Tony Ortega's Blog, page 2
November 26, 2025
Holy Xenu’s sleigh bells: The 2025 Scientology holiday catalog is here!
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology has put up its holiday catalog again, with images to prove how much L. Ron Hubbard’s church cares about this treasured day of the year. What’s that? Ron said Jesus was a figment of Xenu’s imagination? Well, try not to think about that, space cadet, and buy, buy, buy! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Now and then a pc gets away, nearly always because of errors that get the pc upset with the subject of auditing, never when the org wasn’t still trying to handle. A
session was goofed and not repaired, somebody in the org inferred the condition couldn’t be handled, that’s the sort of thing that loses pcs. Keep on trying to handle and you will succeed. Auditing is remarkable enough already not to cripple it by leading pcs to expect instant results every time.
But the main point is, you audit a pc with Dianetics and Scientology until the pc’s case is handled. And sooner or later, it will be.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1980
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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.
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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
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});[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
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“Once in a while, you will exteriorize a thetan and he will try to steady himself by putting a beam on the wall, and the wall will eat up the beam. The beam, you see, is very, too close to the wavelength of that wall, and the, he’ll stick….It isn’t that he’s drifted down in combating the wavelength forever, he just mocks up on that level with great ease, and he’s got a real body. He’d be visible, to some slight degree, even to MEST eyes. They’re, scare people stiff if they happen to turn around and see one of these boys, because they’re real rough-looking characters, there’s no doubt about it. Of course, they have a sort of a humor about their roughness. I ran into one, one time, that had a beautiful tail. This solid black, sort of furry, with a beautiful tail, and a cat’s face, and long electronic — this sounds like something out of a nightmare, I know — and long electronic claws. And, I asked this character a few questions, one way or the other, I mean, I exteriorized him just that way, you see, exteriorized him in his body, and I asked him to knock a piece of paper off the desk, and he simply reached over and he knocked the piece of paper all right, but he also charred it! And, he reached around a moment later and took hold of the sofa and stuck to it. He couldn’t get his hand free instantly, startled him, and he did an immediate flip back into the body. But he was quite visible to MEST eyes. It was like a dark shadow standing in the room. If you can imagine a shadow, a quite plain shadow, standing upright in the room with a quite bright set of streamers coming out of its hands, you’d have this. This is very, very strange. This fellow, by the way, was quite afraid of demons. And he’d mocked his, he had mocked himself up this way because for many centuries he had fought demons. And of course he went in and mocked up, then, the winning valence: the demons.” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 26, 1953
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“LRH COMM FLAG: Norman Chouinard is appointed LRH Comm Flag, part of the double hat Ken Urquhart had been wearing in addition to LRH Personal Comm. LRH Comm Flag continues the duties of LRH Comm FAO but now for all Flag internal LRH projects and Eds and orders. The FAO LRH Comm post simply broadens. All LRH Comm actions aboard, internal and External come under LRH Personal Comm Flag.” — The Commodore, November 26, 1971
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“I think LRH’s own case got the better of him ultimately. Researched alot of processes, but did he GET ALOT? (Hell, even Hubbard’s own auditor tapes of him auditing SUCK!…he double and triple acks….invalidateive and even supercilious.) He put FAR TOO MUCH ATTENTION on NAYSAYERS. You DON’T ACKNOWLEDGE them or give them credence. ACT as if ALREADY disconnected from them. If Arnold Schwarzenegger listened to all naysayers, he’d still be in Bavaria somewhere parking trucks or driving tanks!”
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1997: Scientology issued a press release this week attacking the Channel 4 documentary on L. Ron Hubbard. “The Church of Scientology condemns as ‘journalistic terrorism’ the vicious rendition by Channel Four’s ‘Secret Lives’ of a purported ‘biography’ of L. Ron Hubbard, the Founder of Scientology and Dianetics. The program is the most contemptible form of tabloid disinformation and reeks of journalistic deceit and immorality. Boxes of factual information and documents disproving the lies of their sources were provided to 3BM, the independent company that produced the show, its director Simon Berthon and its producer Jill Robinson. The producers were offered an interview with L. Ron Hubbard’s official biographer, Mr. Dan Sherman, which they ignored. All of it was rejected in creating a programme dripping with bias, lies and a disreputable parade of self-serving and discredited sources. Through our own news journal, we are investigating how this atrocious programme came to be aired and we have uncovered the sordid tactics used by 3BM’s Jill Robinson and Simon Berthon.”
