This week we heard from multiple current and former Nation of Islam members who told us that on Wednesday they were called in for an all-hands ‘Believers’ Meeting’ at their local mosques in order to view a video address from leader Louis Farrakhan.

One person we talked to said it struck [...]]]>

This week we heard from multiple current and former Nation of Islam members who told us that on Wednesday they were called in for an all-hands ‘Believers’ Meeting’ at their local mosques in order to view a video address from leader Louis Farrakhan.

One person we talked to said it struck them as unusual that people were invited even if they were being disciplined and were not normally invited for events. “Everyone was called to come see the video regardless of what their status is, which is unusual.”

In the video, our witnesses tell us, Farrakhan said that a NOI “sister” had accused Rizza Islam of raping her.

We subsequently obtained an audio recording that was made by someone attending the video address, and you can hear Farrakhan’s words for yourself. Farrakhan says that “Brother Rizza” needs to raise his “moral standard,” and that the allegation by the sister is a “horrible charge.” But he also criticizes the unnamed woman for allowing Rizza into her house (they were reportedly engaged) and allowing him into her bed. But ultimately, Farrakhan says, Rizza must “answer to the law.”

We sent detailed requests for comment to the Nation of Islam’s media division, and to Rizza Islam’s criminal defense attorney, Jeremy McLymont. We’ll let you know if we hear back from either of them.

In 2015, we first reported that Hanan Islam and three of her children, including Ronnie “Rizza” Islam, had been charged with Medi-Cal fraud for sending the state insurance program fake reports of treatment from a jackleg Scientology “Narconon” rehab working out of the notorious World Literacy Crusade, a longtime Scientology front in Compton, California.

After Hanan’s death and two of her daughters pleading guilty, Rizza, 32, is the last Islam family member still facing charges in the Medi-Cal fraud scheme, now scheduled for trial on October 24 in Los Angeles.

In an August radio appearance, Rizza said the charges “didn’t apply” to him and were merely a smear. But he’s facing felony charges in a trial taking place on the ninth floor of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, where serious cases are handled. (And, coincidentally, his trial will be occurring right next door to the courtroom where Scientology celeb Danny Masterson’s criminal rape trial will be starting on October 11.)

While the fraud case slowly made its way through the court system, Rizza heavily promoted himself not only as a Nation of Islam member, but also as an anti-vaccination activist. His persistence resulted in his being named one of the country’s 12 worst promoters of anti-vaccination disinformation last year.

The Nation of Islam itself is the country’s largest black nationalism group, and one soaked in antisemitism and bigotry, according to the Anti-Defamation League, which maintains a lengthy description of the organization and its history at the ADL website. Rizza Islam himself also earns a description on the page:

Ronnie Steven “Rizza” Islam is an NOI and FOI member and a social media influencer. He promotes inflammatory content that regularly includes antisemitic, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti-vaccine rhetoric, in addition to a range of other conspiracy theories. Rizza Islam is also an author, publishing a book in 2019 titled “Message to the Millineals” [sic], which was inspired by former NOI leader Elijah Muhammad’s 1965 “Message to the Blackman in America.”

Since becoming an active NOI member in the mid-2010s, Rizza Islam has quickly gained prominence within the Nation and has become one of Farrakhan’s staunchest defenders. In 2021, Rizza Islam spoke at the NOI’s annual Saviours’ Day conference, promoting anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. Farrakhan singled out Rizza Islam for praise at the event, telling the audience: “he’s excellent as a potential great minister of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.” He has also received praise from various celebrities over the years and appeared on the primetime ABC television show “Soul of a Nation” in 2021.

Before Rizza’s rise to prominence in the Nation of Islam, his family was also heavily involved in Scientology, and he’s an interesting figure in the relationship of the two groups. Scientology wooed Farrakhan for years, inviting him, for example, to the Hollywood Celebrity Centre in 2006. In 2010, Farrakhan began putting out a call requiring NOI members to begin classes in Dianetics. Leah Remini revealed to us that when she was still in the church, she was a key facilitator (and funder) of the two groups coming together around that time.

Hanan Islam and three of her children were charged for operating the fraud scheme out of a Scientology rehab from 2010 to 2013, but we found evidence suggesting that the operation went back much earlier. In recent years, Rizza has downplayed his involvement in Scientology, but there’s no doubt that the rehab clinic his mother was running out of the World Literacy Crusade offered Scientology services.

Rizza was charged in 2015, and a state investigator testified at a preliminary hearing that Rizza’s involvement was to help wrangle “ghost writers” who created bogus treatment diaries so the state health insurance program could be bilked. Losses to the Medi-Cal program totaled more than $4 million, the investigator testified.

Now, with only a few weeks to go before Rizza is on trial for that elaborate scheme, Farrakhan has chosen an interesting time to accuse Rizza of “immoral” behavior.

An eyewitness who viewed the video told us that Farrakhan’s words were part of a section in a two-hour address when he was dealing with punitive measures. “Brother Rizza” was just one of several people that Farrakhan was admonishing.

The witness told us that each of the people named in that segment were well known figures in the Nation of Islam, and there was no question that the “Brother Rizza” that Farrakhan was disciplining was Rizza Islam.

We asked our witness if he thought the rape accusation would result in a report to law enforcement. But he said the crime was an infraction in the NOI’s own legal system. “We are discouraged to take things to the US legal system,” he said.

We produced a transcript to go along with the audio recording we obtained. Let us know what you think about Farrakhan’s accusation, and what it might mean for Rizza.

[Hear Minister Farrakhan’s words here.]

We asked our witness to the video address what penalty such a “horrible charge” might carry, and he suggested that Rizza might be “denied access to the Mosque.”

Considering the way that Farrakhan couched the allegation — blaming the woman for creating the situation — that might be the extent of it.

But we also found in a recent video that Rizza himself has advocated for a stiffer penalty.

 
——————–

Technology Cocktail

“For the first time you have an exact subject in the field of the ‘humanities.’ These ‘humanities’ for all man’s history have been a mass of superstition, bad logic, propaganda, authority and brutality. An exact humanity is so new that it has a bit of a hard time. All the errors and prejudices start to ‘blow off’ when truth enters in. Just be sure you don’t lose the subject with the confusion. Cope, make do, hold the line and you’ll have a successful Dianetic area. It’s worth working toward, worth achieving. You have only one big stable datum. IF IT ISN’T WORKING IT IS BEING VARIED. To get it working again, find who and what is varying it and get back on the main line.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1969

Now available: Bonus for our supporters

Episode 12 of the Underground Bunker podcast has been sent out to paid subscribers: You may have read our book about Scientology’s insane attempts to try and destroy journalist Paulette Cooper, but we had a delightful conversation with her about her own memoir. Meanwhile, we’ve made episodes 1 through 11 available to everyone, with such guests as 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!

 
——————–

Source Code

“Handling Security Checks in a society of this particular character, then, runs into a little bit of heavy weather. And you very often run into some heavy weather. Somebody’s sitting there and, good God, they’re the fellow who did it, you know, and what are you going to do as the auditor, you know?…What is your responsibility as an auditor? Well, it’s, your responsibility as an auditor is first and foremost as an auditor, is get the person out of it. You’re not the police force. Don’t you see? And then you actually are not honor bound from that point there on to be under a stamp and seal of total secrecy with regard to the fact that the First National Bank was robbed by Joe, you see. But don’t go calling up the police. They’re on the wrong road. Cops never get a society anyplace. Cops are a short-term proposition, strictly. The more cops, the more crime.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 13, 1961

 
——————–

Avast, Ye Mateys

“We have so far sent back two FEBC graduates. W/O Owen Starkey to AOSHDK and Wayne Marples to NY. They both left in a hurry to save their orgs. Starkey has halted the GDS collapse and has most of them on a healthy climb. They both had a lot of beautiful things to say about Flag and its people.” — The Commodore, September 13, 1970

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“I am waiting to attest for an advanced level that has created a space around me free from interference and case phenomena! It feels clean, calm and serene! I’m still getting used to it! Before I would make a postulate and it would rebound back at me or get lost in the confusion of counter intentions. Now I simply decide and my space has nothing counter to throw back at me! New business? Check. New car? Check. New house? Check. These are just the surface manifestations occurring recently. Theta wise I perceive a whole new existence. Picture Neo seeing the Matrix for the first time possibly. I’m getting very acquainted with the theta universe and its subtle yet powerful control of the MEST universe. Big shift! Prior to that it was hit-and-miss with Lady Luck deciding mostly. Not any more. There is more composure and certainty than before, it feels as if I’m ready to handle the bigger stuff, cant wait!!”

