Scientology leader David Miscavige is often cited as Tom Cruise's best friend. He was best man at Cruise's ill-fated marriage to Katie Holmes and once threw the star a huge birthday party.

But the numerous references to Miscavige left out one really sketchy detail: his wife, Shelly, hasn't been seen since 2006.

Shelly was another Scientologist who was rumored to have led the church's search for Tom's third wife.

According to a recent New York Post article, Shelly set up Tom and Katie:

After the Cruz breakup, the lovelorn actor turned to his best friend, Scientology leader Miscavige, for help in finding a new wife. The diminutive church boss, who has a notoriously volcanic temper, became irritated with constant calls from Tom. As the head of a multibillion-dollar operation, he felt it was below him to be seeking out women for the Hollywood star. He deputized his wife, Shelly, to take over the task.



The New Yorker's Lawrence Wright reported that last year Shelley has been missing since 2006 and "her status is unknown." Just before she went missing, she had supposedly filled several job vacancies without her husband's permission.

Misbehaving Scientologists have been known to allegedly be locked up in "The Hole," a group of buildings where people are held captive. The church denies it exists.

Miscavige also has allegedly violent tendencies, according to the article:

Twelve other defectors told me that they had been beaten by Miscavige, or had witnessed Miscavige beating other church staff members. Most of them, like John Peeler, noted that Miscavige’s demeanor changed “like the snap of a finger.” Others who never saw such violence spoke of their constant fear of the leader’s anger.

So far, Shelley hasn't surfaced. Here's a missing persons poster put out by one anti-Scientology group: