Tony Ortega's Blog, page 10
September 27, 2025
Scientology strikes out again as another local authority says no to tent plans
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: More bad news for Scientology as it waits to see whether it will get permission for a car park it wants to build and also its giant tent that it puts up every year for its IAS gala. Alex Barnes-Ross alerted us to this latest stumbling block, and shared his thoughts with us. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“If the pc is not in session you won’t get the withholds. TRs play a large part in the pc being willing to talk to the auditor. A wrong or challenging auditor attitude can throw the scene off as there is a destroyed comm cycle. If TRs are rough or choppy the pc feels he’s being accused. A poor or comm lag TR 2, hidden from the view of the C/S, can also mess up a person in a Confessional. It invalidates his answers and makes him feel he hasn’t gotten it off. If suspected, this could be checked by D of P interview or person to the Examiner for: ‘What did the auditor do?’ So TRs must be polished and the auditor, while maintaining good ethics presence, takes the role of confessor when handling the pc’s answers and makes it safe for the pc to get off his overts and withholds. Similarly, an auditor who is certain of his tech and does not miss withholds will build the pc’s confidence in him.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1978
——————–
THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON
We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.
——————–
THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?
[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH
— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see
[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf
— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond
[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
——————–
“The zygote is very easily injured. Every abdominal pressure affects it. However, an auditor should run the ovum-sperm series three or four days before conception. Although this hasn’t been checked objectively, cases respond much better if you get that series. The time up to before the first missed menstrual period has been checked objectively, because somebody else has this material too, but it is not easy to check conception objectively. Conception is a specific moment and you are not quite sure when it arrives. However, until the time this data is checked objectively, the reality of it is strong.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 27, 1950
——————–
“A last minute despatch from Neptune as he left the ship follows: Commodore: I have the honor, Sir, to report that your crew has been (1) Instructed (2) Examined (3) Passed. They are now fully initiated, qualified, called, designated, dubbed, christened, titled and entitled SEA DOGS by my stamp and seal. All sharks, porpoises, whales, fish, squids, minnows, and polywogs must now salute them as brothers of the Sea. (Signed) Neptunis Rex, GOD OF THE SEAS AND OCEANS” — The Commodore, September 27, 1971
——————–
“Another idea that I remember some people talked about was that a cleared planet would occur if there were enough Clears that the amount of their theta would, by the laws of theta, disenturbulate the entheta of the other (not Clear) thetans on the planet. This is supported by the first chapter in Science of Survival, with regard to theta in enough quantity causing disenturbulation of entheta.”
——————–
2000: Keith Henson reported this week on his hearing for charges that he has threatened Scientology’s Gold Base with bombings and nuclear missiles. “The judge set a date for a jury trial, Oct 30, trial readiness conference on Oct 27, and pretrial conference on Oct. 11. He maintained the 300 yards standoff distance and would not let me clarify if that is from the buildings at gold base or from the property edge. Graham argued that the picketing restriction should be lifted because the case was about messages and not missiles and it did not pass constitutional muster, prosecutorial muster or any other kind of muster. The judge disputed Graham’s characterization stating it was the usual condition for bail (not to communicate with or harass the ‘victims’) and it would stand unless Henson wanted his bail revoked. Hoden was sitting in the court and Graham introduced him for those of our party who did not know him. After the rest of us were out in the hall, he must have talked the bailiff into escorting him out of the courthouse and keeping our party (Ida, Arel, Graham and me) in the courthouse till he was
gone from the parking lot. Afterwards Arel and Graham went out to picket gold for an hour. The process server made a production by getting campus security to
accompany him while serving my daughter with a subpoena. They want to depose her at the offices of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP in LA on Oct. 24. As a guess, they would use (pit bull) Rosen who has been sanctioned for deposition abuse in the past. The point, of course, is not getting information for bankruptcy proceedings but to get at me by abusing my daughter in deposition. We will attempt to quash the subpoena. Frank Petty and Edwin Richardson made it really clear (on tape) what kind of abuse she would be subjected to in a deposition.”
——————–
“If you leave or get kicked out they have a big ray gun device called the Hubbard Engram Re-Stimulator that can locate you anywhere on the planet and zap you with a beam that re-implants all the charge you blew.”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. DA’s response to appeal brief due August 13.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing December 1.
Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Judge Hammock’s ruling is on appeal. Leah’s appeal brief was filed June 3. Respondent briefs are due September 2.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal. Jane Does’ response to Scientology’s appeal brief submitted July 30. Scientology’s reply due October 20.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, gets ruling to depose Jane Doe 1. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
——————–
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Historic flooding from Hurricane Helene hits Scientology-heavy Tampa Bay
[TWO years ago] Read Danny Masterson’s probation report that recommended state prison
[THREE years ago] In Los Angeles, shilling for Scientology becomes issue in mayor’s race
[FOUR years ago] Where is Scientology in 2021? Outside the US, it’s largely in Taiwan and Mexico
[FIVE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS, Episode 7: Celebrities who seek godhood through David Miscavige
[SIX years ago] The rise and fall of a Scientology mogul just took another mysterious twist
[SEVEN years ago] What a train wreck: The ignominious fate of Scientology’s original flagship, the ‘Apollo’
[EIGHT years ago] Bernie Feshbach, 1923-2017: A man who fought against Scientology in his own way
[NINE years ago] ‘Horrifying’ autism ‘cure’ exposed by BBC turns out to be Scientology: Now, the inventor speaks
[TEN years ago] Our Pacific Northwest adventure begins this afternoon with a stop in Portland
[ELEVEN years ago] Ryan Hamilton files lawsuit number 21 against Scientology’s drug rehab network
[TWELVE years ago] Federal Judge Orders Evidence Preservation Based on Narconon Georgia’s “Misconduct”
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Joe Reaiche (1958-2024) did not see his daughter Alanna Masterson in his final 6,999 days.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,399 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,903 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,409 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,959 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,949 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,335 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,830 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,134 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,785 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,003 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,557 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,898 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,469 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,385 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,552 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,134 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,393 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,430 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,146 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,710 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,025 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,200 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,882 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,219 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,072 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,188 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,550 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,961 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,349 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,233 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,798 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,309 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,569 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,673 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 27, 2025 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2024 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2024), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
Trump hints that after Comey, more indictments for ‘corrupt radical left Democrats’
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Mike Johnson is blocking the Epstein files again https://t.co/KzRs09R84I
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 26, 2025
Trump continues to claim prices are down and there is no inflation https://t.co/PkecLJywGG
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 26, 2025
Comey was Trump’s FBI director for about 3 and a half months https://t.co/YUMl1pgnvJ
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 26, 2025
Morelle: Here’s the problem whenever the president speaks—and I hate to make light of this because he’s the president—but it’s almost always just fantasy.
This week he’s suddenly a scientist, telling us what we should do for a fever if you’re a pregnant woman. He can’t even… pic.twitter.com/IaazovGIdT
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 27, 2025
Corruption LOL https://t.co/nzHeUvEFij
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 26, 2025
Yeah anyways this whole thing was a hoax and right-wingers are deleting their viral posts about it from earlier today. Completely made up. Rinse repeat with a new one tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/bvwB7zJA7D
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) September 27, 2025
Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello Slams Hegseth Over Wounded Knee Medals
Morello: “What the f*ck is wrong with these people”https://t.co/skr9xbaMEHhttps://t.co/skr9xbaMEH
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 26, 2025
This has never made any sense. Trump was the one trying to disrupt the certification of the election. If nobody showed up Biden gets certified and it's done. The Deep State had no reason to do anything, they had already won. pic.twitter.com/qzBmybE7bZ
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) September 27, 2025
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 27, 2025 at 08:00
September 26, 2025
When Scientology tried to sway coverage with Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology was in a panic: It was 2005, and they knew that Rolling Stone was digging into a story. What to do? They had Tom Cruise call Jann Wenner and ask him to talk to Mike Rinder. When Wenner called, Scientology was taping, and now we have the transcript. It’s fascinating. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“A dirty needle will either clean or turn into an rock slam (R/S). It is your hottest string to pull in finding and turning on an R/S. Thus it is not to be overlooked. The area that is producing a dirty needle when questioned for full data will either clean or go into an R/S. The area that gave the dirty needle is considered clean when you can go over it and it no longer produces a dirty needle. If a dirty needle still persists then there is more to the withhold itself or something the pc isn’t voicing about the withhold or how he feels about the withhold. But, pushed. with auditor’s TRs in, this dirty needle will turn into an R/S or it will fully clean.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1978
——————–
THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON
We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.