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“Third party law was specifically created by Hubbard to handle mothers-in-law.”
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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.
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.
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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?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] How Irish reporters caught Scientology’s sneaky exploitation of asylum seekers
[TWO years ago] ‘Brothers Broken’ gets its New York premiere, with Mike Rinder and your Proprietor
[THREE years ago] How the Danny Masterson trial looks inside the Church of Scientology
[FOUR years ago] A triple BONANZA of Scientology vids promoting its rockin’ cruise ship, the Freewinds!
[FIVE years ago] On a Thanksgiving like no other, we’re thankful again for people we will never forget
[SIX years ago] David Miscavige: Valerie Haney’s lawsuit is a publicity stunt and I want no part of it
[SEVEN years ago] When the person who certified Scientology ‘Clears’ discovered that there were no Clears
[EIGHT years ago] EXCLUSIVE: Scientology interrogated Danny Masterson and accuser, didn’t notify LAPD
[NINE years ago] ‘Radar’ magazine latest to peddle ‘Tom Cruise leaving Scientology’ fake news
[TEN years ago] We’re giving thanks here in the Underground Bunker, and we hope you’ll help us out
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology asks court in Monique Rathbun’s case to take note of Vance Woodward’s loss
[TWELVE years ago] Bizarre and Pricey! Auditing Scientology’s Operating Thetan Level 2 with Claire & Bruce
[THIRTEEN years ago] Florida Court Hears Scientology Testimony in Strict Secrecy
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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 3,459 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,963 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,469 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,019 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 3,009 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,395 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,890 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,194 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,845 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,063 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,617 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,958 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,529 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,445 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,612 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,194 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,453 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,490 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,205 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,770 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,085 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,260 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,942 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,279 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,132 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,248 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,610 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 4,021 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,409 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,293 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,858 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,369 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,629 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,733 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 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 (2012-2024), 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, 20 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
As Trump’s poll numbers sag, he continues to rally his Q patriots
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Trump and Putin’s envoy Dmitriev are signaling to each other in public via QAnon Memes. pic.twitter.com/szV7bf8QI8
— Ben Meiselas (@meiselasb) November 26, 2025
Trump has reTruthed a meme of him holding a sword with the slogan “Time to obliterate the Deep State” and the QAnon slogan NCSWIC on the border. The President continues to embrace QAnon and it’s not at all of interest to the press. pic.twitter.com/nIL3arxnxu
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) November 26, 2025
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro begins serving 27-year prison sentence.
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) November 25, 2025
President Trump falsely claimed three times in a speech today that "we haven't had a murder in six months" in Washington, DC.
There have been more than 50 homicides in Washington, DC since May 25, police figures show. https://t.co/h8PA2bEbfP
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) November 25, 2025
BREAKING MS NOW:
Trump is considering removing Kash Patel as FBI director in the coming months, as he and his top aides have grown increasingly frustrated by the unflattering headlines Patel has recently generated, according to three people with knowledge of the situation who…
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 25, 2025
Trump threatens Indiana Republicans if they don’t go along with his gerrymandering scheme pic.twitter.com/A1sV8wM5XA
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 25, 2025
Republicans are currently accusing OH Dem gov candidate Amy Acton of posting an AI video of Vivek Ramaswamy suggesting year-round school for kids. One big problem: the video is real and was up for hours on TikTok before that portion was edited out. We have the original here. https://t.co/ztfSBfrEhK pic.twitter.com/wLjeetLTjN
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) November 25, 2025
Trump Announces Six-Day Palm Beach Getaway
Trump will remain in Florida from Tuesday to Sunday, with most days free of public eventshttps://t.co/yNqSN5xpr7https://t.co/yNqSN5xpr7
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 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 November 26, 2025 at 08:00
November 25, 2025
Lisa McPherson and the doctors: Hamstrung by the ‘spiritual’ needs of a thetan
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Looking back 30 years later, it’s incredible to think that three medical professionals who were trying to prescribe something for Lisa McPherson were overruled by her Scientology ‘spiritual’ adviser. ALSO: Danny Masterson’s habeas petition hits an early snag with the court. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“A professional in the arts is one who obtains communication with the art form at the minimum sacrifice of technical quality. There is always some sacrifice of quality to communicate at all. The reduction of mass or time or impedimenta or facilities toward the ability to render a result is the exact measurement of how much technical perfection can be attempted. The rule is if one is being too perfectionistic to actually achieve a communication, reduce the mass, time, impedimenta or facilities sufficiently low to accomplish the communication but maintain the technique and perfection as high as is reconcilable with the result to be achieved and within one’s power to act. No communication is no art. To not do the communication for lack of technical perfection is the primary error. It is also an error not to push up the technical aspects of the result as high as possible.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1980
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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.
