Scientology | The Underground Bunker

Liz Gale: How she grew up in Scientology, and then smartly traded it for being a pothead

In 2016, our old friend Mark Ebner had a suggestion for us.

More than a decade earlier, Ebner had written a terrific story for New Times Los Angeles (where we worked from 1999-2002) about the suicide of Philip Gale, a math prodigy who had grown up in Scientology and threw himself from a building at MIT […]

A 2017 flight suggests that Scientology leader is still canoodling with his ‘communicator’

[Dave, Lou, and a private jet cabin]

It’s one of the most important and telling details from Leah Remini’s bestselling memoir, Troublemaker, a moment that helped begin her journey out of […]

Before Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard wanted to be thought of like one of his pulp fiction heroes

In 1938, L. Ron Hubbard was a 27-year-old budding celebrity living in Bremerton, Washington, across the Puget Sound from Seattle, and in relative […]

Is this the lamest tabloid ‘Tom Cruise has left Scientology’ speculation ever?

You’ll have to forgive us that we didn’t get to this sooner, because we were just out of surgery and lying rather helpless in a hospital bed last week when the Daily Mail’s entertainment gossip columnist Alison Boshoff “reported” that Tom Cruise has stopped going to Scientology’s UK headquarters for the past three […]

PODCAST: Jonny Jacobsen, our man in Paris, was on Scientology’s abuses before most

We’ve had a lot of fun recently talking to great reporters who have covered Scientology like John Sweeney, Mark Ebner, and Steve Cannane. So of course we wanted to check in with our man in Paris, one of the very best journalists we know, Jonny […]

Stan Lee* helps Scientology raise money from beyond the grave!

[*Stan Lee is dead. This is Jim Meskimen, Scientology’s most loyal clown.]

We know this to be true: Scientology wants every last one of your dimes and pennies, even after you’ve gone to your great […]

‘Harass and discourage’: The role of lawyers and journalists in Scientology’s attack plans

[Vanity Fair reporter John Connolly, right]

In the third and final part of a deep dive by historian Chris Owen into Scientology’s machinery for attacking its critics and gaining influence, we’ll look at the role of lawyers and the Office of Special Affairs in litigation and lobbying. See part one here and part two […]

We asked Mark Bunker about Scientology developer’s high rise plans for Clearwater

[Clearwater, 2525]

Tampa Bay Times reporter Tracey McManus had another major scoop this weekend when she revealed that Scientologist developer Moises Agami has filed plans to build two towering condo buildings in downtown Clearwater, Florida that will be the new tallest structures in the […]

The delightful result when Scientology was infiltrated by a reporter — in Hawaii

[Intrepid reporter Bob Jones]

We have been stunned to see the devastation on Maui from wildfires, and we assume you probably have been as well. If you are interested in sending aid, the New York Times put together a handy guide to where to send your donations so that it has the most impact as the […]

‘Ruin them utterly’: how PIs and volunteer members work against Scientology’s enemies

[Former Scientology private investigator Cierra Westerman]

In this second part of a three-part deep dive by historian Chris Owen into the inner workings of Scientology’s harassment operations, we’ll take a look at how the church uses private investigators and volunteers to investigate and harass critics. See part one […]

Search