Tony Ortega is a journalist who was formerly the editor of The Village Voice. He's written about Scientology since 1995, and in May 2015 released a book about Scientology's harassment of Paulette Cooper titled 'The Unbreakable Miss Lovely.' He continues to monitor breaking developments in the Scientology world from an undisclosed location in an underground bunker he shares with four cats and one of them wrinkly Shar Pei dogs. Despite his super-secret security protections, you can still reach him pretty easily by sending him a message at tonyo94 AT gmail.com (Drop him a line if you'd like to get an e-mail whenever a new story is posted.) [Header image courtesy John Rickard]
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Danny Masterson asks for more time to answer lawsuit — while he’s skiing in Park City

 We told you earlier that Scientologist actor Danny Masterson was served notice of a lawsuit when it was handed to his wife, actress Bijou Phillips, at their Santa Ynez, California home on November []

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This year’s best Scientology shoops by readers of the Underground Bunker

 Like last year, we asked Observer for some of her favorite illustrations that readers of the Bunker posted over the last year. Observer is a shoop specialist herself and provides us with our annual poster and marketing for HowdyCon. []

Scientology has its dukes up for Boxing Day, but we’re still thinking of warmer days

 We know that Boxing Day, celebrated in numerous countries where we have readers and correspondents, has nothing to do with the sport of boxing, but here in the U.S. December 26 has no other significance than the day we pay for all of the overeating, imbibing, and general madness of []

Does Shelly Miscavige know it’s Christmas 2019?

 One year ago we decided that on Christmas Day it would be a good time to review what we knew about the disappearance of Shelly Miscavige, wife to Scientology’s leader David Miscavige, who vanished from Scientology’s Gold Base in summer 2005. We wondered if Shelly, kept hidden in a remote mountain compound, even knew it []

Scientology is denied an emergency hearing, but here is its ‘arbitration’ motion

[David Miscavige is trying to force Valerie Haney into ‘religious arbitration’]

Yesterday morning, our man Jeffrey Augustine was on the scene as Scientology was denied its request for an emergency (“ex parte”) hearing at Los Angeles Superior []

Bernie Headley, 1952-2019: A man who fought against Scientology’s ‘disconnection’

 Bernie Headley died today, aged 67. Here’s what Marc Headley posted this evening at his Facebook []

Even after ‘arbitration’ victory, Scientology still snowing the court in Garcia appeal

[Luis Garcia and his attorney Ted Babbitt on the Aftermath]

Scientology’s final word in the complex appeal and cross-appeal of the Luis and Rocio Garcia fraud lawsuit was filed this week, and now the matter is in the hands of the U.S. Eleventh []

Scientology Santa: The church built on Jesus as a hoax once again co-opts Christmas

[R6 Santa at the Hollywood Winter Wonderland]

Christmas time is here and as usual Scientology celebrates the holiday in somewhat creepy ways. The public events are examples of “safepointing” to create allies that can be called upon when the church is attacked. But Scientology celebrates Christmas in private as well, with decorations, parties and gifts. []

Lloyd Evans: The biggest Jehovah’s Witnesses stories of 2019

 What a treat: Ex-JW activist Lloyd Evans brings us this great rundown on the biggest Jehovah’s Witnesses stories of 2019. Make sure you subscribe to Lloyd’s amazing YouTube channel for the latest breaking JW []

The Underground Bunker’s 2019 Scientology year-in-review starts today!

[The Daily Beast captured the year’s biggest Scientology story with this clever illo]

[NOTE: Don’t miss last night’s breaking news about Scientology’s attempt to force Valerie Haney into ‘religious arbitration.’]

Once again, the world’s press was infected with a passion for Scientology stories this year. And that metastasized in May when news organizations went rabid over the []