We’ve been pretty busy with the Danny Masterson trial over the last few weeks, but now that it’s on pause, we want to bring your attention to some other important issues.

Namely, that a couple of different Scientologists are going through a very difficult time right now, and there is a way you can lend [...]]]>

We’ve been pretty busy with the Danny Masterson trial over the last few weeks, but now that it’s on pause, we want to bring your attention to some other important issues.

Namely, that a couple of different Scientologists are going through a very difficult time right now, and there is a way you can lend them a hand.

First, we wanted to remind you about Ian Rafalko. If you remember, we were first blown away by his viral announcement on TikTok, explaining that he was the son of Dr. Eric Berg, the YouTube phenom with 8 million subscribers who dispenses a lot of diet advice. Ian drew attention to the fact that the very popular Dr. Berg is also a big time Scientology donor, and that Ian himself had been brought up in the church and had worked as a staffer in Atlanta. Ian broke away from Scientology and is estranged from his father, who is a chiropractor. (Scientology loves to prey on chiropractors.)

After that initial splash on TikTok, Ian made a longer YouTube video about his time in Scientology, he appeared on Leah Remini’s podcast, he also spoke to us about a lawsuit filed against Berg by one of his former employees, and he raised questions about his father gaming YouTube’s numbers.

Most recently, Ian reached out to us to let us know that he’s struggling. We encouraged him to create a GoFundMe campaign, where he posted this description of what he’s facing…

I’ve been broken down by the cult and my parents using the cults methods, in ways that has greatly debilitated me. To the point working, talking and even living without a very severe depression is impossible currently. The PTSD, extreme anxiety, depression and OCD has taken its toll and I need help from a professional clinician. Scientology has a way of reducing the ability of its members to ask for help and to seek any evidence-based treatment, so that is more so the reason this is only happening now. I plan on meeting with a specialist ASAP but I have been just barely surviving and I am ready to ask for help.

Scientologists often have a difficult time when they come out of this controlling, totalitarian organization, and they’ve been conditioned not to seek help from professionals. So we’re very supportive of Ian making this move, and we hope you can find a way to help him out.

Another campaign we want to make you aware about is the health crisis being faced by Jerry Whitfield.

 
Underground Bunker readers are certainly familiar with Jerry’s wife Hana Eltringham Whitfield, who had such a prominent role in Alex Gibney’s 2015 HBO documentary Going Clear. Hana and Jerry have been known for decades for helping Scientologists leave the organization, and Hana has appeared here numerous times in stories.

We were distressed to hear that Jerry is having a very tough time, and we wanted our readers to be aware of the GoFundMe campaign set up to help the two of them get through it. Here’s some material from the campaign…

Jerry required a liver and kidney transplant in 2014, and did very well for a number of years. Earlier this year, however, Jerry began experiencing complications associated with his transplanted organs and has spent the last four months in Cape Coral hospitals. Two days ago, Jerry was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, which has a superb medical staff that specializes in transplant patients. We are hoping beyond hope they can help Jerry pull through this latest challenge. To continue providing Jerry with the personal and emotional support he needs, Hana must rent an affordable hotel/motel or Air B&B near the hospital for six to eight weeks or more, which is how long doctors predict it will take before Jerry can be released. Once he and Hana are able to return home to Cape Coral, it will be months and months before Jerry gets his strength back to where he’ll be able to operate independently.

We’re rooting for you, Jerry. And Bunker readers, if you can help out with either of these campaigns, we would really appreciate it.

 
——————–

Yesterday’s wrap-up: Deadlocked!

We received the stunning news yesterday from Judge Charlaine Olmedo that the jury in the Danny Masterson trial had been unable to reach verdicts on all three counts. She has sent them home for the Thanksgiving week and we will resume on November 28. We released our end-of-the-day video to everyone here at Substack, but we’re linking to it here in case you haven’t seen it. And here’s also the version at our YouTube channel.

 
——————–

Technology Cocktail

“You have observed the phenomenon of people who were theta exteriors getting back into the body and not being able to get out again. This is because they were actually insufficiently aware and because they ran into this one single aberration: ‘They must not reach away from MEST.'” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1953

 
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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?

