Tony Ortega's Blog, page 25
July 14, 2025
Scientology fail: The natural act every Scientologist fears
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Phil Jones is back with a fun look at the thing that strikes fear into any Scientology member paying for courses at his or her local org! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“In engram running by chains, when you demand a pc go through the incident more than twice, and it is not basic that incident will grow more solid. A good Dianetic auditor watches his TA and the moment that TA starts to rise while running an incident on the chain he knows there is an earlier similar incident. It is told to him by the TA, which is saying this incident is getting more solid. When he sees this, he immediately asks for an earlier incident after either Step 9 or Step C of R3RA. When you ask for earlier beginnings and then run the incident again and keep doing this you can run a non-basic through several times and it will inevitably become more solid. The degree that this can exert pressure on a pc is very great and is extremely uncomfortable. A really smooth Dianetic auditor never increases the solidity of the bank. It is a non-determined point whether an earlier beginning alone will, if found, decrease the solidity of a non-basic.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1978
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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
[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({});
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“So, somebody trying to understand life sitting down on a mountain top some place in lower Jesus or some place — Jerusalem, excuse me — and he’s contemplating his navel or something, and trying to get the hot dope, he gives you all sorts of things. If he starts to get close to the truth, then the things he utters appear to be idiocies, see. If he gets close to the truth. Like, there really is no universe – Mary Baker Eddy. There is no universe. All is infinite mind. Isn’t it true? It’s very, very, very true but that doesn’t prevent Christian Science from being the leading religious faith you find on the rosters of insane asylums.” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 14 1964
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“To all staff & students: Per HCO P/L 26 July 1965, ‘All students of any course are debarred from visiting any medical or healing practitioner unless they are given Ethics clearance first and all possibility of ‘rollercoaster’ (sudden case decline) has been looked into and any suppressive or bad auditing precisely isolated. The exception is an emergency involving severe injury, or infectious disease, but in this case the student must be cleared by Ethics to be permitted back on course or even in the Org. This includes all accidents.’ This line is to be in as of now. Course Admin is to ensure student goes to Ethics first. Staff are to go to HCO Reception and route to MO then MAA & Examiner. Until the new routing forms are approved & issued — Reception and Course Admin will have to write it in. The point is this line is effective now and no one sees the MO without following the line.” — Norma Randell for HAS, July 14, 1971
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“Did Leah Remini really leave the Church of Scientology, or was it a ‘reverse psychology’ operation to expose hundreds of thousands of people to the church? I once saw an article that after her series started Scientology had a huge run of people ordering books and taking auditing.”
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1995: Helena Kobrin, chief legal intimidator of the cos, kept busy this week with several threatening letters, both to participants in a.r.s, and to their site administrators. Martin Poulter’s sysops suspended his account for one day last week while they investigated her complaint. Martin described the complaint this week. “Her complaint is specifically about a message I posted to a.r.s on Sunday, which contained a small extract from OT7 material. She demands that I remove this post from the Internet (which is, of course, impossible) She claims that the OT7 document is copyrighted *and* a trade secret. She is emphatic that Fair Use does not apply, specifically because the documents are *unpublished*. She also says that there is no Fair Use (Fair Dealing in England) defense to trade secret misappropriation. She claims that downloading of SCAMIZDAT is a breach of copyright and trade secret laws.” Damon Cheston’s site received a similar threat. “I was notified today that Helena ‘Mizz Probert’ Kobrin has written my system administrators complaining about an alleged copyright violation. She alleges that I violated the copyright on OT-VII documents when I followed-up to Martin Poulter’s post. I believe, and I’m sure any sane person would agree with me, that the 8 or 10 lines of text quoted from OT-VII clearly fell within Fair Use guidelines.” William Barwell posted his entire letter from Helena, including this snippet. “In addition, your downloading of the copyrighted and trade secret OT VII materials also violates laws prohibiting copyright infringement and trade secret misappropriation. Your use and disclosure of these materials is *not* fair use. No case in the United States has ever found fair use to apply to copying unpublished materials, as even Dennis Erlich’s attorney had to admit in open court. There is also no fair use defense to trade secret misappropriation.” And from the Pope’s reply: “You may quote my posts on ARS to show us what you mean I posted. Until you do I am not exactly sure what the hell you are on about. Actually, Kobby, I don’t care that much either. And I think it would be wise for you to send me those posts if you want further colloquy on this subject. Tonight, get out your law books and look up fair use. A few paragraphs in my post are fair use and that is that. And I intend to keep using fair use to from time to time post directly or indirectly as in quoting other posts, parts of the incredibly brain damaged swill you clams and your silly clients dare to call ‘secrets’. Yes, you have rights, but fair use gives ME rights to and I intend to use my rights as regard fair use to discuss the hilariously inept bilge you clams hold as scriptures.” Zane Thomas’ site admin received a similar threat. “Our very own dear, sweet Helena has sent a letter to the sysadmin here at igc.apc.org alleging that I have posted some copyright and/or trade secret materials. Now I’ve been pretty careful lately due to numerous threatening letters from Kobrin. I don’t believe that I have done anything remotely resembling what she claims and would appreciate some help accumulating evidence to that effect.”
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“If the ‘tech’ is perfect, how did all these SP’s slip through into the upper echelons of Scientology management in the first place?”
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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 mid-August.
— ‘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 July 7.
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. Oral arguments are probably next.
— 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 was due July 3.
— 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] US government proposes new rule on ‘religious visas’ Scientology is obsessed with
[TWO years ago] Losing a friend they knew in Scientology: A tribute to a remarkable woman
[THREE years ago] The nice Scientologist who was caught writing code for ransomware scammers
[FOUR years ago] Another hype video! Scientology still begging members to go to the cruise ship’s ‘OT Bubble’
[FIVE years ago] ‘Scientology Black Ops’ series with Leah Remini & Paul Haggis spiked by Aussie network
[SIX years ago] Is it time for Scientology to replace its cruise ship? If so, we’ve done the shopping.
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology fundraiser: ‘It was commonplace to lie to church members to get donations’
[EIGHT years ago] Now that Neil deGrasse Tyson is up against Leah Remini for an Emmy, will he rethink Scientology?
[NINE years ago] To Scientology’s Emily Jones: We have a message from your mother
[TEN years ago] Wise Beard Man visits Scientology’s new Fantasyland in Clearwater
[ELEVEN years ago] The Dallas Morning News asks a question about Scientology, and we want your response
[TWELVE years ago] Someone Apparently Forgot to Notify the VA that Scientology is a Religion
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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 3,325 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,829 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,335 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,885 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,875 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,261 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,756 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,060 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,929 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,483 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,824 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,391 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,310 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,478 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,060 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,319 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,356 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,072 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,636 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,951 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,126 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,808 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,145 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,999 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,114 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,476 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,885 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,275 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,159 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,724 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,235 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,495 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,599 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on July 14, 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
Q patriots are not letting it go — they want the Epstein files, Donny
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Trump supporters I spoke to this weekend are not ready to forget about Jeffery Epstein. https://t.co/7xnpB0NOt0 pic.twitter.com/U3Qcsrtu93
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) July 14, 2025
Whoops! https://t.co/H1pEEwCnFZ
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) July 13, 2025
The great thing about this thread is that no one is responsible. Somehow bad code just appeared. https://t.co/dvrYMUTxy1
— Jacob Silverman (@SilvermanJacob) July 14, 2025
Trump golfed as Texas flooded pic.twitter.com/bofHU0wmvI
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 14, 2025
Things Trump won’t release:
1) The Epstein files
2) The report on registered Republican assassin Thomas Crooks
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 13, 2025
GOP strategist uses Butler assassination attempt to shame MAGA over Epstein concerns pic.twitter.com/B9Vrr9VAwA
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 13, 2025
Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who was killed last year: “We need a viable third party.” pic.twitter.com/YnUAlNzP5N
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 13, 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 July 14, 2025 at 08:00
July 13, 2025
L. Ron Hubbard 2.0 gets new attorney, and solves Scientology’s biggest problem
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Is the reincarnation of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard really sitting in a Tennessee jail awaiting trial? His followers believe so, and send him money every month. And now he’s rewarded them with his greatest insight ever: Why Clears aren’t what they’re cracked up to be! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“When you go past the postulate or insist on an earlier similar when there isn’t one the pc can go later or jump chains and put into action other phenomena. This, and bad assessment is when you get tangled cases and repair. When you get a blowdown and the pc tells you the postulate and then you tell him to return to the beginning of the incident again, you can overrun the incident and turn the analytical concept of it back into a solid picture which will just get more and more solid and you’ll think there was nothing erased. What you’re erasing, actually, is the basic postulate that made the chain occur in the first place.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1978
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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
[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({});
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“Faith is a very fascinating subject. Faith can be artificially installed. You can take a person as a clinical experiment, hypnotize him and install the Great God Motaw. You tell him that the Great God Motaw is now taking care of his life, safeguarding him, looking after his concerns, will see that the future is all arranged for him, will see that all goes well and that everybody loves him, and will, beyond everything else, give him absolutely correct data every time he asks for it. The Great God Motaw, installed in such a circuit, more or less takes the whole computer, moves it over, and now he has the Great God Motaw sitting there. You can even install it so that the Great God Motaw has sonic, which is strictly hallucination.” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 13, 1950
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“The Supreme Test of a thetan is to make things go right. I want every divisional officer to spot those on the ship who pass this test.” — The Commodore, July 13, 1969
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“Again a tornado skips hitting the Scientology town of Clearwater, Florida. It happens time and time again. Would you like to know why? Because the church calls in its top wizards to use their thoughts to create reality, and these dudes sit around doing Scientology mind exercises and this sends the tornado away from Clearwater. Lol, I’m not joking, the truth about spiritual abilities is being hidden from us by the powers that be because only they want the powers!”
