Tony Ortega's Blog, page 56
February 9, 2025
Here’s the 2025 Scientology Super Bowl ad — this time it’s ‘The Question’
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: A few hours ago, early in the morning of the day that Super Bowl LIX will take place in New Orleans, Scientology revealed its ad for the big game this year. And once again, it’s a mystery sandwich. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Recently a musician being crammed kept bringing up a dispatch that he was in mystery about concerning the group. Every time it was mentioned it read or BDed yet the Cramming Officer continued ‘Cramming’ him and never handled it. So no product. I sat the musician down, told him he was crammed over a problem, the mystery about the dispatch, cleaned it up by getting the dispatch and letting him go over it, made sure the problem was handled then found the area of misunderstood and traced it back to an early age and the Why fell right out. And I got the Cramming Officer crammed by the Senior C/S and found her Why too. So the moral of the story is DON’T CRAM OVER OUT RUDS. It is too costly in lost production and flaps.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1974
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THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON
We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.
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THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?
[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH
— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see
[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf
— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones
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“You know girls are pretty high-toned ordinarily. You can never quite tell about a girl. You’re liable to meet her on Wednesday and her name is Elizabeth, and you’re liable to meet her on Monday and her name is Jessie, see. She changes her name very easily. Not only that, they get married and change their names. They do change their names. We do know that. Girl, up to the time she’s seventeen, has been very, very well — nicely known as Clarissa, you see, and she didn’t like that and you meet, next time you meet her she’s twenty-two and she calls herself Butch. There’s no telling what’s going to happen on it. Women do this, probably which accounts for their ability to hold on to a better-looking mock-up than men, because men become factually themselves. At whose assignment?” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 9, 1956
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“We are auditing now at a volume higher than that of any org in the world with a completion rate far in excess of any other 3 orgs. The bruised elbows in getting lines in, the bruised tempers, the hard work is really paying off with the finest auditing ever done anywhere. We are also averaging two or three Clear OTs a day! Come on, other departments and divisions. You’re only expected to be the greatest division or department of your kind anywhere in the world. So fly, you guys, fly!” — The Commodore, February 9, 1971
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“There’s a distinction between the person’s ideas about the body or the planet and the person’s objective awareness of the body or planet. That’s the 1st point of distinction here, the distinction between the subjective reality and awareness of mind and the objective awareness and actuality of existence. And therefore integral to the rehabilitation of awareness is the distinction between direct theta perception and perception via the body, again by running objective OT drills and exercises on the PT Environment both directly and via the body, as distinct from think and figure type subjective processes which simply address the Mind and the person’s ideas about existence.”
2002: The St. Petersburg Times reported that Scientology is placing billboards to advertise their Volunteer Ministers program. “For Americans troubled by economic uncertainty, fear and grief, 1,100 Church of Scientology billboards going up in major U.S. cities claim to have an answer. ‘No matter how bad it is … SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT.’ The billboards are part of an unprecedented national media campaign by Scientology to reach what it calls ‘a nation still troubled by the Sept. 11 attacks.’ But the blitz disturbs some mental health experts who express concern about both the church’s motive and its expertise in treating emotional distress. The advertisements promote the services of Scientology’s volunteer ministers, parishioners trained in basic Scientology principles that the church says can solve problems ranging from grief to marital difficulties to drug addiction. The Church of Scientology is spending $1.1-million on the billboards, which have gone up in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, Cincinnati and this week in Clearwater. More are slated for Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Washington, D.C., Chicago and St. Louis. In New York alone, there are 1,000 billboards, many mounted in the subway system. Clearwater, the spiritual headquarters of Scientology, is getting eight, and some of those will rotate to Tampa. The campaign grew out of Sept. 11, said spokeswoman Linda Simmons Hight of the Church of Scientology International in Los Angeles. Since the attacks, the ranks of the volunteer ministers have grown from 5,000 to 14,000, she said. Scientologists wanted to help at ground zero, and many did. ‘That’s what brought it together,’ Hight said. ‘We have volunteer ministers. We’re soon to have 6,000 more and we can do something about any situation in life.’ Mental health leaders say the campaign looks like a recruitment technique that could mislead emotionally vulnerable people. ‘We are concerned Scientology may be playing on people’s vulnerability to increase their membership,’ said Cynthia Folcarelli, executive vice president of the National Mental Health Association, the country’s oldest and largest nonprofit mental health research and advocacy organization. Volunteer ministers study a 19-chapter text called The Scientology Handbook that provides lessons such as improving communication skills, resolving conflicts, getting people off drugs, handling confusion in the workplace and improving domestic relations. The ministers also learn how to conduct ‘assists,’ procedures Scientologists believe help people overcome physical or emotional difficulty. It takes about 40 hours to complete all the chapters, although some volunteers study only select ones, said Sarah Gorgone, who coordinates about 200 volunteer ministers in the Clearwater area. Volunteer ministers do not proselytize, nor is the
campaign about recruitment, she said. ‘It’s Scientologists who have solutions to problems who are willing to go out of their way to share that
with other people,’ Hight said.”
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“I think Tony is taking the day off and that’s just fine by me. Watch some football or somethin’ everybody.”
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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. Appeal brief due by December 23.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, convicted of fraud, awaiting sentencing.
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.
— 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 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.
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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] Former Scientology spy goes to spy on future Scientology ‘Ideal Org’
[TWO years ago] Another Chicago Scientology hype video! But is the Saturday ‘Ideal Org’ event happening?
[THREE years ago] Ford Greene to appeals court: Formally publish the ruling against Scientology arbitration!
[FOUR years ago] The pandemic isn’t over, but Scientology leader David Miscavige is ready for his bow
[FIVE years ago] One sure sign a new Scientology ‘Ideal Org’ is on the way: the Central Files mayhem
[SIX years ago] Thinking of leaving Scientology? Jefferson Hawkins has your roadmap.
[SEVEN years ago] Tory ‘Magoo’ Christman, and how Anonymous went from online war to in-real-life pickets
[EIGHT years ago] We have your invitation to Scientology’s holiest celebration of the year!