— The Underground Bunker Podcast

[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

— SPECIAL: Your Proprietor’s updates on the Danny Masterson trial

[1] Sep 21 [2] Sep 28 [3] Oct 4 [4] Oct 10 [5] Oct 11: Day One [6] Oct 12: Day Two [7] Oct 13: Day Three [8] Oct 17: Day Four [9] Oct 18: Day Five [10] Oct 19: Day Six [11] Special interview with Chris Shelton, Oct 19 [12] Oct 20: Day Seven [13] Oct 21: Day Eight [14] First week in review, with Jeffrey Augustine [15] Oct 24: Day Nine [16] Oct 25: Day Ten [17] Oct 27: Day Eleven [18] Oct 28: Day Twelve [19] Second week in review, with Jeffrey Augustine [20] Halloween special [21] Nov 2: Day Thirteen [22] Nov 3: Day Fourteen [23] Nov 4: Day Fifteen [24] Third week in review [25] Nov 5, Saturday special [26] Nov 6, Sunday special [27] Nov 7, Day Sixteen [28] Lisa Marie Presley breaking news [29] Nov 8, Day Seventeen [30] Nov 9, Day Eighteen [31] Nov 10, Day Nineteen

 
——————–

Jon Atack on L. Ron Hubbard

 
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Source Code

“I handled a preclear not too long ago who was in the valence of a horse. He had been in the valence of a horse for a long time. He had gotten so mad at a horse that he had wished everything off on this horse imaginable and then the horse won. And the preclear went into the horse’s valence. Fact. You have probably processed people in the valences of dogs and so forth. As a matter of fact, if I were raising a little child, I would certainly hang all the pets out the window and let them run away rather than have them around a child, because the pet is liable to give the child trouble.” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 19, 1951

 
——————–

Avast, Ye Mateys

“WORD TO WISE: When you are told it was by my orders you were moved, shot, demoted, denied a place in line at the canteen, forced to eat spinach with sand in it, ask to see it in writing. If it isn’t written it isn’t true.” — The Commodore, November 19, 1970

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“As Ron says in ‘The Reason for Orgs’ there are others who would like to ensure that real OTs are not being made. For instance there were some (not all in fact I ran into quite a few who were and are spooks who think OT is a very cool thing) in CIA and other sectors of ‘National Security’ who feel threatened by it. I mean their job is to keep things secret and hidden and having pesky OTs around totally ruins that game plan for ’em. Then of course you have your average SP who isn’t too thrilled by the idea because it makes ‘the masses’ (probably an appropriate term by those stuck in a GPM) harder to suppress and dominate.”

 
——————–

Past is Prologue

1999: A French court this week handed down guilty verdicts and sentences for Marseilles Scientologists now convicted of fraud. From Reuters: “A French court on Monday jailed a former leader of the Church of Scientology for six months, with a further 18 months suspended, for fraud. Xavier Delamare, an ex-leader of the church in southeastern France, was also fined 100,000 francs ($15,750). Five other members of the church were given suspended sentences ranging from six months to a year. One of the defendants, who has turned against the group and accused Delamare of sending him on shady fundraising missions, was cleared. The seven Scientologists went on trial last September on charges of fraud, violence and illegally practising medicine in connection with courses in spiritual purification organised for church members. Delamare’s lawyer Jean-Yves Le Borgne said after the verdict that the proceedings had smacked of lynch law. The trial was marred by the disappearance of legal evidence, which authorities blamed on a court clerk’s mistake. Legal documents that could have been used as evidence against the movement in two other cases have also gone missing.”

Random Howdy

“A Scientology divorce is simply postulating and as-ising that wife #2 never existed.”

 
——————–

Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Trial began October 11 in Los Angeles.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Arraigned on August 29.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff scheduled to be sentenced on Oct 28.
— Rizza Islam, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for March 1 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial conference set for September 19.
— Yanti Mike Greene, Scientology private eye accused of contempt of court: Found guilty of criminal and civil contempt.

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 scheduled November 17 to argue the arbitration motions.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Selection of arbitrators underway. Next court hearing: February 2, 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 December 13.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Case settled ahead of scheduled Dec 6 trial.
— 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.

 
——————–

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?

 
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] L. Ron Hubbard 2.0 surprises us yet again with his latest venture: Sitting in a Tennessee jail
[TWO years ago] Danny Masterson takes another expensive and futile swipe at his criminal charges
[THREE years ago] Nan McLean, 1923-2019: One of the bravest women who ever exposed Scientology’s abuses
[FOUR years ago] Disaster relief? Scientology’s own documents spell out the real mission of ‘Volunteer Ministers’
[FIVE years ago] Most remote large city in the world won’t be overlooked by Scientology’s zeal to be ‘ideal’
[SIX years ago] EXCLUSIVE: See the letter Scientology sent to scare A&E out of airing Leah Remini’s series
[SEVEN years ago] ‘Babywatch,’ day one: Lisa McPherson raves out by Scientology’s holiest swimming pool
[EIGHT years ago] L. Ron Hubbard, deadbeat dad ALSO: Former members of Scientology show off their stuff
[NINE years ago] The Oiliness Table, For Real! A Look Inside Scientology’s Super Power Building
[TEN years ago] LA’s Sheriff Lee Baca and Simpsons Actress Nancy Cartwright Shill for Scientology
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology’s Grand Scheme of Greed Was Kickstarted by the 9/11 Attacks — St. Pete Times

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on November 19, 2022 at 09:00

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, 1995-2021 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2021), 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

It was great to hear from Ian Rafalko again this week. If you remember, we were first blown away by his viral announcement on TikTok, explaining that he was the son of Dr. Eric Berg, the YouTube phenom with 8 million subscribers who dispenses a lot of diet advice.

Ian drew attention to the fact that [...]]]>

It was great to hear from Ian Rafalko again this week. If you remember, we were first blown away by his viral announcement on TikTok, explaining that he was the son of Dr. Eric Berg, the YouTube phenom with 8 million subscribers who dispenses a lot of diet advice.

Ian drew attention to the fact that the very popular Dr. Berg is also a big time Scientology donor, and that Ian himself had been brought up in the church and had worked as a staffer in Atlanta.

Ian broke away from Scientology and is estranged from his father, who is a chiropractor. (Scientology loves to prey on chiropractors.)

 
After that initial splash on TikTok, Ian made a longer YouTube video about his time in Scientology, he appeared on Leah Remini’s podcast, and he also spoke to us about a lawsuit filed against Berg by one of his former employees.

This time, Ian drew our attention to some really entertaining videos he’s been posting at TikTok. In them, he says he’s caught his father gaming YouTube in a way that should get him in trouble with the video platform.

“This is my dad’s YouTube subscribers, every week. Crazy. Wow,” he says in the first video, pointing to Berg’s subscriber numbers. “Oh wow, look at all that realistic numbering,” he says sarcastically, citing the regularity of the daily increase in subscribers, and the low resulting views for an account with 8 million subscribers. For Ian the conclusion is inescapable: “It’s almost evident that you’re buying fake subs and fake views, which is what you see when you look at his profile.”

Days later, Ian followed that up with another video and announced to his audience that everything was fine now. “It’s OK, he stopped…buying them every day of the week,” he quips. Ian points to new numbers suggesting that his father is now buying new subscribers only every other day.

And Ian also claimed some credit for the change affecting Berg’s monthly new subscribers, which had fallen by some 70 percent.

“The moral of the story here is if you’re going to abuse your kids, be prepared that one day, that they may abuse you back, and you’ll deserve it,” he says in the TikTok.

And then, he says, his father reacted by taking down his Twitter account.

 
We told him we thought his new videos were startling and effective.

“When I worked for him, he had been reached out to by a team of Russian people who were translating and posting his videos in Russian for free, and they also had nearly identical traffic, so my guess is he got help from some Russian bot farm, as bizarre as that sounds,” he told us.

Ian says that the information he’s uncovered should get Berg in trouble with YouTube, and he’s made a report. But so far, the video giant hasn’t shown any interest.

“I don’t know what their process is, but I reported those channels twice after talking to Team YT on Twitter,” he tells us. “However, it seems irrelevant how I feel, considering YouTube is a big platform and I’m just one person without any sway to prioritize such things, The only way I feel like they would look into it as if there were many more reports. How is it he can be at almost 9 million subscribers, and yet still almost never break a million views on his videos? and you’ll check his Social Blade and you’ll see that his trends are suspicious as fuck. Any experienced YouTuber who gained their audience honestly would take one look and it would be clear his numbers are bullshit. I’m doing nothing more than holding someone I believe to be very dishonest person accountable.”

