Leah and I are always working when it comes to advocating for victims of Scientology, whether we are vocal it about it or not. As you know Leah has focused on Shelly because she knew Shelly so well and took a stand while she was still in as well as when she got out of scientology — including filing a missing person’s report with the LAPD that they brushed under the carpet.
Journalist Yashar Ali did an incredible piece of reporting on this story recently. Important: Where’s Shelly? NEW Reporting
And following up on this work, he has come up with more invaluable information.
We have been asking for family members to come forward to help those we had to leave behind. But we can’t do it alone. Law enforcement needs you to come forward for your family members.
Leah and I want to pass on to you the latest information that Yashar discovered. It’s important to get this out to as many people as possible, and though the specifics here address the laws in California, the concept is applicable anywhere.
I want to take a moment to thank Yashar for being a tireless advocate for the victims of scientology. He has no dog in this fight, he was never a scientologist, yet he puts himself in the firing line because he cares about those being abused.
This is what Yashar found and forwarded:
Shelly is 62 years old now, which means in California, she is considered an elder (“an elder is any person residing in the State of California who is 60 years of age”); this means she can become the subject of an adult protective services investigation for elder abuse.
In Shelly’s case, we know she is being isolated which is against the law in California.
This investigation would be conducted by the Adult Protective Services Department in San Bernardino County, and they would have strong investigative powers to look into how Shelly is being isolated.
Additionally, the party that files the report has the right to be entirely anonymous or just anonymous from the perpetrator (in this case, that would be Dave Miscavige).
The definition of elder isolation under California law is pasted at the end of this document.
But it gets better…in 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law another potential tool.
Under California AB 1243, interested parties (people with preexisting relationships with an elder) can file for an anti-isolation restraining order that would grant them the right to communicate with that person.
This means that family members and friends will now be able to bring a petition to enable them to maintain contact with an elderly person.
Previously, the only parties allowed to seek protection under the Elder Abuse Act for protective orders were the elder or dependent adult, their conservator, their trustee, or an attorney-in-fact acting within their authority.
The Legislature found that some elder abusers took advantage of the isolating circumstances of the pandemic “by preventing trusted friends and family members from seeing or contacting a vulnerable adult.”
The purpose of the new law is to ensure that “these vulnerable adults are able to maintain important familial and social connections that they desire, and that a perpetrator does not cut off those relationships in an attempt to take advantage of the vulnerable adult.”
Definition of Elder Isolation Under California Elder Abuse Law
Isolation constitutes a form of elder abuse prohibited under California Welfare and Institutions Code section 15600. Elder Isolation any of the following:
(1) Acts intentionally committed for the purpose of preventing, and that do serve to prevent, an elder or dependent adult from receiving his or her mail or telephone calls.
(2) Telling a caller or prospective visitor that an elder or dependent adult is not present, or does not wish to talk with the caller, or does not wish to meet with the visitor where the statement is false, is contrary to the express wishes of the elder or the dependent adult, whether he or she is competent or not, and is made for the purpose of preventing the elder or dependent adult from having contact with family, friends, or concerned persons.
(3) False imprisonment, as defined in Section 236 of the Penal Code.
(4) Physical restraint of an elder or dependent adult, for the purpose of preventing the elder or dependent adult from meeting with visitors.
Here are two forms you can click on, fill out and submit:
Report of Suspected Elderly Abuse
Request for Restraining Orders
The majority of abused elderly people in the Sea Org are in California. The Int Base has a large number — including many formerly prominent names in the world of scientology: Heber Jentzsch, Guillaume Lesevre, Ray Mithoff, Marc Yager, Greg Wilhere, Marc Ingber, Liz Ingber, Sue Koon, John Eastment, Diana Hubbard and Norman Starkey — but this is just a handful of the Sea Org members over 60 who live on that property (or have been moved into local “assisted living” facilities that are typically the cheapest available, unlicensed and unprofessional). There are also many elderly Sea Org members in the conglomeration of organizations in Los Angeles.
If you are a family member of one of these people, please try to help them. It may result in an all too typical coerced and rehearsed speech: “What me abused by the most ethical people on earth? I am completely happy with my life. This place is a utopia” and they may even state they don’t want to speak with any family members as their “handlers” stand over them to ensure they only say the right things.
But…
It may also be offering them the lifeline they have been waiting for, and they could tell the investigating officer, “I don’t want to be here, please take me with you.”
