a nearly nonexistent state of being: It was hard to believe that Heber was still being kept at Scientology’s prison camp and away from his family.
And from time to time, we would get questions from readers who noticed that we continued to refer to Heber as the president of CSI. Did we really think that he still had that title after so many decades, and if he was so infirm he couldn’t sit up straight on his own?
Well, Val Ross has now provided some information which strengthens our reasons for referring to Heber that way.
And that’s a filing dated September 26, 2023 with the state of California which shows that Scientology, at least, still considers Heber Jentzsch, now aged 88, to be the “CEO” of the Church of Scientology International.
For our podcast, Karen de la Carriere told us last year that she’d heard her former husband was in such bad shape, Scientology had sent him away from Int Base to a nursing home somewhere. We were unable to confirm which facility that might be, however.
But despite Karen’s tip about the nursing home, and Val Haney’s sighting that Heber can’t even sit up straight, it’s really remarkable that Scientology continues to list him as the Church of Scientology’s CEO, a powerless position that exists only on paper and that is submitted to keep CSI’s paperwork current with the state.
Val Ross has been going through Scientology’s many other reports to the state, and found that it had let many of its corporations fall into suspension for a lack of reporting. But then, a few years ago, an attorney at the Law Offices of Kendrick Moxon named Jeanne Reynolds began bringing the church’s entities up to date and in compliance.
It was Reynolds who submitted the filing this past September identifying Heber Jentzsch as still the CEO of the Church of Scientology International.
“I think that Jeanne in Moxon’s office just renews the Statements of Information with the California Secretary of State without even checking to see if there is a warm body attached to the name. Jeanne is an active attorney with a valid California bar number. There are several other Scientology related organizations she does this for too,” Val says.
Is Heber the CEO of Scientology while he’s actually suffering at a nursing home somewhere? We’d like to know more about this man who was such an important figure in Scientology history. If you know something, please let us know.
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Technology Cocktail
“I have been doing some research on drug cases and takers which has shed some interesting light on this and also insanity. The basic equation is apparently: WHEN THREATENED WITH UNMOCKING A THETAN MOCKS UP OBSESSIVELY. Actually the datum is a small bit from OT VIII data, being part of energy creation. It applies too well at lower levels, however, to leave it in such a stratosphere. It explains for instance why a pc, challenged by an “auditor” who is breaking the Auditor’s Code, gets such a solid reaction in the reactive bank. Threatened by an apparent effort to destroy him instead of letting him find the truth, the pc reacts by mocking up hard below his awareness level. This does not, of course, make him insane. It just sticks him a bit in the session. Drugs (LSD, marijuana, alcohol, whatever) produce a threat to the body like any other poison. The threat is to the body. The thetan reacts by mocking up.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1968
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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
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“A man decides to smoke. He therefore becomes an identity known as a smoker. You’ve seen them in the ads. They look very placid. If they smoke cigarettes, they chase pretty girls. And if they smoke pipes they chase fireplaces. You know? And we’ve seen this. Whatever this identity was, he’s assumed this identity and then he gets married and his wife objects to his being a smoker; so now he has an opposition known as a wife. So he assumes a new identity which is ‘a dominating husband’ in order to handle the identity ‘wife.’ But now we have a new identity show up. We have something called the Ladies’ Aide Society, and his wife has joined that. And their combined forces are going to cause him to stop smoking. So now he has to become a wealthy self-determined individual. You see that? And the Ladies’ Aide Societies then get a bunch of quacks — members of the AMA — together and they say that if you smoke it produces cancer. They don’t know what produces cancer but they say that smoking does. They, you see that’s the ghost-shirt messianic thing. They have no solution to it, they can’t cure it so they pick on something and they say, ‘Well, everybody spits in the water so that’s what causes typhoid fever.’ They don’t know. You see? So now he has a counter-identity called the American Medical Association. You see? And that’s an identity. So, this fellow now in desperation to handle this situation becomes a political genius, you see. Because you have to be a political genius these days to handle the AMA. That’s the only place where they operate effectively. Don’t operate effectively in the operating room anymore, only in Congress. So here he is now a genius, you see, a political genius. Now, the political genius runs into an opposition party. So, you have an opposition party — the Democrats. You see, that’s the next oppterm. And that’s about the high tide of the whole thing.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 28, 1963
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“The Sea Org flotilla is close to a fleet now with six vessels all (except Flag) in excellent operating condition. Only Apollo is slightly unready, needing completions on safety work and Lloyds Survey, and a bit below standard in appearance and training. Her divisional officers all say they need more men but as other vessels improved on less crew than over. I think the opinion should be revised.” — The Commodore, February 28, 1969
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“Personally speaking I have no doubt whatsoever on the validity and precision of Original LRH Precepts and the practical reality of such states as Clear, Theta Clear, Cleared Theta Clear, Native State and OT per definition, having seen them demonstrated in session and practical life by people I have known and worked with.”