——————–
THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?
[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH
— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see
[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf
— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond
[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
——————–
“You could teach people quite a bit about just any one of these Security Checks, you see. Like the children’s check. Teaching them how to use a children’s check. That’s quite interesting. You, of course, mustn’t ask a question which the child can’t understand because you will have an immediate ARC break. He thinks he’s being accused of something; he doesn’t know what you’re talking about. So you have to rephrase all of the questions in the child’s Security Check, you see, so as to reach the comprehension level of a child.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 26, 1961
——————–
“PARTY: That was a great party. The actors in the skits were marvelous. Bill’s Apollo Elastic Band was surprisingly competent. Didn’t know we had that many real musicians and Bill has been hiding a very low and dirty clarinet.” — The Commodore, September 26, 1970
——————–
“In case it’s not clear to everyone, Scientologists have a clear advantage over non-Scientologists in almost every way. Let me be even more bold about that. Scientologists are superior to non-Scientologists with regard to a huge number of issues. This is simply a fact.”
——————–
1999: Scientology celebrity John Travolta fled France this week to avoid being called to testify at the trial of French Scientologists. From the Independent: “The actor and Scientologist John Travolta has cut short a visit to Paris apparently because he feared he might be called to give evidence in the trial of seven French members of the Church of Scientology in Marseilles. Members of his entourage told the French news agency, Agence France Presse, that Travolta feared that he might be forced to give evidence at the fraud trial of seven French Scientologists. The judgment on the seven, accused of claiming sums of up to pounds 15,000 for bogus treatment, has been delayed until 15 November.”
——————–
“Vallarrr use to blather on about how if someone had an irrational fear of spiders and they did some auditing and that fear was gone that was proof of auditing working.”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. DA’s response to appeal brief due August 13.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing December 1.
Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Judge Hammock’s ruling is on appeal. Leah’s appeal brief was filed June 3. Respondent briefs are due September 2.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal. Jane Does’ response to Scientology’s appeal brief submitted July 30. Scientology’s reply due October 20.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, gets ruling to depose Jane Doe 1. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
——————–
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] HEDGE WIZARD: Busy apostate deals another blow to Scientology’s sneaky ways
[TWO years ago] Court today: Masterson victims want to resume lawsuit, Scientology wants it kept on ice
[THREE years ago] Watching Scientology lie to foreigners about ‘religious’ visas: A very personal account
[FOUR years ago] Russia’s latest strategy to curb Scientology: Shut down the money pipeline
[FIVE years ago] Scientology ex-Sea Orger with ties to dark secrets running for city council in Oregon
[SIX years ago] City councilman demonstrates why Scientology puts so much effort into its front groups
[SEVEN years ago] A conversation with Nathan Rich about the unique Scientology hellscape he survived
[EIGHT years ago] To help you through withdrawals tonight, take our poll on Leah Remini’s Season Two so far
[NINE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY’S TOP 20 CELEBRITIES — in order of those most likely to defect
[TEN years ago] ‘Darth Xander’ files motion challenging Scientology’s anti-protesting injunction
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology prepares for its big party in England, Maureen Bolstad on the Purification Rundown
[TWELVE years ago] Did Scientology Pay $3 Million To Foil an “Independent Scientology Org” in Clearwater?
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Joe Reaiche (1958-2024) did not see his daughter Alanna Masterson in his final 6,999 days.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,398 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,902 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,408 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,958 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,948 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,334 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,829 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,133 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,784 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,002 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,556 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,897 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,468 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,384 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,551 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,133 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,392 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,429 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,145 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,709 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,024 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,199 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,881 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,218 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,071 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,187 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,549 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,960 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,348 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,232 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,797 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,308 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,568 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,672 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 26, 2025 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2024 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2023), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
Trump’s department of revenge indicts Comey
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});🚨 BREAKING: James Comey posts a video statement following his indictment
"My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump, but we couldn't imagine ourselves living any other way.