If you have a family member above the age of 60 who is in the Sea Org in California, please take a moment to fill out the form(s) and at least give them a chance to grab the lifeline. If any of you readers can find out if there are similar laws in Florida (where the next largest concentration of elderly SO members live) or in Ontario, Mexico, Denmark, England, Australia and South Africa where the other Sea Org facilities are around the world I will happily publish that information.
The Aftermath Foundation has already helped people in this situation. The difficulty is getting the message to these victims that there IS HELP available and there IS a way to escape. This law gives family members a means of getting that message to them directly.
If it results in just one person escaping, it will be worth it. If it results in the concerned authorities wondering why there are so many elderly people who have family members worried about them concentrated in these locations, it may generate further action.
Believe me, the twilight years of Sea Org members are unpleasant. They are treated as “non-producers” who have become a burden on the organization and the mission to “Clear the Planet.” They are afforded little attention or resources, in scientology terminology, they are “downstats.”
Hi Mike,
I’m listening to your podcast and I checked out the link on this blog page about elder abuse in California. My question for you and Leah Remini is what if your family member already died as a result of elder abuse? I tried to report my aunt and uncles to law enforcement because my grandmother died due to elder abuse and isolation in the state of California and they told me there wasn’t anything they could do even though what my family did was clearly illegal and unconscionable such as creating a fence around her house so that family and friends can’t come to visit her, monitoring all of her phone calls, and taking advantage of her thought processes by creating false memories because she had dementia.
Before DM gives up and fades into oblivion, I would bet my life that he would try a number of new scams designed to bring in more money and will also try to transform the image of this scam into some kind of heroic charity.
For example, you can looks forward to new kinds of insurance policies being sold widespread. For example, remember how all those insurance plans were sold via telemarketing telling people that when they get older, they can sell their homes to some crooked org that will then “guarantee” they will be able to keep their homes while at the same time getting a huge cash payout and only when they die will their homes be sold?
I would look forward to seeing insurance plans people can buy for their parents or maybe grandparents or other older relatives that will “guarantee” they will receive a huge cash payout now and only if their relatives feel they are being held in isolation (like Shelly M), the insurance company (some Scamatology offshoot) will step in and bring legal suits to “free” their relatives.
Of course, once the relatives are held in isolation, there will never be anything people can do to free them. There will never be any “huge cash payout” and their homes will be lost forever.
When it comes to scamming people who have any affiliation with this fake religion, there is nothing that will stop the little DM (Damn Miscreant).
Best defense? Never give a dime to these crooked bastards and if you ever hear of someone who is contemplating safeguarding their elder relatives safety and freedom, scream up a storm. Call the police and post the details on every message board you can. Especially this one!
You can never raise a stink on the social media platforms about these criminals. Start screaming and never stop!
Thank you so much Mike and Leah for all your tireless work. This heinous vile repugnant p$dop++hile hiding sex abuse mind control psychopath network must be annihilated. I look forward to the day the feds bust into all their compounds and all members become SPs and can live their lives in peace and freedom. I do not think DM will fare well in prison. I would love to see some SP or Aftermath merchandise.
I’m a mandatory reporter in NYC and work with a patient population with prevalent psychosocial issues. I’ve called both the NYPD for wellness checks and Adult Protective Services (APS) when I’ve had concerns about elder abuse/neglect. The NYPD have literally never done anything (and I mean literal in the literal way, not the Kardashian lingo way), whereas APS will make several attempts to visit people, contact their emergency conacts/next-of-kin, and apprise me (i.e., the referrer) of their findings. So refer to APS and hope that they accept the case, because when they accept a case they are very thorough.
If US Justice can catch up to Trumpsky and charge him and arrest him and put him in prison where he belongs, why can’t they do the same to the pipsqueak?
I so much long to see that pipsqueak in handcuffs and in prison where he belongs. When? When? When?
Here’s an address of a property owned by scn. This address was an elderly s.o. member’s, last known location.
Perhaps it may help locate lost family members.
https://floridaparcels.com/property/62/15%2029%2011%2000000%20410%200300 These are names of scn living in that building.
If you go to https://www.truthaboutscientology.com/ Type in those names and you can see their service records, ias status etc.
My God are all those people listed as living there SO! Over half are 50+ and many are 70+. What kind of a life could an 70+ year old Sea Org member have? These people need some kind of help. What it is I don’t know. I wish I did. Like Mike has stated many of these oldsters would probably say they are happy there. They HAVE to be separated from their minders to get them to tell the truth and even then it may take someone like Mike, someone they know and recognize, to explain that there is hope outside of Scientology SO.