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2001: Spiegel magazine published an article on the decline of Scientology in Germany and the efforts of Ms. Ursula Caberta. “It is difficult for a business to differentiate between harmless providers and Scientology members. For this reason the Hamburg Anti-Scientology Crew works closely together with the Chamber of Commerce. Their goal is to help businesses protect themselves from Scientology’s attempts at infiltration. An important means of doing this is the so-called ‘Technology Statement’ developed by Caberta and her team. In the Statement, companies, staff and seminar directors must declare that they reject the technologies of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. ‘That’s a genuine mortal sin for Scientologists,’ explained Caberta. Denying Hubbard, together with the technology he propagated, would be viewed as a ‘high crime,’ so that signing the statement would not be possible for members. Ursula Caberta has first-hand experience in finding out that the fight against Scientology is not without adverse effects. For years she has been spied and informed upon by the organization’s intelligence agency. Telephone calls to her friends and acquaintances or specific questions to her neighbors have been the daily routine for years, reported the Scientology opponent with near disinterest. In the Administrative Court in Saarland one of the Scientology organizations members denied responsibility for carrying out ‘operative measures’ against the Task Force director. In its decision of March 29, 2001 in which it dismissed the charges, the court nevertheless did determine that Scientology had authorized the procedural methods being used against the Task Force director. The State Office for the Protection of the Constitution said somewhat more clearly how these methods were to be understood, namely the ’employment of intelligence agency methods.’ It is exactly with these methods that the organization is currently trying to silence their highest-profile opponent in Germany. The accusations against Caberta go up to soliciting for favors and to bribery, for which the psycho-concern has filed charges. Scientology asserts that
the director of the Hamburg Task Force accepted money from American businessman and renowned Scientology opponent Bob Minton on a trip to the USA. Caberta views the charges as part of Scientology’s overall strategy to torpedo the critics it does not like. That strategy would also include a petition from Scientology to the Hamburg Burgerschaft, the goal of which is to have her removed from her position. In order to be able to counter the organization’s measures she is promoting legislation for Germany – similar to the so-called anti-cult law passed in France in June. ‘We should recognize that psychic bodily harm is criminal, too,’ Caberta demands. And ‘The organizations responsible for their subordinate members’ deeds should finally be held accountable.'”
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“Scientologists believe that the Narconon treatment can cure you of alcoholism and once completed you can drink in safety again. In fact from what I’ve read they sometimes make you drink before you leave to prove this.”
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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 July 14.
— ‘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 July 7.
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 is due July 3.
— 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?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Mike Silverman: A popular figure in Scientology, an enigmatic figure after leaving
[TWO years ago] Mark Bunker: How I changed seats and freaked out Scientology last night in Clearwater
[THREE years ago] ‘Arbitration,’ again: Here’s Scientology motion to derail new labor trafficking lawsuit
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s response in Danny Masterson case appeal: ‘I changed my mind’ is not a defense
[FIVE years ago] Kelly Preston dies; Lisa Marie Presley loses son to suicide; Scientology remains useless
[SIX years ago] Scientology’s targeting of children is only getting more blatant as the church struggles
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology scrambles to keep Miscavige out of forced-abortion trial
[EIGHT years ago] Almost 12 years ago, Shelly Miscavige vanished. Here’s why we keep asking about her.
[NINE years ago] Hey, thetan: Scientology has a few questions for you
[TEN years ago] Hey, Star magazine, why is Tom Cruise afraid of Aussie journo Bryan Seymour?
[ELEVEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology lets slip the reason it still produces L. Ron Hubbard’s bad fiction
[TWELVE years ago] Leaving Scientology: Jon Atack Navigates the Labyrinth of Paranoia
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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 3,324 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,828 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,334 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,884 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,874 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,260 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,755 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,059 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,928 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,482 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,823 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,390 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,309 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,477 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,059 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,318 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,355 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,071 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,635 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,950 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,125 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,807 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,144 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,998 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,113 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,475 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,884 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,274 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,158 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,723 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,234 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,494 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,598 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on July 13, 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 lashes out over the ongoing anger about the Epstein files
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});5 things Trump did this week:
1. Got mad that a reporter asked about Epstein
2. Was mocked for sharing a Superman Trump image
3. Had officials contemplating quitting
4. Went to his golf club after brief Texas flood photo-op
5. Kept the Epstein files cover-up going another… pic.twitter.com/cYXAlbty3X
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 12, 2025
Trump *really* doesn’t want to talk about Epstein pic.twitter.com/DC3mJQjqIT
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) July 12, 2025
Bad news for Trump on his own Truth Social platform: Supporters are turning on him over the Epstein files debacle and his defense of Bondi. Top critical comments are racking up thousands of likes. pic.twitter.com/XTMzfVmr0h
— Zachary Petrizzo (@ZTPetrizzo) July 13, 2025
I don’t think they could have done a worse job on this. If they released a video where it’s obviously Trump on the Lolita Express and put a big label over him that says “AOC” and went “well look at that…” it would’ve gone over better https://t.co/rMqa5OCt8k
— George Sears 2028 Voter (@ByYourLogic) July 13, 2025
The Trump campaign’s official War Room account promoted Trump’s Epstein files release pledge in a June 2024 tweet.
