TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: The final fleecing that members of Scientology go through to complete the ‘Bridge to Total Freedom’ takes place not in a ‘church’ or an ‘org,’ but on a dilapidated and compact cruise ship called the ‘Freewinds.’ But where is today, or next week? Now we can tell you! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“During intensive processing the preclear should not starve himself. A diet of coffee and sandwiches might slow his processing. He should eat a high protein diet during the whole course of intensive processing. Chemical assist is possibly not as effective when the preclear does not eat well, the glutamic acid being absorbed as nutrition. At those times when a preclear undergoing intensive processing does not improve, it is policy either to sell or give him additional processing but this should never be stated to the preclear before the intensive run is entered upon for it drops his necessity level. The necessity level must be kept high during the course.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950
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“Some prenatal engrams (you find this out when you are clearing a case) will have slumbered 20 or 30 years with no reactivation, yet will be vicious engrams. For instance, in one case there must have been about 110 engrams, each one of which called for an enormously powerful migraine headache, and not one of them reactivated until the person was 22 years of age. Then, chain fashion, they all reactivated. The mysterious cause of the migraine headache was evidently an airplane crash where the person got a headache. Actually there was not even a head injury in the airplane crash, but there were about three words spoken while the person was unconscious which reactivated the chain.” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 15, 1950
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“The recovery of personnel sent out is a primary duty of the Action Bureau. It is not true that the US and Europe are full of unrecalled missionaires but they sure leave their missions out long enough. Now our Brian Charlton is trying to set an all time record. A 2 day hat check out of Athena on PR became weeks. Recall at once and assign Mission Ineligible.” — The Commodore, August 15, 1970
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“Only PTS people are susceptible to catching diseases, according to LRH.”
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2000: Jeff Jacobsen spoke before Clearwater’s City Council this week. “I didn’t know how far Scientology’s influence has spread in this community just from visiting once a year. But I’ve seen the influence now. Scientology gets away scot-free after the death of Lisa McPherson, while critics of Scientology are enjoined from even walking on certain sidewalks in Clearwater. A Scientologist hits a critic’s video camera with a hammer and the police do nothing. A picketer is assaulted not once but twice by a Scientologist, and despite the assaults being on video tape from different angles, the Scientologist is not arrested. Just a few weeks ago a German official from Hamburg came to town. I was at the airport when about 30 Scientologists greeted her with shouts of ‘Nazi Go Home!’ and attempted to manhandle her. I was there when the Scientology attorney came demanding that she be deposed in a case she has nothing to do with at the exact time she had already scheduled a news conference. Ms. Ursula Caberta has gone home after having been viciously treated by Scientology, and let me assure you that the European media, starting with Der Spiegel, have already begun to paint Clearwater as German-hating and nuts. I suspect you are going to be seeing fewer German tourists around here now, thanks to the actions of Scientologists. Maybe when Europe’s tourists boycott our wonderful community, the hit in your pocketbooks might wake you up to reality.”
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“Oops, sounds like Marty had what they call in A.A. a ‘slip.’ Hopefully it doesn’t turn into a full blown relapse.”
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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] The state’s entire 42,000-word response to Danny Masterson’s criminal appeal
[TWO years ago] When Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard offered Polaroid his genius
[THREE years ago] Scientology attacked us with new social media ads, and the reactions are hilarious
[FOUR years ago] Pete Goes to Hollywood: The grim reality of Scientology servitude in La-La-Land
[FIVE years ago] Underground Bunker readers assemble, and Scientology spies freak out
[SIX years ago] The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 22: Graham Norton and other celebrity strokers
[SEVEN years ago] ‘Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath’ will end with a 2-hour special August 26
[EIGHT years ago] A life connected to some of our biggest Scientology stories ends in a terrible way
[NINE years ago] Leah Remini goes there: Child molestation in Scientology for tonight’s ‘Aftermath’ premiere
[TEN years ago] Former Scientology mouthpiece Tommy Davis is settling into his new role as Hollywood exec
[ELEVEN years ago] Why no one should ever join Scientology’s ‘Sea Org’
[TWELVE years ago] Ryan Hamilton files 19th lawsuit against Scientology’s drug rehab network
[THIRTEEN years ago] Scientology is Obsessed with Getting Books in Libraries — Here Are the Real Stats!
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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 3,721 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,225 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,731 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,281 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,657 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,152 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,458 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,107 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,325 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,879 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,220 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,791 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,707 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,874 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,460 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,719 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,467 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,036 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,347 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,522 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,204 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,541 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,394 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,510 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,872 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,671 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,555 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,130 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,631 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,891 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,995 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 15, 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
