Prosecution plans to call 1996 victim in Danny Masterson trial

At a courtroom in Los Angeles yesterday, the two sides preparing for Danny Masterson’s rape trial that is scheduled to begin next week spent the day fighting over what evidence will be allowed in.

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Scientology eagerly uses Hurricane Ian devastation for photo opportunities

Well, you knew this was coming. Scientology loves to turn natural disasters into public relations opportunities, and so with a major hurricane hitting just south of its spiritual mecca, the Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida, there was no question that it would be pouncing on the chance.

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Clearwater CEO Joy Gendusa recorded sychophantic video for Scientology’s leader

What a week it’s been for PostcardMania CEO Joy Gendusa.

On Tuesday, with Hurricane Ian barreling toward Florida’s west coast, labor journalist Jonah Furman published statements by Gendusa that the Clearwater mail-order business would work through the storm, and that she expected employees not only to be at their desks but also to bring their kids and pets to the building if they worried about being swept away.

Continue reading Clearwater CEO Joy Gendusa recorded sychophantic video for Scientology’s leader

PODCAST: Jon Atack has some things to say about Mike Rinder’s new book on Scientology

The big news this week of course is that former Scientology spokesman and Leah Remini’s costar Mike Rinder has released his really terrific book about his experience in the church, A Billion Years: My Escape from a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology.

Continue reading PODCAST: Jon Atack has some things to say about Mike Rinder’s new book on Scientology

Dr. Eric Berg gaming YouTube? Ian Rafalko with more revelations about his Scientologist dad

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

Continue reading Dr. Eric Berg gaming YouTube? Ian Rafalko with more revelations about his Scientologist dad

Double storms hit Scientology: Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Mike Rinder

With all of their purported super powers, the OTs of Scientology were unable to fend off a double-bullseye yesterday as the church was rocked by two very different kinds of storms.

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Mike Rinder’s ‘A Billion Years’: A gripping takedown of Scientology and its leader

There are many books about Scientology now, including some put out by major publishers. If you wanted a robust history of where Scientology has been over many decades, you could turn to Lawrence Wright’s Going Clear, or the earlier, deeply researched investigations by Russell Miller (Bare-Faced Messiah) or Jon Atack (A Piece of Blue Sky).

Continue reading Mike Rinder’s ‘A Billion Years’: A gripping takedown of Scientology and its leader

In Los Angeles, shilling for Scientology becomes issue in mayor’s race

[Karen Bass and Rick Caruso]

We’ve said it many times over the years: Scientology tries to convince local politicians to come to its events, and some of them do, not bothering to research Scientology’s long history of scandals and abuses.

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Watching Scientology lie to foreigners about ‘religious’ visas: A very personal account

[The Hollywood Celebrity Centre]

A thorough new piece in New York magazine about Scientology’s abuse of R-1 visas not only reminded us of research by RM Seibert for the Bunker that we published in 2016. It also inspired Sunny Pereira to send us this memory of what the R-1 visa abuse actually looked like at the Hollywood Celebrity Centre in the 1990s. We think you’ll find it very illuminating.

Continue reading Watching Scientology lie to foreigners about ‘religious’ visas: A very personal account

How Scientology manufactured New York Times bestsellers for L. Ron Hubbard

We’ve received another account from a former Scientology manager who previously told us about the development of contracts in the church after the death of Lisa McPherson. This time, they gave us another timely look into Scientology’s past.

Continue reading How Scientology manufactured New York Times bestsellers for L. Ron Hubbard

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