TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: More than three years after his conviction, Scientology celebrity and ‘That ’70s Show’ actor Danny Masterson gets his appeal heard by three justices today in a Los Angeles courtroom and we can all watch along online. Our expert TX Lawyer explains what he’s going to be looking for. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“The selection of personnel who will not be subject to sullen or hostile behavior and who will not become ill under various climatic conditions depends in a large measure on the perceptions of the individual. If an individual can recall things he has heard by simply hearing them again (audio imagery), if he can recall things he has seen simply by seeing them again, in color, in his mind (visio imagery), if he can imagine in terms of color-visio and tone-audio (imagine in terms of color motion pictures with sound) and if he can recall his father and mother as of early childhood, the chances are very good that he will prove to be a very stable man. Additionally, he should prove to be, within the limits of his intelligence and physical being,, an able man. Unfortunately, such persons are quite rare. If a man has definite anger patterns, worries about things and has unthinking prejudices, he may prove difficult, for these are the outward manifestations of a large reactive mind.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950
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“How would you like to go into the archives of some space opera society, all of which is delivered to your hand. And these, by the way, are quite interesting as archives. Operated one about 612 million years ago, something like that, which was quite interesting. Card-file systems were all stored in a basement. And I think the basement of that computer room was about the size of Chicago. And the machines which read that occupied an area — just the machines which read it — that’s, you know, the final results appeared on and so forth, looked like seven or eight Grand Central Stations. You know, just the banks of machines. And the reanalysis machines on that were all composed in a little hut that was about a thousand feet long by about four hundred feet wide. And everything was all done on automatic card shuttles, and pneumatic tubes and comparisons. And these IBM machines down here look something like a child’s hurdy-gurdy or something, compared to one of these other machines. These machines could get the finest, tiniest difference between a umph and a umph. And then they could get all things that had the tiniest association with umph and umph. You talk about your smallest and your largest magnitude of comparison — tremendous, see.” — L. Ron Hubbard, June 25, 1963
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“SOUTH AFRICANS: Ever since SA refused me a visa South Africans aren’t allowed to enter this country and many others. This of course is pure coincidence? Anyway, we’re routing them now to EULO which has orders to start an OEC. Why doesn’t somebody tell people we’re trying to better SA? That country needs friends, man. And so does its populace. Did you know that only in those countries where Nazis infiltrated have we had any trouble. Yes. You read that right.” — The Commodore June 25, 1971
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“I think Auditors are very valuable and courageous, so no one has a right to fight any Auditor at this point. I also think that the world is in a dire spot. AI is moving in at incredible pace and together with it Automaticity. Supposedly we are fighting Automaticity with Analyticalness. This is what Philosophy does. Wisdom finds ways to handle situations in safe and swift ways. We have moved out from a Church which has lost its grip on that Wisdom. We are all courageous enough to do that. We should grant that beingness to each other and especially to the Auditors. The problem of the Freezone is a problem of Management.”
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1998: The Goteborgs-Posten carried an editorial on the Swedish court decision to keep the secret NOTS materials available at the Parliament. “It is good that ‘Regeringsratten’ [the Supreme Administrative Court] last Thursday decided to not accept the Government decision to seal the so called scientology bible. The Court stated that ‘offentlighetsprincipen’ in this case is senior to the law on secrecy. The book had been handed in to the Government and the Parliament, and thus become a public document. But the Government gave in to pressure from the U.S. The reason given was that making the document public violated the interests of the scientologists, and would conflict with Sweden’s undertakings in international treaties. The scientologists are striving to protect themselves from the light of publicity, by calling themselves a religious organization, a church. Accordingly, the book is called religious materials. The business idea is to lure people into participating in expensive courses, where the thesis is that human development is hindered by aliens. It is of course important that an activity of this kind, that exploits the insecurity of, and searching for answers by individuals, may be exposed through open information and public debate. It is not a coincidence that Germany has refused to accept the religious label of this organization. It should not be possible to abuse the stamp of secrecy for the purpose of increasing profits in this kind of activity.”
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“I understand where you’re coming from, but the bottom line is that Scientology is a con, and conning people is illegal regardless of whether the victims are dupes and suckers.”
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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, oral arguments scheduled for June 25. 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. Now serving time in 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 June 19.
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. Oral arguments hearing set for July 23.
— 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 upheld on appeal. Scientology expected to file additional petitions before case can return to Kalra’s court.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration. 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] After ditching Scientology: Joy Villa on hanging with the Cruise and Travolta kids
[TWO years ago] Scientology’s latest price list: How much will it cost you to fly, space cadet?
[THREE years ago] Secrets of Scientology’s most secretive branch: CST and its strange vaults
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s own publication shows how much David Miscavige worship is growing
[FIVE years ago] Scientology 50 & 21 years ago today: The strange deaths of Susan Meister & Stacy Moxon
[SIX years ago] Danny Masterson finds himself in a changed era, but his victims came forward before #MeToo
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology is desperate to get its clutches on your children. Here’s proof.
[EIGHT years ago] Did a little sunlight send Scientologists scattering for cover? An international update.
[NINE years ago] Claire Headley on growing up in Scientology, and other HowdyCon highlights
[TEN years ago] Megan Shields, the physician Scientology used to vouch for its drug rehabs, dies of cancer
[ELEVEN years ago] MIKE RINDER AND REPORTER: MAN CONVICTED OF HACKING WAS WORKING FOR SCIENTOLOGY
[TWELVE years ago] Mike Rinder takes on Scientology’s uneven ‘Disconnection’ rules
[THIRTEEN years ago] SCIENTOLOGY ASKS U.S. SUPREME COURT FOR EMERGENCY STAY IN FORCED-ABORTION CASE
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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 3,670 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,174 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,680 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,230 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,606 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,101 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,407 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,056 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,274 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,828 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,169 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,740 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,656 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,823 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,409 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,668 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,416 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,985 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,296 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,471 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,153 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,490 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,343 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,459 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,821 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,620 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,504 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,077 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,580 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,840 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,944 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 25, 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
