Scientology celebrates Nancy Cartwright for upping her donations to $21 million

 
The new issue of Scientology’s Impact magazine is here, and it contains a surprise!

Impact is our favorite of Scientology’s publications because it provides us with reports from the church’s celebrations of its biggest donors. (We call them “whales.”)

In this case, it was a relatively small number of multi-million dollar benefactors who were feted at the Ft Harrison Hotel in Clearwater, Florida on New Year’s Eve.

Before we show you the list, it’s really important to keep in mind that these are cumulative amounts given just to one Scientology initiative, the International Association of Scientologists, the church’s membership organization (and leader David Miscavige’s legal slush fund). Someone credited for giving $1 million, for example, may have given only a few thousand in recent months that enabled them to get past that plateau. (For an explanation of how we know what amounts the statuses represent or the estimates we’ve made for some of them, see our methodology here.)

Back in 2019, one of the whales celebrated in Impact was none other than Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, who at that point had reached the level of “Diamond Laureate With Honors,” reflecting that she’d given Scientology about $17.5 million.

And now, she’s topped herself again! This new issue of Impact indicates that on New Year’s Eve she received a trophy for reaching “Patron Excalibur With Honors,” suggesting she’s now coughed up $21 million in donations just to the IAS. (Big donors are also hit up for millions more in gifts specifically earmarked for building projects and other initiatives. Cartwright gave millions, for example, to the construction of the San Fernando Valley Ideal Org, which opened in 2017.)

“This was the most beautiful acknowledgment I have ever received in my entire life,” Cartwright told Impact magazine.

$21 million? ¡Ay caramba!

Here then are the million-dollar-plus donors listed in the new Impact magazine. These amounts are just astounding!

 
GOLD MERITORIOUS

Stephen & Meg Epstein

Nashville, Tennessee

Lifetime Members since: 2011 (Stephen), 1999 (Meg)

Stephen Epstein is a Nashville investor who, we read recently in the Tampa Bay Times, recruited a “ringer” to front a new development in the north marina area in Clearwater, Florida.

Gold Meritorious = $1 million

The Andrus Family

Clearwater, Florida

Lifetime Members since: 1985/88

Gold Meritorious With Honors = $1.75 million

 
PLATINUM MERITORIOUS

David & Erika Melrose and Family

Prosper, Texas

Lifetime Members since: 2002

Platinum Meritorious = $2.5 million

Howard & Karen Becker

Clearwater, Florida

Lifetime Members since 1985 (Howard), 1987 (Karen)

Platinum Meritorious With Honors = $3.75 million

 
DIAMOND MERITORIOUS

Chie Mihara & Francisco Sanchis and Family

Elda, Spain

Lifetime Members since: 2006

Diamond Meritorious = $5 million

Steve Fabos & Peggy Oppenheim Fabos

Confirming what we noted a few weeks ago, the Fabos Factor is back!

Patron Laureate With Honors = $11 million

 
PATRON EXCALIBUR WITH HONORS

Nancy Cartwright

Northridge, California

Lifetime Member since: 1991

What’s this? Nancy gets to have Dave in the picture when she isn’t the biggest donor of the night? Wow, celebrity really is the coin of the realm in Scientology, isn’t it?

Patron Excalibur With Honors = $21 million

Tom & Victoria Cummins and Family

Pietrasanta, Italy

Lifetime Members since 1985 (Tom), 2006 (Victoria)

Diamond Maximus = $40 million

 
PATRON OF LEGEND WITH HONORS

Trish Duggan

Clearwater, Florida

Lifetime Member since: 1986

Patron of Legend With Honors = $300 million plus?

Trish and Bob Duggan have been split up for about six years now, but Trish is still going strong as David Miscavige’s biggest funder. In an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Bob Duggan insisted that he’s still in the fold, even though he doesn’t attend these events anymore. He has also confirmed that he and his ex-wife have given north of $300 million in donations, and Scientology had to come up with a special status just for Trish: “Patron of Legend.” This time, adding “With Honors” to it seems like weak sauce. But she’s still the queen of Scientology richies.

 
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Technology Cocktail

“If we have everything holding on to things for us, such as gravity, body holding on to you, and all kinds of things holding on for us, we eventually get to a frame of mind where we feel we are being totally cared for. But at the same time we don’t dare reject anything because it might be some of our hold-on-to mechanism and a thetan doesn’t reject.” — 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.

 
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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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Source Code

“As far as publicity is concerned the general public has been slammed around about Dianetics and they don’t know whether Dianetics is a cough drop or a new cult down in Arizona. Nobody really knows very much about it. Out in the general public they ask you if it is a cult, or if it is this or if it is that. I suddenly woke up to the fact that I was under-evaluating it. I was trying to tell people ‘Well, this is sort of a psychotherapy and it does this and that,’ rather apologetically. And I said to somebody bluntly the other day, ‘Why, Dianetics is the science of handling life; you know, handling life forces!’ They looked at me and blinked and I said, ‘Yes, you know, a fellow starts downhill and starts down toward death. Well, Dianetics picks him back up again.’ They went away in a trance! Actually, isn’t that what we are doing? The new theta-MEST theory makes that so apparent, and the results you get follow in so closely that, actually, we are doing just that.” — L. Ron Hubbard, May 15, 1951

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“US STATS HAVE JUST GONE OVER THE MILLION MARK!!! AOSHUK IS OVER $47,000!” — The Commodore, May 15, 1971

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Overheard in the FreeZone

“The first goal when working with OMNI processing is to reach the OMNI state (to make contact with the original Statics). If there is no extension and contact, then further correct actions are impossible. We should get in contact with those 10*10^40 players who create this universe.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1995: “The Phil Donahue show aired a live broadcast on the cos on Monday. Heber Jentzsch ineptly fended off fairly soft questions from Phil. I think most posters to a.r.s rated it as unsatisfying due to the condition that Heber placed on the show: that no critics of the cos be present on stage. The only thing I learned was that Heber has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Utah. The most absurd moments came when a woman claimed the Purif cleaned out her arteriosclerosis after doctors gave her two years to live.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Eva Gabor was awesome in Green Acres, which was one of the most underrated, surrealist shows of all time. It’s worthy of Lynch or Buñuel.”

 
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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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SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

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] Letters from Scientology’s celebrities that charmed the pants off LA’s city council
[TWO years ago] Scientology chiropractor Eric Berg called out by son in viral TikTok video
[THREE years ago] Scientology’s center specializing in auditing your infant is back open in Florida!
[FOUR years ago] John Travolta’s daughter makes her own Scientology splash at awards ceremony
[FIVE years ago] Scientology files notice of appeal in time-wasting federal court attack on forced-abortion case
[SIX years ago] DRONE FLYOVER: An even closer look at where Scientology is keeping Shelly Miscavige
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology takes on the evil psychs at the APA, and more in our weekly social media review!
[EIGHT years ago] Las Vegas attorney Ryan Hamilton makes it 29 lawsuits against Scientology’s drug rehab
[NINE years ago] TIZIANO LUGLI: A new short film about Scientology and ‘slavery’
[TEN years ago] CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT DENIES SCIENTOLOGY PETITION IN FORCED-ABORTION CASE

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 15, 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

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone