Leah Remini is suing the Church of Scientology and its leader David Miscavige, claiming she has been “stalked, surveilled, harassed, threatened, intimidated” and the victim of “intentional malicious and fraudulent rumors.”
Remini filed the lawsuit Wednesday, just days before a pre-sentencing hearing for convicted rapist and prominent Scientologist Danny Masterson.
“For 17 years, Scientology and David Miscavige have subjected me to what I believe to be psychological torture, defamation, surveillance, harassment, and intimidation, significantly impacting my life and career. I believe I am not the first person targeted by Scientology and its operations, but I intend to be the last,” the actress said in a press release shared on her Instagram.
In the 60-page document, Remini made several claims the Church of Scientology intentionally targeted her and invaded her privacy since she publicly left in 2013, though “coordinated campaigns against Remini” actually began in 2006 while she was still in the Church.
The press release takes aim at Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs (OSA), which allegedly monitors Scientologists and people outside of the religion who have been deemed an “enemy” of the religion. The practice, “series of directives,” date back to Scientology’s founder L. Ron Hubbard.
According to the lawsuit, Remini has been attacked by “OSA and its operatives” ever since she publicly left the religion. Their intentions have been to “totally restrain and muzzle,” “obliterate,” and “ruin utterly” the actress.
The lawsuit alleges Remini has been the “victim of intentional malicious and fraudulent rumors via hundreds of Scientology-controlled and -coordinated social media accounts that exist solely to intimidate and spread misinformation. Scientology has elevated the reach of some of these posts by using its tax-exempt funds to pay social media companies like Twitter to ‘promote’ these posts.”
“Defendants have also incessantly harassed, threatened, intimidated, and embarrassed Ms. Remini’s family members, friends, colleagues, and business associates, causing her to lose personal relationships, business contracts, and other business opportunities.”
“For instance, since 2017, @standmonitor, created and run by Defendants, has posted thousands of malicious and harassing tweets about Ms. Remini. In March 2023 alone, they have posted over 247 tweets aimed at Ms. Remini, includes dozens of photoshopped images of Ms. Remini in “I love rapists” apparel with similar fraudulent messages purporting to show Ms. Remini’s support of rapists under the hashtag, #ReminiLovesRapists.”
In addition to detailing the different forms of harassment, Remini alleged she was ordered to go to the Flag Land Base building (known as FLAG) in Clearwater, FL after she questioned Shelly Miscavige’s whereabouts at Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ wedding.
The actress was forced to “undergo a quick ‘ethics cycle,’” which as a Scientologist was her “life’s worst nightmares.”
“Upon arrival, Ms. Remini was presented with dozens of internal reports from Scientologists complaining about her behavior at the wedding. It was clear to Ms. Remini that she was being punished for asking where Shelly Miscavige was and for filing reports on David Miscavige and others. Ms. Remini was held at FLAG for four months while she was put through a process that cost her hundreds of thousands of dollars and nearly led her to have a psychotic breakdown.”
Ultimately she gave in and rescinded her reports and admitted she was the problem in the situation. She returned to Los Angeles and “was forced to lie to her colleagues, friends, and family about what happened while she was in Florida.”
“With this lawsuit, I hope to protect the rights afforded to them and me by the Constitution of the United States to speak the truth and report the facts about Scientology without fear of vicious and vindictive retribution, of which most have no way to fight back.”
READ MORE:
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- Kevin James lost more than 80 lbs after inspiring weight-loss journey
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