 
——————–

Technology Cocktail

“Say, for example, there is a big accident and a crowd of people are pressing around. The police are trying to push the people back. Well, push the people back and then push the policeman back. Say, “Officer, keep these people at a distance.” Then you lean over the victim and snap him back to rights. If you are enough THERE, everybody else will realize that you are the ONE that is THERE. Therefore, such things as panic, worry, wonder, upset, looking dreamily into the far distance, wondering what is wrong or what should be done, are no part of your make-up if you are rendering an assist. Cool, calm and collected should be the keynote of your attitude. Realize that to take control of any given situation it is only necessary to be there more than anybody else. There is no necromancy (magic; conjuration of the spirits of the dead in order to predict the future) involved. Just BE there. The others aren’t. And if you are there enough, then somebody else will pull himself out of it and go on living.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1971

 
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Now available: Bonus for our supporters

Episode 14 of the Underground Bunker podcast has been sent out to paid subscribers: We check in with Clearwater city councilman Mark Bunker about Scientology’s latest attempts to sabotage progress there. Meanwhile, we’ve made episodes 1 through 13 available to everyone, with such guests as Jesse Prince, Paulette Cooper, Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan, Jefferson Hawkins, Patty Moher, Geoff Levin, Pete Griffiths, Sunny Pereira, Bruce Hines, Jeffrey Augustine, and Claire Headley. Go here to get the episodes!

 
——————–

Now with no restrictions: Our podcast series on the Scientology docuseries that never aired

In five episodes, we recently looked at something we’ve been curious about for several years: The potentially explosive television show, produced by Sirens Media, that would have featured L. Ron Hubbard great-grandson Jamie DeWolf as its presenter, and that would have taken an active look at the families ripped apart by Scientology’s “disconnection” policy. Unfortunately, even though the series was ready to air on the A&E network in 2016, it never has. Our podcast series turned out even better than we were hoping, and we’ve made all five episodes available to everyone.

Source Code

“There is cyclical illness which is dictated in the various R6 implants. A fellow was forced to get sick at the age of five, followed multiples of five, and he’s supposed to get sick from this and from that, and from the other thing. Measles and, you know he’s supposed to have and that’s certain. They predict his health, in other words. When he’s fifty he’s supposed to something or other. What they’re trying to do is make a body cave in. See?” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 30, 1968

 
——————–

Avast, Ye Mateys

“It was more dangerous to raise the stern anchor than it was to hope it held as it was holding. Rear view mirror into the past. We should have anchored on the other side of the little island day before yesterday. We’re sitting here held by my postulates and a stern anchor. If either let go we’d wreck our screws. Let this be a lesson in seamanship. The morale is anchor more safely when you can, not after you’re unsafely anchored.” — The Commodore September 30, 1970

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“I’ve never seen ANY cause to attack, criticize, blame, and otherwise malign and impugn LRH. I personally went through extreme hell as a result of writing up GAT as a technical degrade when I was Snr C/S of my org, but I never lost my integrity and affinity for the old man, nor his tech. All the reverse sec-checking, imprisonment, wrong indications, etc., never alloyed my affinity. So I’ve little tolerance for that or the badmouthing of Scientology.”

 
——————–

Past is Prologue

1998: John Ritson, Hartley Patterson Martin Poulter reported their picket against Scientology in London this week. “About a dozen suppressives picketed the Tottenham Court Road, London ‘Org’ this afternoon. Not only did they have the indefatigable ‘Duke’ the loveable toy pooch (named in memory of Judge Swearinger’s drowned dog) and placards and the boom-box playing extracts from L. Ron Hubbard’s wackiest rants, but brightly coloured ‘BodyThetans’ – both stuffed toys about six inches high, and inflatables about two feet high, which squeak when squeezed. There were people coming out after doing the ‘personality test’ and then having a laugh with us. The Scientologists responded by mostly non-confronting, but then sending out Jacques Vollet to do some photography. Eventually they responded by playing some kind of music from a cassette machine on an extension lead. One passer-by suggested we should try and get it stopped as they were not displaying the necessary authorisation from the Performing Rights Society. TC Road is a busy street in London’s main shopping area best known for its Hi-fi bargain shops. Unfortunately as well as pedestrians it also a one-way throughfare, but only a passing fire engine was able to drown out Roland’s ‘Tone 40’. I crossed the road to distribute my leaflets (about 100 each of ‘Xemu’, ‘Lisa’ and ‘Cult of Greed and Power’). OSA tech had sussed me out however – they cunningly sent a young lady across to counter leaflet!”