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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
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“I remember trying to pick a little girl up out of a bombed carriage one time, about 1685, and I had quite a lose because I didn’t succeed in making her get on her feet, she was half blown to bits. And mechanisms didn’t work, and so forth, and tried to pick her up and dust her off, you know, as a thetan. And it didn’t work and it gave me a big lose and I got all confused and upset about the thing and then that was an overt not to have done it, you get the idea? But I was guilty of an overt in the first place, I eventually realized and found out, in that I was riding as the, as a bodyguard on this particular carriage, see, and I didn’t do it, you know. Something bad went wrong, see, something bad happened. Well, that’s guilty of an overt act right then. Don’t expect to control a situation that you’ve caused to that degree. Got the idea?” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 25, 1959
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“CLASS X: We have now graduated two Class X Internes. This is a good win and breaks the log jam. It takes quite a while to make a Class X in view of the intervening courses such as SHSBC, Class VIII, Class IX, to which are currently added a long Interneship of Class VII. There has been a very slow making of auditors in the field. The New York Org has just telexed that it has made its first Class IV in a year and a half…We are putting a new regulation into HCOs that 50 percent of all its recruits must go to Tech. In other words, for every two recruits, one of them must be put into full time training. Recent HCOs have had a tendency to neglect the establishment of Tech and Qual Divisions with qualified personnel.” — The Commodore, November 25, 1971
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“OMG i finished Mission Earth! Jesus christ that took ages. Theres no way i could have done it without listening to it while i was working. It woffles on, I could tell LRH was just amusing himself with it, really should have been 8 books long and would have made for the best ever, still totally awesome, love the data, i really know now the type of stuff Hubbard would talk about if he went on the Joe Rogan podcast. The most entertaining bits are when the storys on Earth and mocking our abberated society and when Sultan Gris does his outrageous out ethics behaviour. This story would make for a great games of thrones type tv series, somebody please make it!”
1996: The Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet published an article on Scientology’s war against NOTS web pages. “Many are scared when they get mile long letters from American lawyers who claim copyright and threaten to prosecute, says lawyer Knut Vigeland. Vigeland has just won a case in High Court (Lagmannsretten) where a client who had been swindled now has been awarded compensation from the Church of Scientology in Oslo. Vigeland has because of this case become well-known with the methods used by the Church of Scientology. First of all you should demand that any accusations are in Norwegian. Threats of prosecution is meaningless if there is no documentation of copyright according to Norwegian law and they refer to the actual Norwegian laws that have been violated. In USA there are 50 states and none of them have the same laws. In Norway we follow Norwegian laws, says lawyer Vigeland. He emphasizes that the Church of Scientology is not a church, but a business enterprise. Several Norwegian Internet providers have closed down Heldal-Lund’s home pages when the Church of Scientology have contacted them and threatened with American laws of copyright. Nettguiden in Ostfold has however had the secret Scientology documents available since the 15th of November. ‘I will let the documents be available here until I get a Norwegian court order that says what we do is illegal. I have received a big number of calls from USA. Recently I got a mail from a Norwegian lawyer who represents the church.’ ‘She claims that the church has been given approval in similar cases both in Sweden and Denmark. This I have asked the lawyer to substantiate’, says Oivind Robbestad who is editor of Nettguiden.”
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“I’ve always wanted to move to Australia. I could hang out at the pub all day with Nick Cave and the Cosmic Psychos, get a dingo, collect funnel web spiders and tiger snakes and swim with white pointers and salties. Send me a ticket and a few thousand dollars to tie up lose ends and I’ll be right over.”
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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.
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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?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Grant Cardone sues for being called not a billionaire, but his own emails suggest it
[TWO years ago] PODCAST: Apostate Alex exposes English mayor for sucking up to Scientology
[THREE years ago] There she blows! More Scientology whales spotted, including some surprises
[FOUR years ago] As Thanksgiving begins to get back to normal, it’s time to pass the Source again!