[NINE years ago] Scientology’s thug life, documented: Aaron Smith-Levin shares a record of Sea Org violence
[TEN years ago] Mark Ebner finds Scientology’s rubbish again as Narconon International vanishes!
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology’s continuing plans for its Super Bowl ad, and more Sunday Funnies
[TWELVE years ago] Scientology Mythbusting with Jon Atack: Original Spin
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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 3,170 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,665 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,180 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,730 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,720 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,106 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,601 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,905 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,776 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,328 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,669 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,236 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,155 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,323 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,905 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,164 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,201 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,917 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,481 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,796 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,971 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,653 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,990 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,844 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,959 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,321 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,730 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,128 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,004 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,569 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,080 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,336 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,444 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 9, 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
Nero my god to thee: Is America ready for its swan song?
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Does “Golden Age” refer to a time when planes keep falling out of the sky, eggs cost $10–15 a dozen, the U.S. is being booed and protested by all our allies, workers are losing their jobs, and Americans’ personal data is being rummaged through by unelected oligarchs and their… pic.twitter.com/G0VROgRJFa
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) February 8, 2025
Trump is granting military contractor Elon Musk access to Pentagon systems. What could go wrong? pic.twitter.com/ZoIaFOzo08
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) February 8, 2025
Fantastic new details from @briankrebs about DOGE worker Edward Coristine and his past connections with the cybercrime group The Com. He also expands on what happened after Coristine got fired from Path Networks in 2022 for allegedly leaking company docs. https://t.co/oyK8qy8RxT
— Kim Zetter (@KimZetter) February 8, 2025
Work from home is very popular. Republicans can keep calling remote workers lazy at their own peril. pic.twitter.com/v3FspKr9Mo
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) February 8, 2025
[Long post, sorry]
For all the noise & confusion, I feel like after the last 2 weeks or so I have a much clearer sense of the rough DOGE game plan that @elonmusk has in mind
I haven't spoken to Musk so I don't know for sure but my impression is the plan is something like:
1/…
— Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) February 8, 2025
RFK Jr enjoying Mar-a-Lago pic.twitter.com/mAQISuY5PS
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) February 8, 2025
Trump posted a creepy AI pic of himself conducting an orchestra.
Trump recently announcing he’s planning on making himself chairman of the Kennedy Center which hosts the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera. pic.twitter.com/QJbtUq62Pu
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) February 8, 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 February 9, 2025 at 08:00
February 8, 2025
Rebecca Minkoff’s RHONY flop may have helped her brand, but didn’t help Scientology
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We got around to watching Rebecca Minkoff’s final appearance on Real Housewives of New York, and wow, was it grim. She’s decided to leave the show, which is probably a good thing. Imagine if the cast had finally figured out how to ask her some real questions about Scientology. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“The cause of ROLLERCOASTER is PTS. Rollercoaster means a slump after a gain. Pcs who do not hold their gains are PTS… Now with the PTS Rundown, the handling of this common and all too frequent case condition can be handled… The recent wrap-up came about through my OT research in November 1971. The principal breakthrough was realizing one should NOT invalidate having known certain people before. This is similar to the past life discovery in 1950. Some people thinking this was ‘unpopular’ frowned on it. Some others were only famous characters so flagrantly that past lives were easily invalidated. But people who don’t go past track in Dianetics don’t recover. Even running them as ‘imaginary’ as in Science of Survival advices suddenly breaks through for a stalled Dianetic Case. In this same way with young men and girls using ‘I knew you when you were…’ for 2D advantage tended to invalidate having known certain individuals before this life. But now it turns out that the ONLY PTS situation that is serious and lasting and can cause a rollercoaster comes from having known the person before this life. Possibly in the last life or earlier lives one knew persons before that life too. This however shows up in the 3 S&Ds.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1974
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THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON
We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.
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THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?
[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH
— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see
[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf
— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones
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“You want to make a Clear Clear. You want to make somebody who won’t have any trouble with the Goals Problem Mass or any trouble with the bank from there on out, and all of his fondest hopes, and so forth. And of course, if you keep doing that in extremis and then straighten out the whole track, and take up all fragments of the Goals Problem Mass in their turn and handle all them, you’ll make an OT. You couldn’t help it. So you probably could make a Dynamic Clear or a Clear Clear, a stable, a very stable Clear by moving straight on through the Goals Problem Mass and getting these valences parked in their proper places on the track so they’re not troubling the pc, and so forth. And he’d stay that way. It’s taken trillennia to get these things assembled into a black sponge. And it’ll take him more trillennia to get them back together again because it’s quite accidental that they remain in that weirdly balanced balance. You mean somebody has got a package that comes from 10 trillion years ago, beautifully poised and balanced against a package that came from 110 trillion years ago, and he’s got a 100 trillion year loop in the Goals Problem Mass. And these two things are opposing each other gorgeously. How does he do it? I ask you. Thetans are skilled, but I never expected them to be that clever. But they actually can do it.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 8, 1962
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“MIMEO FILES FB: DOUG LEWIS is removed as I/C and demoted in the same unit for being unable to handle people and neglecting to study the project or clarify intention. Robert Williamson is restored to Mimeo Files I/C with orders to get the files set up. Doug Lewis, Robert Williamson, Mort Smithberg and Richard Bunnell are affected by this order. It is noted that Smithberg, a speed typist, should never have been assigned to this unit and should be replaced soonest. The project has no typing or stencil cutting duties. Its sole duty is to set up and to file all loose mimeos on the ship NOW, NOW, NOW. I haven’t seen such an enmest mess for a long while!” — The Commodore, February 8, 1971
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“The problem in the indie and Freezone field is an Ethics Situation developing into a catastrophe. The tools are assignment of High Crimes and putting heads on a pike to cool things out and build ethics with gradients.”
2001: Bob Minton reported on the trial of Mark Bunker, accused of trespassing on Scientology property during the filming of two Chicago Scientologists applying for a refund. “Monday a jury was selected and the trial started late in the day with the prosecutor and one of Mark’s attorneys, Denis deVlaming making their opening arguments. Present for Scientology’s mafia-like cult was the former Mafia lawyer for the Gambino’s, now Scientology’s in house legal counsel, Elliott Abelson accompanied by Mary Ann Ahmad, OSA Chicago, Pam Valinski, OSA New York, and 2 OSA Int guys. The morning consisted of the prosecutors case starting with testimony of Mary Ann Ahmad who in typical OSA fashion stumbled and mumbled her way through the events on the night of the incident. During cross-examination by deVlaming Ahmad had some trouble explaining how a notary public could get the date wrong by a month on a document the Scientologists had submitted in the case. The 2 off-duty cops were not credible at all according to the report I got and did not hold up well under cross by Aimen. After that the defense team of deVlaming and Aimen presented the Zizics and Mark Bunker who were all three credible, compelling and believable witnesses. At 3:45 PM Chicago time the defense rested and the prosecutor brought a rebuttal witness. The Judge went through instructions to the jury and at 4:35 Chicago time the jury was charged to decide the case. At 5:00 PM sharp the jury came back and announced a verdict of NOT GUILTY.”
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“Stan Lee, Forrest J Ackerman and Hugh Hefner are the Holy Trinity of my adolescence.”
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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. Appeal brief due by December 23.
— ‘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 February 24, 2025.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, convicted of fraud, awaiting sentencing.
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.
— 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 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.
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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] The Scientology forced-marriage lawsuit has two big issues facing it today and next week
[TWO years ago] After ‘Real Water’ fiasco, Scientology donor and former Nevada legislator files for bankruptcy
[THREE years ago] Scientology intervenes at Danny Masterson hearing, judge refuses to dismiss rape charges
[FOUR years ago] NARCONON SHRINKAGE: Scientology lists only five US locations as ‘Fresh Start’ is removed
[FIVE years ago] War on wogs is hell: A peek inside Scientology right now, and it’s not pretty
[SIX years ago] USC: SCIENTOLOGY FAKED LETTER FROM PROFESSOR TO DISNEY, PROBE OPENED
[SEVEN years ago] David Palter, 1952-2018: Remembering a Scientologist who became a steady critic
[EIGHT years ago] Ron Miscavige on life at Scientology’s secretive Gold Base (and getting thrown in its lake)
[TEN years ago] Ryan Hamilton’s plan to consolidate his lawsuits against Scientology rehabs is denied
[ELEVEN years ago] Jon Atack on Scientology’s methods of ‘thought stopping’
[TWELVE years ago] Scientology’s Atlanta Drug Rehab Buys Its Way Out of Courtroom Nightmare
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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 3,169 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,664 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,179 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,729 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,719 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,105 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,600 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,904 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,775 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,327 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,668 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,235 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,154 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,322 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,904 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,163 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,200 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,916 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,480 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,795 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,970 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,652 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,989 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,843 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,958 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,320 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,729 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,127 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,003 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,568 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,079 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,335 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,443 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 8, 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
Ruling by decree: Q patriots love it, and libturds are losing their minds
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Attacking media & universities. Co-opting industry. Hollowing out the civil service and replacing with loyalists. Stacking courts with partisan judges. Undermining the validity of elections. Encouraging a personality cult. Ruling by decree. Things aren’t looking good for the US.
— Chris Kavanagh (@C_Kavanagh) February 8, 2025
Musk gutting the government with his groyper coder crew while delusional Trump talks about adding new states and assumes artistic control of the Kennedy Center. Everyone is in their proper place.
— Jacob Silverman (@SilvermanJacob) February 7, 2025
Grima pandering to Theoden to reassure him that he’s a great king and is doing his best to Make Rohan Great Again. pic.twitter.com/M912JHfsDF
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) February 7, 2025
Just a reminder that Elon Musk originally backed Ron DeSantis over Trump. pic.twitter.com/HNdxWY2Bcs
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) February 7, 2025
Four government IT employees tell @ibogost and Charlie Warzel that Elon Musk's incursion into the U.S. government may be worse than anyone realizes: “This is the largest data breach and the largest IT security breach in our country’s history." https://t.co/IephjYFRYW
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) February 7, 2025
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING: A federal judge in New York barred Elon Musk and other allies outside the Treasury Department from accessing any sensitive payment records — and ordered any who have received such info to destroy it — until at least Feb. 14.https://t.co/N9JSo0Wun8 pic.twitter.com/d8drg0Y1yN
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) February 8, 2025
Mike Benz, the racist Alt-right YouTuber & brains behind the Censorship Industrial Complex got paid $253,889 by a dark money Republican group in 2023 — now his conspiracy theories are informing — or justifying — Elon Musk’s anti-USAID crusade. https://t.co/MAGQDGUIt1
— Brandy Zadrozny (@BrandyZadrozny) February 7, 2025
"I'm a free speech absolutist who thinks reporters should be fired for discovering unflattering information about public officials" pic.twitter.com/h2D0VArSC6
— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) February 7, 2025
Wielding the power of the state to intimidate news agencies against reporting on the government's illegal abuses of power is literal authoritarianism. I'm not speaking figuratively, I'm not calling it a warning sign. It's authoritarianism. It's here. pic.twitter.com/e6Qf6PHyl0
— Max Fisher (@Max_Fisher) February 7, 2025
Some question the usefulness of AI image generation. But honestly it’s nice that right wingers are using it to create pictures of the libs in their imagination. It’s honestly preferable to them fueling their rage by spreading and mocking pictures of real people. https://t.co/EE7Tl27VJe
— Travis View (@travis_view) February 7, 2025
Kanye West continues to imply he slept with Ivanka https://t.co/NSwRrvnl4y pic.twitter.com/AnvIJQJktU
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) February 8, 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 February 8, 2025 at 08:00
February 7, 2025
Surely this is the video that will get you to join Scientology staff, slacker!