 
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Past is Prologue

1995: A victory this week in the suit against Larry Wollersheim and Bob Penny. A summary of Judge Kane’s ruling from Kim Baker: “In RTC vs. FACTNet, Judge Kane said that RTC did not prove probability of success of their case. Equally, RTC did not show the probability of their claim. FACTNet was entitled to its use of the documents under the fair use provisions under section 107 of the copyright rules. FACTNet’s criticism, comment and debate qualifies it to fair use of the documents. RTC did not show infringement, and did not show that their claim of ‘trade secrets’ was valid. The documents were in the public domain, and were proved to have been on the Internet long before the August raids. It was not proved that the ‘trade secrets’ were the kind that are protected under the law. RTC did not show irreparable injury; any injury they may have does not outweigh the harm done to Lawrence Wollersheim, Bob Penny and FACTNet. The
actions of the defendants would not restrain individuals from joining $cientology – if they are interested in participating in $cientology they would anyway. The question of infringement is answered by the fair use principles. The public interest is more served in the continuation of FACTNet. The balance of the danger of harm is in the favor of the defendants, rather than $cientology. All computers and peripherals, along with seized documents, are to be returned immediately, in precisely the same condition as when seized, and in precisely the same location when seized.”

 
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Random Howdy

“It seems to me that Narconon preys on folks out in the hinterland and down south where detoxes are few and far between and the people are less up on this kind of stuff.”

 
——————–

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

Criminal prosecutions:

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] Scientology sends out creepy letters to lure you back in, and other gems from our mailbag
[TWO years ago] What Scientologists are telling each other on social media right this very minute
[THREE years ago] No, RadarOnline did not discover a new underground bunker at Scientology’s Gold Base
[FOUR years ago] How a Scientology-run business preyed on Silicon Valley icons in the name of ‘wellness’
[FIVE years ago] Ford Greene responds to Marty Rathbun, and brings up a previous Scientology secret deal
[SIX years ago] Co-writer Dan Koon answers accusations about the accuracy of Ron Miscavige’s ‘Ruthless’
[SEVEN years ago] Paul Haggis, Lawrence Wright react to Alex Gibney’s Emmys sweep for ‘Going Clear’
[EIGHT years ago] Ryan Hamilton files 20th lawsuit against Scientology’s drug rehab network
[NINE years ago] MONIQUE RATHBUN VS SCIENTOLOGY, DAY 2: Texas Showdown Shifts Gears
[ELEVEN years ago] Marty Rathbun, Ex-Scientology Exec, Back from Germany: ‘The U.S. Media Has No Balls’

 
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——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on September 13, 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

 We’re sure that the parents who recorded the video we have for you today are very proud of what it shows. Their son, whose name we couldn’t quite catch but that we’re glad isn’t clear anyway, gives a short “graduation” speech this past Friday at the Dublin Scientology Ideal Org and for them it is [...]]]>

 
We’re sure that the parents who recorded the video we have for you today are very proud of what it shows. Their son, whose name we couldn’t quite catch but that we’re glad isn’t clear anyway, gives a short “graduation” speech this past Friday at the Dublin Scientology Ideal Org and for them it is probably quite charming and inspiring.

After all, isn’t it something to see an 8- or 9-year-old thanking Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard for his tips on how to study properly?

But the ex-Scientologists who read this website will probably have a very different reaction when they see this short clip.

Talking to many of you, over the years we have compiled a damning picture of Scientology as a system of thought that enslaves the mind in a totalitarian environment which, in part, weakens the family bond. Children who grow up memorizing Hubbard’s “folk psychology” (Lawrence Wright’s great description) can spend years in adulthood trying to throw off their shackles.

We’d like to hear from former Scientologists who grew up in the church about what Hubbard’s ideas did to their minds, their families, their ambitions, and their wallets.

Meanwhile, for those of you in Dublin wondering what’s going on at the Ideal Org on Firhouse Road, here’s some idea. We expect it will make little sense to you, and that’s no surprise.

 
And let’s keep up with a video theme today. It turns out that all of this criticism about Scientology you’ve been seeing in recent years is a lot of hooey.

At least that’s what the fascinating Tommy Scherer says in a video he posted this week.

According to his various online bios, Tommy is from Long Island and lives in Southern California where he runs a roofing business and was a songwriter part time. In 2011 he branched out, writing his first self-published novel, Soul Wars, based on some out-of-body experiences he’d had earlier in life.

In the video, he explains that he’s been a Scientologist since 1977 or 1978, and has never run into any “Xenu” character. (This may true. Only those who reach OT 3 hear about this notorious character in L. Ron Hubbard lore.) He brought up Scientology in a previous video and got a big reaction, and so he decided to address the criticism of it, which he says is baseless, and the critics never mention all of the miracles that take place in Scientology. Hey, what’s up with that!

Let’s give Tommy his opportunity to explain things.

 
——————–

Today’s Scientology happy news. Yes, an excerpt from an actual press release put out by the church this week.

The International Day of Friendship was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2011 in the belief that “friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.”

“We love bringing a diverse group of people together and demonstrating the power of friendship,” says Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Church of Scientology.

The Church of Scientology partners in this effort with The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee, which provides a community betterment program based on the book The Way to Happiness by L. Ron Hubbard. The initiative is predicated on the fact that one’s survival depends on the survival of others — and that without the survival of others, neither joy nor happiness is attainable.

This year, the International Friendship Day theme was “sharing the human spirit through friendship,” and the Nashville event embodied this with dialogue between those of many different faith traditions, from Baptist and Catholic, to Scientologist, Jew, and Latter-Day Saint.

“People need to come together and be friends,” says Rev. Enoch Fuzz, pastor of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church. Fuzz and Fesler have been working together on this annual event for over eight years.

 
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Now available: Bonus for our supporters

Episode 7 of the Underground Bunker podcast has been sent out to paid subscribers, and it’s a conversation with Geoff Levin about Scientology’s celebrities and which ones are most likely to defect. Meanwhile, we’ve made episodes 1 through 6 available to everyone, with Pete Griffiths on running a mission, Sunny Pereira dishing secrets of Scientology’s Hollywood Celebrity Centre, Bruce Hines on the crazy life in the Sea Org, Jeffrey Augustine on recent Scientology court cases, Claire Headley exposing Tom Cruise, and Marc Headley on what it must be like for David Miscavige living in Clearwater, Florida. Go here to get the episodes!

 
——————–

Source Code

“There was Scientology One, that’s for the public. That’s your PE-level Scientology. And we’re putting out a plea to one and all to please contribute any data they think is vital and necessary to be in this. And then there’s Scientology Two, which is healing, which we haven’t had too much to do with. That’s care of the body, and so forth. And HPA/HCA levels probably get quite a bit of Scientology Two. And then there’s Scientology Three, and that’s advanced auditing, advanced Academy courses, that sort of thing, leading up to the area of Clear, such phenomena as we’ve had in the past. Now, it doesn’t happen to be a well wrapped up area, because we jumped off of that area to go into Scientology Four. And this occasioned even some of you quite a few headaches, because there was a necessary speed-up in research, and the place to research toward, of course, was OT. Now, that’s Scientology Four. And the material which you’re learning right now is Scientology Four. And then there is Scientology Five. And Scientology Five is the social, political, organizational levels of Scientology. This is a takeoff from the level of OT. And that isn’t just Scientology applied to political problems. That would be a misnomer although it would read like that in a textbook, and so forth. That isn’t that at all. It’s actually what does an OT do about it? That makes quite a different subject, doesn’t it?” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 8, 1963

 
——————–

Avast, Ye Mateys

“HALF RATIONS: As soon as the new proper system for serving food is fully functioning the order re half rations will be cancelled.” — The Commodore, August 8, 1969

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“The fact is that Ron had established similar entities in the past such as the Church of American Science and Spiritual Engineering to cover the contingency that the Church would be seized by hostile forces that were inimical to total freedom and were in terror of anyone outside their area of control gaining OT abilities. My speculation is that the success of CIA’s Remote Viewing program and their previous failures to discredit and invalidate the subject since they couldn’t seize control of it with Mary Sue in charge of the Guardian’s Office made them consider another ways and means. In other words a covert take over of the subject which they in my opinion succeeded at by placing it in the hands of a totally compromised individual.”

 
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Past is Prologue

2001: A Scientology press release promoted the anniversary event held recently at the Celebrity Center in Los Angeles. “The names on this year’s lengthy guest list included, Jenna Elfman, Leah Remini, Catherine Bell, Danny Masterson, Lynsey Bartilson, Marisol Nichols, Michelle Stafford, Jennifer Aspen, Nancy Cartwright, Marissa Ribisi, Erika Christensen and Jason Lee. Celebrity Centre President, Susan Watson, said, ‘the popularity of Scientology and Mr. Hubbard’s works within the arts mirrors the Church’s overall growth, with nine million members in over 120 countries and eleven ‘Celebrity Centres’ in cultural centers around the world such as New York, Paris, London, Vienna, Nashville and Las Vegas as well as the International center in Hollywood.’ The fifteen hundred-or-so guests at the soiree not only received a copy of a new musical CD entitled, ‘The Joy of Creating,’ they witnessed the hip-hop legend, ‘original human beat box’ Doug E. Fresh, Broadway’s Carl Anderson, jazz great Chick Corea and Australia’s number one female vocalist Kate Ceberano, performing variations of Mr. Hubbard’s poem that declares, ‘The greatest joy there is in life in creating. Splurge on it!'”

 
——————–

Random Howdy

“According to Hubbard the average Black South African thought Apartheid was too lenient.”

 
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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, pretrial conference August 17.
— ‘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.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff’s sentencing to be scheduled.
— Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Readiness hearing scheduled for August 22 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 filing 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?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Tom Cruise’s Scientology superpowers, No. 14: Helping at the scene of a car accident
[TWO years ago] The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 25: DirecTV and filmmakers buffing Dave’s channel
[THREE years ago] ‘Aftermath’ supporters put Scientology on notice in its own ‘spiritual mecca’
[FOUR years ago] Fake medals and kiddie diddlers: Scientology’s cruise ship scandal gets even worse
[FIVE years ago] Stephen Colbert: Do you believe Scientology is a religion at all? Leah Remini: No
[SIX years ago] Whale watching update: Your 2016 mid-year guide to who’s propping up Scientology
[SEVEN years ago] Why is the press so timid about outing Scientology’s many front groups?
[EIGHT years ago] DOX: Here’s Monique Rathbun’s response to Scientology’s appeal of its anti-SLAPP defeat
[NINE years ago] LEAH REMINI FILES MISSING-PERSON REPORT ON SCIENTOLOGY LEADER’S WIFE
[TEN years ago] VOICE EXCLUSIVE — VH1’S Mimi Faust On Scientology: ‘At 13, They Told Me I Was a Freeloader’
[ELEVEN years ago] A Scientologist’s Open Letter to the Village Voice and its Readers

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 8, 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

 We’ve been telling you for years that Rizza Islam is a menace. And now it’s official.

The Scientology/Nation of Islam anti-vaxx crusader was just named in a study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate and Anti-Vax Watch which concluded that something like 65 percent of the misinformation about vaccines and the coronavirus that pollutes the [...]]]>

 
We’ve been telling you for years that Rizza Islam is a menace. And now it’s official.

The Scientology/Nation of Islam anti-vaxx crusader was just named in a study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate and Anti-Vax Watch which concluded that something like 65 percent of the misinformation about vaccines and the coronavirus that pollutes the Internet actually comes from only twelve sources.

Rizza Islam was named #5 on that list.

What’s even more reprehensible about the fact that the 31-year-old huckster has been able to generate so many lies about matters that could actually harm the health of so many people is that for some five years now he’s been the subject of a Medi-Cal fraud probe, and he’s awaiting trial on felony charges that could put him in prison.

Our readers know that we’ve been following that case very closely, which California investigators have described in court as a bizarre scheme headed by Rizza’s mother, Hanan Islam, and also carried out by two of his sisters, who operated out of a jackleg Scientology drug rehab in Compton that used high school students as unwitting dupes and ripped off about $4 million in insurance money from the state.

We first broke the news about the criminal charges back in 2015, and after numerous court hearings — which included Hanan and Rizza being thrown in jail for trying some wacko sovereign citizen strategies in court — the paper of record in that city, the Los Angeles Times, has yet to write a single word about the crime, the charges, or any of the court hearings.

And so while the Times has for some reason completely ignored Rizza Islam and his criminal charges, the Nation of Islam grifter has amassed such a river of lies online he’s become one of the nation’s biggest sources for deadly misinformation.

Perhaps if the Times hadn’t ignored this story, ABC and Sunny Hostin might have had second thoughts about featuring Rizza this month on their limited series Soul of a Nation, which has attempted to celebrate and uplift Black culture in this country.

In the clip from the series that ABC put on its YouTube channel which focused on “hope and faith,” Rizza is there to say that he’s Muslim (as balance, apparently, with guests Charles Blow, an agnostic, and Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie of the AME Church). But he’s actually Nation of Islam, an anti-Semitic Black Nationalist group, and Rizza is one of the best examples of NOI’s alliance with Scientology, an odd relationship that has taken place over the last decade.

NOI leader Minister Louis Farrakhan announced that he wanted his followers to get Dianetics auditing training in 2010, and we’ve watched in the years since as some NOI figures have become full blown Scientologists, including Abdul Malik Sayyid Muhammad, a/k/a Tony Muhammad, who is not only a Scientologist but was given Scientology’s highest award, the Freedom Medal, by leader David Miscavige.

And part of the glue between Scientologists and NOI members is their shared interest in anti-vaccine disinformation. In 2015, notorious anti-vaxx figure Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended a vaccine disinformation rally at a Scientology community center and shared the stage with Muhammad.

 
Rizza Islam, meanwhile, was part of the cross-pollination when he, Muhammad, and Scientology OT 8 Lucy Cole brought the anti-vaxx message to a national NOI gathering.

Since he’s been charged with defrauding the state while working out of a Scientology front — the now-closed World Literacy Crusade in Compton — Rizza has played down his connections to the church. But there’s no doubt he was raised in Scientology and was a major presence at the center. He’s not facing as many criminal charges as his mother, Hanan Islam, who led the scheme, but state investigators said Rizza helped move youngsters through the Scientology rehab.

Here’s a photo of him from those days at the WLC, auditing a youngster with a Scientology E-meter. Behind him you can see his mother, Hanan.

 
So with all of that, his involvement in a bizarre, sophisticated scam that used kids to steal money from the state, an upcoming trial on felony charges, and being named as one of the twelve most problematic liars about vaccines and the coronavirus on the Internet, is it possible that the Los Angeles Times might actually begin to pay some attention to Rizza Islam and the danger he poses?

 
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Source Code

“Look, you know that a thetan has been sitting around here for a couple of hundred trillion years. You realize that there have been psychiatrists all over the track? I mean, you probably didn’t realize that it was a stupid universe, but it is. Been psychiatrists all over the track; they’ve been electric shocking people. Well, that certainly should have upset the GPMs, shouldn’t it have? Huh?” — L. Ron Hubbard, March 26, 1963

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“THE BEACH: Cagliari’s old town (mostly bombed out in WW II) is reputed to be more expensive and a bit ‘clip.’ The new town is over the hill and is reputed to be fairer in price. These shore people will give you bad money exchange rates if you don’t watch it.” — March 26, 1969

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“I see there’s a whole bunch of new people here. If you’re serious about Scientology, I’d recommend you find a good indie group (there’s lots, just type in independent Scientology) and leave this one. The admin is NOT a Scientologist, and he will ruin your case. Please trust me on that, he posts things contrary to what Scientologists actually believe in, confidential cognitions, and is increasingly more antagonistic towards Scientology, Scientologists, and LRH. I’m only making this post for your own good.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: The Ottawa Citizen published an article about Scientology celebrity Jenna Elfman. “‘The most obnoxious, proselytizing Scientologist in Hollywood’ was how Movieline magazine recently described her. Asked about it, Elfman doesn’t rise to the bait. ‘I mention Scientology a lot,’ she says matter-of-factly. ‘But I never spoke to that magazine or the person who wrote that article. I never proselytized to them, so I thought the article was pretty funny.'”

 
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Random Howdy

“So the owner of a gay bar took money from the Church of Scientology? AAAAGGHH! Now I’m really in a bad mood.”

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Discovery hearing on April 20, prelim set for May 18.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.

Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. June 7: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.

Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.

 
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SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks

The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.

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’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] Scientology’s bizarre response to the pandemic: Handing out sketchy cleaning products
[TWO years ago] Tom Cruise’s son Connor to marry Scientology staffer in the church’s Florida mecca
[THREE years ago] Leah Remini is still being stalked, and now Scientology has turned to an ex-NYPD detective
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s gateway drug: The personality test and what it’s actually telling you
[FIVE years ago] Talking Scientology with actor and podcaster Ethan McKinley
[SIX years ago] ‘Going Clear’: Sara Goldberg on how Scientology turned her own daughter against her
[SEVEN years ago] Jillian Schlesinger: How I got into Scientology, and how I got out
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology’s Version of Family Values: The Group is Everything
[NINE years ago] Scientology’s ‘Writers of the Future’ Contest Loses a Participant After Our Expose

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on March 26, 2021 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, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), 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

Almost four years ago we broke the story here at the Underground Bunker of a wild criminal case developing in Los Angeles. A woman named Hanan Islam and three of her children and others were arrested and faced felony charges for running a multi-million dollar scam involving a jackleg Scientology [...]]]>

Almost four years ago we broke the story here at the Underground Bunker of a wild criminal case developing in Los Angeles. A woman named Hanan Islam and three of her children and others were arrested and faced felony charges for running a multi-million dollar scam involving a jackleg Scientology drug rehab clinic in Compton, a working class suburb.

According to the indictments filed by state investigators, Hanan and the other defendants defrauded the state Medi-Cal insurance program with a scheme that involved shuttling unwitting high school students to the Scientology clinic for drug addiction treatments they didn’t need so Medi-Cal could be fraudulently billed.

The state’s investigation not only resulted in felony charges for Islam and her children, but three African-American educators — two high school principals and the head coach of the legendary Dominguez High School football program — also faced charges and lost their jobs, accused of supplying the students to the Islams for their scheme.

Since those charges were first filed in 2015, the criminal case against Hanan Islam, 60, her daughters Zakiyyah (37) and Nimat (42) and her son Ronnie (29), and a clinic employee, Bayon Beverly Washington (46), has moved glacially through the Los Angeles Superior Court. (Another defendant, George Edward Newby III, 47, pleaded to a lesser charge, as did two of the educators. The third did not face prosecution.)

Ronnie is better known as “Rizza” Islam, and we’ve watched how, even after being charged with two felony counts, he’s pursued higher visibility as both a Scientologist and member of the Nation of Islam, taking his anti-vaccination agenda to small media outlets, and, most recently, to the California state capital.

The unexpected death of Rizza’s Scientologist defense attorney last year was one of the many ways that the case was delayed. Then, earlier this year, defense attorneys asked for another delay because Rizza’s mother, Hanan, was on death’s door after a cancer diagnosis. Attorneys for Hanan’s children argued that the case should be dropped if Hanan died, and Judge Michael Tynan put the matter on hold for a few weeks, apparently to wait for Hanan’s imminent demise. (In the meantime, Hanan continued to offer non-medical cancer cures online.)

But then a photo turned up showing Hanan and her son at the premiere of a film he had something to do with, and she did not appear in extremis.

 
After more delays and continuances, all five of the defendants were back in Judge Tynan’s court yesterday, and they did not like what he did next.

Judge Tynan ordered the case moved upstairs to the 9th floor and the courtroom of Judge Michael Pastor for the long-delayed preliminary hearing to take place.

The defendants were apparently aware of the reputation of the courts of the 9th floor and Pastor in particular, who is known as a no-nonsense adjudicator who becomes thoroughly versed in complex cases and moves them along without delay.

The defendants were so upset to hear that their case had been moved upstairs, they deserted the courtroom en masse.

Judge Tynan said he would swear out warrants and revoke bail for the defendants if they didn’t immediately make their way to Pastor’s courtroom.

After their attorneys explained the situation to them, the defendants did go to Pastor’s courtroom on the 9th floor, but then they tried something truly bizarre.

Hanan and Rizza Islam claimed not to be the people the courts called “Hanan Islam” and “Rizza Islam.”

Those readers familiar with the odd court-clogging ways of “sovereign citizens” will probably recognize what the Islams were attempting to do.

We’ve written at some length about the sovereign citizen phenomena and how it has increasingly spread to the African-American community in recent years. Drawing on delusional conspiracy theories, sovereign citizens claim that they aren’t subject to US laws for bizarre reasons. Some of them have developed the idea that slight changes in the spellings of their name, for example, bestow some kind of legal loophole that can get them out of paying taxes, having to get licenses to operate a car, or to avoid criminal prosecution.

This was the gambit tried by the Islams, who claimed that the court was prosecuting fictional corporate entities that were separate from their “natural” selves, and so they should be able to walk away.

It was a tense atmosphere in the courtroom, and some trouble had apparently been anticipated as ten L.A. Sheriff’s deputies were on hand for the hearing.

Judge Pastor wasn’t amused. At one point he asked Ms. Islam if she had flown anywhere on airplanes in recent years. When she said that she had, he pointed out that she would have had to present personal identification to board the airplane. She responded that those documents spelled her name in all capitals, and that it didn’t represent her natural person.

But Pastor is no pushover. He announced that the remedy for this supposed identification mix-up would be to take the defendants into custody until their identities could be worked out.

At that point, the defense attorneys counseled their clients to drop the nonsense. When both the prosecutors and defense attorneys said they had no issue with the identities of the defendants, Judge Pastor moved on, saying that the preliminary hearing would take place Thursday morning at 10:30 am. If the defendants didn’t show up, he said, warrants would be sworn out for their arrest.

We just want to point out one more thing about this fascinating moment in court. This is a case that involves what was a notorious and shady operation for years in Compton known as the World Literacy Project, a Scientology front group that was involved in numerous scandals before it was shut down. It is also a case that ended the careers of three prominent African-American educators in the Los Angeles area, and that involved the use of children — unwitting high school students — to rip off about $3 million from the state of California. It also involves members of both the Church of Scientology and the Nation of Islam, and a woman, Hanan Islam, who has a long history of felony charges and questionable scams.

And yet, despite all of that, in the nearly four years since this story broke, there is yet to be a single word about the felony charges or the elaborate scam in the pages of the Los Angeles Times. We can’t help wondering if the Times had cared to cover this case whether it would have dragged on so long without a resolution.

As fascinating as yesterday’s court hearing was, no LA Times reporter attended.

Thursday promises to be an explosive day at the Los Angeles Superior Court. Will the LA Times bother to show up?

 
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Bonus items from our tipsters

Meanwhile, in Canada…

 
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Source Code

“The fellow wants to get out of the woods and there are two trails. And one trail lies much deeper into the woods and the other trail goes out on to the plain. And all you have to do is put up a sign at the crossroads and point to that trail which goes deeper into the woods and say, ‘This way lies freedom,’ you see, and you’ve promptly trapped a lot of people.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 18, 1963

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“If you do the bridge your not going to be told about secret weather control programs, about vaccines brain damaging people, about the secret space program, about secret depopulation programs (programs run to kill us), about underground bases being built by the new world order in case of a cataclysm (they have literally built underground towns with all this advanced tech) and they fly around in UFOs which they keep secret from us, i mean there is just so much going on that we are not told about in scientology or in mainstream life, but at least scientology makes us smarter so that then we can investigate and find out about all these things.”

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

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 our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Giving Scientology TV a run for its money — it’s the premiere of the Bunker network!
[TWO years ago] Moss wins Emmy for portraying totalitarian cult victim and doesn’t care what you think about it
[THREE years ago] In the wake of raids, Scientology’s sneaky consulting front shrinks markedly in Russia
[FOUR years ago] Scientology about to throw its Harlem party — and we need your eyes and ears!
[FIVE years ago] RATHBUN SUIT: Scientology’s last swipe in its anti-SLAPP appeal before hearing next week
[SIX years ago] Scientology’s “Bridge:” Claire Headley Gets Us to CLEAR!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on September 18, 2019 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, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), 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, 14 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

 Scientology is very quick to label those of us who have exposed their controversies and abuses with the word “bigot.” You’ve seen them call us that countless times. They throw it at Leah Remini and Mike Rinder and so many others. So for that reason this flier for tonight’s “graduation” celebration at the Hollywood Celebrity [...]]]>

 
Scientology is very quick to label those of us who have exposed their controversies and abuses with the word “bigot.” You’ve seen them call us that countless times. They throw it at Leah Remini and Mike Rinder and so many others. So for that reason this flier for tonight’s “graduation” celebration at the Hollywood Celebrity Centre is particularly soaked through with the stink of hypocrisy. We thought you’d get a kick out of it.

It’s sad enough that the great artist Stanley Clarke lends his name to this, but David Miscavige just can’t seem to get enough of Nation of Islam figure and Scientology Freedom Medal Winner Tony Muhammad, who has now adopted the name Abdul Malik Sayyid Muhammad.

More about him in a minute, but we want to dwell a moment on the title of this event, “Uplifting the Culture.” Which culture is that, Dave?

We can’t help getting flashbacks to 2011, when Miscavige tried to express just how happy he was that he’d opened a new “Ideal Org” in Inglewood, specifically in the hopes of bringing in more African-Americans to a lily-white movement.

Miscavige actually said this line, believe it or not…

“Talk about a permeating and penetrating culture. Or to put it another way, most white folks wouldn’t have a clue what it means to be cool if it weren’t for Black America.”

Does Dave pander like that when he’s talking to Minister Farrakhan on the telephone, too?

So yes, another celebration of Scientology’s small number of black members tonight at the Hollywood Celebrity Centre, featuring Mr. Muhammad, about as outspoken a bigot in America today, which we’ve brought you examples of before.

In December, we brought you this video of Muhammad saying that Jews control entertainment and pornography…

We’re going to show that Minister Farrakhan never has had a problem with some Jewish people. And he’s going to tell you what he has a problem with. My son is in the entertainment business. And I’m telling you the Jews do control the entertainment business. They control the banking. They control the athletics. They control basketball. They control baseball. They control it all. And, they control the drugs. They control the pimping. They control pedophilia. They control pornography. They control it all. Is it ready, brother? All right let’s play it.

In March, at Mike Rinder’s blog, a collection of Muhammad’s statements were collected, including “I’m going to show you how the Jews came to make sure that Black people never made no gains in America through jobs.”

And Independent Scientology News has a new video showing Muhammad refer to an interracial child as a “mutt” and a “blood cracker.”

 
So, go on celebrating Tony Muhammad while you call us bigots, Scientology. We see you.

 
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Rob Meister sends out an SOS from the MV Measlesthelioma

You remember that we featured Australian musician (and longtime Scientologist) Rob Meister as one of the people stuck on Scientology’s quarantined cruise ship the Freewinds.

So, points to him for his sense of humor posting this video Wednesday of him performing on the Freewinds. He put it on his Facebook account the day the quarantine finally lifted for the majority of crew and passengers and Rob immediately jetted off to Paris. We get you, Rob, and we’re glad you got through the quarantine without coming down with the itchies.

 
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HowdyCon 2019 in Los Angeles

THURSDAY NIGHT OPPORTUNITY: This year’s HowdyCon is in Los Angeles. People tend to come in starting on Thursday, and that evening we will have a casual get-together at a watering hole. But we also want to point out that Cathy Schenkelberg’s “Squeeze My Cans” will be running at the Hollywood Fringe, and we encourage HowdyCon attendees to see her show on Thursday night, June 20. Tickets and more dates available here.

Friday night June 21 we will be having an event in a theater (like we did on Saturday night last year in Chicago). There will not be a charge to attend this event, but if you want to attend, you need to RSVP with your proprietor at tonyo94 AT gmail.

On Saturday, we are joining forces with Janis Gillham Grady, who is having a reunion in honor of the late Bill Franks. Originally, we thought this event might take place in Riverside, but instead it’s in the Los Angeles area. If you wish to attend the reunion, you will need to RSVP with Janis (janisgrady AT gmail), and there will be a small contribution she’s asking for in order to help cover her costs.

HOTEL: Janis tells us she’s worked out a deal with Hampton Inn and Suites, at 7501 North Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank, (818) 768-1106. We have a $159 nightly rate for June 19 to 22. Note: You need to ask for the “family reunion” special rate.

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

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 our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Living with Scientology ‘disconnection’: ‘It’s important to never give up hope’
[TWO years ago] San Diego on Saturday: Psych-busting and Scientology hip hop!
[THREE years ago] Judge Doyle: I have Scientologists in the family, but I can be impartial in forced-abortion case
[FOUR years ago] ‘The Unbreakable Miss Lovely’ goes on the road — and so does Paulette Cooper!
[FIVE years ago] L. Ron Hubbard describes infiltrating a veterans’ hospital in a lecture only for Scientologists

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 17, 2019 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, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), 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, ten 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

 Rizza Islam picked the worst possible time to go on tour spreading misinformation about vaccines used to prevent the spread of measles.

Islam is both a Scientologist and a member of the Nation of Islam, and this week the news has been filled with stories about Scientology’s cruise ship, the Freewinds, being quarantined over a measles [...]]]>

 
Rizza Islam picked the worst possible time to go on tour spreading misinformation about vaccines used to prevent the spread of measles.

Islam is both a Scientologist and a member of the Nation of Islam, and this week the news has been filled with stories about Scientology’s cruise ship, the Freewinds, being quarantined over a measles case in St. Lucia and Curaçao.

But while that was going on, Rizza was in New York City and appeared on “Sway in the Morning” on Sirius XM with rapper and radio personality Sway Calloway. Rizza’s affiliations with Scientology and the Nation of Islam were not mentioned during the interview, nor was the fact that he’s facing felony charges for state insurance fraud in Los Angeles.

 
Islam has a poor command of the facts about the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella). He claims there were 108 deaths from the vaccine from 2004 to 2014. It’s untrue, there are no reported deaths that can be attributed to MMR. To the contrary, the disease has been fought with great success using the vaccine. Worldwide deaths are down from over 500,000 in 2000 to 110,000 in 2017. In the U.S. measles was declared eliminated in 2000, but there has been a surge since 2017 as the number of parents who vaccinate their children is declining. This year there have been 704 cases, but fortunately no deaths.

 
Islam falsely claims in the interview that the vaccine contains formaldehyde. MMR is a live vaccine, and formaldehyde is used in small amounts to kill viruses for other vaccines. He claims it contains aluminum. Aluminum adjuvants are used in hepatitis, diphtheria, and tetanus vaccines to improve the strength of the immunity, but they are not used in MMR. He claims it contains mercury. It does not and never has.

The Sway in the Morning interview aired on April 27 and the story of the Freewinds quarantine broke on May 1st. The ship has since requested and received 100 doses of the MMR vaccine. We know of one group that is stuck on the ship — those who extended their visit after the Black Scientologists Convention to complete additional training in Scientology. If Rizza Islam had attended, he could have been one more unvaccinated Scientologist at risk of infection.

— Rod Keller

Freewinds passengers outnumbered by crew, 277 stuck onboard until Wednesday

Our Dutch-speaking division sent us this rundown on what the Caribbean press says is the latest on Dave’s barge in Willemstad:

— Authorities are saying there are no further measles cases than the first one, after an initial assessment.
— Blood samples of the 277 on board who could not show a history of vaccinations have been sent to mainland Dutch authorities for testing.
— These people have to stay on board until at least Wednesday when results are back.
— 41 passengers could show evidence of vaccinations, but apparently they are choosing to remain onboard
— Another interesting tidbit: There are 216 crew members vs 102 passengers on board. According to a cruise-watching website, only one other ship offers more crew than passengers. In that case it’s a mark of luxury, but on the Freewinds we have a feeling it’s more about Sea Org slaves being paid nothing outnumbering the smaller number of paying pilgrims.
— Authorities who boarded the ship are convinced that everything is fine on board.

 
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Scientology wraps up Quebec labor mess with a bow

Canadian journalist Gaétan Pouliot alerted us to his latest fine piece, which reports that Scientology has managed to quietly take care of a labor dispute there which had them facing almost a million dollars in back pay and fees.

We know that Scientology pays its workers almost nothing and usually gets away with it by saying its staff are “religious volunteers,” but in a strong pro-labor place like Quebec, such a category of worker doesn’t exist and Scientology shouldn’t be able to get away with paying people starvation wages.

But in typical manner, Pouliot reports, Scientology has managed to make the controversy go away with an undisclosed settlement. There’s no way to know, he points out, whether the workers who were shorted have been made whole or even if Scientology agreed to some kind of obligation to raise pay in the future.

Once again, what looked like a promising government expose of Scientology’s bad acts has dissipated into nothing. Chalk up another one for David Miscavige’s legal troops.

 
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Patron Meritorious Joy Villa gets dressed down

Joy Villa may have given up her Congressional ambitions, but she’s still working the MAGA crowd like a pro. We have already written substantial pieces about her real background and how her political plans got derailed, but we have little interest in her latest grift. Thankfully, a couple of journalists took up the challenge this time…

 
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HowdyCon 2019 in Los Angeles

THURSDAY NIGHT OPPORTUNITY: This year’s HowdyCon is in Los Angeles. People tend to come in starting on Thursday, and that evening we will have a casual get-together at a watering hole. But we also want to point out that Cathy Schenkelberg’s “Squeeze My Cans” will be running at the Hollywood Fringe, and we encourage HowdyCon attendees to see her show on Thursday night, June 20. Tickets and more dates available here.