 
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Random Howdy

“I realized this maybe six years ago when I first read about TR-Alice. I was gobsmacked at how obvious it was. I’ve read numerous examples of Hubbard having a laugh at his followers’ expense since then.”

 
——————–

Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Trial scheduled for October 11.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Arraigned on August 29.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff scheduled to be sentenced on Oct 28.
— Rizza Islam, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for October 24 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial conference set for September 19.

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.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Selection of arbitrators underway. Next court hearing: February 2, 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, next status hearing October 25. Scientology petitioning US Supreme Court over appellate ruling.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Third amended complaint filed, trial set for December 6.
— 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.

 
——————–

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, including our four days in Los Angeles covering the preliminary hearing and its ruling, which has Danny facing trial and the potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison.

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?

 
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Another Scientology OT dies of Covid, this time near the Florida ‘spiritual mecca’
[TWO years ago] Could Danny Masterson’s odd legal fight over his Hollywood house endanger his freedom?
[THREE years ago] Scientology tried to sell ‘Daily Mail’ on story she was a sexual abuser, Leah Remini says
[FOUR years ago] Scientology going ‘Ideal’ with drug rehabs too, and will replace an ailing clinic
[FIVE years ago] Never before seen: Video from the first ‘LRH Birthday’ aboard the Scientology ‘Freewinds’
[SIX years ago] When L. Ron Hubbard briefly let down his guard and admitted Scientology was all a con
[SEVEN years ago] JIM CARREY’S SCIENTOLOGIST GIRLFRIEND ON ‘SRD’ WHEN SHE KILLED HERSELF: FRIENDS
[EIGHT years ago] Does a judge’s order in the Garcia fraud lawsuit suggest trouble for Scientology?
[NINE years ago] Meet the New Editor of Scientology’s Propaganda Magazine, Freedom!
[TEN years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies!
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology’s SF Leaker Talks: We Ask Amy Scobee to Interpret

 
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——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on September 30, 2022 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, 1995-2021 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2021), 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

Chiropractor and OT 8 Scientologist Eric Berg, who has a YouTube following 5 million strong, was scheduled to be deposed this week in a lawsuit filed by a former employee who says that working for Berg meant being subjected to constant pressure to take Scientology courses.

Then, we got involved and apparently it caused everything [...]]]>

Chiropractor and OT 8 Scientologist Eric Berg, who has a YouTube following 5 million strong, was scheduled to be deposed this week in a lawsuit filed by a former employee who says that working for Berg meant being subjected to constant pressure to take Scientology courses.

Then, we got involved and apparently it caused everything to change. Let us explain.

The litigation had actually been going on for some time, but we were unaware of it because the former employee, Brenda Valentine, had sued The Health & Wellness Center, Inc [H&WC]. We only recently became aware that the litigation involves the center’s owners, Eric Berg and his wife Karen. (And thank you, reader, for giving us that tip.)

The complaint filed by Valentine is filled with juicy details, which we’ll get to in a minute, but the first thing we did after reading it was reach out to Ian Rafalko, Berg’s son who made such a huge impact with a TikTok video and then appeared on Leah Remini’s podcast, discussing his estrangement from his Scientologist father.

Rafalko had also worked for his father and so he knew Valentine, but he didn’t know the litigation had reached such an advanced state. (It’s already had multiple complaints, a dismissal, and was now in discovery.) After we brought the litigation to his attention, Rafalko reached out to Valentine’s attorney, and he told us he was helping out with the lawsuit.

“I am simply helping to shed light on perhaps a more personal side of my parents, I suppose. But essentially just being honest about who they are as people, what they value, etc. But I think there will be perhaps more I can help with in the future as it all develops,” Ian said.

Valentine initially filed an EEOC complaint in 2017, and the EEOC issued her a right-to-sue letter on August 20, 2020. She then filed her lawsuit initially on November 12, 2020. She filed an amended complaint on October 15, 2021.

In the amended complaint, Valentine explains that she is a Christian who lives in Washington DC. She had grown up a Catholic, but now considers herself a “non-denominational Evangelist” and attends a Protestant church.

She started working for Berg’s outfit, H&WC, in 2010 and rose to “Director of Marketing Assistance/New Client Scheduler” as the firm relocated from Annandale to Alexendria, Virginia. She did not know when she started there that Scientology would be thrust on the employees.