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1998: A group of German lawmakers visited the United States this week to discuss Scientology. From the AP: “The six lawmakers from a special parliamentary commission on ‘so-called sects and psycho-groups’ plan to hold talks in Washington, according to a parliamentary press office statement. No other details were released. The United States recognized Scientology, based in Los Angeles, as a church in 1993 and has criticized Germany in recent years for alleged government-sanctioned discrimination against Scientologists. Germany, however, contends Scientology is a moneymaking organization with some traits of organized crime. In June, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which keeps tabs on extremist groups, placed Scientology under observation for one year because of concerns that it may pose a threat to democracy.” Scientology sent members out to criticize the delegation. “The Rev. Alfreddie Johnson, a Baptist minister from Compton, Calif., said the 10-member German delegation is part of a group attempting to establish ‘a permanent, government-funded witch hunt to blacklist and punish any citizen who dares to hold or share religious beliefs not approved by the state.’ Johnson and representatives of Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Jewish religious groups spoke at a news conference organized by Scientologists. They also released a letter from several religious scholars accusing the German commission of trying to ‘devise official justification for disenfranchising religious minorities.’ A German parliamentary commission defended its examination of Scientology and other ‘so-called sects and pyscho groups’ Friday, saying Germany’s totalitarian history makes it wary of such groups. Commission members strongly asserted there is total religious freedom in Germany, but insisted that Scientology is not a religion and its methods must be scrutinized because it is the subject of complaints by German citizens. ‘We take the concerns of the people very seriously,’ said German parliamentarian Ortrun Schatzle, commission chairwoman. Commission members five members of parliament from various parties and five academic experts on sects said they met with a variety of people during the week in Washington, including members of Congress, State Department officials and a board that included a top Scientology official.”
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“Who would have thunk back in the 90s that Tom Cruise and ‘batshit crazy’ would become synonymous thanks to a bunch of juvenile delinquents calling themselves ‘Anonymous.’ Thank Xenu I lived long enough to see it.”
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.
— ‘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 February 26, 2024.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.
Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Complaint filed August 2, motion to strike/anti-SLAPP motions by Scientology to be heard January 9, 2024.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration. Plaintiffs allowed interlocutory appeal to Eleventh Circuit.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: motion to file new complaint, hearing on March 20.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, hearing on March 26.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Ordered to mediation.
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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: SCOTUS ruling says judge can’t rule on duress in trafficking lawsuit
[TWO years ago] And now a word from Scientology’s very own church ladies — Valley chapter
[THREE years ago] Scientology social media: Things really couldn’t be better in Miscavigeland
[FOUR years ago] What do billion-year-contracted Scientology Sea Org workers do all day?
[FIVE years ago] Scientology’s founder L. Ron Hubbard on the ‘God trick,’ Christ implants, and Muslims
[SIX years ago] Scientologist ‘Dapper CEO’ Vick Tipnes wins victory against discrimination lawsuit in Tampa
[SEVEN years ago] The most Scientology-involved movie ever made? Here comes Nancy’s baby!
[EIGHT years ago] Erika Christensen goes psychbuster as we launch Rod Keller’s Scientology Social Media Review!
[NINE years ago] LEAK: Scientology celebrities are stepping up their involvement behind the scenes
[TEN years ago] AOLA’s grand re-opening — a look at the last time Scientology cut the ribbon at Big Blue!
[ELEVEN years ago] Blogging Dianetics, Part 9: Hubbard and Perversion!
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 2,824 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,319 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,834 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,384 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,374 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,255 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,559 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,430 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 4,982 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,323 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 12,890 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,809 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 4,977 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,558 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,819 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 3,855 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,571 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,135 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,450 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,625 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 7,176 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,307 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,645 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,500 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,618 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 2,975 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,278 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,384 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,782 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,658 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,223 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,736 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 3,990 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,099 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 28, 2024 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, 1995-2022 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2022), 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