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We know, based on numerous lines of evidence, that the Church of Scientology is having a tough time staffing its many ‘Ideal Orgs’ around the country. But that doesn’t keep them from trying! We want your thoughts about this new recruitment video. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“The Vital Information Rundown HCO B 6 Oct 74 is the remedy for the dramatization of withholds. Train your Auditors on it thoroughly and get it delivered where you are having this problem. If you don’t have any Auditors to deliver it or no one to train them you have already been hit by this dramatization. Your only hope is to get an Auditor and train him and get it delivered. YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION IS TO OPEN UP YOUR VITAL INFORMATION LINES NOW. Look over your org and see if this mechanism has affected your operation. Don’t tolerate it. Expose it and relay the vital information.
DON’T PERMIT THE DRAMATIZATION OF WITHHOLDS TO BLOCK THE FLOW OF VITAL INFORMATION. Your survival depends on it.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1974
——————–
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
——————–
“Evidently, it’s practically an affront not to be able to find out about something. Any time you want to go around wearing a bath towel with a Woolworth diamond on it and be a swami reading people’s minds, also take out a large insurance policy and get your burial arrangements straight. It’s probably why they hung Christ, if they did. That’s right. That’s right. If he was the Son of God, he should have been able to find out about all the orthodox malpractices. And he didn’t. And they hung him. They didn’t hung him. They crucified him. Common practice of the day. If he existed. It isn’t true that he led a good life, so they crucified him. You see, that wouldn’t be the right story. He should have found out about ’em and he didn’t, so you see they had to crucify him and that’s just about the way it would be. Now, if you go around telling everybody you can read their minds — I know this might get you lots of PCs for a little while — be sure at the same time that you go down to the Bide-a-Wee Cemetery and get yourself a nice quiet lot because probably you won’t have time a little while later. It’s very hard to buy a lot when you haven’t got a body to pull money out of the pockets of. But that’s about how it is, you see?” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 7, 1962
——————–
“The rule that blown SO members may not work in orgs is now being fully enforced. This affects Durban and Asho. CS-1 should advise these and other orgs. Franchises employing them are instantly indebted $5000 to the SO for VIIIs and other sums for other training. One special permission exists for Chris Stevens on petition to work in Tech only in JBG org. SO members who do not return from leave are classified as blown. It is interesting that freeloader org and SO billings are paid when billed. It gives an avenue of conscience money. It is actually very cruel not to provide an avenue for redress of wrongs. But freeloader billings have to be billed regularly.” — The Commodore, February 7, 1971
——————–
“Very seldom have I seen a couple ‘significance’ their way back to a sane 2D once it has broken down. No matter how many Dr. Phil shows are watched, Cosmopolitan magazines are pored over, or deep, endless analysis sessions of how nuts the other is with friends and family, it takes Scientology marriage counseling to as-is the mental masses and the crazy think embedded in them. Suddenly the ‘loved one’ that was being described in Satanical terms is now an angel who can do no wrong after the auditing.”
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
——————–
2000: Gottfried Helnwein has decided to drop further court actions against statements made in the media that he is a Scientologist. From a press release: “On appeal by the accused, the judgment of the first specification was confirmed by Frankfurt Superior State Court, but the other three specifications were overturned and withdrawn. To Mr. Helnwein’s Constitutional grievance which he filed against this de cision, the first Senate of the Federal Constitutional Court, with a decision on 10 Nov 1998, case number: 1 8 VR 1531/98, overturned the decision of the Frankfurt Superior State Court based on transgression of basic rights and referred it back for a new hearing. Since Mr. Helnwein has not lived in Germany since the end of 1997 and lives with his family and works alternately between Ireland, New York and Italy, the nearly 6 year old proceeding has since lost meaning and purpose for him. He is now dedicating himself exclusively to his artistic work and is preparing several international museum exhibits which require his entire concentration and work ability.”
——————–
“The 49ers sucked so bad I was forced to turn to punk rock and hard drugs for entertainment. It’s all John Brodie and Scientology’s fault.”
——————–
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. Appeal brief due by December 23.
— ‘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 February 24, 2025.
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.
— 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 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.
——————–
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] Chris Shelton marks a Scientology milestone, and reveals something about himself
[TWO years ago] VIDEO: Scientology begs for staff in Chicago as it prepares to go ‘ideal’ — as soon as Saturday?
[THREE years ago] Scientology will be central in tomorrow’s Danny Masterson rape case hearing
[FOUR years ago] Here’s Scientology’s 2021 Super Bowl ad: A pandemic-flavored ‘mystery sandwich’
[FIVE years ago] Scientology will try to force Jane Doe in Miami child abuse case into ‘religious arbitration’
[SIX years ago] Scientology’s social media effort tries so hard to distract you from what’s really going on
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology officials from around the globe called to Florida for news of ‘Scientology TV’
[EIGHT years ago] Great moments in Scientology journalism: When Alex Mitchell blew the lid off ‘Babalon Working’
[NINE years ago] Yes, that was a Scientology ad you saw during the Super Bowl. Here’s what’s in it.
[TEN years ago] An L. Ron Hubbard island fantasy: The Scientology daydream you haven’t heard
[ELEVEN years ago] REPORT: Man was hired to keep Shelly Miscavige from escaping Scientology base near L.A.
[TWELVE years ago] Jenna Miscavige Hill Continues Her Media Blitz; More Scientology News in Thursday Roundup
——————–
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 3,168 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,663 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,178 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,728 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,718 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,104 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,599 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,903 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,774 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,326 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,667 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,234 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,153 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,321 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,903 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,162 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,199 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,915 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,479 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,794 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,969 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,651 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,988 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,842 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,957 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,319 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,728 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,126 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,002 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,567 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,078 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,334 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,442 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 7, 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 chaos being held back (a little) by judiciary — but for how long?
Some links to Q-related items today
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The second federal judge in two days blocks President Trump's birthright citizenship order. https://t.co/HrEngd9VVY
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 6, 2025
I am starting to suspect that the identities of the DOGE staff are newsworthy. pic.twitter.com/xoGmQfftdC
— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) February 6, 2025
SCOOP: The US Treasury claimed a DOGE's Marco Elez didn’t have ‘write access,’ when he actually did. Sources tell WIRED that his ability to alter code controlling trillions in federal spending was rescinded, days after officials said it didn't exist. https://t.co/O2yAsi4Yws
— WIRED (@WIRED) February 6, 2025
This viral thread by a QAnon promoter has over 10 million views, huge engagenemt and no community note.