Friday night June 21 we will be having an event in a theater (like we did on Saturday night last year in Chicago). There will not be a charge to attend this event, but if you want to attend, you need to RSVP with your proprietor at tonyo94 AT gmail.

On Saturday, we are joining forces with Janis Gillham Grady, who is having a reunion in honor of the late Bill Franks. Originally, we thought this event might take place in Riverside, but instead it’s in the Los Angeles area. If you wish to attend the reunion, you will need to RSVP with Janis (janisgrady AT gmail), and there will be a small contribution she’s asking for in order to help cover her costs.

HOTEL: Janis tells us she’s worked out a deal with Hampton Inn and Suites, at 7501 North Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank, (818) 768-1106. We have a $159 nightly rate for June 19 to 22. Note: You need to ask for the “family reunion” special rate.

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

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 our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] In Hollywood and in Italy, Scientology is making all your dreams come true!
[TWO years ago] Ah, the reveries of 1950: When Dianetics was in full bloom
[THREE years ago] When Anonymous had Scientology in a panic: A new document has us nostalgic for 2008
[FOUR years ago] Bob Duggan, the richest Scientologist in the world, is going to love our nifty new drawings!
[FIVE years ago] Leaked footage of Scientology leader David Miscavige in Sydney
[SIX years ago] Investigation of Scientology Drug Rehab Program in Georgia Shifts to Credit Card Fraud
[SEVEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Birmingham Raises the Odds on Ideal Orgs!
[EIGHT years ago] Lindsay Lohan Joining Scientology? How Could it Hurt?

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 6, 2019 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, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), 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, ten 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

Nation of Islam figure and Scientology Freedom Medal winner Tony Muhammad was apparently pretty unhappy about Leah Remini’s recent episode about the strange relationship between the two groups.

Leah’s show aired on December 11, and she spent part of it talking about how she had [...]]]>

Nation of Islam figure and Scientology Freedom Medal winner Tony Muhammad was apparently pretty unhappy about Leah Remini’s recent episode about the strange relationship between the two groups.

Leah’s show aired on December 11, and she spent part of it talking about how she had been a central part of the interaction between the two groups. A document shows that she was thanked by the church in 2010 for helping to pay for Tony Muhammad’s courses as part of her donations.

Muhammad was apparently unhappy that Leah talked about funding his progress on the “Bridge to Total Freedom.” Five days after the show aired, he told an assembled crowd at the Muhammad Mosque No. 27 in Los Angeles that Remini had lied about him and about Minister Louis Farrakhan.

He also said her show had an ulterior motive: “Now she’s talking against the church, because the Jews want to use that against the Nation.”

You’ll see some other things in these two segments from the talk that should make you wince. Muhammad is quite a piece of work.

 
Keep in mind, Muhammad is probably the most visible Nation of Islam figure on the West Coast, and as a Freedom Medal winner he’s also a significant figure in Scientology. He’s not doing either of those organizations much of a favor with this kind of talk.

(If you’re not familiar with Nation of Islam, please keep in mind that it is a Black separatist movement of about 20,000 people, it’s been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and it has very little in common with Islam itself.)

 
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Continuing our year in review: The stories of June 2018

Throughout the year we were fortunate that Sunny Pereira let us into her rich past as a child who grew up in Scientology and served in the Sea Org. In June, she had a truly unique and disturbing episode from that history, when she was parachuted in to help pick up the pieces after a mass shooting in Portland.

We also heard from historian Chris Owen, who in the course of his research ran across a stunning document — a lengthy narrative written by John McMaster, who in the 1960s was an ambassador for Scientology and billed as the world’s first true ‘Clear.’ In two parts, (Part One, Part Two) McMaster’s statement was another damning account of how L. Ron Hubbard betrayed anyone who tried to do right by him.

On June 15, Sunny was back with another devastating look at how children are raised in Scientology, this time with the specific way they are interrogated to keep them under control.

It’s rare for Scientology celebrities to get into any real detail about their involvement, but Erika Christensen did reveal a few interesting things in her otherwise careful interview with her friend Dax Shepard. We gave Dax credit for pressing her, but suggested some ways he could have asked better questions.

This year’s HowdyCon was held in Chicago, and we saved a special announcement for the night of the main event at the Annoyance Theater: coming soon was our collaboration with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology (which is now for sale!).

If you couldn’t make it to Chicago, you can still enjoy the highlight of ‘Chicago Fire’ star Christian Stolte performing a song about Scientology. It’s the best!

And wow, Sunny Pereira provided us yet another small slice of Scientology horror from her past in the Sea Org. We’re so glad she’s giving us these glimpses of her past.

 
MOST-READ STORIES OF JUNE 2018:
1. Here’s proof that Scientology members have to be forced to watch Scientology TV
2. DENIED: Los Angeles judge rejects Scientology’s latest delay tactic in forced-abortion case
3. First person: Four Scientologists have been shot, and you’re being sent to audit the pain away
4. Coming soon, our collaboration with ‘Miss Lovely’ herself, Paulette Cooper!
5. EXCLUSIVE: The rise and fall of the ‘Pope of Scientology’ — in his own words

 
A LOOK BACK AT JUNE 2017: Leah Remini’s stepmother Donna Fiore was being hounded by Scientology for dirt on her stepdaughter. Handbag designer Rebecca Minkoff stepped up her support of Scientology front groups. Marty Rathbun started posting attack videos against his former allies, prompting responses from your proprietor, Gary Morehead, Victoria Britton, Paul Haggis, and John Brousseau. And HowdyCon 2017 went down in Denver.

A LOOK BACK AT JUNE 2016: We marked Muhammad Ali’s passing with a look at a Scientology video he was in. We published Dani Lemberger’s “declare.” And we broke the news that Leah Remini was shooting a television series.

A LOOK BACK AT JUNE 2015: We wrote about that time Jim Jones talked about Paulette Cooper from his Guyana compound. We wrote about a person in our book, the inspirational Len Zinberg. We did some live-blogging from the epic Toronto conference organized by Jon Atack. We broke the news that Scientologist Ponzi schemer Reed Slatkin had died. Some poor schlub went to prison after trying to hack Mike Rinder and your proprietor on behalf of Scientology. And we had our biggest audience yet with Paulette Cooper in Clearwater, the belly of the beast.

A LOOK BACK AT JUNE 2014: Another distressing disconnection story: Where is Sami Sterne? A rare audio recording captures L. Ron Hubbard and his wife Mary Sue using an e-meter to come up with the space cooties portion of Scientology. Why we think Original OT 8 is not a hoax — the George White story.

A LOOK BACK AT JUNE 2013: Channel 4’s documentary about Marty Rathbun, Scientologists at War, Neil Gaiman’s Scientology history behind his novel The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and Joe Childs on Denise Gentile’s blunts.

 
Five of our favorites from the most-upvoted comments of June 2018

June 8: Mat Pesch
Hey Dave, how about a half hour special showing you getting your daily massage, hair, nails and make up done after a hard day of scuba diving. Give the piss ants a glimpse of your greatness and maybe a signed copy of your Dave Magazine for them to cherish. Here’s an idea, maybe anyone who donates over $10 million can be allowed to touch your hair (after thoroughly washing their hands, of course).

June 11: Phil Jones
At one point Scientology offered to let us have contact with our kids if we stopped doing billboards and no longer criticized them. One of the most difficult things I ever did was to tell them “no, not unless all families are reconnected.” When I see the love that Lori Hodgson has for her children it just strengthens my resolve. Though I have to admit I do second-guess that decision at times. Willie and I talk about the kids every day. We dream about them almost every night.

June 16: Panopea Abrupta
Scientology will not survive the Internet. They can put up their smear sites. They can produce a million more bland programs about banjo makers. The can b/s all they want on Twitter. But one guy in New York with a laptop and one guy in Norway who likes truth and one woman in Australia and one woman who is pissed at Narconon and one ex in LA making charming videos and one guy in Clearwater and … and thousands and thousands and thousands more, more and more every day, are putting their crooked shoulders to the wheel.

June 18: John P.
I have continued to marvel at the scam that both the Nation of Islam and Scientology are trying to run by having NOI members do Scientology stuff. I would suspect that Farrakhan is personally raking in the FSM commissions that Scientology is paying. Scientology gets “stats” in return, which are probably more important to them than the cash, as that’s probably pretty minimal. The number of NOI members that have the disposable income to go “up the Bridge” to the OT levels has to be very small and I doubt Scientology is discounting all of the upper level services.