[SIX years ago] Leah Remini calls Beck’s sudden Scientology defection a ‘pussy move’
[SEVEN years ago] Kirstie Alley calls on her fellow Scientologists to pounce on another disaster
[EIGHT years ago] After a landmark court case, Scientology watchers should be celebrating, not sniping
[NINE years ago] That time when Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard didn’t invent surfing in California
[TEN years ago] Lisa McPherson and the doctors: Hamstrung by the ‘spiritual’ needs of a thetan
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology Armageddon: Now Sears — yes, Sears — is piling on the embattled church
[TWELVE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY DECLARES ACTRESS LEAH REMINI A “SUPPRESSIVE PERSON”
[THIRTEEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology Braces for the Holidays!
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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 3,458 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,962 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,468 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,018 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 3,008 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,394 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,889 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,193 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,844 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,062 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,616 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,957 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,528 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,444 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,611 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,193 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,452 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,489 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,204 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,769 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,084 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,259 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,941 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,278 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,131 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,247 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,609 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 4,020 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,408 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,292 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,857 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,368 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,628 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,732 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on November 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, 1995-2024 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, 20 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
KING Q: Military tribunals, war with former allies, starving poor — suck it, libturds
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});BREAKING: Comey case dismissed without prejudice. Halligan invalidly appointed, judge rules. https://t.co/2ghuD2IdEy pic.twitter.com/CdgiPzWpcs
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) November 24, 2025
Fuck you and your investigation. https://t.co/TKiRqUi6Om
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) November 24, 2025
With Donald Trump’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein facing scrutiny, QAnon believers are suddenly not interested in Epstein anymore.
For @nytopinion, I asked a man many believe to be JFK Jr in disguise for his take. https://t.co/3ICg8hvzkH
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) November 24, 2025
The Russian official reportedly behind the proposed Ukraine peace plan, Kirill Dmitriev, has openly and repeatedly promoted QAnon. https://t.co/NHDQLULdBx pic.twitter.com/Lu2Sn0CkyI
— Alex Kaplan (@AlKapDC) November 24, 2025
Pray for Bangladesh! pic.twitter.com/EKJg242QDA
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 25, 2025
Oh… pic.twitter.com/nLwGdXlfld
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 25, 2025
Trump posted this AI image of himself as a king with Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, and Adam Schiff at his feet pic.twitter.com/QqP9WZqls3
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 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 November 25, 2025 at 08:00
November 24, 2025
Scientology IAS gala photos: Nancy Cartwright gets her Freedom Medal!
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology has posted its photos from this year’s big IAS gala at its UK headquarters, and we have the highlights for you. One surprise: voice of Bart Simpson actress Nancy Cartwright finally got her Freedom Medal, the highest award for an L. Ron Hubbard space cadet! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“For some fifteen years I have been studying, amongst other branches of philosophy, the subject of ART. The reason for this is: Art is the least codified of human endeavors and the most misunderstood. What is Art? is one of the least answered of human questions. Art abounds with authorities. It was chosen because «that field containing the most authorities contains the least codified knowledge.» The obvious invitation is to answer the question and codify the subject. This has now been done. The subject was originally brought up in a conversation with Donald H. Rogers at 42 Aberdeen Road, Elizabeth, New Jersey, in 1950. As this zone of human activity seemed to stand outside the Field of Dianetics and Scientology, I thereafter worked with it on a casual basis. Having published 15,000,000 words between 1929 and 1941, I was not unacquainted with the arts. Since 1950 I have worked with other arts than that of literature in order io make an advance on the general subject of ART.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1980
——————–
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
——————–
“Nobody ever objects to anybody in India being found dead. So they’re dead. They’re dead. They get married when they’re 12 or 14, kick the bucket when they’re 21, 28 — real quick. The only trouble with the people is, it’s too hot there and they key in all the prenatals they’ve got. It is about 90. Any time you get a climate which is approaching 98.6, you can get the whole prenatal bank keyed in almost perpetually, because that’s the temperature in the prenatal bank, 98.6. That’s why hot countries turn feminine, so forth, so it’s not a hardy country. But way up north, those boys live with kind of wild abandon, too. They always have.” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 24, 1953
——————–
“COMMENDABLE: CS-1 Cmdr Hana Eltringham is commended for getting out and duplicated the CLO org bd and MOs for getting it into action at CLOs in UK, DK and US. A very nice, rapid production requiring no further correction. All who helped her are also thanked.” — The Commodore, November 24, 1970
——————–
“Scientology is the Science of Certainty. You gain certainty in your ability to audit by auditing. I know most of you have given up on the idea of being able to clear the planet. But with thousands of idle OTs (‘do nothing OTs’) to help us if they would just do something, we might still have a chance.”