But it's total nonsense. The thread is copied from a fake E! News video created by a Russian influence operation that imitates major news outlets to disparage Ukraine. https://t.co/9zjCfS7K4U
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) February 6, 2025
Donald Trump Jr has also shared this fake E! News video about USAID, which is the work of a well-known Russian influence operation that creates fake videos of major news outlets to disparage Ukraine.
This fake video now has more than 8 million views on X. https://t.co/zQwbU6NlWd pic.twitter.com/zyfy5YUaMr
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) February 6, 2025
Prosecutors and FBI agents who worked on Jan. 6 cases are facing increasingly violent threats, and getting little support from the Administration.
“We don't think they'll care — unless and until one of us gets killed,” one DOJ official told me.
— Tom Dreisbach (@TomDreisbach) February 6, 2025
Matthew Coleman, QAnon dad charged with slaughtering his kids, is ‘nearly incomprehensible’ behind bars as trial reaches deadline https://t.co/QiT2M5wG1D pic.twitter.com/1vNVkmSOlO
— New York Post (@nypost) February 6, 2025
Trump: Tommy Tuberville, a great coach. You know, his quarterback was named Mahomes, he was a great college coach.
Tuberville: I recruited him.. I got to be very good friends with him
Mahomes: He did not recruit me at the time. I don't remember if I ever got to meet him or not. pic.twitter.com/SlvVMqw5f6
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 6, 2025
He was this incoherent on the campaign trail and nobody cared. He stood on stage for a half hour and swayed to music and ABC news says you were a partisan hack if you thought that was weird. The media and Trump hate each other as much as John Cena and The Rock hate each other. https://t.co/vbHkFnA02K
— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) February 6, 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 February 7, 2025 at 08:00
February 6, 2025
A new Scientology ‘success’ makes miracle claims we’re not used to seeing
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Alex Barnes-Ross sent us a mailer from Scientology’s UK headquarters featuring a woman who has attained the state of ‘Clear.’ But this one was a little different. It makes healing claims about a disabled person we’re not so used to seeing from Scientology. We want your thoughts. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“There are probably as many different ways to dramatize withholds as there are people who do it. You should know of the main ones I’ve come across lately. First is a failure to relay. This can be simply not routing on a mail pack or dispatch, not sending out the org’s letters or mailings, backlogging Mimeo so new issues don’t get seen, having poor tape recorders in the Academy or simply refusing to train or process public and staff.
A deadly one is losing tech personnel or not recruiting them. That way nobody is there to relay the Tech to the students and pcs. A few orgs are very busy doing that one. Never making the Auditors and C/Ses and Supervisors do their daily TRs, High Crimes and training is another one. It denies the tech people data they need and also denies Standard Tech to the public especially in terms of results on pcs. Not Hatting or Cramming staff is another one. So is falsifying stats, not promoting, failure to sell training, not calling paid up public in for service, not reporting what is happening in the org. When you see this happening WATCH OUT. Someone is dramatizing withholds and withholding vital information. The worst example of course would be not to have an org there at all.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1974
——————–
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
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“I happen to be a nuclear physicist. I am not a psychologist nor a psychiatrist nor a medical doctor. To some degree, it was my responsibility that this world got itself an atom bomb, because there were only a handful of nuclear physicists in the thirties — only a handful. And we were all beating the desk and saying ‘How wonderful it will be if we discover atomic fission,’ because we decided that the thing to do with atomic fission was to go out and discover the stars, to make big passenger liners that would go ten times around the world on the same fuel. This was what we endeavored to do with atomic fission. The government stepped in and gave us three billion dollars. I had nothing to do with that program; I would not have had anything to do with the program. Three billion dollars to destroy all of man.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 6, 1952
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“If your parents or friends are the kind who worry about you, BE SURE AND WRITE THEM AN AIRMAIL LETTER regularly. Otherwise they give us DEV T by asking the government to check up on you to see if you’re all right. If uncertain about it, write them anyway. Also, if you haven’t written your family recently do so anyway. Otherwise they’ll think Scn put you OUT of communication. You can mail the letter straight from here.” — The Commodore, February 6, 1969
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“Over the millenniums, thousands of religions, philosophies and mental therapies have been dissecting, explaining and advising us crazy critters — enough to fill libraries. Of the ones I’ve read, many have been interesting, some brilliant, insightful and helpful. And some destructive and others downright weird and incomprehensible (would someone please explain Deconstructivism?) However, NONE of these have gotten rid of the reactive mind, much less as-ised one lousy, bothersome mental image picture. That is until L. Ron Hubbard came along. In order to really fully understand and help a being, both mass and significance have to be understood.”
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
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1999: The Associated Press reported this week that Heber Jentzsch, president of the Church of Scientology International, predicts growth and acceptance in Europe. “The Los Angeles-based church created by late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard has been persistent in attempts to become recognized as a legitimate religion, said the Rev. Heber Jentzsch, president of Church of Scientology International. ‘There is a shift,’ he said. ‘Scientology has become visible. It will happen in the next five years, maybe 10 years. It’s not been easy. But we never thought of withdrawing,’ Jentzsch said from the church’s European headquarters in Copenhagen. ‘Any new religion any new ideas will be fought. There is an old guard that is threatened by anything that is new.’ Jentzsch said much of the problem stems from misinformation that remains from U.S. investigations into the church in the 1960s and 1970s. He also rejected reports that people who want to leave the church are harassed.”
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“If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have tried even harder to destroy myself.”
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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. Appeal brief due by December 23.
— ‘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 February 24, 2025.
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.
— 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 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.