We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn't either.… pic.twitter.com/7oisRjWAfK
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) September 26, 2025
Anna Paulina Luna celebrating the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey pic.twitter.com/4JBtaE0S6f
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 26, 2025
🚨 EXPLOSIVE NEW report based on the 18K emails @business obtained from Jeffrey Epstein's personal Yahoo account: new details about the academics, attorneys and media specialists who helped him—in different ways and to varying degrees
🧵https://t.co/SORZtRriRc pic.twitter.com/F2Nj8MvXfa
— Jason Leopold (@JasonLeopold) September 25, 2025
How embarrassing for Newt pic.twitter.com/gRGaDBCKZ7
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 26, 2025
The only thing surprising about this is that Pete Hegseth didn’t want until Indigenous People’s Day https://t.co/xCyJ73TPo5
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 25, 2025
COMING SOON. https://t.co/futnM1kvNV pic.twitter.com/T2jRhzRgwq
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 25, 2025
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 26, 2025 at 08:00
September 25, 2025
Fact-checking the Scientology mentions in Priscilla Presley’s new memoir
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: It was just last October that Lisa Marie Presley’s posthumous ‘From Here to the Great Unknown’ came out and we checked it for mentions of Scientology. Now, her mother Priscilla has a new memoir, and we go over its mentions of Scientology, which contain some surprising errors. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“’Sec Checking,’ ‘Integrity Processing’ and ‘Confessionals’ are all the exact same procedure and any materials on these subjects is interchangeable under these titles. Withholds don’t just add up to withholds They add up to overts, they add up to secrecies, they add up to individuations, they add up to games conditions, they add up to a lot more things than O/W. You are straightening out somebody on a moral code, the ‘Now I’m supposed to’s.’ They’ve transgressed on a series of ‘Now I’m supposed to’s.’ Having so transgressed, they are now individuated. If their individuation is too obsessive, they snap in and become the terminal. All of these cycles exist around the idea of the transgression against the ‘Now I’m supposed to’s.’ That is what a Confessional clears up and that is all it clears up. It’s a great deal more than a withhold.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1978
——————–
THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON
We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.
——————–
THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?
[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH
— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see
[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf
— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones
——————–
“Somebody made a horrible mistake over at the FCDC the other day, by mentioning ‘between lives’ during the church service and learned immediately that he should have kept his mouth very shut.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 25, 1963
——————–
“MIRACLE: In an org a man with fatal Hodkins Disease got a 25 minute touch assist, went back to the hospital and the disease was totally gone. They’d get many more if they just cut out the flubs!” — The Commodore, September 25, 1970
——————–
“When Joe Biden says, ‘This is a fight for the soul of this country’, he is referring to those other beings, non-thetans, who are souls, and country means planet Earth since Thoth considers Earth as a whole, a country. The fight between Thoth and Christ is for Christ’s souls. Without Christ’s souls continuing to be imprisoned here, Thoth loses his matrix. Why? Because Christ’s souls power the Matrix. They are it’s battery. Ha! I just saw on TV, thousands of New Yorkers marching in the Climate Change Strike; the spiritual battle Thoth directed HAARP to create.”
1998: Bob Minton reported that Scientology picketers were removed from the Columbus airport by the State Police. “Three public Scientologists decided to picket us as we went to our gate at the Columbus airport. The three Scientologists were, of course, being handled by their OSA Spontaneity Supervisor. It is possible that she is Diane Stein, the DSA Atlanta who called Stacy’s mother and was on the scene for the picket of Stacy’s sister’s house in Atlanta. We explained to airport security that it was against FAA regulations for this type of unlawful assembly and demonstration to occur on FAA property. Airport security called for the state police, who didn’t seem to be aware of FAA regulations on this subject, but nevertheless made the picketers put down their signs and escorted them from the airport, much to the OSA woman’s dismay. One of the three presumably public Scientologists called me a coward, whereupon I asked him if he was familiar with the Thetan Hand Technique. He had no idea what I was talking about.”
——————–
“I’m guessing the Urban Land Institute isn’t aware they’re dealing with a posse of lunatics.”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. DA’s response to appeal brief due August 13.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing December 1.
Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal. Jane Does’ response to Scientology’s appeal brief submitted July 30. Scientology’s reply due October 20.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, gets ruling to depose Jane Doe 1. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
——————–
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] EXCLUSIVE: Former Hollywood madam sued Tom Cruise in 2021 — and then dropped dead
[TWO years ago] Scientology gets another journalist fired for daring to print the truth
[THREE years ago] How Scientology manufactured New York Times bestsellers for L. Ron Hubbard
Oregonian newspaper names Scientology prep school best small employer in the state
[FIVE years ago] Serve Miscavige in an ad? Scientology honcho: ‘But you haven’t tried hard enough to find me!’
