As described inThe Daily Beast, after reporting on Shelly Miscavige's disappearance, the outlet received a letter stating, "Mrs. Miscavige has never been missing and is living her life to her choosing" and that she made the decision to stay out of the public eye. She rose to prominence after being seen alongside David in the 70s. Related He liked me. After she took the job with Remini, she underwent what she characterized as a scary campaign of harassment by Scientology. That case was also forced into arbitration initially, but then a California appeals court ruled that because the allegations of harassment (including the alleged poisoning of pets) had occurred after the women had left the church, the arbitration contracts shouldnt apply. It alludes to one of the greatest mysteries about the alleged cult Shelly, the wife of David Miscavige, the church's current leader, has been missing since 2007. By the time I filed the report, it had been nearly eight years since I had seen or heard from Shelly. Haney says she added his name to the nomination list because she had known him and his son while she was in the Sea Org. Members of her staff were told they weren't responsible for helping her anymore. Copyright 2023 Distractify. As for her early childhood, Shellys father, Barney, was reportedly a handyman who struggled to find work. I left years ago, and all the people I know, I dont know if theyre in good standing. In April, this magazine celebrates its anniversary (its our 55th) with a Yesteryear issue. High-ranking members of the Church of Scientology do not allow members of the church to cooperate with any criminal investigation that involves Scientology, while they also hire "off-duty LAPD cops as security" and donate to LAPD charities. Shelly Miscavige Michele "Shelly" Diane Miscavige (ne Barnett; born January 18, 1961) is a member of the Church of Scientology 's Sea Org who married Scientology leader David Miscavige, and a notable missing person; she was last seen in public in August 2007. She changed her diet and lost a significant amount of weight. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. The former security guard stated that he and the other guards worked 12-hour shifts, seven days a week. She also shared a photo of Cory proudly. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. They carried semi-automatic assault rifles, among other weapons. As described by Tony Ortega toThe Daily Beast, "[David Miscavige] sent her up there to be a non-person.". An exception was the lawsuit filed by Danny Mastersons rape accusers, who sued Scientology for, they said, harassing them for taking their allegations to the LAPD. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. And she was a person I knew was in good standing.. She was a part of my abuse. So she crawled into the trunk of a car belonging to one of the actors, who then drove to L.A. not realizing that they had a passenger. The comedian, who was hosting the. Many have hoped that because she is no longer photographed next to David Miscavige at every major Scientology event, she may have left the alleged cult. She rose to prominence after being seen alongside David in the '70s. After emerging from the trunk, Haney immediately went to Burbank Airport and flew to Portland, Oregon, to be reunited with her father. (Shelly was seen at the funeral of her father in Los Angeles two years later in the presence of a Scientology handler, and has not been spotted in public since. Actress and former Scientologist Leah Remini was good friends with Shelly Miscavige when she was still in Scientology. This ill-advised, ludicrous self-promotion and the media inquiries it generated caused an inexcusable distraction for the LAPD. Shelly was not only his wife but also an extremely high-ranking member of Scientology's elite "Sea Org." At that time, Shelly had already been missing for more than five years. The first thing she did was file a missing person's report with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Shelly found guidance from L.R.H., in . Who Are Danny Masterson's Parents and What's Happening With His Trial? "Cory was incredibly dismissive," Leah said. Haney had also gone to school with Minkoff, and shed had a conversation with Elfman. . She claims their relationship deteriorated in 2004 as David Miscavige and actor Tom Cruise, a prominent Scientologist, grew closer. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time Physically, she was changing, too. All Rights Reserved, Why Shelly Miscavige was mentioned in Golden Globes. Over 17 day intense auditing program during which time she lost a reported 20kg while confined to a bed, McPherson went into a catatonic state and died. She decided that figures like actors Jenna Elfman, Giovanni Ribisi, and Catherine Bell; designer Rebecca Minkoff; motivational speaker Grant Cardone; and prominent attorney and husband of Greta Van Susteren, John Coale, were more likely to be in the churchs good graces, based on her internet searches. In 2013, Tony Ortega reported that Shelly was alive and still living at CST. I made his bed. The victim contributed the accident to her having a lot on her mind.. This image released by NBC shows host Jerrod Carmichael holding three Golden Globes during the 80th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, in Beverly Hills, Calif. At the 2023 Golden Globes ceremony, host Jerrod Carmichael made a joke about Shelly Miscavige while he was holding three Golden Globe awards. And there was a French night, she remembers. All rights reserved. She admitted that she didnt know what rules Scientologys International Justice Chief Ellis had set up for it, but what mattered were the rules of the arbitral forum. In other words, Scientology sets all the rules. Maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige.. Haney graduated from the Cadet Org to the Sea Org and signed its billion-year contract, promising to serve Scientology lifetime after lifetime, at the age of 15. And so, in December of 1982, when she was 21 and he was 22, they tied the knot. Scientology claims that Shelly is simply working on a special project and is not missing.). Even though the name popped for a brief moment, it has managed to catch peoples attention as they are trying to break down the joke made by the host as many seem alien to its reference. Here, they all come together to reveal shocking stories of alleged abuse, harassment, and slander by the Church, along with how and when they decided that they wanted to leave. The detective told Remini that Shelly was fine but refused to answer when she asked if he had actually seen Shelly in person. Miscavige became more erratic and prone to violent outbursts, and the project remained unfinished. Remini says police told her that Shelly "did not want to talk," she says. Seven years later, Leah finally left Scientology and promised to find Shelly no matter the cost. While he said that he never interacted with Shelly personally, he said that she was present at the CST compound. Remini hadn't heard from Shelly in some time, so she was beginning to get concerned about her wellbeing. screenshots between Cory and various members of the Church of Scientology. She would not go into any further detail about that I also noticed that as I spoke with her she appeared to be in a daze. Naturally, this was deeply concerning, so much so that Leah offered to double any donations coming from the Church of Scientology to the LAPD if he agreed to sever ties with them. Like those in The Hole, however, Shelly might be being held by her husband as a form of punishment. https://t.co/m069JEKekW pic.twitter.com/fw25ng5nU2. Reportedly, Shelly said that there was only one way she would be allowed to see her family again if one of her family members died and she was permitted to attend another funeral. When Tom was first going out with Katie, Dave brought them to Las Vegas for an acknowledgment or celebration on church money, and he paid for the largest suite in Caesars Palace and had it for him and Shelly and me and Tom and Katie, she continues. She claims to have seen Shelly Miscavige on the day she was believed to have gone missing in 2006, though Scientology has denied she is missing . Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Whats more, Scientology had selected its own arbitrator, and then those two arbitrators had selected a third. It's not clear why, but David Miscavige reportedly became fixated on this project and would berate anyone who attempted to complete it. She caught the eye of Shelly Miscavige, wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige, who then had Haney moved to Gold Base in California in order to serve the couple directly. On Jan. 30, 2020, thats exactly what did happen when Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard Burdge ruled that the exit agreement Haney had signed while being videotaped that day at the Scientology headquarters obliged her not to sue Scientology in court, and that she would have to take her allegations to the churchs own internal court for arbitration. Scientology denies that Haney was held against her will and that she was harassed after she left the church. However, Remini explained in an interview that when she called the detective assigned to the case to follow up, he wouldn't say whether or not he had been able to find Shelly Miscavige. As detailed by The Guardian, there are many accounts of Miscavige lashing out physically at other Scientologists. So she nominated The Handmaids Tale actress and lifelong Scientologist Elisabeth Moss. Leah is calling for an investigation into Cory's relationship with the Church of Scientology as well as the "LAPD's interactions with Scientology overall," ending her Twitter thread with the question, "Where is Shelly?". Im literally shaking right now as Im talking to you, Valerie Haney says, speaking by phone from Florida. Sign up and stay up to date with our daily newsletter. Some assume that Shelly is currently being held at the notorious prison camp, while others don't think it's likely. "For her not to be in attendance was not only unusual but also unimaginable," Leah wrote. 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. All rights reserved. Im just a host briefly, or whatever, but I have a pitch I think. Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,000+ magazines and newspapers. Why the church would pay overtime rates to heavily armed security guards to watch Shelly Miscavige if she is simply taking a step back from her husband's public life, as Scientology claims, is unclear. But, according to anti-Scientology journalist, Tony Ortega, Shelly has been missing from the public eye since 2006, and any attempts by Remini to find her whereabouts were discouraged. CNN reported, In 2013, after actress and former Scientology memberLeah Remini raised concern publicly that Shelly Miscavige had not been seen out in public for some time,the Los Angeles Police Department said detectives had made contact with Shelly Miscavige andfound her to be alive and safe., According to CNN, Cruise returned the awards when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was facing criticism for lack of diversity, specifically its lack of Black members, as well as ethical questions related to financial benefits to some of its 87 members brought to light inan investigation by the Los Angeles Times.. There was a sushi night, and the chefs came in from Nobu. And then Haney submitted another 15 names of Scientologists, many of them very well-known, others more familiar to the readers of Scientology news stories. This leads us to Cory