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Dave Richards, 1948-2018, ran the Founding Church of Scientology in DC

[Dave Richards and Ron Miscavige, after the Eagles Super Bowl win in February]

We were saddened to learn from Ron Miscavige and Becky Bigelow last night that Dave Richards died unexpectedly yesterday at his home in Phoenix. He was 69.

Continue reading Dave Richards, 1948-2018, ran the Founding Church of Scientology in DC

Scientology’s cruise ship the Freewinds: Why OT 8 needed to be delivered off-shore

 
Jeffrey Augustine continues his look into the history of Scientology’s private cruise ship, the Freewinds…

Continue reading Scientology’s cruise ship the Freewinds: Why OT 8 needed to be delivered off-shore

What it was like last night at Scientology’s Los Angeles TV ‘season’ premiere party

 
Once again we had a correspondent on the scene at last night’s event on L. Ron Hubbard Way in Los Angeles as Scientology celebrated the premiere of its second “season” of propaganda airing at Scientology TV. Here’s their report…

Continue reading What it was like last night at Scientology’s Los Angeles TV ‘season’ premiere party

With Scientology TV premiering a new ‘season’ tonight, David Miscavige is having a moment

[David Miscavige in Stuttgart last month]

Scientology never gives up. We have pointed this out to you countless times, and now more than ever we can demonstrate how true it is.

Continue reading With Scientology TV premiering a new ‘season’ tonight, David Miscavige is having a moment

Exploiting Tony Bourdain’s suicide or giving out weird massages, Scientology never rests

Rod Keller has a couple of different dispatches from correspondents for us this week…

Continue reading Exploiting Tony Bourdain’s suicide or giving out weird massages, Scientology never rests

In the Sea Org, under suspicion: ‘I accepted that I was, in Scientology terms, an ethics particle’

[Our man in Hungary, Péter Bonyai]

This week in our Scientology book series, we have a bonus for you — not one, but two excerpts from Péter Bonyai’s book about his life in the Sea Org, Money, Power, Servitude: Adventures in the Wonderland of Scientology. In the first, he gives us a glimpse about what it’s like to be the target of Scientology’s secret police, OSA. And in the second, he has some great insights about the start of the ‘Ideal Org’ program, the special obsession of Scientology leader David Miscavige…

 
Continue reading In the Sea Org, under suspicion: ‘I accepted that I was, in Scientology terms, an ethics particle’

Buried in US archives, a stunning indictment of Scientology and prediction of the future

[Judge Stanley S. Harris]

It’s another red-letter day here in the Underground Bunker, thanks to the tireless work of researcher R.M. Seibert. After years of persistence, she coaxed another eye-opening release out of the US government about Scientology, in this case a collection of documents from the US Justice Department that have never been made public before.

Continue reading Buried in US archives, a stunning indictment of Scientology and prediction of the future

Scientology has its whales — and now the Underground Bunker does too!

[Ready for your trophy?]

We learned recently that Scientologists can not only become “patrons” and “laureates” and “meritorious” based on how much money they give to the IAS (Scientology’s main slush fund), but they can also become “ambassadors” and “luminaries” if they help pay for book dissemination campaigns.

Continue reading Scientology has its whales — and now the Underground Bunker does too!

Jesse Prince talks about the grieving after L. Ron Hubbard’s death — and the partying

[Jesse Prince at the 2015 Toronto conference]

You’ve seen the excerpt and read our review of Jesse Prince’s book, The Expert Witness. Now it’s Jeffrey Augustine’s turn to get in on the fun, with his podcast interview with Jesse.

Continue reading Jesse Prince talks about the grieving after L. Ron Hubbard’s death — and the partying

Clear body, wiped mind: Another woman comes forward about forced abortion in Scientology

[Heather Ruggeri at 22]

In April, Heather Ruggeri celebrated ten years free of Scientology. But a decade isn’t enough to erase the things that she went through as a child growing up in Scientology and working in the Sea Org. She’s put portions of her story on the Internet before, but this is her first attempt at telling the entire tale. We knew you’d want to see it.

Continue reading Clear body, wiped mind: Another woman comes forward about forced abortion in Scientology