TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Wow, that was fast. Scientology posted its slide show last night after Sunday’s “Ideal Org” grand opening in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was the usual thing, with church leader David Miscavige presiding, and we were curious who else he managed to corral for the event. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“There have not been any codes of morals based on common sense. They are handed down from heaven, even in China. The psychs use this to get an inside track. The U.S.
government—and possibly some others—cannot finance religion, per the First Amendment. This means they cannot allow children to be taught morals, and cannot permit any power to churches. The psychs love that. They are anti-religious. They teach that one succumbs to temptation, that morals are inbred by paralleling the history of the race and when a child gets old enough his inbred nerves go moral. This is pure claptrap, but that happens to be their belief. This means that crime will worsen, the psychs will ride higher and higher. Philosophers (not religious ones) over the world in various times and places have noted these qualities of morality so don’t get the idea this is all derived from China. Confucius, for instance, was mainly interested in reforming the government, not the individual.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1980
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“The gross divisional statistic of HCO is letters out and letters in. Why? Because the Existence of an org is real to the public mainly by writing in and getting answered. The volume of letters out and letters in is wholly in the ability of HCO to control. After all, it is the HUBBARD COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE. When letters don’t go out in volume, the public and field don’t know the org is there. When letters come in and aren’t answered then the public jolly well knows the org isn’t there and gets ARC Broke about it as well! You can advertise. You must send out mags and these also say the org is there. But that personal communication to Joe, Joe’s reply and answering Joe is vital vital vital for Joe now knows you’re there.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 24, 1966
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“ANCHOR: We will be at anchor until we leave Thursday evening. We will cut short our stay in the next port, arriving there the 26th and departing the 1st of March, giving us only 4 days there. This lets us take part in some celebrations in the port after next. Webspread will be very pleased — if he ever comes back.” — The Commodore, February 24, 1971
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“The last time I saw Jack Parsons he was now this lifetime an OT 5 and still living in Pasadena, and he did recall an explosion.”
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1997: Jeff Jacobsen and his family came under additional harassment this week, with a visit from a Scientology private investigator and two pickets.
“As I type this, Eugene Ingram, Scientology private investigator, is in South Dakota visiting my father’s business establishments, asking questions about me. It is a written practice of the church to noisily investigate someone that they are upset at. I was warning my neighbors that there might be private investigators hanging around the area again. One neighbor then told me that 2 women were picketing my house a few nights ago about 9:30pm. The neighbors told the women to leave or they’d call the police, and they left. The Scottsdale police told me that there is a law against picketing in a residential area here. Tonight as every Friday night I went to my dj’ing job at the All Singles Dances. I went out to see about 20 or so people walking along the hotel property next to a busy major street (speed limit there about 45 mph). I remember 2 signs; one said ‘Jacobsen sued his family!’ and another said ‘Jacobsen sells XXX rated videos.’ I asked the guy holding the first sign what that meant since I had never sued anyone in my life. He said ‘you’ll have to ask that guy’ pointing up ahead to someone or other. I guess he didn’t even know what his own sign was about! My father has video rental stores in South Dakota, one of which won an award for best store in the state. He does rent x-rated videos, as well as Disney and everything else in between. Do you see what they’re doing? Rather than address what is on that page, they go after my family! Can you think of anything more despicable? I heard that after about 45 minutes of picketing the hotel called the police. The police told the picketers they were interfering with the hotel driveway (they had been marching right through the entryway) and also were distracting traffic and setting up a situation where someone driving by would likely be rear-ended while trying to read the signs. So the picketers left.”
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“I seem to recall that a fear of heights is an engram caused by the thetan-occupied clam remembering being dropped by a seagull.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. Appeal now fully briefed, waiting for 2nd Appellate District court to set a hearing date. Masterson has also submitted a habeas corpus petition.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Pleaded guilty on Nov 10 to a 17-year prison sentence (eligible for parole in two to three more years). Awaiting transfer to state prison.
— Aaron Matthes charged for SA of child under 12 years old: OT Scientologist facing multiple mandatory life sentences. Next pretrial court hearing set for March 9.
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, which is now fully briefed. Awaiting the setting of an oral arguments hearing.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ 15 days of arbitration completed, Val waiting for further word from the IJC.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal. Appeal fully briefed. Motion to replace Jane Does’ AI-tainted brief denied by court. Oral arguments hearing on March 3.
— 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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Other links: The prosecution of Danny Masterson. Leah Remini’s Fair Game Podcast. Leah Remini’s A&E Series. Scientology’s Celebrities, from A to Z. Bryan Seymour’s suppressed series, 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 in the time of Trumpism: Tom Cruise getting rehabbed by the right?
[TWO years ago] Lawrence Wright weighs in on Scientology opening Austin ‘Ideal Org’ in his town
[THREE years ago] TESTAMENT: When a celeb faced a nasty divorce, and Scientology kept it all under wraps
[FOUR years ago] What the Dutch Coast Guard really thinks about Scientology and its ship the Freewinds
[FIVE years ago] MASTERSON ACCUSERS PETITION APPELLATE COURT: Seeking to overturn ‘arbitration’ ruling
[SIX years ago] DRONE FLYOVER: Saturday’s Scientology ‘Ideal Org’ opening in Ventura, California
[SEVEN years ago] In Scientology, every dollar you own is under constant attack
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology fires back at the Garcias, but reveals absolutely bonkers ‘arbitration’ instructions
[NINE years ago] Whale watching, 2017 edition: Who’s keeping Scientology from sinking?
[TEN years ago] Monique Rathbun is on the clock at the Texas Supreme Court, and more in our legal roundup
[ELEVEN years ago] New government release contains a surprise: L. Ron Hubbard flunked out of high school, too!
[TWELVE years ago] Monique Rathbun files motion for contempt against Scientology defendants
[THIRTEEN years ago] Marisol Nichols prepares for her greatest role: Scientology space cadet!
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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 3,549 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,053 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,559 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,109 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 3,099 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,485 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,980 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,284 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,935 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,153 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,707 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,048 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,619 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,535 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,702 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,284 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,543 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,295 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,860 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,175 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,350 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,032 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,369 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,222 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,338 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,700 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 4,111 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,499 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,383 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,947 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,459 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,719 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,823 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 24, 2026 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter.
Our book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is 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, 1995-2024 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2024), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
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Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