Palka, a "34-year vet of LAPD and a longtime captain of the Hollywood Division." He has even spoken about his beliefs in this interview. Meanwhile, her husband continues to serve as the Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center and Ecclesiastical Leader of the Scientology Religion, according to the official website. The LAPD declared the missing persons reports unfounded and closed the case after claiming one of its detectives interviewed Mr Miscavige and personally sighted Shelly. She also included the names of Scientology officials who were spokespeople or members of the churchs notorious spy wing, the Office of Special Affairs. She set a hearing date six months out to consider the result of the arbitration. Scientology literally abused me my entire life, I finally escaped, and Im trying to use the U.S. judicial system, and now theyre going, oh no, you need to go back and do everything that your abuser says.. She was the one there for my exit interview. I thought, OK, maybe she could sympathize with my situation. Later, the eyewitness saw an interview with Leah Remini that showed a photograph of Shelly Miscavige. Scientology has been accused of many abuses against its members, but Shelly's disappearance shows that even its leader's wife is not safe inside the alleged cult. Everyone is quite respectful and helpful, much more so than they were for Leah. And according to many reports, Shelly Miscavige has not been seen since August 2007. Vanity Fair reports, the romance between Shelly and David began around 1978 at Scientologys international headquarters in Los Angeles. Haney says she endured four months of manual labor, doing maintenance of the base facilities and other menial and physical tasks, before eventually being moved to the Cine Castle where Scientologys video productions were filmed at the base, and she was assigned to the job of casting director. Rich Polk, NBC via Associated Press At the 2023 Golden Globes ceremony, host Jerrod Carmichael made a joke about Shelly Miscavige while he was holding three Golden Globe awards. She refused to go back to Gold Base, where she had escaped, but agreed to go through the routing-out process at Scientologys headquarters in Los Angeles, which she was told would last three weeks. Let's get into it. Since Shelly disappeared from this location, some believe that she was taken 60 miles away to CST. A CRUNCHY LAYER OF SUGAR AND SPICE MAKES THIS TREAT ESPECIALLY NICE! The panel of three arbitrators is set, but Scientology isnt releasing the names of any of them at this point, even to Haney, she claims. It is well known that the churchs Celebrity Centre holds regular fundraisers for the LAPD. Further to those concerns, Shelly took it upon herself to complete several outstanding tasks relating to the organisation structure of SeaOrg, the churchs controversial religious order, which has been described as a brutal boot camp. Remini left the Church of Scientology in 2013. Michel . Shelly was my dear friend and Tom was also a friend. And then, after Valerie Haney submitted her list of 15 names, Scientology came to court and informed Judge Killefer that one of the 15 had agreed to sit as an arbitrator. Photo by Church of Scientology via Getty Images. Since she was very young, she has been indoctrinated into the church. Some of Haneys allegations the stalking and libel she says she was subjected to for going to work for Leah Remini took place after she had signed her exit agreement and had left Scientology. Hubbard's work is engraved on steel plates and gold compact disks and sealed in titanium cases. This story is from the March 11, 2019 edition of New Idea. This was how Leah learned just how involved the LAPD was with Scientology. An eyewitness revealed she saw the wife of Scientology's leader David Miscavige in . As explained by former high-ranking Scientology member and activist Mike Rinder, Scientology has Marty Rathbun (a Scientologist whistleblower who has since been pulled back into the cult's orbit) release a video in which he says that all claims that Shelly Miscavige is missing are a part of a scam by Scientology's critics to get rich and discredit the church. Things took a turn for the worse when she attempted to complete a church project without her husband's approval. Her unusual escape became the subject of the premiere episode of Leah Reminis third season of Scientology and the Aftermath, which aired on A&E in 2018. The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History I had to ask her the same questions several times to get a response. #GoldenGlobes host Jerrod Carmichael makes a dig at Scientology: "Backstage, I found these three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returnedI think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige." I knew everything about their private lives, she explains. One of the things that Scientology teaches is that whatever happens to a person is their own fault. For nearly a decade since escaping Scientology, she has tirelessly spoken out against the atrocities committed by the so-called religion using as many mediums as possible. Born in January 1961, Shelly is the famous wife of Scientologist leader David Miscavige. LYNN AND MARGARET'S KNITTING PROJECT INSPIRED ANZAC TRIBUTES FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE. The King of Queens actress claimed he was in charge of the Hollywood division where she filed her missing person's report for Shelly Miscavige in 2013. After David Miscavige returned to find that Shelly had finished structuring the Org Chart without his permission, she was removed from her position of power. According to the documentary, David Miscavige then spent a reported $US30million fighting a wrongful-death suit brought against the church by McPhersons family and the