1995: Former Scientology member and current supporter Wolftrip posted excerpts from Freewinds magazine concerning past lives and implants. “WARNING! SEVERE TURBULENCE AHEAD you are piloting your way through a highly charged part of the track – through an incident the pc hasn’t seen in 200 lifetimes. Miss a read and you could wrap the case in a ball. Wouldn’t you want to fly with the best instrumentation possible? EARTH WAS COLONIZED 35,000 YEARS AGO. (picture of ice cubes) YOU ARRIVED IN AN ICE CUBE…. Where were you 35,000 years ago? And what incidents lie buried in human memory? Discover the ‘coffee grinder’ incident, called Fac One, which laid in a bone deep somatic with a series of electronic stuttering ‘baps’. The halver, which is at the root of religious aberration, and many other implant incidents which have been found common to all preclears on earth. Discover also the ‘Injected Entities’ – the source of voices in your mind, and much more. Read this cold-blooded, factual account of your past, and be protected the next time you find yourself *between lives*”
——————–
“My take on it is that Hubbard created Dianetics as a ‘short con’ and when it took off on a level he didn’t expect and when everyone by the early 60’s had reached ‘Clear’ and the gravy train started to slow down he created the ‘long con’ of the OT levels. The $64,000 question is whether due to mental illness and perhaps drug use did he start to believe in his own bullshit? When he says at the end of OTVIII ‘now that you know what you aren’t are you ready to find out what you really are?’ I see this as phase 2 of the long con. Hubbard is saying ‘Hey, guess what kids, I took a detour and I was on the wrong road but now I’m on the right one, so lets go.’ The bottom line and perhaps unanswerable question is how much was calculated and how much was crazy.”
——————–
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] Scientology needs your help making secret dossiers on an island paradise!
[TWO years ago] For decades he made Scientology look good. Now he’s out and telling the ugly truth.
[THREE years ago] Special Thanksgiving Podcast: ‘A Billion Years’ author Mike Rinder on Scientology’s epic fails
[FOUR years ago] Check out the US government’s new whales: Feshbachs go Diamond Meritorious for the IRS!
[FIVE years ago] Scientology predictably trashes Valerie Haney’s request for state supreme court review
[SIX years ago] Scientologists use faith healing to convince fire victims they’re actually helping
[SEVEN years ago] Xenu’s first public outing: Robert Kaufman’s stunning 1972 testament, ‘Inside Scientology’
[EIGHT years ago] KID CORPS: When a disease outbreak brought Scientology unwanted attention
[NINE years ago] Leah Remini’s Scientology series opens with a gut-wrenching story of ‘disconnection’
[TEN years ago] Strange scenes from the Moscow hearing that banned Scientology yesterday
[ELEVEN years ago] Jon Atack: At the heart of Scientology is L. Ron Hubbard’s paralyzing use of contradiction
[TWELVE years ago] Jenna Miscavige Hill on Scientology’s New Dawn: “I Can’t Believe People Still Buy This BS”
[THIRTEEN years ago] Radio Daze: Talking Scientology with John Hines of WCCO
——————–
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 3,457 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,961 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,467 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,017 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 3,007 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,393 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,888 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,192 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,843 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,061 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,615 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,956 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,527 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,443 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,610 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,192 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,451 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,488 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,203 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,768 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,083 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,258 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,940 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,277 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,130 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,246 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,608 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 4,019 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,407 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,291 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,856 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,367 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,627 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,731 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on November 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, 1995-2024 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, 20 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 keeps throwing red meat to his Q-obsessed patriot fans
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Twitter says the “News Barron Trump” account with 580K followers is based in Eastern Europe (Non-EU).
