[Cierra Westerman]

In one of our favorite moments from tonight’s episode of Scientology and the Aftermath, Leah Remini admits to an emotion she hasn’t felt before as she and Mike are on their way to another of their stunning interviews with a Scientology whistleblower.

This time they will be talking not to a former Scientologist, or to a person who is being harassed by Scientology as we saw in last week’s episode. This time, they are going to sit down with someone who just a few years ago carried out such operations for the church, a private investigator who worked for Scientology — and Leah admits to being nervous and a little afraid.

We have to hand it to her, Leah knows how to draw the viewer in, how to make each episode more than an informational journey into Scientology history or Scientology controversy. For her, it’s personal, and she knows how to make the viewer feel that.

We hope you are drawn in as tonight’s episode dives into a subject that has come up in the series before, but not at this level. Tonight, Leah and Mike talk to a very brave woman who is taking a huge risk to bring us her story. Her name is Cierra Westerman.

You may remember that Cierra first emerged here at the Underground Bunker in January. She told us the story about how she had been recruited out of a trade school to work for Scientology in 2008, when the church was under siege by the Anonymous movement. She infiltrated Anonymous for the church, and then went on to an assignment surveilling Mike Rinder by living in a rented house near his. At the time, circa 2009, Scientology was running a huge operation in Clearwater, with multiple rented homes, following numerous former Scientology executives, and putting tracking devices on their cars.


Cierra told us it was all being run out of a warehouse that had strategically been chosen across from another of their targets — a man named Robert Almblad.

Tonight, you’ll get to meet Robert, as he’s the second guest of the episode.

We wrote a multi-part series at the Village Voice (part 1, part 2) about the incredible harassment campaign Scientology threw at Almblad, an inventor who had hired his old friend Mike Rinder to help get the word out about his newest product.

What Almblad had invented and was trying to market is a little glossed over in tonight’s episode, so we want to make sure you understand what Almblad was doing.

Hospital stays can be lethal for people with compromised immune systems. You have probably experienced what it’s like to have an elderly relative — or a very young one — in a hospital fighting one ailment which makes them vulnerable to others they might pick up there. It’s important that they are not exposed to bacteria, for example. And guess what is one of the worst sources of bacteria in a hospital? (In fact, anywhere.)

Ice machines.

Because of the way people stock ice and serve themselves, ice machines can be filthy sources of bacteria. Almblad knew that institutions would pay good money for sterile ice machines, and he’d developed an osmosis system to make sure that his machines put out ice chips that were bacteria-free. He was going directly to major corporations with his prototype, hoping to land gigantic contracts to put his machines in hospitals around the country. For an inventor, it’s a delicate time when he’s trying to get buy-in, but also keep things confidential from competitors.

Mike Rinder was just out of Scientology, Almblad was also a former member. He knew Mike’s skills, and knew that Mike could help him persuade large institutions to buy his machine. So he hired him. And to Scientology, that put a target on his back.

You’ll learn from Almblad tonight what he went through.

It’s another stunning episode from Mike and Leah, and it may leave you more infuriated than any of the others.



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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’re building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs.’ We’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them, in order to build a record and maintain a watch as Scientology continues its inexorable decline — and yes, we finally have comments working on these new pages! Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!

Today’s Scientology celebrity: Jason Dohring!







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Now on sale: Twice the Miss Lovely!



Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. What a pleasure it is for us to work with her on this after we wrote about her ordeal as a victim of Scientology’s “Fair Game” campaigns in our 2015 book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, which is also on sale in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions.



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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Yes, L. Ron Hubbard wrote even more about children and sex, and we need to talk about it

[TWO years ago] A new technology shows promise for treating depression, so Scientology wants to kill it

[THREE years ago] How Scientology ‘caretakers’ could stand by and watch Lisa McPherson deteriorate

[FOUR years ago] ‘Chicago Fire’ actor Christian Stolte sets off an alarm about Scientology and the actors’ union

[FIVE years ago] TEXAS SHOWDOWN: Can Monique Rathbun Get an Order to Depose Scientology Leader David Miscavige?



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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 4, 2018 at 07:00

E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.

Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward

UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists

GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice

SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts

Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…

Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates

Join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.

Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news