“Dr. Berg and Mrs. Berg require the employees of [H&WC] to be active members of the Church of Scientology and require them to participate in programs which are designed to recruit and indoctrinate their employees into membership within the Church of Scientology,” the complaint states.

The complaint also cites Scientology’s original “OT 8” materials with its infamous language by founder L. Ron Hubbard in which he describes himself as the Antichrist and describes Jesus as “a lover of young boys” to explain how antithetical Scientologist ideas are for a Christian.

Valentine had first met Berg as a patient, and she described the stress she was experiencing working for her (Protestant) church. “She also complained about being unable to find meaningful full-time work. After this meeting, Dr. Berg suggested that she come work for him.”

But then Valentine found out what was required of Berg’s workers. Valentine was unaware of what the Church of Scientology was when she was hired.

Employees are required to read, understand, and apply the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard and their performance is evaluated pursuant to the standards of the Church of Scientology. Attendance at these programs, at all time relevant, was mandatory and was paid for by Dr. Berg, Mrs. Berg, and/or [H&WC]. Employees were promised to be paid (a half rate of pay) for the attendance at the programs sponsored by the Church of Scientology at the Church of Scientology. Failure to attend programs led to discipline and termination. Frequent attendance was tied to advancement. Internally, at the Defendant, this is called “the policy.”

Like a Scientology church, Berg’s office had “ethics” officers and, people snitched on each other with “Knowledge Reports.”

Three days into her job, Valentine was presented with a contract that had language about applying Scientology. “Ms. Valentine knew nothing about L. Ron Hubbard or the Church of Scientology and was desperate for a full-time job and signed the agreement.”

She was then required to read Basic Staff Hat, and was subjected to Scientology discipline.

And initially she found success, getting promoted three separate times. As long as she was participating in the Scientology setup, she was promoted, But when she began to rebel against it, she was demoted and fired, the complaint says.

Classes at the office were taught on Thursdays, usually involving Dianetics, the 1950 book written by Hubbard.

“During these classes the employees, including Ms. Valentine, were directed to watch videos and receive instruction about ‘Dianetics,’ which focused on topics about supreme alien beings, cosmology, and past lives,” the complaint says.

She was also required to take courses at the local org, at 1424 16th St NW. But she began missing classes, and flat-out refused to go on a trip to Scientology’s cruise ship, the Freewinds, in the Caribbean.

The complaint offers this description of what happened when she was interrogated using the Scientology “E-meter.”

During a class at the Church of Scientology in Washington DC, an instructor presented Ms. Valentine, in a private meeting, with an old, brown suitcase. The instructor opened the suitcase and inside was a brown and pewter-colored machine. The instructor told Ms. Valentine he could tell whether or not Ms. Valentine was telling the truth by using this machine. He asked her questions about where she lives, her age, whether she’s ever had a felony, whether she’s ever taken drugs, and other intrusive, personal questions. After the session, the instructor told Ms. Valentine that she had answered the questions correctly and well. Ms. Valentine, in response, told the instructor that she had in fact deliberately lied in response to some of the questions to show him that the device did not work and could not detect whether she was telling the truth. He got upset and after that, her relationship with the Church of Scientology on 16th Street soured.

Late in 2014 or early 2015, Valentine stopped attending classes at the org and at the office too, and she was demoted.

Except for her, Valentine believed that all of the other employees were Scientologists or open to be recruited into it. And her interactions with Berg himself are fascinating:

Throughout her time working for [H&WC], Ms. Valentine would be subjected to “auditing-type” meetings with Dr. Berg at the workplace and during working hours. In a typical meeting, Dr. Berg would invite Ms. Valentine into his office and begin asking a series of spiritual and personal questions. These meetings were face-to-face, held in private, were mandatory and occurred during working time. During these meetings with Dr. Berg, Dr. Berg would complain about how he was raised a Christian and how his Christian mother was a hypocrite. He would tell Ms. Valentine about his past lives and how his participation in the Church of Scientology gave him greater knowledge and how everyone has had a past life. During these meetings, Ms. Valentine would explain that her beliefs were Christian, and that she did not believe she had a past life. Dr. Berg would respond by claiming to have superior knowledge which could not be explained based on his own experience, but which could only be explained by the experiences he had in his past lives. He claimed to have had past lives as a famous author and a military officer. These meetings would take place approximately two to four times a month and were mandatory. The meetings sometimes would last somewhere between twenty and forty-five minutes. During these meetings, Ms. Valentine was on the clock. These meetings occurred with greater frequency when others were not present. During these meetings Dr. Berg did most of the talking.