Here is one of the account’s posts supporting “Trump’s tariffs that protect our country.” pic.twitter.com/jEdlsFI1K4
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 23, 2025
Guess “Gina” didn’t like it… pic.twitter.com/cAM47RzOOr
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 23, 2025
394K followers, Morocco… https://t.co/7scAakn0pE pic.twitter.com/5wlftJVUhI
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 23, 2025
Trump claims price-increasing tariffs are paid for by “other countries” pic.twitter.com/h5xIlzK61W
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 24, 2025
This is the issue. The President of the United States is goading an Internet Death Cult that thinks he will jail/execute all their enemies and emboldening them to further sink into their delusions. This would be a 5 alarm fire of a scandal in any other administration. pic.twitter.com/K8BXGkHunz
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) November 24, 2025
"The military is the only way" is a popular QAnon catchphrase based off a "Q drop" from Nov 1, 2017 https://t.co/z2efGqJ7eT
— Wrath (@nmewrath) November 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 November 24, 2025 at 08:00
November 23, 2025
Court rejects brief from Danny Masterson victims intended to fix Boies Schiller AI blunder
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Bad enough that the Boies Schiller firm blundered with AI errors in a filing that Scientology pounced on in the Danny Masterson civil lawsuit, but now the court has rejected a make-up brief that was intended to fix those errors. ALSO: Brooks Gibbs on the Clearwater council clash [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“Permissive, namby-pamby, pat-a-cake TRs have no place in the training of an auditor or on a bona fide TRs Course. A student who hasn’t mastered his TRs won’t master any of the training that follows them. The way to master TRs is to drill them the hard way. It is Hard TRs that make an auditor. (A more gradient approach to TRs would be taken on the HAS Course where the new Scientologist is getting his first taste of how to handle communication in his everyday life and livingness.)” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1979
——————–
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
——————–
“You will normally find that semen and money cause the biggest commotion on a meter dial.” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 23, 1953
——————–
“EPIZOOTICS: A 48 to 64 hour illness is around. The number is decreasing. The last port of students brought it. High temperature, chills, aches in lower back and legs, strong headache, diarrhea are the symptoms. It hasn’t been named as to what it is. Probably some type of Flu that got loose from a Roche bacteriological warfare project to raise their dividends on anti-biotics sales. We get a lower percentage than other groups. But that it hits at all shows the need of stepped up auditing action. We have far too few auditors in Qual. Group numbers doubled but Qual auditors didn’t. Student and public lines increased in delivery hour potential didn’t. I have now speeded up tech results which should help.” — The Commodore, November 23, 1970
——————–
“In our role as Scientologists and opinion leaders, some of us know that the use of thetans as actual non-material thetans, those who don’t depend on MEST to accomplish their goals, is the way to go and the way towards spiritual freedom. Whereas others clearly want to buy into MEST extension, development, and advances at the expense of our innate theta abilities and our own thetan usefulness, which is far above MEST activities, and so my position is that we thetans should or only need to accept MEST solutions at an even decreasing amount. We must beat MEST and MEST lovers at their own game. I am using my smartphone to comm with you but we must not let AI and 5G self-coordinate and run our society automatically — the direction already begun.”
2001: AAP reported that Scientology celebrity Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman have settled their divorce without a court battle. “Under the settlement, struck to avoid a courtroom showdown, Kidman, 34, and Cruise, 39, agreed to joint custody of their adopted children, Isabella, eight, and six-year-old Conor. She will keep their $US10 million five-bedroom mansion in Pacific Palisades, near Los Angeles, and their $US5 million eight-bedroom, three-storey villa on the Sydney harbour front. Cruise got their $US5 million 110-hectare estate in Telluride, Colorado’s best skiing area, and kept control of his three aeroplanes. The couple have agreed that they can continue to be educated in a private school in Australia, at home in Los Angeles, and with tutors when Cruise or Kidman are filming on location. Both parents will make joint decisions about their education and religious upbringing. There had been claims the couple had disagreed on whether the children should be brought up in Cruise’s religion of Scientology or follow Kidman’s Catholic upbringing.”
——————–
“All along the Bridge, in the lectures mainly, LRH drops all sorts of clues, inferences, asides that the whole thing was a game and that there was an inside joke. Unfortunately a certain percentage of the faithful failed to pick up on this.”
——————–
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] The evidence is in: Alex Barnes-Ross reflects on Scientology’s effort to ban protests
[TWO years ago] Judge removes some allegations from lawsuit by Danny Masterson victims
[THREE years ago] Scientology’s richest in 2022: Where have all the whales gone?
[FOUR years ago] Court finds schizophrenic teen not responsible for killing at Aussie Scientology HQ
[FIVE years ago] More former Church of Scientology members describe life after Miscavige
[SIX years ago] In Touch sold out to Enquirer’s parent, so now it starts up with the Tom-foolery
[SEVEN years ago] Here is what’s in the documents that are prompting a new look at Casey Kasem’s death
[EIGHT years ago] We’ve cooked up for you a special Scientology Thanksgiving — so pass the Source!