June 19: Geoff Levin
I watched years ago as Stacy Francis arrived at Celebrity Centre and was discovered as a new “tool” by the Gold band to sing at Scientology events to wow the clam audiences. Stacy does have a voice, unlike Joy Villa who has no training and uses what little she has incompetently. Stacy is the opposite end of the spectrum from Joy and represents Davey and friends perfectly in a different way. She is over the top, no real taste in her use of vocal runs and interprets songs much like American Ninja Warriors attack their obstacle courses. This blends right in with Miscavige’s massive golden pillars and ornate gold stage trappings and Davey’s hyperbole and lies. Nothing genuine there.

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!

 
——————–

Now on sale: Twice the Miss Lovely!

 
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. What a pleasure it is for us to work with her on this after we wrote about her ordeal as a victim of Scientology’s “Fair Game” campaigns in our 2015 book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, which is also on sale in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions.

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] 2017: In June, Rathbun became Scientology’s attack dog, but we got mile high in Denver
[TWO years ago] Why would an academic speak up for Scientology? Dr. Stephen Kent has an answer.
[THREE years ago] On Boxing Day, we remember the last time Scientology tried to knock out the press
[FOUR years ago] Give Scientology $1,000 and all you’ll get is this lousy T-shirt
[FIVE years ago] Scientology’s 2013 in review: Madness set in as spring arrived!
[SIX years ago] Narconon Georgia Facing Closure: It Shouldn’t Have Taken a Death

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 26, 2018 at 07:00

E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes 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 book, 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, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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

Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten 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

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

In 2010, Louis Farrakhan formally made the call for his followers in the Nation of Islam to embrace Dianetics. A year later, at the Village Voice, we remarked for the first time on what a bizarre idea it was — that two small but [...]]]>

In 2010, Louis Farrakhan formally made the call for his followers in the Nation of Islam to embrace Dianetics. A year later, at the Village Voice, we remarked for the first time on what a bizarre idea it was — that two small but such different groups would be getting into bed with each other.

Farrakhan himself had been interacting with Scientology for far longer than that — as far back as the early 1990s, according to some sources. But definitely by the mid-2000s he was seen attending events at the Hollywood Celebrity Centre, and in tonight’s episode of Scientology and the Aftermath Leah Remini tells us that things started when Isaac Hayes bugged David Miscavige about how white Scientology was and what was he going to do about it.

Leah herself played a role in the coming together of these two odd groups, which we wrote about earlier and which makes up a good portion of tonight’s episode. She admits to not really knowing what she was doing when she helped fund Scientology courses for people like the Nation of Islam’s Tony Muhammad, who has become such a part of Scientology he was given the church’s highest honor last year, the Freedom Medal.

We’ve seen evidence that many of the Nation of Islam’s members have responded to Farrakhan’s call by embracing introductory (no E-meter) Dianetics courses, and a smaller number have pursued Scientology itself, going well up the “Bridge to Total Freedom.” But we still hesitate to call this interaction a “merger.” We aren’t seeing Nation of Islam people joining Scientology’s controlling inner corps, the Sea Org, and we don’t see any white Scientologists joining the Nation of Islam.

So what is going on, and what kind of interaction is taking place? For tonight’s episode, Leah and Mike Rinder bring on a couple of very interesting guests, Ishmael Bey and Hector Falu-Muhammad, who help us understand what’s in it for Farrakhan, and how they were dismayed to see the Nation change the more it interacted with Scientology.

Last year, Farrakhan reacted to Leah Remini’s series by saying he was standing by Scientology, although he seemed to have a hard time remembering her name, calling her “Ms. Remmy.”

The other part of Miscavige’s strategy to attract more black members into Scientology was to build “Ideal Orgs” and commmunity centers in Inglewood, California and in Harlem. We were happily surprised to see Tiponi Grey join the program to talk about what it was like to be recruited by Scientology in Inglewood and join staff there.

Thankfully, the African American community has largely been uninterested in Scientology’s recruitment efforts. But a show like tonight’s can really help keep it that way.

 
Extra note: Some television cable systems are listing tonight’s show as “The Disappeared,” about executives at Gold Base. A&E’s website indicates that tonight’s episode is about the Nation of Islam. So we checked with the production company, who told us it was definitely the Nation of Islam episode. We assume they know which one is actually airing, and our fingers are crossed. Ha.

 
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Ewan McGregor’s star turn on Scientology TV

 
One of our readers pointed out to us that last week’s featured documentary at Scientology TV was about whales, which was humorous when you think about the way we characterize the church’s large donors. We got a chuckle out of it, but then realized that this was a film narrated by Ewan McGregor, who now becomes the first big name to make an appearance on Scientology’s new television network. When the channel began its documentary series, we tried to get a statement from the director of the first film, The Empowerment Project, but heard nothing back. After that, we stopped paying attention. But no doubt David Miscavige considers it quite a coup that he is playing these films on his DirecTV channel, and especially now that one of them featured a star of McGregor’s stature.

We kind of doubt that Ewan even knows he was featured on Scientology’s propaganda network. We sure would like to ask him about it.

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!

 
——————–

Now on sale: Twice the Miss Lovely!

 
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. What a pleasure it is for us to work with her on this after we wrote about her ordeal as a victim of Scientology’s “Fair Game” campaigns in our 2015 book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, which is also on sale in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions.

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] DOX: An inside look at how Scientology gets what it wants at ‘Ideal Org’ events
[TWO years ago] Scientology: Not very effective in Washington politics, but it tries, tries again
[THREE years ago] Jon Atack: Scientology’s notion of ‘case gain,’ and how it reinforces the prison of belief
[FOUR years ago] The questioner: Scientology brings in its legal ringer for a Florida showdown
[FIVE years ago] TEXAS SKIRMISH: Mike Bennitt is on the scene as Monique Rathbun’s lawsuit is back in court
[SIX years ago] Tiziano Lugli Releases Non-Nazanin Boniadi Version of “Blown for Good” Rap

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 11, 2018 at 07:00

E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes 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 book, 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, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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

Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten 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

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

On Monday, we had a lot of fun bringing you the latest list of Scientology donors who were celebrated at the October IAS event in East Grinstead, England. But the richies and their big donations are not the only reason for celebration at the annual shindig held under a [...]]]>

On Monday, we had a lot of fun bringing you the latest list of Scientology donors who were celebrated at the October IAS event in East Grinstead, England. But the richies and their big donations are not the only reason for celebration at the annual shindig held under a big tent at Saint Hill. Freedom Medals are also handed out, and in Scientology world, that’s a big deal!

The most notable winner of all time, of course, was great thetan Tom Cruise, who not only got a Freedom Medal in 2004, he was awarded a special large Freedom Medal of Valor by his best bud, church leader David Miscavige. Sadly, we don’t have any evidence that Tom and his medal showed up at the event this year. But we do have the new winners from Impact magazine, along with a blurb about each of them from Scientology’s website…

[FILIPINO NATIVE JORGE PEREZ DE TAGLE introduced the Davao Police Chief to the 21 precepts of The Way to Happiness. He continued on, bringing his moral message to thousands of local police officers as well as the nation’s military. All told, de Tagle engendered a movement reaching millions throughout his nation, helping achieve a 38 percent drop in crime in the Philippines. “Tonight is a lifelong honor. This is an honor for the Filipino people, The Way to Happiness volunteers, for the indomitable human spirit and the technology of L. Ron Hubbard!”]

[EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CCHR TEXAS, Lee Spiller, ran an unending drive to stop psychiatric abuse across the state’s mental health system. He ultimately saw to the closing of 172 criminal mental health facilities and the passage of 43 legislative actions protecting individuals—all in the name of upholding human rights. “I myself interviewed shock treatment survivors. And yes, their lives were ruined. Since that time, it has not been a question of doing anything else. Something is wrong, we need to fix it and for the last 21 years, that’s what my life has been about!”]

[TWIN BROTHERS DAN AND ARI AGAMI worked to change an alarming national drop-out rate by introducing L. Ron Hubbard’s Study Technology into Mexican schools. Altogether, Dan and Ari trained 33,000 individuals, empowered 60,000 teachers and permanently paved the path to new futures for over 1.6 million students. “Once upon a time there was a pair of twins and they had a dream—to change the world together. We were just kids back then, but dreams do come true and we did it!”]

The twins are part of the same Mexico City Agami family that includes developer Moises Agami, who built a double penthouse for Tom Cruise and has bought up much of downtown Clearwater for some kind of mysterious project.