And…

There was little or no discussion about Ms. Valentine’s sales, hours of work, commissions or performance; the focus of the meetings was on “Dianetics” the cosmological, alien beings and reincarnation. Dr. Berg would press Ms. Valentine about whether she could remember her past lives and encourage her to undertake greater commitments to the Church of Scientology. He would press her to attend Scientology classes in Washington D.C. and would read passages from Scientology books to her.

Then, Berg got his hands on the new brand of E-meter:

Then, later that year, in the late summer or fall of 2016 (approximately), Dr. Berg had returned from a Sea Org program. He was excited and seemed full of energy. He summoned Ms. Valentine to his office for a session. He told Ms. Valentine that he had something to show her. During the private meeting, he presented a shiny, metal briefcase. Inside of it was a silver object made out of aluminum or stainless steel. He said this was “the newest one” and an “upgrade of previous versions.” He said this “new one” “does a lot more.” He opened the case and there were two objects, each the size of a soup can connected by a wire connected to a electrical device. The device was similar to the device that had been used upon Ms. Valentine during while she was inside the Church of Scientology on 16th Street attending a class in 2014.

Valentine stopped taking part in any Scientology activities, and as a result more Knowledge Reports were written about her. Also, she was prohibited from submitting KRs about others.

“By June of 2016, Ms. Valentine’s pay had been steadily decreasing, having been demoted twice, each time for failing to attend Church of Scientology classes.”

The office then set up video surveillance of her because she was not submitting to the Scientology regimen, the complaint claims. A KR was then submitted based on what was seen on the camera.

Finally, she was terminated on April 12, 2017, and given no reason.

Valentine was suing for 1. Wrongful termination on the basis of religion, 2: Denial of religious accommodation, 3: Wrongful termination on the basis of retaliation. And she was asking for an injunction to prevent the company from discriminating against others.

Ian Rafalko grew up in Scientology in Washington DC, but later was on the Atlanta staff before he left Scientology. He burst onto the scene with a viral TikTok video last May…

So after I make this video and it goes public my life will be over. That uh… my life’s been over for a while, so. I thought I might at least go out with a bang.

Some of you might know this guy. He has a few thousand videos on YouTube. He’s pretty popular at this point. He gives a lot of health advice. He’s a chiropractor, as you can see, so…

Not only is this man a Scientologist but he donates copious amounts. His profit margins are insane, they’re through the roof. So he’s donated probably around 7 plus million dollars to Scientology?

And every product of his that you buy, you donate to Scientology as well, because he has a separate savings account just for that.

He’s an incredibly selfish and void-of-empathy human being. And the reason I know is because he’s my fucking father.

The video was seen millions of times, and then Rafalko put out a longer video at YouTube to explain his situation in more depth. He followed that with his appearance on Leah Remini’s podcast.

After reaching out to Brenda Valentine’s lawyer, Rafalko said he learned that his father would be deposed this week. We asked him what kind of questions might be difficult for Berg to answer.

“I’d say his use of objective processing with the direct intent to convert his employees into active Scientologists, as a start,” he says. “But apparently the big tire iron of the case is attempting to show that WISE policy is not secular.”

After speaking with Valentine’s lawyer, Matthew Sutter, Rafalko learned that the strategy of the defense was to claim that the use of Scientology terminology and involvement with WISE — the World Institute of Scientology Enterprises — was strictly secular material used for business consulting, and not related to the Church of Scientology itself.

“But lucky for Matthew I was a class V auditor and it’s a matter of fact that I read the same exact references while training that my dad‘s employees do for their jobs,” he says.

In other words, Rafalko was prepared to testify that his father is using Church of Scientology practices, exactly as they are used in the church itself, and not merely “secular” business concepts.

We reached out to attorneys on both sides to let them know we were working on a story, and had this piece prepared for this morning.

Then, last night, we heard from someone involved in the litigation that the lawsuit had reached a settlement, saving Berg from having to testify.

We are still waiting to get details, but it’s usually customary that we will never know the terms of the deal.

But we have to believe that Ian Rafalko’s participation, and the publicity we were about to give the case, were factors in Brenda Valentine getting a deal out of her former boss.

And Berg, no doubt, is counting on his huge YouTube following never hearing a word about it.