Yes, they might need some help. I can only imagine what kind of food and living conditions they are experiencing.
I was told this is a kind of retirement community for elderly s.o. members.
scn policy on out exchange, makes me wonder how they are being treated now that they cannot work due to age or illnesses.
I believe there are more people stuffed in overcrowded rooms. This list is showing the registered voters in that building. If not registered, their names may not appear.
The elderly person that I knew is not on this list, even though that is their last known address, and they may in fact still reside there.
One of the first things we all need to do is to quit caring what he likes. His “likes” don’t matter.
I will never cease to be amazed at the levels of shame this cult can bring on itself time and time again. The kids, the elders and every poor soul in between deserve to be free……..please do what you can for your family members, every form filled, call made, tweet, share and conversation is another little chip away at this colossal demon the co$. You never know your chip could be the last!
#WHERESSHELLY #SAVEBOBFERRIS #FREETHESEAORG
“#FREETHESEAORG”
Don’t you mean #FREETHESEABORG?
Hopefully the victims of the cult will become more willing to act up.
They should contact their congresspersons and ask them to help revoke the cult’s tax-free status.
Even a single picketer carrying a sign in Clearwater could interfere with the cult’s mission.
Or even outside a Tom Cruise movie. As long as it’s an angry victim doing the protesting.
If the cult had destroyed my life I would be furious.
Hi unelected,
I hear you and agree per se with your advice to those whose lives were ruined by the cult.
However what you might not be factoring into your advice is the leverage the cult could be holding on these ex-Scientologist.
I am not speaking for myself. I was lucky in that I left with no loved ones or family who were still in. Nor did my livelihood in any way depend upon Scientology or Scientologists. When I left, I only lost “friends” (hah).
That said I personally know 3 ex-Scientologists (one of whom is under the radar) whose lives were indeed ruined – finances decimated, relationships torn asunder, you name it, who yet still have loved ones very much in the cult. These people don’t openly protest or demonstrate because they fear more disconnection or possibly that their children or family members will be punished if they act publicly against Scientology.
My point is that the apparent public silence of these exes should not be taken as agreeable acquiescence to the cult’s having destroyed their lives. Furious? My guess is long ago they went beyond fury into a chronic, continual, fundamental and at the same time helpless rage. A rage that percolates well beneath the surface and yet, because they are good people,, they mostly hide it because they don’t want it to boil over inappropriately.
My heart goes out to them There’s nothing worse than what they are suffering, for the sake of others who are Still In. They’re on this blog, they’re on Tony’s blog and elsewhere on the internet, and as I said there are 3 such people of my immediate and personal acquaintance who keep their heads down because they have already lost way too much and cannot stomach the idea of losing any more.
Thank you Mike. This hits close to home. I did a wellness check/APS report on my family member at Int Base a couple of years ago since we hadn’t heard from her for a few weeks. I think that is part of why OSA looked at me more closely, saw that I commented on yours and Tony’s blogs, and within a couple of months OSA made her disconnect from me.
It is a prison of belief. She would not leave if someone came in and asked her. As someone told me who knew her in the Hole years ago, “she had her doubts beaten out of her.”
Yes, sadly I think your last sentence is true for most people there. But believe me they ALL have seeds of doubt. I too would have been one of those people at one point, and then at some point I became someone who would have taken the offer to leave.
So don’t ever give up hope…
Hello Mike!
Great comment and great to see you posting here!
And no we will never give up hope, and that statement should be taken definitively 🙂
With love,
Aqua
Thank you Yashar Ali for doing this. I have been concerned about Shelly Miscavige ever since I heard that Leah had filed a missing person report on her.
I am concerned as well about all the other elders who are still trapped in the SO AND about the ones who have left and have been struggling. Sometimes they are shunned by their own families who were traumatized because their parents had exposed them to the cult. The second generation people who were raised in Scientology are rightfully angry. And maybe some of these elderly people have no right to expect anything from their families. But many are truly sorry and have tried to repent. Some are lucky they can still make it on their own, but even they are lonely and are now living the next level of destruction by this evil cult.
NO ONE should be punished for doing their job. But that’s my opinion.
Maybe do some reports on the COB himself?-)
I was just thinking this, technically an elder too…….
Yes, and the rest of the old “Leadership”!
When was for ex Mithoff, Leserve and Starkey seen?
This is one of the most disturbing things to ‘go public’ and not a surprise. Elderly abuse goes along perfectly with their single mission of making money. As soon as Followers run out of money…. They are abandoned and left for dead. Scientology gives clear definition to “USE and ABUSE”. Terrifying. And to think they get to do so ‘tax free’ is enough to make one vomit
“d”, at the Sea Org level they have elders who have seen too much and know too much, since it’s the CofS’ practice to do things that are reprehensible even to some regular ‘public’ members, much less the general public. So at the higher management levels as in Shelly’s case, they have extra motivation to keep people effectively imprisoned, and abused to the point where they are broken and won’t try to escape or speak out – and will follow orders and keep up the lie that nothing is wrong, if there are outside visits such as from officials responsible for the welfare of elderly and at risk persons.
Mike, this is such an important post. I hope it is spread far and wide. Your idea and The Aftermath Foundation’s willingness to help, opens a very large door.
Can they use these laws to their advantage in the case of Bob Ferris? Seems like something Liz should look into. Thank you Mike, Leah and Yashar for all of your hard work.
I’m guessing that Liz is aware but I’ve emailed her this article JIC.
Thanks Goldie, you are the best! (This is lonedinosaur btw…from YouTube). I’m glad you passed this along just in the rare case she isn’t aware. 🙂
this is the thread on liz’s life/parents. i’ve been updating as i find more info. her dad and olga divorced but pierre didn’t say when. he has now passed. i know at least five people that can give her more info. but they are getting up in age and won’t be around forever. https://exscn2.net/threads/info-for-liz-ferris-on-her-parents.7737/
Sending prayers 🙏 that everyone imprisoned behind the razor wire of Scientology will be rescued. I have a friend who’s a detective and successfully served papers to Scientology. Finally, some REAL POLICE who won’t be bought or threatened! He’s telling his colleagues & they’ll tell their colleagues, and that ripple will eventually expand wider and wider. My dream is to get a SWAT team to do a search invasion & rescue every last individual imprisoned against their will.
Reading your comment made my day. May the knowledge spread throughout law enforcement ranks and bury the knee-jerk, “oh, they’re okay, they pay us to do off-duty security,” that may be the default viewpoint.
I’m praying 🙏 🙏🙏 SO HARD for this! No establishment should be allowed to have so much power that they can get away with forcing the authorities and their families to “take the silver or the lead.” This should not be happening in the United States of America. Yes, we have freedom of religion. That does not include any form of abuse. The Satanists are free to practice their religion, but ritual abuse, animal and human sacrifice are all felonies and are not protected under the umbrella of “freedom of religion.”
The world over, we are wise to note and take action if we encounter or suspect any type of neglect, abuse, or (financial) exploitation of our elders or any vulnerable citizen. C of S has already gotten dinged for young attractive female Sea Org members fleecing an older citizen or two, putting them into credit card debt or otherwise clearing out their savings to donate to the cause. This is heartbreaking to consider the enormity of daily care an elder may need, and how if still stranded in the Sea Org, that person is not accessing competent care or the dignity they deserve. It is encouraging to hear, Mike, that The Aftermath Foundation has had at least a few of these instances where the team has been able to help. Also, very encouraging that in California the laws are getting stronger regarding isolating an elder or other vulnerable adult. Often, states (or countries) will adopt legislation and practices that are proven to work. Thank you for this post.
I want to know: is there a single scientology family that is actually complete? Or has every family connected to scientology been torn apart by this unholy (and I use this word on purpose) organization?
If anyone can point to a normal, functioning family that is active in scientology, please let me know because I don’t believe there is one.
A quick search in Australia produced this Government initiative and can be traced to appropriate legislation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4FFmSbPOTo
They refer to a specific phone number for assistance in elder abuse 1800 353 374.
Defintion of elder abuse in Australia – a single or repeated act or failure to act, including threats, that results in harm or distress to an older person. This occurs where there is an expectation of trust and/or where there is a power imbalance between the party responsible and the older person.
This is a true Public Service Announcement. Here’s hoping many will read this and take appropriate action!
Yes indeed. Gives hope of much relief and humanitarian assistance to those who deserve a lot better.
Since as Mike said, the elderly SO members are seen as non producers, downstats and burdens, Davey should be happy to let people come get their elderly loved ones out. But he is not. Why is that? Because they’ve been in the SO a long time and they see things. They know where the bodies are buried and he can’t have any of that get out.
Miscavige is not going to like this at all.
🤣
I can picture dozens of barrels of scotch being rolled into his office because his little man syndrome rage boils them dry as fast as he hops into each filled barrel.