Days before jumping to his death, actor Brad Bufanda credited Scientology with saving his life

In August, Brad Bufanda, a 34-year-old actor and chiseled gym instructor, showed up for an initial table reading of an independent film he’d landed a role for.

Continue reading Days before jumping to his death, actor Brad Bufanda credited Scientology with saving his life

How Pete Griffiths sued a Scientologist and ended up being vilified by former friends

[Pete Griffiths]

On May 1, 2013, ex-Scientologist Pete Griffiths gave a talk about Scientology to some Dublin secondary school students (what we call high school in the U.S.). Griffiths was the guest of a teacher who had his own run-in with the church.

Continue reading How Pete Griffiths sued a Scientologist and ended up being vilified by former friends

Jared Fogle, former Subway huckster, turned to an indie Scientologist for failed ‘appeal’

[Jared Fogle and his jailhouse lawyer, Frank Pate]

We’ve seen numerous stories reporting that Jared Fogle, the disgraced former Subway restaurants pitchman, tried to pull a fast one with a bogus appeal written by a fellow inmate, a jailhouse lawyer, whose attempt to get Fogle’s conviction overturned on jurisdictional grounds didn’t fly with a U.S. district judge.

Continue reading Jared Fogle, former Subway huckster, turned to an indie Scientologist for failed ‘appeal’

Tonight on ‘Leah Remini’: L. Ron Hubbard gets the Russell Miller treatment

[Russell Miller]

Leah Remini concludes her “special” episodes of Season Two tonight at 10 pm by having on two real experts on Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard: author Russell Miller and former “Deputy Commodore” Hana Whitfield. (One final show for Season Two is scheduled for next week, when Leah will answer viewer questions in a Reddit-sponsored episode.)

Continue reading Tonight on ‘Leah Remini’: L. Ron Hubbard gets the Russell Miller treatment

Sexual harassment allegations strike a blow against a Scientology political ally in Florida

Rod Keller has a fascinating piece for us today about a Florida political mini-dynasty.

The current climate of victims coming forward with long-suppressed accusations of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct has not only snared many Hollywood figures but also a politician whose family has long been friendly to the Church of Scientology.

Continue reading Sexual harassment allegations strike a blow against a Scientology political ally in Florida

Tonight on ‘Leah Remini’: Scientology’s front groups, including Narconon, get a special look

[Quailynn McDaniel]

Hey, it’s Sunday, not Tuesday. Why is there a new episode of Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath running tonight at 8 pm, and why is it running several days after the series finale?

Continue reading Tonight on ‘Leah Remini’: Scientology’s front groups, including Narconon, get a special look

‘Scientology is dying’: John Brousseau on the decline of Int Base and fate of Shelly Miscavige

On Wednesday, Erin Hodges Plumb wrote up her visit to the San Jacinto City Council, which briefly considered the notion of closing Gilman Springs Road before approving a motion never to bring the subject up again.

Continue reading ‘Scientology is dying’: John Brousseau on the decline of Int Base and fate of Shelly Miscavige

If Trump is serious, he has a clear path to go at Scientology — through his Treasury Secretary

[Trump, Miscavige, Mnuchin]

Does Donald Trump really want to end Scientology’s tax exempt status? That’s the provocative notion that Yashar Ali floated Thursday at the Huffington Post, but Yashar included a lot of caveats about whether there was any truth to the idea, or whether a president even has the influence to make such a decision.

Continue reading If Trump is serious, he has a clear path to go at Scientology — through his Treasury Secretary

French-kissing Wilt Chamberlain: Adventures of a teenager in the skeezy world of Scientology

[The Big Dipper, and Rebecca McKee at 16]

Last year, we told you a unique love story, about a 16-year-old girl, Rebecca McKee, who had to give up her boyfriend, Tom McCaffrey, because of her family’s involvement in the Church of Scientology. Some 43 years later, Rebecca and Tom finally got a chance to meet again. By then, Rebecca was no longer in Scientology, and their meeting led to the two of them getting married.

Continue reading French-kissing Wilt Chamberlain: Adventures of a teenager in the skeezy world of Scientology

Scientology plan to shut road through its secretive ‘Int Base’ in California foiled again

Once again, the enterprising Erin Hodges Plumb of Hemet, California, was on the scene for a Scientology Watching adventure, and we have her report.

Continue reading Scientology plan to shut road through its secretive ‘Int Base’ in California foiled again

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