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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] Judge Hammock to rule today that RTC will remain in Leah Remini’s Scientology lawsuit
[TWO years ago] That time Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard bitched to followers about his income
[THREE years ago] Shekter: How Scientology intervened in an intimate affair of the heart
[FOUR years ago] VIDEO: Jon Atack talks to Mike Rinder about his first months aboard Scientology’s ‘Apollo’
[FIVE years ago] Scientology OT8 dentist closes office while patients confront him about their cash
[SIX years ago] Scientology TV wins a boatload of awards, and is the ‘fastest-growing TV network in history’!
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology spies coming forward to spill their guts, then and now: A key example from the past
[EIGHT years ago] L. Ron Hubbard’s daughter — the one he wanted to disappear — surfaces online
[NINE years ago] ‘Are you 100 percent American?’ — ‘Ross & Carrie’ investigate joining Scientology
[TEN years ago] Scientology vs. the mayor: The full Gabe Cazares interview from 1997’s Secret Lives
[ELEVEN years ago] The BBC’s John Sweeney gives us another glimpse of creepy Scientology intimidation
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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 3,167 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,662 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,177 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,727 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,717 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,103 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,598 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,902 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,773 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,325 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,666 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,233 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,152 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,320 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,902 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,161 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,198 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,914 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,478 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,793 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,968 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,650 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,987 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,841 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,956 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,318 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,727 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,125 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,001 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,566 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,077 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,333 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,441 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 6, 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
The Color Out of Spite: Fascism can be hard to explain, but racism isn’t
Yesterday, our old friend Roy Edroso posted yet another brilliant political essay at his Substack, “Roy Edroso Breaks It Down,” that captures the moment we’re living through. He generously gave us permission to repost the article here, and we highly suggest you get on his mailing list.
The state of the national government being what is, you may not want to hear anybody’s analysis or “take” or anything else about it. I can’t blame you.
Let me say, though, that I’m not here to exponentiate your dread. I really believe all that old mush about the future being unwritten; history is full of surprises and, ours being a relatively enlightened age overall, we have resources that may help us climb out of this tailspin. So this perspective, like others I’ve offered, may contain unpleasant facts, but the clarity I hope it offers may come in handy as we try to get level.
I guess you’ve noticed that, after a long period of denial, when we say that Tubby and his movement are fascists we’re not hearing a lot of indignant dissension anymore from anyone whose paycheck doesn’t count on pretending otherwise. Now that Trump and his minions are shutting down government agencies and payments and daring anyone to stop them, all the “sparkling authoritarianism” jokes have pretty much lost their savor. If it ain’t exactly Hitler or Mussolini or Franco, it’s in the same ballpark, and when we survive this onslaught we’ll be comparing the Trump variant to theirs.
Now that it’s a given, it’s worth asking what we mean by it. I’m not going to run the full checklist, but all the greatest hits — contempt for consent of the governed, plainly illegal actions as policy, weaponized scapegoating, strongman politics etc. — are there for all to see.
Each fash variant has its own signature features, but there’s plenty of overlap. Trump, like the Nazis, flouts law and democracy, uses Dolchstoßlegende to countervail reason and justify his excesses, etc.
Also they’re all bigots. We know the Nazis punished other out-groups but their crowning achievement in that regard was their antisemitism — they took that ignoble centuries-old European tradition, one always ripe for exploitation, and really perfected it.
Are Trump and his crew antisemites? I’m sure some of them are. But remember, like the Nazis they’re really focused on leveraging hatreds that are popular and potent in their own time and place. Jews are a little further down the list this time.
We all know who’s at the top.
I don’t think anyone besides Prestige Press editors is confused by the whole DEI thing, and if you didn’t see that long before Trump blamed it for the Reagan Airport crash, you just ain’t looking.
We know Trump’s racist history. We also know, from simple observation and the political theories of Lee Atwater, the importance of racism to the Republican Party since the Southern Strategy era. For years both Trump and the GOP relied on dog whistles to put it over, but the synthesis reaction of their union, plus Trump’s disinhibition owing to his lame duck status, senility, and Trump v. U.S., has made it a lot louder.
Thus, the absurd Trump DEI purges, not only of public employees in DEI-specific roles but also people who attended diversity training; thus, the pressure on private employers to do likewise, which has already led several of them to drop their diversity programs; thus, the ominous hit lists.
Thus, also, Trump’s weird insistence (well, maybe not so weird, considering his alliance with Elon Musk) that post-apartheid South Africa has been “treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY” and threats to cut off their U.S. funding. Of course, we expect their funding will be cut anyway as Trump is fully at war with USAID — which gives life-saving support to a lot of non-white people around the world — and has charged his SOS lickspittle Marco Rubio with killing the foreign aid program entirely.
The Trump tone has been carried forward by his minions outside the government. Musk’s racist ravings are well known. And his fellow broligarch Marc Andreesen’s firm has just hired a new analyst: Daniel Penny, whose primary qualification is having famously murdered an unarmed black man in the New York City subway.
We can roll Trump’s too-obvious-for-remark hatred of brown people up with his hatred of black people — the main thing for him and his minions is that they’re not white. He exploits misogyny and gender panic, too — basically, anyone outside the white-cis-male in-group.
But the color marker is his most effective weapon, for a lot of reasons but mainly because the Civil Rights movement and its victories in the mid-20th Century have been his grudge for years — and he knows that not only a bunch of other honkies, but also, really, the whole conservative movement, feel it as least as keenly as he does, and that’s why he calls to them.
They’re living proof of the saying about the privileged experiencing equality as oppression, and now, at the height of their powers, they see their chance to reverse it all, to make white supremacy not only the implicit but the explicit law of the land. You can not only see it, you can feel it — that shiver of sudden disinhibition behind all these boldly corrupt acts:
Here’s why this is important to note: You may have, for obvious reasons, a reduced opinion of many of your fellow Americans since the last election, and of the whole American project. But I know, and I think you know, too, that most of them do not feel the same way the sick people running our government do. They may not understand separation of powers or federal procurement laws or tariffs. And some of them have some attitudes that fancy folks like us would consider retrograde. But they are not down for this. And when they see it, especially as it gets more obvious (because the fascists can’t restrain themselves), the situation may become as clear to them as it is to us. That’s grounds for hope.
— Roy Edroso
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 February 6, 2025 at 08:00
February 5, 2025
‘Tired of Priscilla Presley’s version,’ Brigitte Kruse to reveal the truth ‘about everything’
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Brigitte Kruse and Priscilla Presley are suing each other in Florida and California, and Brigitte has been the subject of a campaign, she says, to destroy her reputation. She tells us It’s time to set the record straight. And not with rumors or allegations. But with receipts. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“Vital information is vital because survival depends on it. Examples include: HCO Bs, HCO PLs, books, tapes, course checksheets and packs, hats, OEC Volumes, LRH EDs and FOs and other issues, Flag programs and EDs, stats, weekly reports, compliance reports, situation reports, CSWs, evals, even dispatches that contain important information that must be known. Also, an org requires other vital data like accurate C/F and Addresso’s, up-to-date files, broad, hard-sell promotion and magazines, accurate accounts files and records, monthly statements, tech data that gives pc and student results, Word Clearing and Cramming results, a Qual Library, broad public dissemination and promotion to name a few. Data that is VITAL must be relayed, must be made known without alteris or barriers. You can’t survive without it.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1974
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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.
——————–
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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“I don’t say that you could walk up to the tomb of Alexander and bring Alexander back into the tomb and have him knock the dust together again and resurrect. See, I don’t say that you could do this. But I don’t say you can’t.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 5, 1957
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“The demands for books to meet increased org activity generated by the FEBCs returning is a subject of concern. Pubs Org fell low in income after mid-1970 and has not recovered and is travelling at a non-viable level now reflected in its crossed Cash-Bills. Non E has been assigned with a Liability Condition in the offering and a general rocket has been set. A strong US center is being urged by me, an order not fully carried out a long time ago. Measures will have to be taken. Eval in Data Bureau should get to work on its WHY. There was a spectacular stat change in mid 1970 after which no recovery.” — The Commodore, February 5, 1971
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“The risk we are running now is dispersal and distances. All around the planet there are many people who want to do something. But there should be focus points so that those people get contacted and into communication. We have had very bad examples of that in the past. Insanity reigned. I believe now we have the chance and freedom to do it right. This is the ultimate test. There is nothing impeding us anymore. We are many and we are more sane now. On top of it there is no Suppressive over us. We have to just organize this in the fullest sense of the meaning. Organization is not bad. For some, it got a bad name because of Miscavige. But those did not know their LRH on Organization. Organizing is a beautiful thing and it helps human beings regain their pride. Being on one’s own is just effort and there is no pride there except for the insane: ‘Look, I am doing it all by my own.’ LRH was sane enough to understand that the forward progress of Scientology depends on sane organizations applying and promoting the Tech.”
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1998: The St. Petersburg Times carried a story this week on the suicide of Scientologist Patrice Vic and the trial in which Scientologists were convicted in relation to his death. “Mrs. Vic blames her husband’s death on the Church of Scientology; the church’s top official in Lyon badgered her husband to come up with $6,000 to take more Scientology counseling. Jean-Jacques Mazier, the Scientology official, was convicted of manslaughter and fraud in Vic’s death. The French court also ruled that Scientology was pressuring members for money that wound up in Clearwater, where the church maintains its spiritual headquarters. The charges against Mazier and several other Scientologists centered on the way they pressured prospective members who needed help. Testimony also described foreign bank accounts that were used to send money to Clearwater, where it paid for training of high-level Scientology officials. On the day before her husband’s death, Mrs. Vic testified, Mazier came to their home in Lyon and urged her to sign loan papers for the money. She said her husband became highly agitated, paced the house and went to the Scientology center in Lyon instead of going to his job as an industrial designer. After spending a day with Mazier and failing to convince his wife to help obtain the loan, Vic returned home looking for papers so he could apply for the loan by himself, Mrs. Vic said. ‘He was just coming in and out, very agitated,’ she said. ‘He kept getting up out of bed, he was unable to sleep.’ At 5 a.m. as she tried to stop him, Vic dashed toward the window in the room where their two sons were sleeping. ‘He said ‘Don’t keep me, it’s the only solution,’ and he went through the window, she told the Times. Patrice Vic was 31.”
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“The one thing that LRH and DM have elevated to a fine art is cheapness. I heard stories about J. Paul Getty when I was a kid and he had nothing on these guys.”
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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. Appeal brief due by December 23.
— ‘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 February 24, 2025.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, convicted of fraud, awaiting sentencing.
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 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.
——————–
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] The Guardian’s expose of Narconon is great — except for this puzzling issue
[TWO years ago] VIDEO: This is what you really want out of Scientology, right? Super Power!
[FOUR years ago] Judge to Valerie Haney: You need to get this Scientology ‘arbitration’ underway
[FIVE years ago] Scientology provides all the proof you need that Narconon is more than ‘tied’ to it
[SIX years ago] Tonight, Leah Remini looks at Scientology’s ultimate prize: The protections of tax exemption
[SEVEN years ago] Best reactions to last night’s Scientology Super Bowl ad, which asked, ‘Curious?’
[EIGHT years ago] Hey, Scientology, this guy doesn’t want to shill for you — what gives?
[NINE years ago] Scientology is the bomb diggety, and here’s proof, starring Leah Remini’s husband!
[TEN years ago] SCIENTOLOGY DENIED: Australia’s only Narconon rehab center loses zoning fight
[ELEVEN years ago] The secret of everything? It’s time for Scientology’s Original Operating Thetan Level Five!
