Scientology’s UK headquarters is up for sale! (Well, sort of.)

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: One of Scientology’s oddest scams is the way it avoids taxes in England with an address at a leased storefront in Australia, of all places. But now that dump is for sale, so Alex Barnes-Ross explains why this is a very odd situation! ALSO: Puerto Rico says it goes Ideal next! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“One of the reasons Scientology tended toward disuse in the late 1960’s was not its workability. It was a growing cultural disinclination to do things thoroughly. ‘Fast, quick results’ was interpreted as seconds or minutes. In old psychotherapy as practiced in the 19th Century it required ONE YEAR of weekly consultation to see if anything could be done about a case and FOUR MORE YEARS to produce a meager superficial result. Compared to that two or three hundred hours of processing was nothing. As we began to dominate this field in terms of persons handled and results obtained, psychiatry invented “instant psychiatry” by which no result was gotten in no time.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1970

 
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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 [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones

 
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Source Code

“I had a psychiatrist reading Dianetics, and he was rushing out every few minutes and putting the electrodes on somebody and coming back in. And he says, ‘Yes. Yes. I’ve looked at this book. This book came in the other day. It came in the other day. And I looked at it, and I’ve looked it over. And I’ve reported it to the association. I think it’s disgraceful.’ And he says, ‘I’m a Horney.’ I said, ‘Well what philosophy do you follow in your psychoanalysis?’ He says, ‘I’m a Horney man myself. I’m a Horney man.’ And he rushed out and strapped and shocked somebody else and came back in again. And he says, ‘I’m a Horney man.’ While he was gone, I saw the book Horney, Karen Horney. So I said, ‘Well, what is Horney? What is the Horney offshoot of Freudian analysis?’ and so on. He says, ‘I don’t know. I never read it.’ It’d be different if I was telling you that for a gag. But actually that’s totally factual. Unbelievably true. He was a Horney man, but he’d never read anything by Horney. I don’t know, how do you get it? Telepathic?” — L. Ron Hubbard, June 7, 1961

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“Hey, on this cruise, where are we going? Any suggestions?” — The Commodore, June 7, 1969

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“I am on Solo Nots outside of the corporate church. I got here by using a highly trained C/S, a tutor and a very experienced auditor. Best decision. It’s just so freeing to be able to do this level without any interruptions and at my own pace. If you’re stalled on training or auditing just find people to deliver. It’s all out here and easy to access. You will be so happy that you are getting the miraculous gains LRH wanted us to receive.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: Scientology is attempting to obtain the identity of “Safe”, who has posted to a.r.s material from Introduction to Scientology Ethics. Wired News carried a story on the subpoena. “An anonymous online critic of Scientology is the subject of a legal complaint targeting newsgroup postings of church doctrines. It is the latest move by the church to prosecute what it maintains are copyright abuses online. Attorneys for Scientology-backed Bridge Publications have served AT&T WorldNet with a subpoena demanding that the Internet service provider reveal the identity of an online critic. The WorldNet subscriber said that he wants to remain anonymous, afraid that the Scientologists will harass him because of his views about the church. ‘I am scared of this church,’ he said in a phone interview on Wednesday. ‘Can you believe that? [A] church is supposed to be there for spiritual redemption and I’m freaking scared of them?’ The man, who goes by the alias Safe, said that it’s a Catch-22 situation: He can keep AT&T from revealing his identity by arguing against the subpoena in court. But if he chooses to argue in court, he must identify himself. If he doesn’t argue the subpoena, AT&T will be forced to comply and will reveal his name to the Scientologists. AT&T representative Jonathon Varman said that the ISP had not yet complied with subpoena, and that its legal team was evaluating how to proceed. ‘We are looking for a way to do the best for our customer and still comply with the courts,’ Varman said. Phillips said that AT&T had not complied with the subpoena but had asked instead for an extension, since the original subpoena had a Wednesday deadline. Dan Leipold, an attorney who has represented a number of defendants against suits brought by Scientologists, said that Safe had contacted him for representation in this case. Leipold said that the Scientologists have named two of Safe’s postings in the subpoena (here and here). One of the postings contains a list of crimes, according to Scientologists. The list includes items such as ‘Discourtesy and insubordination’ and ‘committing a problem,’ as well as 272 other crimes. Safe, ironically, considers himself to be a Scientologist. While he disagrees with the teachings of current church leaders, he said that he lives his life by the principles laid out by Scientology’s founders.”

 
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Random Howdy

“I have mixed feelings about zoos and especially places like Sea World. To me it’s basically imprisonment and enslavement of other life forms. Unfortunately, by the middle of this century they are probably the only place many of these life forms will exist, so there’s the rub.”

 
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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 May 31, 2024.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Leah seeking to amend her complaint.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: motion to file new complaint, hearing on May 29.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, on hold until appeal over new judge heard.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Ordered to mediation.

 
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SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

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 leak hearing: Who’s falling on their sword today?
[TWO years ago] Scientology will turn your town’s eyesore into a gleaming cathedral when it feels like it
[THREE years ago] VIDEO: Danny Masterson on his chances after arraignment on rape charges: ‘I feel fantastic’
[FOUR years ago] The unanticipated pandemic benefit: Nutty Scientology online videos
[FIVE years ago] Photo evidence which suggests, sadly, that Riley Keough has slipped back into Scientology
[SIX years ago] Testimony by the World’s First Real Clear, part two: ‘Scientology is designed to entrap people’
[SEVEN years ago] Leah Remini’s ‘Troublemaker’ will become a Lifetime movie: Who plays Tom Cruise?
[EIGHT years ago] NAFC names David Miscavige a witness in Scientology trial scheduled for October
[NINE years ago] When Tom Cruise was one of Scientology’s biggest donors: A look back
[TEN years ago] Ryan Hamilton makes it an even dozen federal lawsuits against Scientology’s rehab network

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 7, 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, 1995-2023 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2023), 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

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone