My name is Alanna Warren. In 2009 I started school at City College in Casselberry, Florida in the Private Investigation program, run under Michelle Morton. Several months after I started, Michelle approached me about an internship opportunity, and she had me go to Clearwater for an interview.
That is when I met Dwayne Powell and Terry Roffler. We met and had the interview at the restaurant Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill. After the interview I was hired immediately. I was told no information except that it was a big corporate case.
I was made to sign a non-disclosure agreement stating that I would not talk about anything having to do with the case. If I did so then I was subject to be sued by them, $10,000 per contract violation. I was told that Terry Roffler was the one with the client and that Dwayne Powell was the lead investigator, and I was to work under Dwayne’s supervision.
At first I was responsible for watching and following Amy Scobee and Mat Pesch. We had a motel room across from where they were living. We had a whole setup in the room, with cameras watching them. We had to watch them from the time they woke up until their lights went out.
One person would be in the room watching, while the other investigators were posted in different positions in their cars waiting for them to leave so we could follow them. We had a setup where we could watch them at their warehouse through a tiny hole in the woods that Dwayne said he personally made. I spent the first couple of days riding with Dwayne in his vehicle so he could show me the ropes.
When I first started following Amy and Mat, Dwayne said they were creatures of habit. They would leave their place at the same time every day to go to their warehouse. I was told they also liked going to either Sweet Tomatoes or Cracker Barrel for lunch. At one point we started making bets as to which restaurant they would eat at for lunch that day. At that time it was only me, another intern from City College, Dwayne, and Terry working the case. Dwayne and I would always go into the restaurants together to keep eyes on the subjects.
Dwayne and I became romantically involved shortly after I started working. At first I was hesitant because he was my boss and I was trying to start my life over with the career I had always wanted. However, he told me a story about how we had met years ago at the bar Cowboys in Orlando. The details that he told me no one would have known unless they were there that night. While we were seeing each other, we continued to follow Amy and Mat around for a few months.
Once Mike Rinder moved to Florida I was told to start following him. We referred to that part of the case as “Impulse,” which was in regards to a company Mike was working for, Impulse Marketing Group. I was told that it was a fake telemarketing company that was scamming people.
Once I was moved to the Impulse case Dwayne’s brother Devin joined the case along with two other private investigators Rick and Jon. We had six investigators total (or as we were called in the reports “Pros”) following Mike, Christie Collbran, Haydn and Lucy James, and anyone else associated with them. Eventually three more investigators were added for a total of nine pros working the Impulse case.
Mike, Christie, Haydn, and Lucy were living in a house together off Riverview Drive in Tarpon Springs. We rented a place just a few houses down on the corner of the street. Devin and myself would take turns living at the house. We had a video camera and still camera set up looking through the side garage door towards their house. Either Devin or I would stay there all day and keep eyes on their house. The other investigators would be positioned in specific spots ready to follow when someone left. One time while positioned outside of the house at a park close by I was approached by Haydn. He knocked on my window and when I rolled it down he was very angry and said he knew I was working for the church and told me to stop watching and following them. I told him I had no idea what he was talking about, that I worked remotely and was just taking my lunch break. I had my lunch out and made it look like I had been watching a movie on my laptop. At that point my vehicle was considered “burned” and I had to go get a new rental vehicle. I still to this day don’t know why they had me sit in such an exposed spot; it was definitely not where I personally would have chosen.
We had GPS trackers on almost every single vehicle just in case we lost them in traffic. Since Mike was well aware that he was being followed we always had to keep a good distance from them to try and stay out of sight. If we were getting too close and had to back off, Dwayne would bring up the GPS trackers on one of his laptops so that we wouldn’t lose them. I remember one time when Mike and Christie’s GPS tracking device’s battery died. We had followed them to the AMC West Shore 14 in Tampa, where they were going to see the movie Avatar. Dwayne and I went into the theater with them and sat several rows behind them. Halfway through the movie Dwayne left the theater. I continued to keep eyes on them so Dwayne could replace their GPS device with a new fully charged one. He texted me when he was done. Then I left the theater and went back to my car to wait for them to leave.
During my time working for the church we probably went through hundreds of rental cars. We would change them out frequently so that we wouldn’t be “made.” Dwayne would occasionally switch out license plates from the rental cars. Those were the license plates that they found on him when he got caught following David Miscavige’s father Ron Miscavige in Wisconsin.
When Marty Rathbun and Monique came to town to visit Mike our whole focus shifted to them. The church thought he was there to speak out to news reporters about the church. We were waiting for them at the airport and started following them right away.
Other “subjects” that we followed and kept tabs on: Rebecca Backus, Laura Pinot-Lopez, Katrina James, Anthony Machalek, Tom DeVocht, Alison Edwards, Chloe Edwards, Robert and Susan Almblad, Mareka James, Victor and Sofie Lefebvre, and John Brousseau.
It wasn’t until later that I found out from a fellow intern that we were actually working for Scientology and following these people that had left the church to make sure they did not speak to any news reporters about what actually was going on within Scientology. At that point I had a huge problem with what I was being asked to do.
Also during that time I ended up getting pregnant with Dwayne’s child. Dwayne told me that once Terry found out I would be pulled from the case because I would be a liability. Dwayne manipulated me and forced me into having an abortion, which he paid for. After being forced to have the abortion on January 4, 2010, I found myself in a horrible state of mind. I couldn’t believe I had let him do that and for what? To keep following around all these innocent people just trying to live their lives?
All I wanted was to be a PI and help people. Instead I had become someone who was hurting people. So, I ended up quitting the case. Dwayne had me work a couple of domestic cases but eventually I stopped doing PI work all together.
For a long time I have stayed silent in fear of repercussions. Every time I told Dwayne I was going to speak out after quitting I was told not to because I would be sued. I was also told that Terry and a former PI co-worker by the name of Jon were following me. Dwayne even sent me a picture of my vehicle parked at my friend’s apartment to prove they were following me. I am no longer scared of the church and want to speak out about what I know.
— Alanna Warren
Please see our previous story about Dwayne Powell and another colleague who came forward, Cierra Westerman, from 2018. — ed.
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Technology Cocktail
“The rate of decay of a body is not really a point in question except that a thetan will try to accelerate it if the body isn’t cared for. A thetan doesn’t much care concerning the actual disposition of the body as long as it isn’t given any more indignity than it suffered in the lifetime. He is apt to be very upset about indignities rendered to a dead body.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1958
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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.
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
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“In order to understand the third dynamic completely, you would have to understand that a thetan is confused about who is who. His basic confusion, who is who, is manifest under this: He can duplicate himself. He can put himself out there in space and be as alive out there and where he is too, at the same time, as where he is. He can duplicate himself; in other words. One thetan that can be, then, two thetans. And each one of these thetans have all the characteristics of the original thetan. And then these two thetans can duplicate themselves and have all the original characteristics of themselves but be somebody else too. So we get into valence trouble. This is one of the basic capabilities. The second we introduce duplication, however, we introduce space. So the second a thetan began to be somebody else and himself; too, there was space in the matter.” — L. Ron Hubbard, May 6, 1954
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“The gradual improvement of world stats is done by constant attention to DATA and gradually putting things right. Any breakdown occurs when it does because of failed or unrun missions, failure to observe and report, failure to carry out overall Flag intention. The important point is that we are gradually winning on all fronts in a world that ought to have a fence around it and seems to be dedicated to self-destruction. When you can advance into that you really have to be somebody! Any you have to know what you’re doing.” — The Commodore, May 6, 1970
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“We have now entered the twilight zone. This is not a cutesy zone where interesting things happen. No, this is the zone where SPs have taken over the entire world and are just now starting to make things very suppressive for us. LRH said in HCO PL KEEPING SCIENTOLOGY WORKING, ‘This is a deadly serious activity. And if we miss getting out of the trap now, we may never again have another chance.’ I’m not one to take lightly LRH quotables because he is the smartest person I have EVER known, and, as you can tell from that quote and from what is happening in the world right now, he is on the money – as usual. We lost control of this planet because we failed to clear the R6 bank to the point where the world would calm down. We could have done it when we had a chance. Of that I am certain. It wasn’t DM’s fault. It was OUR fault because we LET him take over and because we were too busy having fun and enjoying freedom and being too complacent with our huge wins and knowing that nothing much can happen to us at this point because we are free. Well we’re far from free. And how about your friends and family? Don’t their lives matter?”