[TWELVE years ago] Jenna Miscavige Hill on her Uncle, Scientology’s Leader: A Bully Too Afraid to Show His Face
——————–
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 3,166 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,661 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,176 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,726 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,716 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,102 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,597 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,901 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,772 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,324 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,665 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,232 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,151 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,319 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,901 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,160 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,197 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,913 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,477 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,792 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,967 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,649 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,986 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,840 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,955 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,317 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,726 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,124 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,000 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,565 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,076 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,332 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,440 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 5, 2025 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2023 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2023), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
‘Tired of Priscilla Presley’s lies,’ Brigitte Kruse to reveal the truth ‘about everything’
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Brigitte Kruse and Priscilla Presley are suing each other in Florida and California, and Brigitte has been the subject of a campaign, she says, to destroy her reputation. She tells us It’s time to set the record straight. And not with rumors or allegations. But with receipts. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“Vital information is vital because survival depends on it. Examples include: HCO Bs, HCO PLs, books, tapes, course checksheets and packs, hats, OEC Volumes, LRH EDs and FOs and other issues, Flag programs and EDs, stats, weekly reports, compliance reports, situation reports, CSWs, evals, even dispatches that contain important information that must be known. Also, an org requires other vital data like accurate C/F and Addresso’s, up-to-date files, broad, hard-sell promotion and magazines, accurate accounts files and records, monthly statements, tech data that gives pc and student results, Word Clearing and Cramming results, a Qual Library, broad public dissemination and promotion to name a few. Data that is VITAL must be relayed, must be made known without alteris or barriers. You can’t survive without it.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1974
——————–
THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON
We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.
——————–
THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?
[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH
— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see
[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf
— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond
[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
——————–
“I don’t say that you could walk up to the tomb of Alexander and bring Alexander back into the tomb and have him knock the dust together again and resurrect. See, I don’t say that you could do this. But I don’t say you can’t.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 5, 1957
——————–
“The demands for books to meet increased org activity generated by the FEBCs returning is a subject of concern. Pubs Org fell low in income after mid-1970 and has not recovered and is travelling at a non-viable level now reflected in its crossed Cash-Bills. Non E has been assigned with a Liability Condition in the offering and a general rocket has been set. A strong US center is being urged by me, an order not fully carried out a long time ago. Measures will have to be taken. Eval in Data Bureau should get to work on its WHY. There was a spectacular stat change in mid 1970 after which no recovery.” — The Commodore, February 5, 1971
——————–
“The risk we are running now is dispersal and distances. All around the planet there are many people who want to do something. But there should be focus points so that those people get contacted and into communication. We have had very bad examples of that in the past. Insanity reigned. I believe now we have the chance and freedom to do it right. This is the ultimate test. There is nothing impeding us anymore. We are many and we are more sane now. On top of it there is no Suppressive over us. We have to just organize this in the fullest sense of the meaning. Organization is not bad. For some, it got a bad name because of Miscavige. But those did not know their LRH on Organization. Organizing is a beautiful thing and it helps human beings regain their pride. Being on one’s own is just effort and there is no pride there except for the insane: ‘Look, I am doing it all by my own.’ LRH was sane enough to understand that the forward progress of Scientology depends on sane organizations applying and promoting the Tech.”
——————–
1998: The St. Petersburg Times carried a story this week on the suicide of Scientologist Patrice Vic and the trial in which Scientologists were convicted in relation to his death. “Mrs. Vic blames her husband’s death on the Church of Scientology; the church’s top official in Lyon badgered her husband to come up with $6,000 to take more Scientology counseling. Jean-Jacques Mazier, the Scientology official, was convicted of manslaughter and fraud in Vic’s death. The French court also ruled that Scientology was pressuring members for money that wound up in Clearwater, where the church maintains its spiritual headquarters. The charges against Mazier and several other Scientologists centered on the way they pressured prospective members who needed help. Testimony also described foreign bank accounts that were used to send money to Clearwater, where it paid for training of high-level Scientology officials. On the day before her husband’s death, Mrs. Vic testified, Mazier came to their home in Lyon and urged her to sign loan papers for the money. She said her husband became highly agitated, paced the house and went to the Scientology center in Lyon instead of going to his job as an industrial designer. After spending a day with Mazier and failing to convince his wife to help obtain the loan, Vic returned home looking for papers so he could apply for the loan by himself, Mrs. Vic said. ‘He was just coming in and out, very agitated,’ she said. ‘He kept getting up out of bed, he was unable to sleep.’ At 5 a.m. as she tried to stop him, Vic dashed toward the window in the room where their two sons were sleeping. ‘He said ‘Don’t keep me, it’s the only solution,’ and he went through the window, she told the Times. Patrice Vic was 31.”
——————–
“The one thing that LRH and DM have elevated to a fine art is cheapness. I heard stories about J. Paul Getty when I was a kid and he had nothing on these guys.”
——————–
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. Appeal brief due by December 23.
— ‘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 February 24, 2025.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, convicted of fraud, awaiting sentencing.
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 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.
——————–
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] The Guardian’s expose of Narconon is great — except for this puzzling issue
[TWO years ago] VIDEO: This is what you really want out of Scientology, right? Super Power!
[FOUR years ago] Judge to Valerie Haney: You need to get this Scientology ‘arbitration’ underway
[FIVE years ago] Scientology provides all the proof you need that Narconon is more than ‘tied’ to it
[SIX years ago] Tonight, Leah Remini looks at Scientology’s ultimate prize: The protections of tax exemption
[SEVEN years ago] Best reactions to last night’s Scientology Super Bowl ad, which asked, ‘Curious?’
[EIGHT years ago] Hey, Scientology, this guy doesn’t want to shill for you — what gives?
[NINE years ago] Scientology is the bomb diggety, and here’s proof, starring Leah Remini’s husband!
[TEN years ago] SCIENTOLOGY DENIED: Australia’s only Narconon rehab center loses zoning fight
[ELEVEN years ago] The secret of everything? It’s time for Scientology’s Original Operating Thetan Level Five!
[TWELVE years ago] Jenna Miscavige Hill on her Uncle, Scientology’s Leader: A Bully Too Afraid to Show His Face
——————–
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 3,166 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 3,661 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,176 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,726 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,716 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,102 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,597 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,901 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,772 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,324 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,665 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,232 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,151 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,319 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,901 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,160 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 4,197 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,913 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,477 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,792 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,967 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,649 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,986 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,840 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,955 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,317 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,726 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,124 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,000 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,565 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,076 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,332 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,440 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 5, 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
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