The promise was literally part of Trump’s campaign. pic.twitter.com/HAAlekIgJa
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 13, 2025
“Epstein files: Phase 1” binder recipient pic.twitter.com/FHb0lPtiTb
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 13, 2025
Things are going well pic.twitter.com/rQRceflOHi
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 12, 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 July 13, 2025 at 08:00
July 12, 2025
Scientology smear job: Claire Headley is the latest to get Blossered
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Marc and Claire Headley are constantly attacked by #Scientology online, but even they were surprised at the church’s latest attempt to paint Claire as a criminal. And from a familiar disgraced journalist who has become the church’s go-to smear merchant. Yes, Claire got Blossered! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“New Era Dianetics or any Dianetics is NOT to be run on Clears or above or on Dianetic Clears. This applies even when they say they can see some pictures. Anyone who has purchased NED auditing who is Clear or above must be routed to an AO or Flag to receive the special NED Rundown for OTs. They are NOT to be run on regular New Era Dianetics. Anyone who is Clear but not OT III is to get through OT III immediately so he can receive this special rundown. The EP of this rundown is: CAUSE OVER LIFE.” — 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
——————–
“I feel I should apologize for coming a little bit late to this lecture: three, four, five minutes. But you should realize that this particular planet has a great many lures. There are all kinds of things. There’s drink, you know, there’s beautiful women. There are all of these various things and they lure you away and distract your attention from what you should be doing. And recently, I’d had a Lincoln for ages — since about ’54 — and I sold it and got a fantastic price for it. And then I traded an old Humber we had out here for it, you see, and I got me a Jaguar and — a 60, 61 Jag — and came out all straight on this. And I regret to have to report to you that the Jaguar is leading me astray. I went out to take a fifteen-minute run to get some fresh air and came back three hours later. So you see, sometimes it’s drink, sometimes it’s women. In this particular case it’s a Jaguar. You’ll pardon me weaknesses. Blame it on the planet.” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 12, 1962
——————–
“If you want to start a project or two 1. Grab your hat 2. Speed up the ships comm 3. Resign from the Bid-a-Wee Social Club and join the SO! I can and do single-hand this 3200 ton ship. It’s time some made up their minds to decide its theirs too and help me out.” — The Commodore, July 12, 1969
——————–
“Life in Scientology Town, USA: A Narrative for your Consideration. In Scientology Town, coordination and cooperation are the rule of the day, not competition. In our factories and fields, almost everything is made, harvested, maintained, and repaired by intelligent machines, and near-human autonomous robots. Human people and our alien friends create art, culture, games, do interesting research, and maintain Scientology outposts on nearby inhabited planets. Our schools and universities use study tech and Hubbard educational methods. School attendance is not mandatory. Education is loads of fun. Students absorb materials online or in study centers where teachers, trainers, drill instructors, and courseroom supervisors monitor the students but generally do not repeat the same principles of the study material which has already been well delineated in the materials. Our communities do not have police departments. Military operations take place only on other planets. On Earth, we have Ethics Officers, who only teach principles. They do not punish or penalize. There are no SPs or PTSs, except in off-Earth locations. Our Government runs off of HCO PLs, and generally avoids making additional laws, restrictions, regulations, or requiring licensing as a prerequisite. We do not have psychs. There are no drug manufacturers. We have no recreational drugs, and no drugs, period. Our doctors teach health principles. They do not perform surgeries. They heal with physical therapy. We have almost no lawyers because we don’t need them. The few agreed-upon laws are founded upon HCOPLs and we ourselves can read and understand them; we don’t need lawyers in order to understand them or to represent us in front of a committee or court of law. It is not at all dangerous to speak for ourselves or advance our concerns here. There are a lot of us who work in space, busily constructing space stations or running space-resort complexes.”
2000: Cynthia Kisser, former director of the Cult Awareness Network, reacted to the planned conference session on CAN led by a Scientology lawyer. “Paper for upcoming conference of Society for the Scientific Study of Religion: ‘CAN, We Hardly Knew Ye: Sex, Drugs, Deprogrammers’ Kickbacks, and Corporate Crime in the (Old) Cult Awareness Network.’ Anson Shupe, Indiana-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, Kendrick Moxon, and Susan E. Darnell. “Desiring to divert researchers from the legal record that points to Scientology’s illegal use of the court system to destroy CAN and attack its leaders, Scientologist Kendrick Moxon, working with cult apologist Ansun Shupe is now driven to further justify Scientology’s conduct in regard to that destruction. Since exclusive control of CAN’s files and corporate records passed to Scientologist Gary Beeny a few years back, CAN will likely not be able to dispute any misrepresentations and out of context statements that Moxon and Shupe present as part of their paper. Despite gleeful howls from Scientologists a few years back with the passage of CAN’s files to Beeny that criminal charges would likely be forthcoming based on evidence that would be found in those files, no such event has, of course, come to pass. Instead, Moxon et al are reduced to Scientology’s infamous dead agenting techniques such as the creation of the anti-CAN paper scheduled to be presented under the auspices of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion.”
