FOLLOW ME ON
Daily Notifications
Sign up for free emails to receive the feature story every morning in your inbox at tonyortega.substack.com

Categories

VIDEO: Can Scientology lure you to the happiest place on Earth?

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology tries so hard to get you to give up your current life, turn your back on family and friends, and start a new journey as an indentured servant to David Miscavige and L. Ron Hubbard! Is that asking so much? We have the latest staff recruitment video for your perusal! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading VIDEO: Can Scientology lure you to the happiest place on Earth?

Scientologist sentenced to 25 years for kidnapping and assault

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: On March 13 a prominent Scientology family got a shock: One of its own was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The case had gone entirely unreported in local news. But we’ve pieced together what took place, and it involves an infamous character we all met more than a decade ago. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientologist sentenced to 25 years for kidnapping and assault

Oops! Scientology spills a secret as it prepares to co-opt another holiday

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology’s annual effort to turn Christmas into a recruiting event is pretty well known, but it also does what it can with Easter, holding an annual egg hunt in Florida to lure in new meat. And we also found some other Easter recruiting plans that contained a small surprise. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Oops! Scientology spills a secret as it prepares to co-opt another holiday

Eyewitness reports from celebrations of Scientology’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard!

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Yesterday #Scientology members were asked to come down to their local ‘orgs’ to watch video of the L. Ron Hubbard birthday event filmed the week before in Florida. We have a couple of eyewitness reports from those local celebrations of the 114th birthday of Scientology’s founder. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Eyewitness reports from celebrations of Scientology’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard!

When my friend Wings Hauser stunned Scientology about its high prices

[Wings Hauser, 1980s]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Geoff Levin was close with actor Wings Hauser for more than 50 years, and they met in Scientology. With news of Hauser’s death at 77, Geoff shares details of their friendship in and out of the church, and the moment when Wings dared to speak up like no celebrity before or since. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading When my friend Wings Hauser stunned Scientology about its high prices

San Francisco rules the Scientology universe — for this week, at least

[The Golden Gate gang!]

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox, or go to this link: Scientology has not yet sent out a press release about its annual birthday bash for founder L. Ron Hubbard, but already one secret from it has leaked out, and it’s a detail with some profound evidence about the state of the church, and San Francisco’s moment in the sun! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading San Francisco rules the Scientology universe — for this week, at least

Why Scientology’s fight over ‘Snow White’ files is coming up in Trump civil lawsuit

[Trump pal Dan Scavino is taking inspiration from Scientology’s legal tactics]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox, or go to this link: Civil suits are still spinning out from the Jan 6 insurrection, and an odd result is that the White House’s Dan Scavino is fighting to keep records of his work for Donald Trump sealed, and he’s citing Scientology’s historical fight to keep its records secret. Say what? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Why Scientology’s fight over ‘Snow White’ files is coming up in Trump civil lawsuit

Missing Clearwater diver has Scientology community (and exes too) distraught

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox, or go to this link: Readers have been messaging us in regards to a story about a missing sportfishing diver who didn’t surface last Thursday about 65 miles off the coast of Naples, Florida. He was a Scientology member, and the outpouring of support for his family has been very interesting to see. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Missing Clearwater diver has Scientology community (and exes too) distraught

Clearwater caves to Scientology again: Mark Bunker on last night’s vote

[Mark Bunker on Dave getting his way again]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox, or go to this link: The Clearwater city council voted last night to vacate Garden Ave, the first step in selling the street to Scientology for $1.3 million so the church can make it part of their ‘L. Ron Hubbard Hall’ project. Mark Bunker spoke at the meeting and then shared his thoughts with us. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Clearwater caves to Scientology again: Mark Bunker on last night’s vote

Mark Bunker’s council replacement explains his vote for Scientology

[David Miscavige and Clearwater: ‘I want it all’]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox, or go to this link: Tonight, Clearwater’s council will vote to give David Miscavige and Scientology some property so the church can use it as part of its plans to build ‘L. Ron Hubbard Hall.’ We got a copy of the excuses one council member is making, and Mark Bunker’s response. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Mark Bunker’s council replacement explains his vote for Scientology