TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: As on past Memorial Days, we think it’s important to remind readers about Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s ‘stolen valor.’ Historian Chris Owen looks at Hubbard’s claims about being injured in war versus the actual record. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“For a number of years people have wondered when OT VIII would be released. Well, to tell you the honest truth, OT VIII has been in existence all those several years, and to it has been added a very large number of OT grades. None of them have been issued. Notes for all these grades are in existence. What I have been waiting for is 2 or 3 months of free time to go over these materials and write them up and make them available through Advanced Organizations. Now I will make a bargain with you. If you get all the tech straightened out and the orgs and flaps and emergencies off my lines and get your training in and your Word Clearing in and everything flying and this civilization even more thoroughly pointed in a civilized direction, you will buy me those 3 months’ worth of time so I will be able to afford the time to write up all these Advanced Levels I have researched. Do your job well and buy me these three months. Is it a bargain?” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1977
——————–
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.
——————–
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
——————–
“Time is a temperature. I don’t know what that temperature is in Kelvin, but now that I know that time is a temperature, I can find it. And the moment I find the exact temperature, I could make any area, at any given instant, timeless or speed its time up. I know that sounds very strange. But this is a great discovery in physics. Only you know about it, but it is a great discovery in physics. It’s rather a staggerer. ” — L. Ron Hubbard, May 26, 1961
——————–
“MELBOURNE: We served a writ on Anderson, the ‘judge’ of the Melbourne Inquiry for legal faults. Ian Tampion there got lots of immediate raw public congratulations and good wishes. Dianetic Auditing is starting up there and the org will soon be reestablished. Some real good people are on the grounds.” — The Commodore, May 26, 1970
——————–
“I met a guy in Scientology that I used to know when we were on a spaceship just before coming to this planet. He didn’t go through the implant station like I did, and he was extremely OT, more than I. I lost most of my powers, but he was not or could not go exterior to his body and create anything magical and neither could LRH, either. These bodies just soak up a Thetan like a sponge since with all their automaticities they are 100 percent effect and a Thetan is 100 percent cause, so the two just snap terminals like a magnet. This explains a lot of it but, still, what happened to our powers? LRH could move objects with his mind, apparently, because a couple guys on Scientolipedia who were close to him said he put his hand in the air above a pencil and the pencil rose up to his hand so he could grab it. He told the guy that he had been working for 30 years to accomplish that. If that’s true, I don’t understand why he lost all his godlike powers of creating things out of nothingness.”
1995: Grady Ward reported this week that Eugene Ingram returned, by mail, the photographs stolen from his mother last week. Mrs. Ward apparently will continue her complaint against Ingram. “Since the postmark of the envelope (no return address) contains a postmark from Portland, OR (last three digits 721), the fraud becomes the federal crime of interstate transportation of stolen property, a base offense crime of 4 with a lot of possible sentencing ‘enhancements’ depending upon value and other coeval acts.”
——————–
“The ultimate goal of Hubbard’s bridge was to take all your money and then turn you into a slave once your money was gone. And if you did have enough money to make it all the way up the Bridge, the EP was hopefully insanity or suicide so you couldn’t sue Hubbard’s ass for fraud or spill the beans.”
——————–
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. DA’s response to appeal brief due June 13.
— ‘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 June 16.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, convicted of fraud. Sentenced to 7 years in prison.
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. Leah’s appeal brief due June 3.
— 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. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
——————–
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?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] TikTok battle between exes captivates the country — and has a Scientology angle?
[TWO years ago] Janis Gilham Grady and Mark Fisher: Taking you into Scientology’s abuses and its past
[THREE years ago] Continuing to chat with a Scientology celebrity: On ‘SP’ Danny Masterson, and more
[FOUR years ago] Scientology chiros make pilgrimages to Clearwater before heading to prison
[FIVE years ago] Scientology’s rising new anti-vaxx star, coming to a ‘re-open’ protest near you!
[SIX years ago] What California’s controversial new confessions bill means for Scientology
[SEVEN years ago] Karen Pressley on the madness of Sea Org life: ‘I no longer belonged to my dreams’
[EIGHT years ago] L. Ron Hubbard was no Bill Shakespeare, but here’s some of his early playwriting anyway
[NINE years ago] What you didn’t see on ‘I Am Cait’: Kate Bornstein and Caitlyn Jenner at Scientology HQ
[TEN years ago] Scientology denied: Karen de la Carriere stops a takedown attempt on videos at her channel
[ELEVEN years ago] The David Miscavige summons, and other dire news for Scientology’s drug rehab network
[TWELVE years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology Has Your Back!
——————–
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.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,276 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,771 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,286 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,836 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,826 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,212 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,707 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,011 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,880 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,434 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,775 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,342 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,261 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,429 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,011 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,270 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,307 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,023 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,587 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,902 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,077 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,759 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,096 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,950 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,065 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,427 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,836 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,232 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,110 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,675 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,186 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,442 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,550 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on May 26, 2025 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