——————–
“The first time I heard about the ‘overt motivator sequence’ was when the Carmen Rainer outrage occurred and vaLLarrr was defending Jan Eastgate for telling a 10-year-old girl it was her fault that her stepfather molested her. I asked vaLLarrr, ‘So it was her karma?’ and vaLLarrr said it was something different than karma. The resident ex-Scientologist explained the overt motivator sequence to me and my head exploded.”
——————–
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 July 14.
— ‘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 July 7.
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 is due July 3.
— 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] Shelley Duvall’s fears about Scientology, and why she called us about it
[TWO years ago] Scientology’s lobbyist: He was sent to DC with a secret mission, and we have it
[THREE years ago] Singing for David Miscavige: What it was like in Scientology’s indentured servitude
[FOUR years ago] How Scientology wrecks the lives of people who never even go near it
[FIVE years ago] Scientology turned ‘Dianetics’ into a 4-hour video, and the result is UTTER MADNESS
[SIX years ago] Scientology front group claims it fed an anti-psychiatry story to the L.A. Times
[SEVEN years ago] Derek Bloch reflects on what having Scientology parents can mean for kids in the church
[EIGHT years ago] David Miscavige’s dark vision for Scientology: ‘What did you think you were joining?’
[NINE years ago] Here’s how you can help make a difference in lives touched by Scientology
[TEN years ago] Jon Atack: Scientology’s snitch culture, and how ex-members must relearn the notion of privacy
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology accused of financial sleight of hand to avoid paying in human slavery lawsuit
[TWELVE years ago] Hey, Tom Cruise, Why Weren’t You the One to Raise a Stink When This Woman Went Missing?
——————–
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 3,323 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,827 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,333 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,883 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,873 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,259 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,754 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,058 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,927 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,481 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,822 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,389 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,308 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,476 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,058 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,317 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,354 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,070 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,634 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,949 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,124 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,806 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,143 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,997 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,112 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,474 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,883 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,273 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,157 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,722 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,233 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,493 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,597 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on July 12, 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
Podcaster larping as G-man says his career has been destroyed by Epstein mess
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Right-wing media efforts to make Pam Bondi the scapegoat for the Epstein debacle are ramping up, now we're told Kash Patel and Dan Bongino are "furious" with her. https://t.co/THrMuJDGFD
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) July 11, 2025
“Bongino is out of control furious,” the person who has spoken with the deputy FBI director said. “This destroyed his career. He’s threatening to quit and torch Pam unless she’s fired.” https://t.co/fKPgsaaBXg
— Andrew Kaczynski (@KFILE) July 11, 2025
The DOJ claimed it released 11 hours of “full raw” footage from a camera near Epstein’s prison cell the night before he was found dead.
But @dmehro discovered the footage was modified, likely using Adobe software and came from at least two source clipshttps://t.co/5W3pxltZrU
— David Gilbert (@daithaigilbert) July 11, 2025
Dan Bongino had to take a mental health day over Epstein, and this is the mood at a Turning Point USA conference. Safe to say the Epstein memo isn’t going well. https://t.co/gfLHTolNzL
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) July 11, 2025
JUST IN: Judge Cannon posts a fairly unhinged letter from alleged attempted Trump assassin Ryan Routh, explaining why he fired his lawyers and suggesting himself for a prisoner swap with Russia, China, Iran or North Korea. https://t.co/jyBIRjCBAW pic.twitter.com/QFl9qGI13g
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) July 11, 2025
“Why are you still talking about QAnon in 2025?” People ask. It’s cause we have sitting members of Congress saying “Trust The Plan” in social media posts. QAnon conquered the Republican Party. People need to get up to speed on this. pic.twitter.com/4P3WiiP49X
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) July 11, 2025
Why the endless theatrics? Why can't the bad guys be arrested for their crimes? Please just save the world already. Pill me. pic.twitter.com/8ucLcL425n
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) July 12, 2025
Did we liberate 10,00 kids from the Adrenochrome harvesting plants? Did Trump blow up a DUMB and save some Mole Children? Can he name any of these 10,000 children and how they were found? https://t.co/QkFcOSdmkR
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) July 11, 2025
Conspiracy theories about weather modification are surging online following flash floods in Texas, with posts across social media claiming cloud seeding triggered the rainstorms even as experts say there is no scientific basis to support those allegations. https://t.co/4rAOaA1JAn
— Bill McCarthy (@billdmccarthy) July 11, 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 July 12, 2025 at 08:00
July 11, 2025
Scientology to Clearwater: $1.3 million? We’re taking your street and you get bupkis
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 notified Clearwater, Florida, that it will be re-applying to take over a downtown street as part of its ‘L. Ron Hubbard Hall’ project. And this time, the church says, the city better gets its head around the notion that things are going to be a lot different. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“A rightness/wrongness computation doesn’t surrender to normal auditing because it is a service fac. The pc has a vested interest in holding onto it. He won’t be able to itsa it on a Prepcheck. Thus, a service fac, if present, will turn on mass on a Prepcheck. The Prepcheck is a series of types of decisions thetans make about things. So if it doesn’t prepcheck the Prepcheck must be in conflict with the rightness and wrongness.
