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One year ago: The sentencing hearing that put Scientology celeb Danny Masterson away

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We couldn’t be in Judge Olmedo’s court for Danny Masterson’s sentencing, but we obtained the transcript of what was said that day. So on the anniversary of the hearing that put away Masterson for []

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Uncovering Scientology schemers: A tale of journalistic perseverance

[From Libération’s illustration by Xavier Lissillour]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: A Scientologist indicted for running a company into the ground with Scientology techniques turns out to be behind another questionable scheme. Fortunately for the public, a reporter has been []

Scientology’s sneaky front groups keep doing their thing — and some are succeeding

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: No matter how challenging things have been for Scientology, it never gives up. You can always count on its sneaky front groups, for instance, to insinuate themselves no matter how many times they’ve been []

Scientology’s founder in King Arthur’s Court: When Ron ran for the hills!

 TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: It’s one of our favorite anecdotes about Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard from Russell Miller’s wonderful biography, ‘Bare-Faced Messiah,’ and now we have a fun bonus to go along with it. [What is this []

New details have emerged of mass Scientology fraud, the ‘Chase Wave’

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: In late 2021 we started to hear about a stunning fraud in Scientology, a method for obtaining multiple credit cards for Scientologists who had little or no credit. It even had a name: The []

The Hubbard tapes: When Scientology was all about reeling you in

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Val Ross has another memory from her remarkable experience in Scientology, much of which is quite dark. But this time, she says, she wanted to give us a chuckle. [What is this Substack thing, []

Scientology party tents move from Clearwater to Los Angeles

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Last week Scientology threw a 3-day beach party in Clearwater, Florida. The timing suggested it might be some kind of ‘Sea Org Day’ celebration. Now, a reader in LA has sent photos showing similar []

Scientology school loses crucial ability to host foreign students after inspection

[Greenfields and its head teacher, Andrew Hodgson]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Thanks to an increased awareness of Scientology’s controversies, the UK government is taking a harder look at the organization and in particular its boarding school there. Now, in []

Danny Masterson victims argue again for adding racketeering in Scientology lawsuit

[Judge Upinder Kalra and defendant Danny Masterson]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: The lawsuit filed by Danny Masterson’s victims hit a snag as Scientology appealed a ruling by Judge Upinder Kalra. But this week the Jane Does argued again that []

Alex Barnes-Ross on his win for East Grinstead records regarding Scientology

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Alex Barnes-Ross reported yesterday that a UK commission instructed the East Grinstead Council it would have to turn over records regarding Scientology he had been asking for. We asked him why the Council was []