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LA Mayor Karen Bass to have another awkward Scientology moment, thanks to Tom Cruise?

[Karen Bass promoting Scientology before she was critical of it.]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: You’ve no doubt seen the news that Scientology’s chief ornament, actor Tom Cruise, is going to perform a death-defying stunt involving the Olympic flag at the Closing Ceremonies on August 11. But hang on, isn’t LA’s mayor, Karen Bass, supposed to be getting that flag? Uh-oh. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading LA Mayor Karen Bass to have another awkward Scientology moment, thanks to Tom Cruise?

New York Scientology donor David Gentile convicted in federal fraud case

[David Gentile and the New York Scientology “Ideal Org”]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Jeffrey Augustine has been on the story of wealthy Scientology donor David Gentile from the beginning. So we asked him to summarize yesterday’s big result in court in Brooklyn, where a jury found Gentile guilty of running a $1.7 billion ‘Ponzi-like scheme.’ [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading New York Scientology donor David Gentile convicted in federal fraud case

Judge denies Valeska Paris redo: Trafficking case still stuck in arbitration

[Valeska Paris and Judge Thomas Barber]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Judge Thomas Barber didn’t like that the law kept him from considering Valeska Paris’s claims of coercion when he forced her trafficking lawsuit against Scientology into its ‘arbitration.’ And now he’s disagreed with her that a new SCOTUS ruling changed that law in her favor. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Judge denies Valeska Paris redo: Trafficking case still stuck in arbitration

The secret plan to produce a Scientology social media star

[Charlie Wakley, when he was emerging as the face of Scientology London]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Over the years, we’ve noted how different Scientology in London has seemed. The staff there was savvier about social media and even produced notable stars like Charlie Wakley. Now, Alex Barnes-Ross reveals there was definitely a plan for this, and that it was largely his idea! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

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Tom Cruise: The politics behind the Scientology celeb’s French knighthood

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We were puzzled by France’s Minister of Culture naming Tom Cruise a Knight of Arts and Letters in a secret ceremony. Thankfully, our good friend in Paris, British journalist Jonny Jacobsen, has sent in a report helping us understand the political background to this odd situation. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Tom Cruise: The politics behind the Scientology celeb’s French knighthood

Tom Cruise gets France’s highest honor despite its Scientology scorn

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We were on France’s side with the naked blue guy and the spectacle of the opening ceremony, but it lost us with this mystifying decision to honor Scientology’s chief stooge in a secret ceremony. What gives? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Tom Cruise gets France’s highest honor despite its Scientology scorn

Scientology’s top-down control of its Narconon rehabs? I was part of it.

[Scientology’s biggest Narconon (inset) was once located on an Indian reservation]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: At the Underground Bunker we’ve provided mountains of evidence that Narconon rehabs are a branch of Scientology, even if Narconon reps say otherwise to credulous reporters. Now, we have an account of that control and his role in it, once again from the excellent Bruce Hines. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology’s top-down control of its Narconon rehabs? I was part of it.

Scientology moving minors across state lines for intense labor: There’s a word for that

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: One of the best things about Scientology is that as much as it denies its controversies in ludicrous statements to the public, it just can’t help documenting its own crimes in detail in fliers and mailers for its own people. And this week, we received a copy of a real doozy. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology moving minors across state lines for intense labor: There’s a word for that

Miss Lovely is still dishing on Scientology: It’s Paulette Cooper’s birthday!

[Paulette and her husband, Paul Noble]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Every year, we celebrate the birthday of the woman who is the reason we started the Underground Bunker in the first place, to support our book about her, ‘The Unbreakable Miss Lovely.’ Happy birthday, Paulette Cooper! ALSO: Scientology’s Paris Org looks dead as Olympics open [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Miss Lovely is still dishing on Scientology: It’s Paulette Cooper’s birthday!

Scientology asks for more time to talk Whitney Mills’ mom out of wrongful-death lawsuit

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: The Scientology defendants in the Whitney Mills wrongful-death lawsuit have asked for another 30 days to respond. And while that’s not too unusual on its own, there are some interesting statements and suggestions about the case in the 7-page document they filed. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology asks for more time to talk Whitney Mills’ mom out of wrongful-death lawsuit