 
Here’s the amended complaint. There are some amazing nuggets in it…

Valentine v H&WC, Amend… by Tony Ortega

 
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Source Code

“I think California has laws that nobody can cure cancer. And they’ve just disobeyed that law in England because a doctor up there, who is a Dianetic Auditor, has just cured somebody of totally proven cancer. Has taken him over to the medical association and a big conference and so on, and displayed him complete with the X-rays and so forth. So, gee it’s a good thing he didn’t do that in California. We had an auditor, in 1950s, who was actually arrested for the fact of — proven conclusively, because he’d audited somebody and they had gotten well and it was against the law to cure that disease. He got off, there wasn’t anything happened to him at all, somebody was just making a push on it locally. Pretty crazy, huh? Proved it conclusively. Against the law to heal it and he’d done it.” — L. Ron Hubbard, April 7, 1972

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“COMMENDED: Quentin Hubbard is assigned a Condition of Affluence and commended for a long time performance of high volume and high quality sessions. He is a very popular auditor and I am sure his many pcs will agree.” — The Commodore, April 7, 1970

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Nothing substitutes the action of people in the field writing knowledge reports on dangerous auditors. The problem is that those knowledge reports written by people in the field have been not-ised (deleted) by Facebook group owners. That only protects and enboldens the dangerous auditors being reported. The problem is at the level of group owners. The ones that protect offending auditors. Look at the WHY Finding post in this group. It describes the problem.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1997: Lars Westergren posted a transcript of a show on Scientology from BBC World. “Buildings like this aren’t cheap. Scientology founds itself by a doctrine of exchange. Members can pay thousands of dollars to complete all their courses, in payments that are called donations, but are in fact obligatory. Few churches prompt more antagonism than this one. A Greek judge has called scientology dangerous. The German government says that its financial demands can read to ruin and even suicide. But here in America, critics are more concerned with the Church of Scientology’s relentless bid, for public recognition. David Rodier is a professor of religion at American University. ‘They feel if you attack they attack in kind, and perhaps even more violently. And I think many people find this very threatening. New religions are by their very nature strange and odd, and we feel uncomfortable around them. And then when they, in addition to that, don’t behave according to our stereotypes the way religions should behave, then we _do_ get very uncomfortable.’ Sylvia Stanard: ‘The church has dealt with criticism, because we feel that people need to know what scientology is. And its also just – sociologically it is a very interesting phenomena that all new religions go through this. I mean, we’ve researched and gone through what they said about the Catholics in the 1700s, and all sorts of _wild_ accusations. I mean, the Mormons were killed. And that was a hundred years ago.'”

 
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Random Howdy

“‘Revolt in the Stars’ should be a new reality show where Scientology celebs are put into the Sea Org and the viewers watch as one by one they quit in anguish and leave stupid Scientology.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Next pretrial conference May 31. Trial scheduled for August 29.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Last hearing was on January 18, referred to grand jury. Additional charges also referred to grand jury after January 5 assault while in jail.

Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Eleventh Circuit affirmed ruling granting Scientology’s motion for arbitration. Garcias considering next move.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Valerie’s motion for reconsideration denied on March 15.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Scientology has said it will file an anti-SLAPP motion.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Third amended complaint filed, trial set for June 28.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Appeal hearing held Aug 23-27. Awaiting a 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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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, including our four days in Los Angeles covering the preliminary hearing and its ruling, which has Danny facing trial and the potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison.

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] Leaked audio: Proof that government officials know about Scientology’s crimes
[TWO years ago] In the pandemic epicenter, Scientology’s New York Org puts on a fab virtual ‘Sunday Service’
[THREE years ago] Foreign ‘expansion,’ thanks to US Scientologists forking over the millions
[FOUR years ago] On Day One, 2018’s Writers of the Future party betrays its connection to Scientology’s abuses
[FIVE years ago] XENU VICTORIOUS: Scientology bamboozles USA Today to help it fight the ‘evil psychs’
[SIX years ago] Phil Jones reflects on the media frenzy at the dedication of his anti-Scientology billboard
[SEVEN years ago] 25 of the biggest lies told by L. Ron Hubbard and the Church of Scientology
[EIGHT years ago] Hideouts for Scientologists on the lam: Another book from Ron Miscavige
[NINE years ago] Narconon Tackles NFL Legend Jim Brown, Anne Archer Snags a Kennedy

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on April 7, 2022 at 07:00

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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

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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