In a brand new lawsuit alleging abusive practices by the Church of Scientology, Leah Remini has implicated Tom Cruise within the high rungs of energy within the controversial group, saying he was “basically second in command” and describing how she was compelled to apologize to him and donate cash to his favourite Scientology causes after she was accused of upsetting his 2006 marriage ceremony to Katie Holmes by asking concerning the whereabouts of chief David Miscavige’s spouse.
Remini additionally alleged that she needed to make amends to Cruise by donating cash in honor of his daughter, Suri Cruise. The “King of Queens” actor stated it has lengthy been thought-about “a Excessive Crime in Scientology to criticize (Tom) in any means,” whereas noting that Miscavige advised an viewers of Scientologists at a 2004 gala in England that Cruise was “probably the most devoted Scientologist I do know.”
Remini, who has emerged as one in all Scientology’s main critics since leaving the group in 2013, filed her 60-page grievance towards the Church of Scientology and Miscavige Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court docket. She alleges she suffered years of harassment, intimidation and defamation as a part of an organized marketing campaign of retaliation as a result of she has uncovered alleged church abuses, beginning together with her 2015 memoir, “Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology” and in her Emmy-winning A&E docuseries, “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.”
“For 17 years, Scientology and David Miscavige have subjected me to what I imagine to be psychological torture, defamation, surveillance, harassment, and intimidation, considerably impacting my life and profession,” Remini stated in a information launch she shared on Substack, CNN reported. “I imagine I’m not the primary individual focused by Scientology and its operations, however I intend to be the final.”
In a press release, the Church of Scientology blasted Remini’s lawsuit as “ludicrous” and “frivolous” and stated her allegations as “pure lunacy.”
“Remini spreads hate and falsehoods for a decade and is now offended when individuals train their proper to free speech, exposing her for what she is — an anti-free speech bigot,” the assertion stated. The group additionally stated her “obsession with attacking her former faith, by spreading falsehoodsand hate speech, has generated threats of and precise violence towards the church and its members.”
“All of the whereas … she has profited handsomely from her fabrications, via the sale of hate books, hate podcasts and paid-for tabloid hate tv,” the assertion continued.
Remini’s lawsuit comprises a number of mentions of Cruise, who has lengthy been one in all Hollywood’s most bankable stars however who additionally has turned probably the most well-known public face of Scientology. Remini joined Scientology as a toddler and likewise turned a outstanding celeb member, however she stated her standing within the church modified after Cruise’s lavish 2006 marriage ceremony to Holmes, his third spouse.
The occasion in an Italian fort was billed as “the marriage of the century,” which is why Remini stated in her lawsuit that she was shocked that Miscavige’s spouse, Michele “Shelly” Miscavige, was “was nowhere to be discovered.” Shelly Miscavige was assistant to her husband, the “chairman of the board” and her “job was to continuously file every thing” he stated “so {that a} crew of secretaries might later transcribe his phrases and orders for dissemination all through Scientology.”
“When Ms. Remini requested a bunch of Scientology executives and Tom Cruise’s private handlers … ‘The place is Shelly?’ she was instantly admonished by the group, even if she and Ms. Miscavige had been good associates,” the lawsuit stated.
Remini stated she additionally witnessed different habits on the marriage ceremony that “set off pink flags for her, together with unethical contacts between varied Scientology executives and others on the marriage ceremony which she understood to be forbidden by Scientology teachings,” the lawsuit stated. In accordance with Scientology practices, which Remini “had been brainwashed” into following, she shared her issues in a written “Information Report” that she submitted to the church.
However apparently, church executives didn’t like what she wrote. Remini alleges she was ordered to report back to the the church’s “religious headquarters” in Clearwater, Florida, the place she was confronted with “dozens of inner stories from Scientologists complaining about her habits on the marriage ceremony,” the lawsuit stated. It “turned clear” to Remini that she was being punished for asking the place Shelly Miscavige was and for submitting stories on David Miscavige and others.”
Remini alleges she was compelled to remain on the headquarters, the place she needed to “endure” 4 months of “ethics” coaching, which she stated value her a whole bunch of hundreds and {dollars} and which she described as “one in all her life’s worst nightmares.”
“After months of psychological torture, Ms. Remini was nearing the purpose of psychotic breakdown,” the lawsuit alleges. “She lastly gave in, rescinded all of her stories, and admitted that she was the issue on this scenario (regardless of it not being true).”
Remini finally left the left headquarters and returned to Los Angeles, however she stated she “was compelled to misinform her colleagues, associates, and household about what occurred whereas she was in Florida.”
To regain her standing within the church, Remini stated she needed to make peace with David and Cruise. However to do this, she stated “she was compelled to donate cash to call a seat in a theater after Suri Cruise and was compelled to lift cash for donation to Scientology causes led by Tom Cruise,” the lawsuit stated.
The Church of Scientology is extensively recognized for its associations with Hollywood celebrities, together with Cruise, John Travolta and Elisabeth Moss. But it surely has confronted rising scrutiny in recent times amid allegations of bodily, sexual and monetary abuse made by former members. A few of these allegations had been made in Remini’s docuseries, whereas others had been uncovered in HBO’s 2015 documentary, “Going Clear: Scientology and the Jail of Perception,” primarily based on a e book by Lawrence Wright.
In its assertion, the church advised that Remini is spreading “propaganda” as a result of she will’t work in Hollywood. If she will’t get work, she has “no one guilty however herself.”
“Whereas Remini was within the church, she needed to restrain her delinquent traits,” the assertion stated. “She stated so herself—that Scientology was the one factor preserving her ‘monster’ at bay. The church just isn’t intimidated by Remini’s newest act of blatant harassment and try to forestall truthful free speech. If Remini doesn’t imagine in free speech, then she ought to take into account emigrating to Russia.”
