TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Sure, Scientology has struggled to recruit staff with so much bad press and all. But leader David Miscavige’s building projects need funding, and staffs need filling out! The enthusiastic team at Orlando has put out the most inspirational hype video we’ve seen in a long time. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“In an assist you always count on the fact that the thetan himself would, if he could, do the right thing. If you work on that postulate you will never be wrong. Get the idea that it is something else trying to do the wrong thing. The keynote of a thetan is order.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1971
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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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“If it isn’t written it isn’t true. The only orders that affect transfers, functions, programs in an org must be issued as Executive Directives, OODs or FSOs or FBDLs or AIDES ORDERS, CBOs or FOs to be legal…Therefore if anyone tells you to change post or duties or that a function is changed on the Org Bd and cannot show it to you in a policy letter or FO or CBO, it is not true. Furthermore to follow such an unwritten or illegal order is to risk a Comm Ev for accepting illegal orders. It would be just as bad to follow an order to violate an HCOB and run some upsetting process. The reason is very plain. Policy, followed, results in a productive, comfortable post and policy not followed with verbal orders only in effect makes a cat’s dinner.” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 16, 1971
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“As I’ve had some upsets and checked to find others have from noise in sessions I think it’s best if we have DOC figure out a ‘Ship Noise’ period when we can have all hands chipping and any banging and E/R compressor charging. A couple hours of this scheduled when Qual is NOT auditing would be a great help. New recruits or new members aboard are apparently unaware of areas where they shouldn’t bang and chatter. This should be part of their ship info. DOC should work this out.” — The Commodore, August 16, 1970
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“Have been visiting three Church of Scientology places around Copenhagen over the last few days. All of them dramatize the Corona Insanity. All staff go around inside and outside with masks and gloves. When we walked into one place we were told we would be given masks and gloves, which we refused. Then they refused entry. The receptionist said that all Churches of Scientology internationally had the same rules.”
1999: Deana Holmes reported a visit to her home by Scientologists this week. “I wasn’t at home this evening, but I had a neighbor waiting up for me when I got home. She wanted to tell me that I had had visitors. Apparently a man and a woman showed up. The man hung out by the street, while the woman came up to my neighbor’s apartment and knocked. My neighbor S. identified her as one of my picketers from last year. The woman said she was from the Church of $cientology. S. got very unhappy at this point and said that it was none of her business whether or not I lived next door or not, but that the Co$ had been told not to come on the property and that she should not be there. S. ran the woman off.”
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“That’s it, I’m joining Scientology tomorrow.”
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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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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 said her father was dead. He’s alive, at its secret HQ. But can she see him?
[TWO years ago] EXCLUSIVE: Danny Masterson’s attempt to delay trial over baseball gambit is DENIED
[THREE years ago] Danny Masterson’s nutty lawsuit involving his house loan is finally kicked out of court
[FOUR years ago] VIDEO: Portland unrest inspires $250,000 donation from Scientology lifer
[FIVE years ago] Here’s the lawsuit against Scientology and Danny Masterson. Let’s dive into it.
[SIX years ago] Stanley Clarke turns out to be as deep into Scientology as we feared, all these years later
[SEVEN years ago] Mirriam & Saina from ‘Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath’ — The LAPD has let us down
[EIGHT years ago] In 1951, L. Ron Hubbard’s fellow SF writers debated him about ‘badly-written’ Dianetics
[NINE years ago] Passion of the Heist: The Scientology hucksters who have made this summer unforgettable
[TEN years ago] After a year’s delay, Mary Sue Hubbard’s house is on the market for $2.5 million
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientologists Say the Darndest Things In Their Disconnection Letters
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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 2,994 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,489 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,004 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,554 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,544 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,425 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,729 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,600 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,152 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,493 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,060 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,979 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,147 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,729 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,989 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,025 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,741 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,305 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,620 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,795 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 7,346 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,477 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,815 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,668 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,789 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,145 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,448 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,554 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,952 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,828 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,393 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,906 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,160 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,268 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 16, 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
