TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Yesterday Scientology issued a press release announcing that it had opened a brand spanking new ‘Ideal Mission’ in McMinnville, Oregon, and with the whole nine yards — giant bow and ribbon, balloons, and local shills making speeches. And this place has an interesting history! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Medical organizations, especially in the US, are fighting nutrition with their usual violence where their pocket book is threatened — black propaganda, government seizure orders and all the routine mechanisms medicine has employed in its history to “safeguard” its interests are in full play against the health food store and the vitamin counter. That is enough to prove the point that nutrition is the leader in our contemporary times where physical health body treatment is concerned.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1972
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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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“Why do you think it is that simply looking at something will make it vanish as far as a thetan is concerned? We know that this will take place. All right, that’s because he goes into communication with it and it is a mismanaged communication. To be an it, to be a something, we must have had a mismanaged communication of one kind or another. That’s why we say ‘God built this universe.’ Now that is a mismanaged communication, per se, it is right there. God did not build this universe. And so that is mismanaged so there is the wrong point of origin, see, some point of origin is mocked-up, and so on.” — L. Ron Hubbard, December 22, 1954
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“Peter Church, FEBC student and Sharon West were married at sea by Captain W.B. Robertson at 2151 hours 21 Dec 1970. The marriage will be recorded at the nearest consul under Maritime Law and the Laws of Panama. The entry has been duly recorded in the ship’s log. Peter Church is from Delta Meters, Los Angeles. They will have a brief honeymoon in the nextport. They have the good wishes of the officers and crew of the Apollo and my own.” — The Commodore, December 22, 1970
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“I had three dreams in one night that the Vril were trying to recruit me to fight the Marxists in America. I turned them down three times and they never came to me in my dreams again LOL. Who can tell us if the reptilians are real? Is it the Marcabs who suppress us in the BT chain of command?”
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2001: The Buffalo News reported that the city is still considering tearing down the Buffalo Scientology org to make room for a parking ramp. “Planners want to seize two downtown properties, demolish an office building, then construct a 10-level addition to the city-owned Owen B. Augspurger ramp on West Huron Street, between Pearl and Franklin streets. But opponents say the city shouldn’t tear down more buildings, especially occupied structures, for parking. The four-story Hurst Building at 43 W. Huron is owned by the Church of Scientology, which occupies the first two floors, according to attorney William R. Crowe. He said the third floor is used for storage, while the top floor is vacant. Crowe said his client wants to remain in the building, despite a $425,000 purchase offer from the city.”
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“Dude, we don’t get ‘in comm’ with people around here, we talk to them.”
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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, 2023. Appeal brief due by December 23.
— ‘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 January 13, 2025.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, convicted of fraud, awaiting sentencing.
Civil litigation:
— 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. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, gets ruling to depose Jane Doe 1.
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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] Getting the stink out of Scientology’s Saint Hill Manor: A special remembrance
[TWO years ago] Judge sets Jan 20 hearing for motion to serve Scientology leader in trafficking case
[THREE years ago] Scientology’s 2021 was a leaky one, including new data about its dirty tricks
[FOUR years ago] ‘Tears of joy’: Scientology boasts that leader David Miscavige attended Clearwater event
[FIVE years ago] Scientology Santa: The church built on Jesus as a hoax once again co-opts Christmas
[SIX years ago] Checking in on a Scientology ‘ideal’ Christmas as we continue our year in review
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology donor Joy Villa aiming for Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s Miami congressional district
[EIGHT years ago] February made us shiver, but it was another Astounding month here in the Bunker
[NINE years ago] The Scientologist who sold a hot dinosaur skull to Nicolas Cage
[TEN years ago] Scientology’s 2014 in review: In chilly February, Hambo began his onslaught
[ELEVEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology sends us a letter!
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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.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,121 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,616 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,131 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,681 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,671 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,057 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,552 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,856 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,727 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,279 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,620 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,187 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,106 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,274 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,856 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,116 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,152 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,868 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,432 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,747 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,922 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,604 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,941 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,795 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,910 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,272 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,575 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,681 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,079 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,955 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,520 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,031 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,287 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,395 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 22, 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