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2000: Bob Minton posted details of his financial dealings in Nigeria, which are under attack by Scientology. “‘The Scientology Fashanu Report’ is a worthless piece of crap that even the PRESENT Nigerian Government has no interest in pursuing as it relates to anything to do with the buyback I was involved with. Scientology is feeding this bullshit everywhere, even to Washington but nobody is listening which is why you can read it all on ARS. The total amount of debt purchased for Nigeria by any companies which I or my fellow shareholders was involved with amounted to US Dollars 4,447,524,747 at a cost to Nigeria of US Dollars 1,548,577,891. That means an average price to Nigeria of 34.819 percent. The companies I was involved with made a fraction of one percent commission on the debt we purchased NOT 30+ percent. Every item in ‘The Fashanu Scientology Report’ is based on the lie that we bought at 10 percent and sold for 40+ percent to Nigeria. The Nigerian Central Bank led by the then Governor Ahmed, Deputy Governor Ismalia Usman (today, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance) and many others like a Mr. Animashawan were the most honest people I have ever dealt with. They were a credit to Nigeria and totally atypical of the African stereotype Scientology and others would have you believe. General Babangida (IBB) who was the Nigerian ruler when we did this business, made a very wise decision to approve the buyback plan we presented to the Central Bank of Nigeria. It saved Nigeria billions of US Dollars and no matter how much the Church of Scientology tries to spin it.”
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“Scientologists are the Kings and Queens of semantic pedantic literalistic obfuscating weasel word games.”
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Mistrial declared November 30. Retrial scheduled, jury selection begins March 29. Next pretrial hearing: Feb 16.
— ‘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 Feb 13.
— Rizza Islam, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for March 1 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next status conference Feb 13.
Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Complaint filed April 28 in Tampa federal court, Scientology moving to compel arbitration. Plaintiffs filed amended complaint on August 2. Hearing November 17 to argue the arbitration motions, awaiting ruling.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Selection of arbitrators underway. Next court hearing: March 15, 2023.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Stay in place at least through February 7.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: New trial ordered after appeals court overturned prior ruling.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Lawsuit filed by the FTC and state of Georgia in August, now in discovery phase.
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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] Danny Masterson’s new moves in rape case: Asks to dismiss one victim, separate the other two
[TWO years ago] Can’t someone ask Erika Christensen a real question about Scientology?
[THREE years ago] Scientology has thrown millions at Ireland in recent years, and here’s the amazing result
[FOUR years ago] Scientology and Nation of Islam figure picks worst week to rail against measles vaccine
[FIVE years ago] In Hollywood and in Italy, Scientology is making all your dreams come true!
[SIX years ago] Ah, the reveries of 1950: When Dianetics was in full bloom
[SEVEN years ago] When Anonymous had Scientology in a panic: A new document has us nostalgic for 2008
[EIGHT years ago] Bob Duggan, the richest Scientologist in the world, is going to love our nifty new drawings!
[NINE years ago] Leaked footage of Scientology leader David Miscavige in Sydney
[TEN years ago] Investigation of Scientology Drug Rehab Program in Georgia Shifts to Credit Card Fraud
[ELEVEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Birmingham Raises the Odds on Ideal Orgs!
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,021 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,526 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,076 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,066 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,957 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,261 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,132 days.
Doug Kramer has not seen his parents Linda and Norm in 2,237 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 4,684 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,026 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 12,592 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,511 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 4,679 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,260 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,521 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 3,557 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,273 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,837 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,152 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,327 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,878 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,009 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,347 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,202 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,321 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 2,677 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,980 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,086 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,484 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,360 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,943 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,438 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 3,692 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,801 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 6, 2023 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, 1995-2022 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2022), 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
