Multiple sources are telling the Voice that Scientology's International Base in California has experienced stunning new defections -- Roanne Leake, who is L. Ron Hubbard's granddaughter, has "blown" the base, which was her home for more than 20 years. But just as shocking, at about the same time, the base was also abandoned by David Miscavige's father, Ron Miscavige Sr.

We sent a request for comment to Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw, but have not received a reply. But starting several days ago, we began hearing from multiple, independent sources that Leake had left the base about two months ago, and about a month earlier she was preceded by Ron Sr. and his wife, Becky.

Our sources tell us that in each case, these are crucial, longtime Scientologists who have abandoned the only world they have known for many years, and is the latest, most dramatic evidence of a crisis in David Miscavige's leadership of founder L. Ron Hubbard's odd organization.

We pressed our sources -- could these people have left the base but still remain in the church, on a mission or some kind of outreach?

"No way. They're all talking to SPs right now," said one of our sources, referring to "suppressive persons," Scientology's jargon for ex-members who have been excommunicated and cannot be contacted by members in good standing.

The Tipping Point For Scientology Inc.

Posted on June 29, 2012 by martyrathbun09 | 25 Comments


As I noted on 20 May, 2012, David Miscavige was going to face a “long, hot summer.” At that time, I could not share details so as not to compromise the safety of a number of important folk quietly riding the Underground Railroad. (for background on the Underground Railroad and a real time account of John “JB” Brousseau’s travel upon it, see JB Goes Mobile.)

As reported today in the Village Voice, there have been two notable departures from Scientology Inc’s international headquarters (Int base). David Miscavige’s father Ron Miscavige Sr. and L. Ron Hubbard’s granddaughter Roanne Leake left the Int base some months ago. I have not reported on the details so as to afford Roanne and Ron time and space to resists Miscavige’s extraordinary efforts to corral them back into his prison camp (Int base, near Hemet California). As you can imagine, the efforts were extensive and some of the means were ruthless. But, Roanne and Ron (who left separately, with his wife Becky) have weathered the storm and further human trafficking efforts by Miscavige and Scientology Inc applied to them now will simply serve as fodder for more exposure on this blog and in the news media.

Ron Miscavige Sr. was the last of Miscavige’s immediate family members to remain loyal and obedient to the tyrant. The last remaining member of L. Ron Hubbard’s family still remaining loyal and obedient to Miscavige (even while silently seething toward Miscavige) is Roanne’s mother, Diana Hubbard Horwich.

In the past several months many other Int base staff and execs have departed. However, most of them – unlike Ron Sr.,his wife, and Roanne – were paid to remain prostrate, silent and owned. For any of them tuning in, please read this post, Battle of San Antonio: A Review, and ensuing posts on the matter of Debbie Cook – to begin to understand a) those silence agreements you signed are legally unenforceable, b) your sharing of the truth will at worst result in you being paid by Miscavige far more than whatever pittance he purchased your silence with, and c) your personal integrity is far more valuable than any other selfish considerations.

There are a couple reasons that there have been so many defections of late from the Int base (all of them predicted for years here). The first reason is that most of the abuses Miscavige visits upon others that we have reported on this blog for the past three years continue unabated. The situation was exacerbated for Miscavige when Int base staff began to realize that a sure fire means to get ejected from Int base hell was to become pregnant. Several couples intentionally conceived children, and when discovered they were routed off and paid handsome sums to remain complicit in continuing to cover up Miscavige’s abuses by remaining silent on the outside. It became such a widespread solution, that Miscavige, in his inimitably oppressive style, banned the institution of MARRIAGE on the Int base. The institution of marriage is now a BANNED practice at the Int Scientology Headquarters base.

Predictably, Miscavige has become increasingly paranoid as his grip loosens. His answer has been to systematically dismantle the 500 acre Int base operation. He has been assigning more and more international management functions to upper middle management (at the the eleven story management building at Hollywood Blvd and Ivar Ave in Los Angeles). Further, at great expense he has been preparing to transfer Golden Era Productions functions to the former KCET studios in Hollywood that he purchased a while back. The 500 acre Int base is becoming a less populated, more closely guarded, cult compound. Its central function is increasingly becoming to serve as the high-tech, tightly guarded, and closely defended bunker for a dying dictator.

That is just great news! I hope that Roanne and Ron know that they have all the support they need from people like us on OC who understand.

“The freedom of an individual depends upon that individual’s freedom to alter his considerations of space, energy, time and life and his roles in it." L. Ron Hubbard