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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Paul Haggis, Chill EB, and more Scientology fun in an all-video post!

With his new film, Third Person, opening on Friday night, Paul Haggis is on a media blitz, and he’s being asked, naturally, about his defection from Scientology.

He provided a particularly interesting answer during an interview at HuffPost Live yesterday, which we’ve posted below. Haggis had predicted, in a Rock Center segment more than a year []

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Scientology fires legal salvoes at the Garcias, and Vance Woodward fires back

Lots to catch up on today in the legal arena, with Scientology making several counterpunches in lawsuits around the country.

The Luis and Rocio Garcia federal fraud lawsuit regarding fundraising for Scientology’s “Super Power Building.” When we last checked in, the Garcias had won an important victory, surviving a challenge to the lawsuit over its “diversity []

LISTEN: Rare tape reveals how L. Ron Hubbard really came up with Scientology’s space cooties

The Underground Bunker has been leaked a rare 1952 L. Ron Hubbard recording that surfaced online only briefly five years ago. When it did, some longtime Scientology researchers were astonished, saying they thought it was mere legend.

Despite the secrets it unlocks about the formation of Scientology’s beginnings, you won’t see a mention of this recording []

LEAKED: The slick campaign Scientology had planned for UK expansion!

We have a real treat for our regular readers today, particularly those of you who enjoy our “Sunday Funnies.”

Over the years, we’ve become very familiar with Scientology’s marketing methods, so when something different comes along, it can really get our attention. One of the best examples is the energy and fun of Scotland Scientology’s []

Scientology Sunday Funnies: The Valley rocks as the fundraising rolls ever onward

It’s that time of the week again, when we reveal our favorite Scientology mailers and fliers that have been sent in by our great tipsters. And we have some great treats for you in this installment. (Oh, and happy Father’s Day, everyone!)

If you’ve been with us for a while, you know that our Sunday Funnies []

L. Ron Hubbard’s mesmerizing lore, and tales of Scientology’s secretive Int Base

Our video source came through again with another short film you normally can only see in a Scientology “org.” It’s another “quote video” that features a short segment of an L. Ron Hubbard lecture that’s meant to entice you to purchase the full set of lectures.

In this case, Bridge Publications is asking $175.00 for the []

Why Giovanni Ribisi told Marc Maron there are no aliens in Scientology: A theory

Marc and Claire Headley are two of the most well known people to leave the Church of Scientology in the last decade. Marc’s 2009 book, Blown for Good, is an exciting escape narrative of their time working at Scientology’s “Gold Base,” the secretive International Headquarters of the church in the California desert.

When Marc was []

APPEAL BRIEF: Scientology argues that our coverage of them legitimates their spying

Monique Rathbun

Here’s a shocker: For the first time, Scientology, in its legal briefs, is referring positively to our coverage of the church’s activities, and get this, the church argues that the attention we paid to its notorious “Squirrel Busters” goon squad in 2011 is evidence that should harm Monique Rathbun’s harassment lawsuit.

That’s just []

More proof of Kerri Kasem’s Scientology involvement, and Laura Prepon lies like a rug

We told you previously that we don’t envy the judges presiding over the sordid mess surrounding American Top 40 deejay Casey Kasem, 82, as he slips away into dementia.

Kasem’s wife of 34 years, Jean, and his daughter from a previous marriage, Kerri, are locked in a bitter fight over how to care for him []

OKLAHOMA EMPANELS GRAND JURY TO INVESTIGATE SCIENTOLOGY’S DRUG REHAB

Eric Tenorio

The Underground Bunker has learned that a multi-county Oklahoma state grand jury has been empaneled to look into criminal insurance fraud allegations against Scientology’s flagship drug rehab facility, Narconon Arrowhead.

Scientology’s celebrities — Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and Kirstie Alley — have each promoted Scientology’s drug rehab network, Narconon, as a model program. []