Besides this years new medal winners, David Miscavige brought together quite a few past recipients and posed with them at Saint Hill Manor. Get a look at this room full of big beings…

Front Row Center

Ari Agami, 2018; Dan Agami, 2018; [Miscavige]; Lee Spiller, 2018; Jorge Perez de Tagle, 2018

Front Row Seated

Ruddy Rodriguez, 2005; Sandra Poveda, 2016; Maria Laru, 2014; Khalida Perwaiz, 2012

Front Row Standing

Klara Hidvegi, 2010; Janos Dobos, 2010; Bernd Trepping, 2012; Mohammed Khalil Ullah, 2010; Nicola Cramer, 2012; Bruce Wiseman, 2003; Minister Tony Muhammad, 2017; Binod Sharma, 2017; Rev. Alfreddie Johnson, 1999; Marc Arrighi, 2006; Raul Arias Perez, 2012; Caroline Collen, 2004; Jeff Pomerantz, 1985; Zoltan Soos, 2008; Lt. Col. Ricardo Prado, 2011; Felipe Poveda, 2016; Roberto Cestari, 1994; Robert Galibert, 2010; Meghan Fialkoff, 2016; Brian Daniels, 2017; Akos Kunfalvy, 2008

Second Row to Top

Simone Hsu, 2013; Jan Eastgate, 1988; Asa Graaf, 2003; Mary Shuttleworth, 2007; Shelley Wilkins, 2016; Ben Fialkoff, 2016; Koji Minami, 2002; Fran Andrews, 2000; Michel Raoust, 1985; Mario Chirinos, 2015; Valerii Kokura, 2005; Tim Bowles, 2008; Vlastimil Spalek, 2014; Frederic Grossmann, 2005; Rohit Sharma, 2015

 
Let’s take a closer look at that photo — David Miscavige so rarely poses with other people in these magazine shots, so this should give you some indication of how important he considered this occasion. And look, just a few feet away from him was last year’s medal winner, Minister Tony Muhammad of the Nation of Islam.

 
Tony also had a central position in another photo in the magazine, showing the medal winners coming down some stairs…

 
You’ll remember last year, when Tony Muhammad received his award, we were a little surprised to hear him praise Allah as well as L. Ron Hubbard.

The Scientology – Nation of Islam interaction is a bizarre one, and Tony Muhammad is at the center of it. In fact, we told you previously about how Leah Remini, when she was still in the church, was crucial in bringing the two groups together and helping to finance Tony Muhammad’s involvement in Scientology courses. Weird, wild stuff.

And now, Tony Muhammad appears in a pretty historic Scientology photo with David Miscavige himself as one of the most highly decorated Scientologists of all time.

But here’s what you won’t see Scientology talk about in its magazines. And that’s Tony Muhammad and the Nation of Islam’s deep bigotry. Go ahead, hear it for yourself in this brief recent clip…

We’re going to show that Minister Farrakhan never has had a problem with some Jewish people. And he’s going to tell you what he has a problem with. My son is in the entertainment business. And I’m telling you the Jews do control the entertainment business. They control the banking. They control the athletics. They control basketball. They control baseball. They control it all. And, they control the drugs. They control the pimping. They control pedophilia. They control pornography. They control it all. Is it ready, brother? All right let’s play it.

So, the next time Scientology cries ‘bigotry’ when someone dares to raise questions about the church’s long history of abuses and controversies, just keep it in mind that David Miscavige has no problem decorating a bigot and celebrating him at one of the church’s holiest places in the world.

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’re building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs.’ We’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them, in order to build a record and maintain a watch as Scientology continues its inexorable decline — and yes, we finally have comments working on these new pages! Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!

Today’s Scientology celebrity: Kate Ceberano!

 
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Now on sale: Twice the Miss Lovely!

 
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. What a pleasure it is for us to work with her on this after we wrote about her ordeal as a victim of Scientology’s “Fair Game” campaigns in our 2015 book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, which is also on sale in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions.

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] KID CORPS: When Scientology’s Sea Org parents were told to stop wasting time on their kids
[TWO years ago] What to get the Scientologist who has everything: It’s the Scientology Xmas Catalog!
[THREE years ago] Jeffrey Augustine: Part two of his conversation with Jesse Prince
[FOUR years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: Special Pearl Harbor Day edition!
[FIVE years ago] Lori Hodgson and her son Jeremy: What you didn’t hear on Inside Edition
[SIX years ago] Ken Dandar in Federal Court Today — And Loses Again

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 7, 2018 at 07:00

E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes 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 book, 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, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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

Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten 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

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

Our tipster Communicator I/C keeps trying to convince us that the Nation of Islam/Scientology mashup is more substantial than we’ve given it credit for. And we have to hand it to him this time for digging up a new piece of evidence that bolsters his point of [...]]]>

Our tipster Communicator I/C keeps trying to convince us that the Nation of Islam/Scientology mashup is more substantial than we’ve given it credit for. And we have to hand it to him this time for digging up a new piece of evidence that bolsters his point of view.

For years, we’ve been writing about Louis Farrakhan’s bizarre revelation that L. Ron Hubbard, the whitest person who ever lived, had some ideas that Farrakhan wanted his Black Nationalist followers to check out. According to NOI’s official publication the Final Call, on May 8, 2010 Farrakhan called for all NOI members to get Dianetics training to become auditors. Previously, we reported that Leah Remini actually played a significant role in helping the two groups come together with the use of her donations.

But that was “Book One” auditing, without the use of E-Meters, and we wondered if NOI members would actually move on to the more expensive courses that make up Scientology itself.

Over the years, we have seen a few NOI figures ascend Scientology’s “Bridge to Total Freedom,” but we still wouldn’t call what’s going on a “merger” between the two groups. We usually think of it as more of a side show than a key part of Scientology evolution.

There’s a new sign, however, that more and more Nation of Islam adherents are fully embracing the idea of being “Scientologists,” and not just flirting with Dianetics. Communicator I/C provided the proof of that by pointing us to a closed Facebook group which calls itself “Black Scientologists.”

 
The group has more than 200 members who include executive directors of Scientology Ideal Orgs, Nation of Islam workers, NOI ministers, Scientology staffers, as well as non-Nation of Islam figures like singer Stacy Francis, huckster Alfreddie Johnson, and a fire inspector at the Los Angeles Fire Department. There’s even a Farrakhan.

We asked Communicator I/C what he made of it.

“It appears evident that it was part of a plan to gradually suck in NOI members in the usual manner. First with Dianetics, then Life Improvement courses, and now I’m seeing NOI members using the hashtag #OT8. This was all carefully orchestrated,” he says. “I may be naive, but I wonder if Louis Farrakhan really knew what he was getting into. It appears he may have lost a bit of control. Then again, maybe he is making commissions on everything and doesn’t give a crap.”

In March, former Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder had some thoughts on Nation of Islam/Scientology members holding a conference of Black Scientologists — renamed “Ebony Awakening” — on the Freewinds: “Scientology is notoriously white. But in recent times it has used Alfreddie Johnson to cozy up to the Nation of Islam, even going so far as to award the head of the NOI Western US, Tony Muhammad, its highest recognition, an IAS Freedom Medal…I guess the Freewinds is hoping to cash in on the NOI audience like Applied Scholastics did when they rented out their facility to an NOI weekend get together,” he wrote at his blog. “Scientology and the Nation of Islam are NOT compatible. Sooner or later this whole thing is going to explode.”

Well, that might be interesting actually. We’re glad Communicator I/C is keeping such a close watch.

 
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HOWDYCON IS UPON US!

Hey, we’re just three days from this year’s HowdyCon in Chicago, June 21-23. Here’s what we have in store for you…

Thursday evening: At 6 pm, we’ll kick things off at our main hotel (see the website), where Chee Chalker, our coordinator, will be checking you in and handing out packets of information about the location of HowdyCon events and other things to do in town. That evening, Author Alec Nevala-Lee joins us for a casual round of discussion. We’ve read his forthcoming book, Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction, and it has some wonderful insights about how Hubbard moved from the pulps to Dianetics. Take this opportunity to get to know him and hear about his book before it makes waves in October!

Friday afternoon: Friday is Fly Day at HowdyCon Chicago! Our buzzing insect can only join us for this event, so plan to hang out with us. Bring your own LEGOs.

Saturday evening: Our big event this year features Chicago Fire actor Christian Stolte, who tells us he’s cooking up a good show for us. It takes place in a theater, and you need to reserve a seat by dropping a note to the proprietor at tonyo94 AT gmail as soon as possible.

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 18, 2018 at 07:00

E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes 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 book, 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, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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

Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten 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

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