The head of the Church of Scientology is being sought by lawyers in a civil child trafficking suit brought by former church members in federal court, as a rep calls the lawsuit 'a sham and a scam.'
- Jan 27, 2023
AceShowbiz - The hunt is on for the leader of the Church of Scientology, David Miscavige. The 62-year-old, who took over as top dog after the church's founder L. Ron Hubbard died in 1986, allegedly goes missing as he faces a child sex trafficking lawsuit.
The elusive leader of the controversial church is being sought by lawyers in a civil child trafficking suit brought by former church members in federal court. Over a four month period, he has eluded process servers a whopping 27 times at Scientology office in Los Angeles as well as its headquarters in Clearwater, Fla., the Tampa Bay Times reported, citing court records.
Security guards have repeatedly refused to accept the documents, claiming they don't know where he is. A federal judge in Tampa listened to attorneys from both sides on January 20 and said she will issue a ruling sometime in the future about whether David can be considered served.
"Miscavige cannot be permitted to continue his gamesmanship," one plaintiff's attorney, Neil Glazer, wrote in a court filing last month.
Valeska Paris, along with married couple Gawain and Laura Baxter, filed the complaint in 2022 after quitting Sea Org more than a decade ago. They allege that they were forced into the church as kids and worked into adulthood for almost no pay. The lawsuit refers to repeated sexual assault of children by senior Scientology officials in the Sea Org during David's leadership. The case also involves allegations of human trafficking, forced labor and other forms of child abuse.
A representative for the church has dismissed the claims, telling TMZ, "The lawsuit is nothing but a money shakedown. The allegations are scurrilous, ridiculous and blatantly false. The lawsuit is both a sham and a scam."
David vanishes amid numerous lawsuits involving his role in the organization. Sources tell The Post that David is allegedly living in the gated Hacienda Gardens complex in Clearwater, which is owned by Scientology.
Many compare his current situation to that of the church founder L. Ron Hubbard, who, after years of legal battles with the government and being on the receiving end of numerous civil suits, went on the lam in his motorhome and at a house in Northern California, where he was surrounded by security until he died.
"Miscavige is a recluse now - the same way Hubbard was at the end," said Mike Rinder, the former media spokesman for Scientology and one of its highest-ranking executives before he left the church in 2007 in protest of David's leadership style, pointing out how rarely David is seen in public or at church events.
David's wife Shelly Miscavige also remains missing. She was last seen in public in 2007. It is believed that she's still living at Scientology's isolated and heavily guarded fortress, the Church of Spiritual Technology (CST), in rural Twin Peaks, California.