[SIX years ago] Hiding in plain sight: how Scientology nearly got away with its 1970s espionage campaign
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology rewards the celeb who bolted when her co-star went rogue
[EIGHT years ago] Paul Haggis: Rathbun does what I feared, and outs ex-Scientologist we vowed to keep secret
[NINE years ago] Scientology in Ireland is nearly dead: Here’s how Tom Cruise & the gang plan to bring it back
[TEN years ago] Scientology’s showdown in Belgium: Here’s our plan to cover an epic battle
[ELEVEN years ago] What the Boston Globe left out of its story on Scientology yesterday
[TWELVE years ago] Scientology Catechism: Claire Headley Puts Our State of Clear to the Test!
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Joe Reaiche (1958-2024) did not see his daughter Alanna Masterson in his final 6,999 days.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,397 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,901 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,407 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,957 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,947 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,333 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,828 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,132 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,783 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,001 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,555 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,896 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,467 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,383 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,550 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,132 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,391 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,428 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,144 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,708 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,023 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,198 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,880 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,217 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,070 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,186 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,548 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,959 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,347 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,231 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,796 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,307 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,567 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,671 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 25, 2025 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2023 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2023), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
Tired of paying too much for groceries? Soon you can pay too much for vodka.
Some links to Q-related items today
ICE shooter Joshua Jahn's politics aren't what's being reported, three longtime former friends tell me.https://t.co/IhD9zgF8sc
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) September 25, 2025
https://t.co/Rdx4hCevAf https://t.co/ptd5vC8g09
— Travis View (@travis_view) September 25, 2025
Yes a sitting member of Congress just showed they have way too much knowledge about QAnon. This is totally awesome and I'm glad nobody in the media cares except to laugh about those wacky pedophile hunters who love Trump. pic.twitter.com/W1jkuj6bNX
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) September 25, 2025
Nobody particularly remembers Jan 1 in New Orleans or the plane/helicopter collision or or the Batman/Halo cybertruck guy anymore. That was all this year!
— just business (@OneWordPowerful) September 24, 2025
"Hundreds of federal employees who lost their jobs in Elon Musk’s cost-cutting blitz are being asked to return to work" https://t.co/SvkaVhe8oC
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 25, 2025
They’re calling him the most innocent President in history https://t.co/xTd5Rq1hIJ
— Adam Johnson (@adamjohnsonCHI) September 25, 2025
Will it double as a casino? pic.twitter.com/DfZG223jLS
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 24, 2025
Trump is relaunching his flopped Trump Vodka brand. It never stops. pic.twitter.com/2B2MB10jLD
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 25, 2025
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 25, 2025 at 08:00
September 24, 2025
Surprise! Scientology gets a no from local council as showdown over big tent looms
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: The showdown going on between Scientology and local politicians over its big tent for an annual gala in the UK heated up even more as a local town council threw its refusal of the church’s plans into the mix. Alex Barnes-Ross updates us things are looking dicier by the minute! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“The power of modern auditing shouldn’t be underestimated. It was pretty hot in 1950, but realize there were 28 years of research and development. This has been enormously stepped up. For 28 years, apparently, the power of auditing has been underestimated. With better trained auditors than ever, and with their TRs and metering really in, the C/S who is keeping tech in on his lines can expect a lot more of this sort of thing, so he must be alert to it, without at the same time going delusory or failing to handle cases that really are bogged for quite some other reason. Given standard tech used by standard auditors and C/Sed by standard C/Ses, there is no reason why we cannot Clear the planet.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1978
——————–
THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON
We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.
——————–
THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?