[NINE years ago] Before Leah Remini burns it to the ground, here’s Scientology’s side of the story
[TEN years ago] Another Scientology rehab death — and why this one is particularly bad for David Miscavige
[ELEVEN years ago] VIDEO: Watch a Scientology spy get busted by Marc Headley in Las Vegas last night
[TWELVE years ago] Jon Atack: Why do Scientologists Find it So Difficult to Apologize?
[THIRTEEN years ago] Scientology Interviews John Travolta: Oddly, Massage Therapy Not Discussed
——————–
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 3,456 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,960 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,466 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,016 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 3,006 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,392 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,887 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,191 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,842 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,060 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,614 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,955 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,526 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,442 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,609 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,191 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,450 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,487 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,202 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,767 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,082 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,257 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,939 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,276 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,129 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,245 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,607 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 4,018 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,406 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,290 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,855 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,366 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,626 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,730 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on November 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, 1995-2024 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, 20 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 Q-friendly FBI team crushes another Q patriot fever dream
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The guy in charge of our nation’s health… pic.twitter.com/eR4VlRcnl2
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 22, 2025
King: According to Secretary Rubio, this plan is not the administration’s position — it is essentially the Russians’ wish list that is now being presented to the Europeans and to the Ukrainians. pic.twitter.com/8KKMAXLHyQ
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 23, 2025
MAGA in disarray pic.twitter.com/LBuCIjfyh7
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 22, 2025
The FBI has issued a report rebuking the idea, popular in right-wing media this week, that would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks was a nonbinary furry. https://t.co/xy2cteJHQY
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) November 21, 2025
MTG appears to reference QAnon in her resignation letter, saying “there is no ‘plan to save the world.’” That’s also the name of a popular QAnon recruitment video. https://t.co/y0yiLVElMR
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) November 22, 2025
QAnon influencer Jacob Creech, known online as "Clandestine," has posted a photo of what he claims is a check for $1,000 that Trump appointee & former national security advisor Michael Flynn sent him last year for plagiarizing him. https://t.co/FtmWXaIzYk pic.twitter.com/VuZaomGbHE
— Alex Kaplan (@AlKapDC) November 22, 2025
RIP Alexander Hamilton, you would’ve loved what SEO has done to your newspaper https://t.co/BluEwrolEB
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) November 22, 2025
QAnon is spending your days longing for your enemies to be arrested and then saying “none shall know the hour” when they remain free for years. pic.twitter.com/KEypKxxZnQ
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) November 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 November 23, 2025 at 08:00
November 22, 2025
Drama on Clearwater City Council over letter regarding Scientology: The transcript
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: An interesting clash broke out at Thursday’s Clearwater City Council meeting when Mayor Rector confronted Councilman Allbritton about sending a letter to the Florida AG about a street Scientology wants. Was Allbritton doing the church’s bidding? We have the full transcript. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“When TRs the Hard Way slipped out of use and permissive TRs entered the picture. the results were less competent auditors and less case gain for pcs. Auditor TRs must be taught rough, tough and hard. This does not mean invalidative drilling or coaching or supervision. It does mean you get the student to DO the TRs. He’s got to drill the TRs, not figure-figure on them or dive into his case to avoid them. TRs the Hard Way means stringent, spot-on coaching and supervision on the proper gradient. Each button found on the student is flattened before it is left. Flunks are given when the student flunks. And when he flunks he goes right back in again and he drills it until he’s got it.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1979
——————–
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
——————–
“When you start to double people’s scores and push people upstairs in terms of sports abilities, this becomes a foul and fiendish plot from our standpoint. If you were to take the football Cards, or the baseball Cards or any one team, and give it a heavy shove in the direction of better ball playing, you would at once, of course, find that the opponents had no other choice but to get a heavy shove in the direction of ball-playing. See, no other choice. We haven’t started this program yet in America. We’re looking around for some volunteers to go on payroll and go up and haunt one of these baseball clubs or football clubs. And just do nothing but process the boys and so on. A very interesting project. Because, of course, they will then take all pennants, awards and TV programs. And then we can then go around to their archenemies and say ‘See what happened.’” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 22, 1956
——————–
“Stats trended the same over the world last week, paid completions soaring, GI a bit lower. WE are at least winning back the field and building strong orgs that deliver.” — The Commodore, November 22, 1971
——————–
“In the beginning thetans looked and thus a viewpoint was created. In other words, dimension. You’re not in the mest universe. It’s an agreed upon point of view and you make a duplicate copy of it. Any other mest in your universe that is not a perfect duplicate is an implant because it is something else. You have to have a universe to be implanted and if you are not duplicating A universe then you don’t have a universe, you’re just being. When you look, that’s when all the fun starts.”
