Noted critic of Scientology Leah Remini, who broke away from the organization (many call it a “cult”) in 2013 after being raised as a second-generation member, previously published a bestselling memoir, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology. She also hosted three seasons of the Emmy-award winning docuseries, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, for A&E. Leah has also celebrated the demise of Scientology-related coverups with the filing of rape charges against Danny Masterson (after years of the cases being allegedly buried) while declaring, “This is just the beginning. Scientology, your days of getting away with it is coming to an end!”
Well, the L. Ron Hubbard-founded organization, which has been the subject of many allegations of human rights violations, hasn’t stood quietly for the criticism, which won’t surprise anyone who’s familiar with the organization’s “Fair Game” doctrine, by which the org retaliates against its critics (who they call “suppressive persons”) without mercy. The Daily Beast has published a not-surprising-but-still-disturbing new report that details (through text messages revealed in a lawsuit) how Scientology goons followed Remini and her good friend, Jennifer Lopez, around while the pair was in New York City and shooting a movie.
The Beast (in a piece by heavyweight Scientology critic Tony Ortega) details how two ex-cops, Yanti “Mike” Greene (formerly of the NYPD) and Saul Roth (formerly a Nassau County cop) did the organization’s bidding. The information unraveled via texts (which are now in the court record of a related lawsuit) from Greene to associated private investigators. The suit in question was filed by David M. Smith, who alleges that Greene raped his wife in May 2018. All of this sounds like an atrocious mess, but here are some of the alleged texts as revealed in the lawsuit:
“I’ve been on it for 4 days now. We got her last night but then lost her,” Greene texted.
“Why are we following her?” Roth asked.
Greene was initially circumspect: “Basically the client just wants to know her movements and locations. I don’t have any more details as to why and who.”
“Could be matrimonial,” he added, throwing Roth off the scent.
But then Roth indicated that he’d Googled Remini, and Greene knew what he’d find.
“Or Scientologists,” Greene added.
“She quit,” Roth texted.
Ortega also writes more about how Greene played dumb, and Remini was aware:
Remini was well aware that she was being followed by private investigators in unmarked cars around New York that December.
She told me as much at the time, and by March 2018 the two of us had figured out that Greene was the one following her in a silver van with Texas plates, and according to Remini had nearly caused Remini’s driver to have a collision.
When I got him on the phone, Greene claimed he didn’t know who Leah Remini was.
You can read the full piece at The Daily Beast. Meanwhile, Remini is not fearful of speaking out. She previously revealed how Scientology officials pushed back when she inquired why Cruise was their “poster child” when he was bouncing on Oprah’s couch and torching psychiatry. Remini said that she was then penalized “because Tom Cruise is considered a messiah in Scientology,” and she counters that Tom’s not “this super-nice guy” like people believe, a sentiment that she echoed while accusing Tom of a publicity stunt after his COVID-protocol tirade on the Mission: Impossible 7 set.
(Via The Daily Beast)