[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH
— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see
[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf
— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones
——————–
“Do you know that absolutely standard tech, complete, proper, hair line standard tech, used in organizations throughout the world, will at least triple the stats of each within 90 days? Couldn’t help it. And if it was really applied in a business-like fashion, and nobody messed it up in any way, shape, or form, one of our Division 5 people said we might even be able to take the planet within a year. It is hot.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 24, 1968
——————–
“SORE ARM: ‘They take this spike, see, and they stab you and then fill you up with germs, see, and when your arm recovers then you find out it has to all be done again. And then you can go into any cholera area and not kick the bucket. And you don’t get quarantined and you can go to warm ports and not have to freeze to death all winter. So that’s why you get a sore arm.’ At least that’s how it was all explained to me.” — The Commodore September 24, 1970
——————–
“As far back as the Egyptian hyrogliphs they called what we know as OT today ‘the advanced spirit being’. On the other side of the coin, Scripture, before its polluted version which exists today, refers to this as sorcery. Scientology is simply the practice of Crowleyan/Satanic sorcery. Thus, we see today its implosion thru all its offshoots, Scientologists at war with one another and the love that LRH talks about in What is Greatness is non existent. In general what we are seeing on Earth, among all its religions and philosophies are simply diluted versions of Egyptian sorcery.”
1997: The Los Angeles Times reported this week that Scientology’s textbooks were rejected by the California state review board. “State education officials on Monday rejected the latest version of a series of textbooks inspired by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, saying the books failed to properly depict disabled people and minorities. The publisher, Bridge Publications, is seeking to have five books based on Hubbard’s educational ideas approved for use in California public classrooms as supplemental texts. But in a two-page letter faxed to the publisher Monday, the state Department of Education said revisions to the original series failed to adequately address concerns raised by a 20-member citizens review panel. The panel is one of several across the state that review supplemental materials to ensure that the works comply with the state’s social content laws. The effort to include the books on the state-approved list – allowing, but not obligating, schools to buy them – has raised concerns among some educators and civil libertarians. The books were not approved by the state because they misrepresented the disabled and minorities, state officials said. For example, disabled characters were shown with canes, representative more of the aging process than of a disability, said Ruth McKenna, the state’s chief deputy superintendent of public instruction. A disabled character in the texts also was shown in a wheelchair alone, isolated from others. In addition, the books did not depict enough disabled people. Bridge Publications had originally submitted the texts to the state in May 1996, only to have them rejected later that year. The firm submitted revised versions in August. According to the state’s letter, written by McKenna, the citizens panel concluded that the revisions were too weak. In the case of minorities, for example, the state said the changes were accomplished by shading the faces of existing characters. One character ended up appearing white on certain pages but as an ethnic minority on other pages.”
——————–
“Yesterday you were merely irritating. Today you’ve placed yourself on the menu.”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. DA’s response to appeal brief due August 13.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing December 1.
Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal. Jane Does’ response to Scientology’s appeal brief submitted July 30. Scientology’s reply due October 20.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, gets ruling to depose Jane Doe 1. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
——————–
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Take it from them: Scientology is creating a new civilization of super-beings!
[TWO years ago] VIDEO: Independent Scientologists protest at Scientology HQ in Los Angeles
[THREE years ago] PODCAST: Mark Bunker on Scientology’s sabotage of progress in Clearwater
[FOUR years ago] Scientology OT 8 and ‘STAND’ blogger who expressed anti-vax views dies of Covid
[FIVE years ago] VALERIE HANEY SEEKS WRIT: Victims’ rights groups show support, Scientology cries bigotry
[SIX years ago] Another national census is in, and Scientology comes in at a mighty 0.007 percent!
[SEVEN years ago] A Scientology enforcer dies, and one of his former victims is the only one to eulogize him
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology got plenty of photo ops out of hurricanes in Texas and Florida. But did it help?
