You have to hand it to Scientology. No matter how much L. Ron Hubbard’s creation is battered and bruised by bad press, shrinking numbers, and ridicule on social media, Scientology never, ever gives up.
And what a coup it has today. At 9:15 a.m. Eastern, Scientologists Meghan Fialkoff and Rebecca Minkoff will ring the bell to start the trading day at Nasdaq’s market site in New York while representing one of Scientology’s sneaky front groups that work to get L. Ron Hubbard’s influence in the public schools.
We’ve been writing for years about Meghan and her father, Queens dentist Bernard Fialkoff, and we’ve marveled at how hard they work to push Scientology’s “Foundation for a Drug-Free World” into New York City’s schools, and with help from the New York Police Department.
Nasdaq’s official press release about today’s opening bell ceremony describes Drug-Free World as “a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free,” and that the New York chapter was established by Bernie Fialkoff in 2006. There’s no mention that the Foundation bases its materials on the outdated and anti-science ideas about drugs dreamed up by L. Ron Hubbard, or that its materials are printed at Scientology printing plants.
When we first wrote about the Fialkoffs in 2013, the address of the Foundation’s New York chapter was the same address as Scientology’s New York org on 46th Street in Times Square. But that was apparently a little too obvious, and now the chapter is officially located at Bernie Fialkoff’s Bayside dental offices.
For their tireless work to get Hubbard’s quack notions about drugs into schoolrooms, the Fialkoffs were given Scientology’s highest award last year, the Freedom Medal.
In June, we wrote about how handbag designer Rebecca Minkoff was increasing her own involvement in the Foundation as well as Scientology itself, which she grew up in. Here’s what we said about Minkoff and her Scientology family in that story…
“Rebecca’s involvement has increased over the years,” Quailynn McDaniel tells us. “She wasn’t active until she got famous. Now the church has her deep in their pocket, but she didn’t start that way. Her brother Uri Minkoff came on as her CEO. He’s been a long time spy for OSA, trying to make up the damage his dad caused the church,” she says, referring to the Office of Special Affairs, the intelligence wing of the church. Quailynn had earlier produced OSA documents about her and her family submitted by Uri Minkoff, backing up her claim that he was submitting information about her. (Which, actually, all Scientologists are under pressure to do. Scientology is a snitching culture and it’s deeply embedded.)
Rebecca and Uri’s father is Dr. David Minkoff, a physician and Church of Scientology member, who was partly implicated in Lisa McPherson’s 1995 death. Minkoff had his medical license suspended for a year after it emerged that he had prescribed a sedative for McPherson at the request of the Scientologists caring for her at the Fort Harrison Hotel, even though he never actually examined her. If he had, perhaps he might have seen how bad her condition became. When Scientologists finally rushed McPherson from the hotel when it became clear that her condition was grave, they headed to the facility where Minkoff worked, bypassing closer hospitals, when she died along the way.
In November, our Rod Keller reminded us that David Minkoff is still in business and offering a wide variety of quack medical treatments. Uri Minkoff, meanwhile, has his own fashion line connected to his sister’s website, and Rebecca Minkoff continues to move up Scientology’s “Bridge to Total Freedom.”
Scientology’s Source magazine issue 231, from April 2014, indicated that Rebecca had finally gone “Clear.”
So now that Rebecca is Clear and Meghan is a Freedom Medal winner, they’ve really outdone themselves with the Nasdaq opening.
Can the New York Stock Exchange be far behind?
Hey, they were live! Kerri Kasem joined them for the bell ringing…
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 4,874 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,083 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 1,857 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 2,631 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 1,977 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,471 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,511 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,223 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 749 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 4,838 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 1,978 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,298 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,273 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 629 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 4,931 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,038 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis for 1,440 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,313 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 894 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,399 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 1,643 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 12,752 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on September 15, 2017 at 07:00
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Our book, 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, 1995-2016 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2016), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten 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 | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