2000: Jeff Jacobsen reported conditions in downtown Clearwater in the week prior to the annual Lisa McPherson memorial events. “I went to the Sandcastle to take pictures of the shelving Scientology is putting up along their bushes next to the sidewalk. These shelves will be used to place Christmas tries shoulder to shoulder to keep parishioners from seeing any potential picketers. I then took a few pictures of the half-built Winter Wonderland. Then to finish off the roll I went to the Super Power building. As I was taking pictures of several people going into the Super Power building on the south side, a Scientology security guy on a bike came up and asked what I was doing. ‘Taking pictures.’ Who was I taking pictures for. ‘Why, is it illegal?’ No. ‘Are you a policeman?’ No, but I can call them. ‘OK, call the cops and tell them I’m taking pictures of your building. Why do you care?’ Well we don’t get many people taking pictures of our buildings. ‘Well that’s all I’m doing right?’ Right.”
——————–
“When I first read about the solo auditing I remember thinking, ‘This is genius! Hubbard has these dupes so bamboozled he’s got them ripping themselves off.’ The most expensive part of the Bridge and you’re conning yourself. How would that hold up in court on a fraud charge?”
——————–
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] Scientology sitting pretty as Trump names Pam Bondi his pick for Attorney General
[TWO years ago] Report: Scientology’s Los Angeles bash will include New Year’s event at the Shrine
[THREE years ago] The Scientology oversharer becomes a faith healer: It’s a Dianetics miracle!
[FOUR years ago] Scientology gets another $1 million donor to make entire United States ‘ideal’ for takeover
[FIVE years ago] In this week’s social media leak, a Scientology school is offering ‘doctorates’ for donations
[SIX years ago] Beck tells Australian newspaper: ‘I’m not a Scientologist’
[SEVEN years ago] As Leah Remini returns for a third round, here’s Scientology’s side of the story
[EIGHT years ago] VIDEO: Scientology gives its highest award to Nation of Islam minister, who thanks Allah
[NINE years ago] Leah Remini demands $1.5 million from Scientology for interfering with her A&E series
[TEN years ago] Scientology drug rehab policy: Get the sexual assaulter out of state before police arrive
[ELEVEN years ago] The Scientologist who wouldn’t fly: The rise and fall of insurance mogul Richie Acunto
[TWELVE years ago] Mark Bunker Returns to Clearwater: Wise Beard Man Back in Scientology’s Mecca!
[THIRTEEN years ago] Thanksgiving? Pshaw! The Scientology Begin-A-Boom Bookathon Starts TODAY!
——————–
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 3,455 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,959 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,465 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,015 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 3,005 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,391 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,886 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,190 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,841 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,059 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,613 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,954 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,525 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,441 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,608 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,190 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,449 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,486 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,201 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,766 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,081 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,256 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,938 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,275 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,128 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,244 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,606 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 4,017 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,405 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,289 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,854 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,365 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,625 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,729 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on November 22, 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, 20 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
MTG announces she’s quitting Congress: Can she wrest MAGA away in ’28?
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Greene: I do not want my sweet district to have to endure a hurtful and hateful primary against me by the president…
It's all so absurd and completely unserious. I refuse to be a battered wife hoping it all goes away and gets better. If I am cast aside by the president and the… https://t.co/3Syqeadaxp pic.twitter.com/NpUAXV42LK
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) November 22, 2025
Jacob does not understand what is happening here. MTG just declared she is running for President as the America Firdt candidate cause Trump lost his way and she is now the standard bearer for MAGA. pic.twitter.com/eJAVJreU80
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) November 22, 2025
Who is planting these stories? Nobody likes TEMU Wolverine. pic.twitter.com/kROOsN5qxo
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 22, 2025
Trump on Mamdani buzz: "For some reason, the press has found this to be a very interesting meeting. The biggest people in the world, they come over from countries, nobody cares, but they did care about this meeting, and it was a great meeting."
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 22, 2025
President Trump posting pictures of himself with Mamdani pic.twitter.com/8BmSNAEEG1
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 21, 2025
Trump says it is ok for MAGA to support Mamdani https://t.co/DrQ0H0hmKi
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 21, 2025
There goes Elise Stefanik’s entire campaign strategy https://t.co/y4CsKOQRKS
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 21, 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 November 22, 2025 at 08:00
Tony Ortega's Blog
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