[NINE years ago] Flirt with Scientology, and its dogged letter writers will hound you forever
[TEN years ago] Leah Remini book out Nov. 3: ‘Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology’
[ELEVEN years ago] Rathbun v. Scientology: Another appeals court hearing, this time with everything on the line
[TWELVE years ago] JASON BEGHE ON LEAH REMINI: She’s Right, Scientology Does Want Her to Fail
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Joe Reaiche (1958-2024) did not see his daughter Alanna Masterson in his final 6,999 days.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,396 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,900 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,406 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,956 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,946 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,332 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,827 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,131 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,782 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,000 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,554 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,895 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,466 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,382 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,549 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,131 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,390 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,427 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,143 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,707 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,022 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,197 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,879 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,216 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,069 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,185 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,547 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,958 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,346 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,230 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,795 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,306 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,566 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,670 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 24, 2025 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2023 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2023), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
Trump to UN: ‘Your countries are going to hell’
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});CNN: He said that grocery prices are down during his presidency. They're up and the pace of the increases is accelerating as the tariffs take effect. He has claimed that inflation has been defeated. In general, no inflation is also accelerating. It was 2.9% last month, up from… pic.twitter.com/L5Ji9AYYuC
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 23, 2025
MAGA is melting down over their latest conspiracy – the alleged sabotage of the escalator at the UN which forced Trump to walk up the steps. Lots of quotes from politicians, TV hosts, media and influencers. https://t.co/d587eucd87
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) September 24, 2025
Trump has repeatedly bragged that he doesn’t need a teleprompter, but when one isn’t working, he turns into a giant, whiny baby https://t.co/t5af7gIeHC
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 23, 2025
Always the sore loser https://t.co/6dPgggr4qS
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 23, 2025
More lies https://t.co/UTdKtqkM1x
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 23, 2025
Watters: it does appear to be sabotage with the escalator and the teleprompter..
Leavitt: It appears that way to me… if we find these were UN staffers who were purposely trying to literally trip up the president and the first lady, there better be accountability for those… pic.twitter.com/bAClOElkQf
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 24, 2025
Fox News host Jesse Watters suggested bombing and gassing the United Nations over escalator and teleprompter issues pic.twitter.com/uvJImMG17w
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 23, 2025
Started / Going pic.twitter.com/IgSEbj50sq
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) September 23, 2025
https://t.co/amkTQCtSH6 pic.twitter.com/Z3ERcnAImU
— Brandy Zadrozny (@BrandyZadrozny) September 23, 2025
“Gunter Eagleman,” a popular MAGA influencer followed by Republican politicians, is pushing anti-moon landing conspiracy theories pic.twitter.com/1dREAofJy8
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 24, 2025
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 24, 2025 at 08:00
September 23, 2025
How bad is the AI blunder by attorneys opposing Scientology in the Masterson civil case?
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Sunday, we reported the shocking news that Scientology had caught the attorneys for the Danny Masterson victims using bogus AI-generated case citations in in the ‘Bixler’ civil lawsuit. We asked appellate attorney TX Lawyer for his thoughts on just how bad this situation is. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“Some people didn’t believe one had lived before this life. Also some people wondered what happened to old Dianeticists and Scientologists who had died. But others used to have the phrase ‘Well, we’ll pick them up in the next lifetime,’ or ‘the next time around.’ Well it seems like the former shouldn’t have wondered and the latter were right. We are coming up with quite a few pcs who had gone Clear in their last lifetime during Book One auditing, Goals Processing, etc. This is something that the pc originates or something he has been “wondering about” but invalidated.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1978
——————–
THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON
We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.
——————–
THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?
[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH
— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see
[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf
— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones
——————–
“And by the way, anybody who had sexual relationships with a little boy ought to be killed! The idea! Horrible! Why that’s the most disgusting thought he’s ever heard. What? Sexual relationships with a little boy? Oh, no. Except in the DED you find him taking a little boy and driving the little boy up to sexual enthusiasm, up, up, up, up, up and the little boy just can’t give any more, and so forth, and on the last jolt of demand on the part of the thetan, the little boy who actually did have a thetan in him anyhow, goes PANG. And it goes straight down to 0.0. BzzzUm. And that’s why being a body is death of a body, is thetan into the body. That’s 0.0. Death of the body is being the body. And you’ll find him having his most enjoyable times thereafter as a little boy. He, he’s doing a super life continuum for this little boy. And this little boy bit the dust and was chewed up and spat out maybe 70, 60, 30 trillion years ago.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 23, 1952
——————–
“COURTESY: Usually on Flag we are very polite to everyone. It is a standard of courtesy and an example we should work to maintain.” — The Commodore, September 23, 1970
——————–
“I found studying remote viewing and the data they discover really helps me to understand Hubbard’s philosophy, you really understand that time and the physical universe are not what it seems.”
1996: The Scientology org in Portland, Oregon was attacked this week by a gunman who shot four people and started a fire with a can of gasoline. The Associated Press reported: “Jairus C. Godeka, 38, who was under court order not to have any contact with the church, surrendered after walking out with a female hostage who was heard shouting: ‘Don’t do anything. He’s got a gun to my head.’ Police talked Godeka into releasing the woman unharmed and dropping his gun. Another woman, who is at least four months pregnant, was shot in the shoulder and hospitalized in critical condition. Firefighters found church worker Helen Burke, 44, hiding in a stairwell. The center’s executive director was in fair condition with a wound to his right side and another man was in serious condition with a wound to his chest. The fourth victim was treated for a wound to his buttocks and released. Firefighters quickly put out the blaze, which did not cause serious damage. The man had carried a 1-gallon can of gas and ignited the floor near a reception desk. Godeka was arrested on charges of attempted aggravated murder, arson, kidnapping, assault and burglary. The church, however, denounced it as a hate crime. ‘There’s a lesson here, and the lesson is about the damage religious hate mongers cause,’ said a statement issued by the church’s Los Angeles office.”
——————–
“How many Scientologists are left in the world who would stand up and say ‘I’m proud to be a Scientologist!’”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. DA’s response to appeal brief due August 13.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing December 1.
Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal. Jane Does’ response to Scientology’s appeal brief submitted July 30. Scientology’s reply due October 20.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, gets ruling to depose Jane Doe 1. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
——————–
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Testimonial: Waking up your Scientology space cooties with Neil Gaiman’s nephew!
[TWO years ago] Look who’s running for re-election in Clearwater: Mark Bunker wants your support!
[THREE years ago] Scientology’s Flag Land Base lost money in 2020? We beg to differ.
[FOUR years ago] Scientology donor and promoter, OT 8 Greg Winteregg, fails his postulate
[FIVE years ago] Now that Scientology mega-donor Trish Duggan is famous, will the ditched-kid story blow up?
[SIX years ago] Leah Remini mourns the estranged father who denounced her on behalf of Scientology
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology’s private cruise ship had a fitful history before becoming a floating cathedral
[EIGHT years ago] Director Paul Haggis pens an open letter to Marty Rathbun after Scientology’s latest smear
[NINE years ago] Beware, protesters: Scientology has been training attack dogs at a Clearwater warehouse
[TEN years ago] We’re in Cleveland today to talk about Scientology and you’re invited
[ELEVEN years ago] David Miscavige, you’ve been served: Leader of Scientology will need to respond to NAFC suit
[TWELVE years ago] LEAH REMINI: Scientology Wants Me to Fail on Dancing With The Stars
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Joe Reaiche (1958-2024) did not see his daughter Alanna Masterson in his final 6,999 days.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,395 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,899 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,405 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,955 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,945 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,331 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,826 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,130 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,781 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,999 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,553 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,894 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,465 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,381 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,548 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,130 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,389 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,426 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,142 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,706 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,021 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,196 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,878 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,215 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,068 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,184 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,546 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,957 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,345 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,229 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,794 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,305 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,565 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,669 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 23, 2025 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2023 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2023), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
President Adderall and Secretary Heroin denounce Tylenol from the White House
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Its cool that all the stuff i used to read on awful websites and forums from demented freaks just to laugh at is now what the idiots in government are legislating https://t.co/jWCkhf4XqB
— fartbrainz (@Brainlargedumb) September 23, 2025
The MAGA platform now includes taking pain relief away from pregnant women
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 22, 2025
Why not track down the rumor instead of proclaiming it as a health alert https://t.co/hpBSXb3HG6
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 22, 2025
Gupta: The fact that he’s putting this out there—a blanket statement, “Don’t take Tylenol”—that’s irresponsible. There isn’t another option. It is safe. That’s what the best-quality research shows.
And how irresponsible, using the podium of the White House to put this out there… pic.twitter.com/FzqxM06Xbj
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 23, 2025
The media hung on Biden's every word for signs of a flub. He'd have a substance-filled press conference and then flub a single word, and it would be all that they talked about.
Meanwhile, this guy is not only the dumbest person on earth, but also clearly losing his mind. https://t.co/6r56rzWYFF
— Centrism Fan Acct 🔹 (@Wilson__Valdez) September 22, 2025
That’s not a denial https://t.co/d38BhG1i6I
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) September 22, 2025
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 23, 2025 at 08:00
Tony Ortega's Blog
- Tony Ortega's profile
- 19 followers