Reversely, if it’s not a service fac it will prepcheck, and you polish it off by that method to EP. Then go back to the list and find a service fac that will run.” — 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
——————–
“Very few engrams start out with words, usually they start out with something like ‘splat’ or ‘clink’ or ‘tinkle’ or ‘thump.’ There’s something ahead of what you are running. People who have non-sonic don’t pick up this material too well, but it will still come through.” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 11, 1950
——————–
“Our Richard Gorman has done the most effectively gruesome anti-psychiatry poster I’ve ever seen. I photographed it in colour and it’s off to the pubs for colour photolitho and the world. US news has barely mentioned Rockefellers many later visits! Only European carried it hard. Couldn’t be US Press is censored? Or maybe owned? We were told to sail by pilot due to storm. We’ll be going when it abates. We’re all cleared out of port. Hence no liberty possible, sorry.” — The Commodore, July 11, 1969
——————–
“We are all spiritual beings. It is easy to hate the murderer, to hate the rapist, to hate Hitler – but even they are spiritual beings trapped in their own nightmare. If any of us were placed in the same life as they were, with the same experiences, same parents, same friends, we would have been exactly as they are. I know that can offend people, but our experiences determine our choices in life, this is a scientific fact. It may seem like I am pardoning the evils of the world but I assure you, I despise the actions, not the being. The less we confuse the spiritual self with the physical self, the happier we will be and the happier others will be around us. Who you really are can only be found out and experienced by you, and helped along by your auditor.”
1999: The Jazz Report published a letter concerning Scientology celebrity Chick Corea from critic Jim Beebe this week. “I would like to publicly ask Chick Corea to stop his shameful hustling of the Scientology cult. In the recent interview with Corea, he once again shamefully shills for L. Ron Hubbard and the Church of Scientology. I was lured into Scientology years ago by Corea’s relentless promotion and what I found was a very greedy and destructive cult. What Chick Corea does not reveal in his promos for Hubbard and Scientology is that he gets a nice commission on anyone he lures into this cult. Scientology’s quack courses and ‘counseling’ are very expensive and these commissions add up. Shame on you, Chick Corea.”
——————–
“In Hubbard’s own words the Church of Scientology is an anti-democratic organization whose stated goal is world domination. The German government has deemed Scientology a totalitarian orientated group and has decided that Scientologists are ineligible to hold certain government jobs. I believe this is a very wise decision on their part.”
——————–
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 July 14.
— ‘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 July 7.
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 is due July 3.
— 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 to Valeska Paris: That Supreme Court ruling isn’t what you say it is
[TWO years ago] Former top Scientology executive who vanished in 2004 subject of new international search
[THREE years ago] How it went down: Transcript of Judge Olmedo denying Danny Masterson’s motion to dismiss
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s full report on its ‘All-Ideal USA’ blowout! It’s a fundraising juggernaut!
[FIVE years ago] ‘Scientology’s Hogwarts’ and other schools got PPP loans
[SIX years ago] Scientology and the FDA: The conspiracy that never was
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology hip-hop continues to amaze us, and we hope it transports you as well
[EIGHT years ago] How Humira, the world’s best selling drug, is helping to finance Scientology into the future
[NINE years ago] Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s caretaker and friend, Steve ‘Sarge’ Pfauth, 1945-2016
[TEN years ago] The story of Brian Sheen and his ‘disconnected’ Scientology daughter you haven’t heard
[ELEVEN years ago] Ken Dandar could use a cool million in his fight against Scientology
[TWELVE years ago] Mike Rinder: Is the Leah Remini Anonymous Smear Website Coming Soon?