case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. Reportedly, when Remini questioned why Shelly was not present at Scientology member Tom Cruises wedding to Katie Holmes in 2006, church spokesman Tommy Davis told her, You dont have the f**king rank to ask about Shelly.. A post mortem examination later revealed she had died of a pulmonary embolism. Born Michele Shelly Diane Barnett on January 18, 1961, Shelly Miscavige is the wife of David Miscavige, the current leader of the Church of Scientology. For more than a decade, the whereabouts of Shelly Miscavige, the reportedly missing wife of Scientology leader David, has been hotly debated. Scientology's prison camp, "The Hole," has become notorious as a grueling and miserable place, and many of Scientology's highest-ranking officials end up there as a punishment at some point in their Scientology careers. Rumors doing the rounds indicate that Shelly is being held against her will, and TMZ said that attempts by the entertainment news website to get answers to the question were not successful. CST owns the copyrights to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's writing both Scientology texts and the hundreds of science fiction stories he wrote prior to starting a religion. I just remember Tom bringing her in and introducing her to Dave and Shelly and me. In her first interview since filing her lawsuit four years ago, Haney says she still cant believe that a Los Angeles court granted Scientologys arbitration motion, forcing her to take her case to Scientology itself, and without an attorney, or a court reporter, or even a friend by her side. And a court ruling on March 15 had left her trembling as those years of trauma were stirred up again. Mr Miscavige's wife Shelly hasn't been seen in public since August 2007. It is believed they are still living at Scientology's isolated and heavily guarded fortress, the Church of Spiritual . Copyright IBTimes 2023. I was close with them, she claims. We reveal where Shelly was seen, as well as discuss her noted frail appearance. The LAPD has CLOSED its missing persons investigation involving the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige because cops had a face-to-face meeting with her TMZ has learned. As reported byThe Daily Beast, the LAPD declared that the report was unfounded and that Shelly was not missing. I was thinking, of course were going to court, because this is all illegal!. the Los Angeles Police Department said detectives had made contact with Shelly Miscavige and found her to be alive . Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. In 2013, a California couple, Luis and Rocio Garcia, filed a federal fraud lawsuit against Scientology that was forced into religious arbitration, the first the church had ever held in its 60-year history. So, lets dig deeper into that. Is this really correct? Lisa, who joined the church in her late teens, was just 35 when she suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism after undergoing a gruelling 17-day Scientology auditing process designed to treat her psychological instability. After listening to Jerrod Carmichaels monologue at the Golden Globes 2023, many of you might be wondering who is Shelly Miscavige and why was she mentioned in the same speech as Tom Cruise? The last time she appeared in public was to attend her fathers funeral in 2007. When she asked a Scientology spokesperson where Shelly was, she was told that she didn't have the rank to ask where her friend was. Haney added Bob Duggans name because she saw him at Scientology events. Then, Valerie says that she witnessed a dark-colored tinted vehicle pull up to the main building at Scientologys main base, following which unidentified men dragged Shelly, who was crying and visibly distraught, out of the building and put her in the car. Shelly hasnt been seen or heard from since. I knew Jessica when she was married to [former Scientology spokesman] Tommy Davis. Haney, like other former Scientologists, finds that the churchs arbitration strategy is an impediment to getting a day in court. Now interviews with former insiders provide a grim picture of Shelly Miscavige's youth, marriage, and fall from graceand an assessment of her fate. Shelly Miscavige might be a prisoner in a top-secret Scientology base, under armed guards, on the orders of her husband. "Where's Shelly?" In a series of screenshots between Cory and various members of the Church of Scientology, Leah points out how "friendly" they are. She says she was not allowed to go to her grandmothers funeral during this time. I spoke to the victim about her behaviour. They are said to have gotten hitched in 1982 in the Los Angeles area. We reveal where Shelly was seen, as. She was with them nearly 24 hours a day for three years. Shelly Miscavige was reported missing in 2013. By his own estimate, the pharmaceuticals investor has contributed more than $300 million to Scientology. Marty Rathbun, a former Scientologist who featured in the documentaries Going Clear and My Scientology Movie, has alleged that church officials destroyed all files related to McPhersons case. Since she was very young, she has been indoctrinated into the church. Sea Org members were told that she was on a special project. Tragically she would not leave the building alive. As Scientology's biggest celebrity asset, Tom Cruise's wedding was a major event within the cult. It has long been assumed that Shelly Miscavige would never be permitted to leave Scientology, but in 2014, Scientology whistle-blower Mike Rinder reported that he had received a story that confirmed the suspicion that Shelly Miscavige is being held prisoner within Scientology. Mary Florence Barnett's body was found dead with three bullet holes in the chest from a rifle, one bullet hole in the head, and both of her wrists