TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Pamela Nickel Williams previously shared with us writing from a planned book about how her parents raised her in the strange world of early Scientology. Now, her book is coming out Aug 31, and she’s shared another excerpt. ALSO: An odd glimpse of Sea Org recruiting at Flag. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“When doing Quadruple Dianetics on some cases it may be found that many chains are now missing or are just copies of the original. Don’t be disturbed. Pc says they’re gone now they’re gone. Just F/N the fact and carry on with the next flow or item.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1979
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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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“Apparently transfers from the Galley without apprenticeship or replacement and Quadruple hatting the food purchaser so he simply used the food chandler ashore are some of the obvious whys back of the sudden recent drop in food quality. The WHYs being advertised are the wrong whys — low allocation is a wrong why. The food isn’t kept to allocation and has become VERY expensive for very low quality due to using a chandler. This would not remedy the increased allocation as the allocation is already not followed. Advertising this as the why or remedying it will not restore food quality.” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 12, 1971
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“SURVEY: A great job was done in the E/R, by D/Capt, Ship’s Rep and 1st Mate and others in passing the survey. Possibly we even get our Lloyd’s Yacht Class. We are a yacht by registry. A Lloyds yacht class is different and useful. But true enough, in dismantling working installations for survey and reassembly, when we tried to start up one engine just wouldn’t start. A valve had been reversed! And an injector bleed valve was leaking. Two tugs were on hand as a precaution. Our E/R guys put it right quickly. Must have been an awful shock to push the starting lever and have nothing happen. That’s how it goes when working installations get dismantled!” — The Commodore, August 12, 1970
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“I’m sure you have heard that Earth is a prison planet, and I feel that this is true since, in 40-odd years of spiritual counseling, I have never encountered a rebuttal to that story. Instead, I keep running into spirits who have been sent here as expatriated criminals from other civilizations. Most of these spirits seem to have been implanted and so reduced in awareness and capability that they are no longer capable of running a body. Instead, they seem to flock around beings who are running bodies and act as observers and occasionally as spirit guides or guardian angels. Those of you who are reading this article are among the fortunate few who still retain enough personality to run a body and behave as a human being while accompanied through life by a horde of discarnate spirits.”
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1996: Martin Hunt this week posted the story of his leaving Scientology, and the reaction of his former friends. “[S]ome three weeks after I blew I went back to Vancouver to pick up my stuff. The Scientologist I was sharing an apartment with wouldn’t let me in, as she thought I had flipped and was now a dangerous suppressive person (phobia indoctrination). I knocked on the door, but she wouldn’t answer. I called out her name, told her I knew she was home, that I just wanted to pick up my stuff, and that I wasn’t a threat of any kind to her. She still wouldn’t let me in, or even acknowledge that I was at the door, but literally hid in fear from me and pretended to not be there, even though I knew she was. I walked out to the corner and phoned her. I then said that I wouldn’t call the cops if she let me have my stuff back, and to this she told me to go to the org downtown and get an OK first and go through ethics as my only terminal, so I went back to the org I hadn’t been to or communicated in any way with for about three weeks. When I showed up at reception, the receptionist immediately called in a higher-up to deal with me, and I was frostily told to go straight to the ED, where I was given a form in triplicate to route-out properly. The ED told me not to talk to anyone, and was very cold to me despite a long acquaintance that went beyond the org; I had been to her house, met her family, seen her down in the State where she was on course while I was (she was doing the FEBC). I went through the form, and had to deal with several people on it, my superior, my division executive, the ethics officer, etc. Everyone talked to me as if I was an evil piece of shit, if they talked to me at all. It was a shocking experience to say hi to someone I thought I knew very well and considered a friend only to have them literally turn their back or walk away or just sneer at me; it was more shocking to see this repeated over and over with everyone I talked to, as if they had all been given instructions on what to do and how to shun me in the best possible manner to cause the most pain.”
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“Refusal to accept one’s own mortality and a belief by humans that they are something more than just another species of animal is what drives this insanity.”
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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. DA’s response to appeal brief due August 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 December 1.
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 was filed June 3. Respondent briefs are due September 2.
— 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 Does’ response to Scientology’s appeal brief submitted July 30. Scientology’s reply due October 20.
— 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.
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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] LA Mayor Karen Bass boosts Mr. Scientology, Tom Cruise, on world’s biggest stage
[TWO years ago] PODCAST: When the ‘Brothers Broken’ lured David Miscavige to their Hollywood celeb blowout!
[THREE years ago] A shaky day handling life and death at Scientology’s Hollywood Celebrity Centre
[FOUR years ago] Scientology in England faces huge tax bills on its properties, and keeps failing to evade them
[FIVE years ago] Valerie Haney’s suit against Scientology back to square one after court setback
[SIX years ago] My brother, the Scientologist: Trying to bridge the gap when Hubbardism is in the way
[SEVEN years ago] If Scientology is hurting, have its ‘expansion’ plans slowed down? Here’s our assessment
[EIGHT years ago] Garcia case update: Has Judge Whittemore managed to fill a Scientology arbitrating panel?
[NINE years ago] Former workers file EEOC complaints saying Grant Cardone forced Scientology on them
[TEN years ago] Scenes from the increasingly desperate straits Scientology finds itself in
[ELEVEN years ago] Mark Bunker: Clearwater is being pressured to knuckle under to Scientology (again)
[TWELVE years ago] THIS IS THE SOUND OF SCIENTOLOGY’S FORCED DISCONNECTION
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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.
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 3,353 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,857 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,363 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,913 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,903 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,289 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,784 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,088 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,957 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,511 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,852 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,423 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,339 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,506 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,088 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,347 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,384 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,100 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,664 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,979 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,154 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,836 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,173 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,027 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,142 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,504 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,913 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,303 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,187 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,752 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,263 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,523 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,627 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 12, 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