——————–
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 3,322 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,826 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,332 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,882 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,872 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,258 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,753 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,057 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,926 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,480 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,821 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,388 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,307 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,475 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,057 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,316 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,353 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,069 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,633 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,948 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,123 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,805 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,142 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,996 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,111 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,473 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,882 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,272 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,156 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,721 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,232 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,492 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,596 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on July 11, 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
EPA chief tries to debunk chemtrails, but comes off the opposite
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});EPA head getting into the chemtrails conspiracy theory. https://t.co/bCUfhyQ2wA
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) July 10, 2025
The EPA’s chemtrails investigation is ON https://t.co/96O102QUeu
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) July 10, 2025
Lee Zeldin's social media posts about weather phenomena confused many into thinking he had endorsed conspiracy theories
More: https://t.co/ZUO59T4LBvhttps://t.co/ZUO59T4LBv
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) July 10, 2025
DOJ, FBI sitting on ‘treasure trove’ of Epstein information, victim attorney says https://t.co/zHiomsXs4r
— julie k. brown (@jkbjournalist) July 10, 2025
MAGA pastor Todd Coconato desperately insists there must be "more to the story" behind the Epstein memo because there is simply no way that Trump and his administration would "gaslight the whole MAGA movement" like this. https://t.co/Z3EmDPLqqd pic.twitter.com/T21mpl7z3I
— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) July 10, 2025
Exactly how is this happening if Trump is in control of everything? How is the Deep State still kicking our butts?! Make your story make sense. pic.twitter.com/LtzUyvHCfs
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) July 10, 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 July 11, 2025 at 08:00
July 10, 2025
The Tribunal: How Scientology puts its members in bad spots
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: An employment tribunal in the UK has posted a decision which involved the Church of Scientology. A man there claimed he had been fired for religious discrimination. The tribunal didn’t buy it, and it only illustrated how the church puts its members in terrible positions. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“If you’ve found a service fac the pc won’t be able to stay out of it, I guarantee you. The first question is always how would it make him right. (Never how would it make him wrong. Never, never, never.) The automaticities should start with the first question. If not, ask him how it would make others wrong. You almost always enter it at the level of right/wrong. But don’t make the blunder of thinking it can’t be a service fac if it doesn’t enter at that level. Try it on the other levels. It can enter at the level of dominate; it might enter at the level of survival. But if — on one of those — the pc doesn’t immediately jump in and swim into the whirlpool, it’s not it. If he tells you, ‘Well, let’s see . . . make me right, no,
hmmmm….’ or ‘… escape domination … no, doesn’t make sense,’ that’s not it. If he says that isn’t it, then that isn’t it. Don’t hang him with a wrong service fac because it’s too easy to find a right one. They abound.” — 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
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});— 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
——————–
“God help you someday when you get somebody who has an engram fifteen-trillion-trillion years long. Try to find the beginning of that! Before you’ve gone halfway through, of course, your date is so wrong that it’s jamming the track anyway. And just time after time, you find the earlier part of it and you find the earlier part of it and you find an earlier part of it — and finally, you finally get it all worked out and you find out that this thing which first registered as one and one-half hours long was actually 15 trillion-trillion years in length. Somebody stuck in a mountain that long; couldn’t get out. That’s rough. That’s hard to do. It’s hard to do when everything else is correct. So you’ve got to have everything else correct and then it can be done. But it is not easy to do when all signs and portents are favorable. Got that?” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 10, 1963
——————–
“STOP PRESS: We just won the New Zealand inquiry! Sydney halting further action because of this. Org in Auckland normal Op in stats with our Dian course going full blast.” — The Commodore, July 10, 1969
——————–
“Most people can’t read but think they can, and they can’t read and properly understand what they are reading because they don’t know what all the words mean. Fancy words confuse a person and they don’t even know they are confused and then they walk around thinking they’ve read something and understand it but they haven’t, and they really just needed a dictionary. But it gets tricky because the dictionaries usually use fancy words to describe the word you are looking up, so you end up on an adventure. But it’s better then walking around not knowing what something says while thinking you know what it says. That’s being a lefty.”
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
——————–
1998: The Boston Globe published an article this week on Bob Minton, and his efforts to reform Scientology. “Robert Minton is a multimillionaire who retired in 1992 at age 46. He lives in an elegant town house on Beacon Hill filled with antiques and Oriental rugs. He also owns a weekend home on several hundred acres in Sandown, N.H. So why has this self-made man chosen to do battle with the Church of Scientology instead of sitting back and enjoying his financial success and a peaceful, family existence? And why, especially, when he has never been a church member? Because, he says, he believes in the First Amendment; has the money to fight the church and what he calls its harassment of critics and former church members; and because he cannot forget being locked up at age 16 in a mental institution against his will. ‘People ask me why I’m involved in all this when it isn’t my fight,’ says Minton, during an interview at his home and over lunch at a Charles Street restaurant. ‘I was never a member of this group but I’m involved because I believe everyone has the right to believe what they want. I’m just so incredibly shocked at the pain Scientology can cause people. It’s so obvious that Scientology, like other groups and cults, causes a lot of devastation.’ Despite these incidents and the pressures on his family, Minton, who made his fortune trading in the debts of Third World countries, says he will continue his anti-Scientology efforts indefinitely. ‘The harassment began last fall after I bought a home [for $260,000] for a couple, former Scientologists, who were being hounded by the church in Seattle,’ says Minton, who became interested in the church while surfing the Internet in the spring of 1995. The investigation into his background started after he paid an attorney for the family of Lisa McPherson in a wrongful death suit against the Scientologists. McPherson died after a 17-day stay in a church-owned hotel in Clearwater, Fla. According to published reports, church officials say that McPherson was under 24-hour watch at the hotel during which time she spit out food, banged violently on the walls of her room, and hallucinated. But the effect on his family has been an issue, especially for older daughter, Katherine. Drawing attention to oneself at age 12, Minton says, is something every preteen tries to avoid. Having picketers in front of your house can bring nothing but embarrassment to a young girl, says Minton. ‘I’ve explained that I’m just not prepared to let these guys act like predators on people who are trying to exercise their most fundamental rights in a democracy.’ At Christmas, he says, he and his wife gave a party for close friends and neighbors. During the evening, he noticed several boys dropping balloons filled with water off the back deck. Katherine later explained that the boys had come armed with the balloons in case the Scientologists were picketing. What Minton has found most disturbing is that his mother, son, and brother talked to detectives after he’d warned them to keep silent. He has little contact with them and is openly upset by what he sees as their betrayal. Detectives ‘went to where my family works or to their homes and told them that I was being accused of hate crimes against the Scientologists,’ says Minton. ‘They said I was giving millions to people who are out to destroy the Scientologists. They told my mother that if I wasn’t putting all these millions into a war against the Scientologists, maybe she could have a nicer home. They used the same tactic with my son and he began to question how I was spending my money.'”