slashed. At one time, the Scientology power couple did everything together but, as quoted in Vanity Fair, those who worked closely with them have stated that they never saw them being physically affectionate with each other, and they slept in separate bedrooms. Despite Scientology's insistence that there is no reason to be worried about her, Shelly Miscavige has not gotten in touch with her concerned friends, gone to any major Scientology events, or made any contact with the outside world whatsoever for over a decade. One is the whereabouts of former Scientology first lady Michele Shelly Miscavige wife of supreme leader David Miscavige who vanished in bizarre circumstances 11 years ago. According to Remini, the lead detective assigned to Shelly Miscavige's missing persons case has spoken at a Scientology event. After passing that ordeal, Haney became steward to the Miscaviges, working in their quarters and serving their meals. In the Aftermath episode, she explained that she was nearly suicidal at that point, would have said or signed anything in order to be allowed to leave, and that an armed guard was present to make sure she followed directions. In 2013, about eight years after Shelly was last seen, two people filed a missing persons report with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Again, however, Scientology said the two couldnt act as arbitrators, and this time they complained to Judge Killefer that Haney was being obstructionist by nominating people who were so obviously unavailable. "Hours after I filed the missing person's report, the case was closed, and the LAPD announced to the press that they had found Shelly," said Leah. We want to hear it. The Sea Org is known for being harsh former members have described working intense hours, dealing with constant sleep deprivation, and abuse from higher-ranking officials. Send me email updates and offers from TMZ and its Affiliates. One of the things that Scientology teaches is that whatever happens to a person is their own fault. "Hours after I filed the missing person's report, the case was closed, and the LAPD announced to the press that they had found Shelly," said Leah. No charges were filed, but Haney herself filed a lawsuit against Scientology in June 2019 alleging kidnapping, stalking, and libel, which turned into a legal nightmare that now has her facing the prospect of going to the church to submit herself to an internal religious arbitration proceeding. She was last seen in public at her father's funeral in the summer of 2007. Instead, it lasted three months, and she says that she was treated like a prisoner, with a 24-hour guard. As explained on journalist Tony Ortega's website, CST is a branch of Scientology so secret that few within the church even know about it. Remini filed a missing person report for Shelly on Wednesday, and law enforcement officers closed the investigation one day later after they had a face-to-face meeting with her, TMZ reported. Since Shelly Miscavige has not made contact with any of her loved ones outside of Scientology or even been seen in public since her father's funeral in 2007, some have feared that the church is concealing her death. Now, Valerie Haney is facing the idea of going, alone, into an arbitration set up by the Church of Scientology. Her crusade against Scientology has continued in documentaries and television shows she's produced, the podcast she co-hosts, and anytime she's a guest on a show. As described in a report on Scientology expert Tony Ortega's website, a woman who lives very close to the Twin Peaks CST compound where Shelly is thought to be being held says that she saw Shelly multiple times in the town of Crestline, California. As described by Shelly Miscavige's former personal aide Valerie Haney (quoted via The Daily Beast), no one who has worked with David Miscavige is allowed to leave. Shelly's alleged disappearance first made headlines when she failed to attend Tom's 2006 wedding to Katie Holmes in Italy when her husband served as best man. One former Sea Org member told Vanity Fair that Shelly burst into his office shouting at him to keep his wife away from Miscavige. A former private security guard reportedly admitted that for six months, he had been hired by Scientology to guard the Twin Peaks CST compound and watch Shelly Miscavige. I think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige, Carmichael said, according to The Wrap. has never been answered by Scientology or the LAPD, but former members of the church have an almost unanimous answer: Shelly Miscavige is at the Church of Spiritual Technology (CST). 132K views 3 years ago Shelly Miscavige was spotted twice by a woman who lives near Scientology's CST headquarters where Shelly is rumored to be held at. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. I knew that she was in deep s***. I was like, am I on another planet? I was serving it. The other was King of Queens actor and former lifelong Scientologist Leah Remini, who has written a book about her life in the church. To protect the writing from nuclear fallout, they are kept in underground storage bunkers. In Tampa, a labor-trafficking lawsuit filed by three former Sea Org workers is awaiting a ruling in federal court about whether they, too, must take their case to religious arbitration because of contracts they signed while in the church. I worked with her. Thats an order, she said. The strange thing is, although she has been reported missing to the authorities on at least two different occasions, it doesnt seem like either of them were filed by the Church of Scientology or by David himself. Almost like a drug addict, or like she was homeless." Now a new report claims the 58-year-old is alive and, in mid-December, was spotted leaving a Scientology cruise ship in the Caribbean.