New Yorker's Scientology Investigation [+video]

Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology ~ The New Yorker’s massive, 26-page article-geddon on Scientology came out yesterday, and it discloses, among other things, that the FBI has been investigating the church on suspicion of human trafficking for more than a year.(see tampabay's truth rundown series)

But AOLNews (yeah, I know),was told by a federal law enforcement source "the investigation has fallen short and no criminal charges are expected to be filed." Course, I take that with a gain of salt, because source is unnamed (and AOL is the new kid on the block, trying to make a name for themselves).

Over at newser.com, a nice synopsis of what the New Yorker article covers is listed:

• The FBI has been investigating allegations of abuse by David Miscavige—L. Ron Hubbard’s protégé, Tom Cruise’s best man, and the church’s current leader—since at least December 2009. Many former members of Scientology’s religious order, Sea Org, show signs that they may have been the victims of human trafficking or enslavement.

• At Gold Base, the California desert center where leader David Miscavige has an office, church leaders are expected to “instill aggressive, even violent, discipline,” and physical force was sometimes used to “bring escapees back,” Wright writes. One ex-Scientologist gives an example of one punishment: getting sent to the “Hole,” two double-wide trailers where 80 to 100 people were confined and forced to “do group confessions all day and all night.” Another recalls being beaten by Miscavige five times, and says he didn’t report the incidents because Miscavige “holds the power of eternal life and death over you.”

• Sea Org members are sometimes recruited as young children, who sign billion-year contracts to serve the church; some have alleged being cut off from their families and forced to do manual labor—for $50 a week, which can be docked to as low as $13 for infractions. Members who fail can be sent to what Wright describes as “punitive re-education camps."

• The FBI is also investigating Miscavige’s swanky lifestyle. As the head of a tax-exempt organization, he is barred from enjoying “unusual perks or compensation,” but he has been given a $70,000 superbike, flies on chartered jets, wears custom-made shoes, has chefs and stewards, and basically lives like a celebrity.

NBC Today: Scientology Secrets Report
Matt Lauer of the Today Show interviews Lawrence Wright about human rights allegations by the Church of Scientology, including human trafficking and physical abuse by Church leader David Miscavige. Lawrence Wright and the New Yorker confirm that the FBI is investigating this controversial church.



WXYB/The Edge: victim of human trafficking interview
Tom Smith, producer of The Edge, interviews a recent victim of human trafficking, who is now living in hiding inside the state of Florida.[1 hour][source:WWP]



Archive: Scientology, Gaming The System (888)
Discovered by Anonymous in 2008, several high level managers within the Church of Scientology were working within the United Kingdom without the appropriate work permits. They were effectively working and living in the country as illegal immigrants. Information obtained by Anonymous strongly suggests that a scheme to attempt to circumvent the work permit requirements of the United Kingdom had been used on a regular basis. The source of this information was documentation that was carelessly discarded by a law firm retained by the Church of Scientology in the UK.