——————–
“Hubbard said that all science fiction was based on whole track incidents that the authors were subconsciously remembering.”
——————–
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 July 14.
— ‘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 July 7.
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. Oral arguments are probably next.
— 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 is due July 3.
— 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] Alex Barnes-Ross is coming for Scientology after the UK’s recent election
[TWO years ago] Scientology gaslighting courts about arbitration? Valerie Haney has proof of it
[THREE years ago] Scientology fundraising is getting both desperate and weirder than usual
[FOUR years ago] Tabs keep telling us Tom Cruise is ditching Scientology, and always with zero evidence
[FIVE years ago] Christmas in July: Videos of Scientology stars raising money for their pals at the LAPD
[SIX years ago] When Scientology has you dividing up funerals because family never really matters
[SEVEN years ago] Former Scientologists, academics, and Falun Gong get together for a Philly blowout
[EIGHT years ago] Hip-hip-hooray! We have the newest Scientology propaganda about creating an ‘Ideal World’
[NINE years ago] Scientology continues to push for ‘Battlefield Earth’ sales, and you can get this T-shirt!
[TEN years ago] Scientology’s day care from hell: The scandal the church managed to keep hidden — until now
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology begins hitting back at Ryan Hamilton and his lawsuits
[TWELVE years ago] Indie Scientologists Try to Spoil “Super Power” Release as it (Supposedly) Nears Debut
——————–
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 3,321 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,825 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,331 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,881 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,871 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,257 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,752 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,056 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,925 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,479 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,820 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,387 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,306 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,474 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,056 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,315 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,352 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,068 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,632 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,947 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,122 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,804 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,141 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,995 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,110 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,472 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,881 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,271 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,155 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,720 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,231 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,491 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,595 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on July 10, 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.
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Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
Q patriots in disarray: The Epstein news is not going down well in Trumpland
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Monitoring all the various QAnon accounts I follow there are a wild range of reactions to the Trump Administration's statement that there is no Epstein File, People are trying to spin it however they can but the fact is this is a horrible betrayal of QAnon.
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) July 9, 2025
Almost every former QAnon believer I know had a moment of disconfirmation that they just couldn't rationalize away. The total fizzle of the Epstein Files could be a moment of clarity for some conspiracy-pilled folks, and an opportunity to help them out. https://t.co/y0HevmURlI
— Mike Rothschild (@rothschildmd on blu sky) (@rothschildmd) July 9, 2025
25 Tweets… Elon Musk Continues Attacking Trump Over Epstein Files
Musk: “How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won't release the Epstein files?”https://t.co/ORFE0HCXrnhttps://t.co/ORFE0HCXrn
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 9, 2025
MAGA is flipping on Trump pic.twitter.com/LW5O1MQXRX
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 9, 2025
A MAGA Pam Bondi meme pic.twitter.com/LQmb9VKoWk
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 9, 2025
The people who spent decades ranting about the dangers of a tyrannical government are now here to tell us that "Paper's please" is totally acceptable to them. pic.twitter.com/lC4QKAfDbo
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) July 10, 2025
Georgia GOP Senator Colton Moore shows off his wedding photo pic.twitter.com/RM9cTLZ18E
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 9, 2025
BREAKING: Federal appeals court overturns civil-rights-violation conviction of MAGA influencer Douglas Mackey for urging Clinton voters to vote by text. 2nd Cir. Livingston (GWBush), Raggi (GWBush), Robinson (Biden).
Doc: https://t.co/XIo88aRLhD Earlier: https://t.co/fjIqP2Hhex
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) July 9, 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 July 10, 2025 at 08:00
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