Once again, I am reposting what Tony Ortega reported as a follow up to his original expose from the latest scientology spy to speak out, Alanna Warren.
This is some fascinating and detailed insight into activities subsidized by US taxpayers…
The surveillance photo above is obviously vital evidence, they documented the fact that Christie and I shop at a supermarket near our house. Another interesting thing about the report is just how many people they DIDN’T know. No doubt they took photos of everyone and they were pored over in OSA to determine who was there — but of course, it was no secret. We put it all over Facebook and our blogs…
This is a tax-exempt, religious organization? Really?
And they claim there is no such thing as Fair Game….
Alanna Warren: What a Scientology PI report looked like when I was following Mike Rinder
We got a huge reaction to Saturday’s story by Alanna Warren, who came forward as yet another former Scientology private investigator who regretted her work for the church.
Many of you pointed out how familiar her story sounded. That’s because five years ago, we told you the story of Cierra Westerman, another young woman who had taken PI courses at the same school — City College in Casselbury, Florida — and worked with the same mentor, Michelle Morton, got a job with Scientology’s private eyes, Terry Roffler and Dwayne Powell, and then began surveilling Mike Rinder, Christie Collbran, and many other ex-Scientologists. And also that she had, like Alanna, developed a romantic relationship with Powell.
Alanna said that her first assignment working for Dwayne Powell was to keep an eye on Amy Scobee and Mat Pesch.
We asked Amy for her thoughts on the matter…
It’s great when someone gets the courage to speak out. The PIs were very overtly following us, sometimes 3 cars tailing us at a time, including across state lines, from one end of the country to the other. Scientology was trying to scare us out of Clearwater while obtaining information on our contacts and activities. We haven’t spoken much about PI activity over the years because we didn’t want it to scare anyone who may potentially come forward with their own stories. People have become less afraid of retaliation since so many eyes are Scientology’s behavior – and the world hates bullies. I’m glad Alanna came forward. Her confirmation of what we witnessed is appreciated. I’m very glad that she has changed her profession.
We told you that Alanna has sent us a lot of material, besides photographs she shot on the job, and that it includes lengthy daily reports that she wrote while she was keeping an eye on Mike Rinder and Christie Collbran and others. And one of the most interesting of those reports was from July 4, 2010, when Rinder and Collbran had a lot of people over to their house.
We sent the report to Mike, and asked him for some thoughts.
That gathering was the first “Independent’s Day” and it was also the wedding of Marty and Mosey at our house (as you probably recall, I performed the ceremony — I had registered as a minister of The Independent Church of Scientology just to piss them off).
Obviously, an important part of this very expensive operation was to identify everyone associating with us. Seems to have been very important for Scientology to know who was jumping ship.
One thing I do find notable about this — the type of PI scientology gets to do its dirty work. Dwayne Powell is the bottom of the barrel. This is the third young woman he recruited from that same PI school, the third he had a sexual relationship with, and the second he got pregnant (I don’t think he was the father of Heather McAdoo’s son). Of course, in 2013 he was arrested for having a homemade, illegal silencer in the trunk of his car while stalking Ron Miscavige Sr.. Anyone who wants to protect their reputation (even in the often sleazy world of PI’s) doesn’t want to be associated with Scientology. I believe it’s the reason so many of them try to hide their identities or flee when they are “made.” When you resort to employing lowlifes like Dwayne Powell, it says a lot about you. The most ethical group on earth? A religion?
We’re going to excerpt a short portion of the report to give you a flavor of it. The date is July 4, 2010. The Rathbun wedding had been officiated by Rinder the day before, and the July 4 was the date for the gathering of independent Scientologists. It was Alanna’s job to watch the people coming and going to the Rinder house….
2:40pm- The silver Audi TT was observed arriving at the Riverview residence. Tom, Alison, and Chloe exited the vehicle and entered the residence. The white Mercury was also observed arriving at the Riverview residence, 3 unidentified white males and 2 unidentified white females exited the vehicle and entered the residence.
2:41pm- Tom, Alison, Chole, and two unidentified females from white Mercury arriving at Riverview Dr. (P4)
2:49pm- The RAV4 was observed arriving at the Riverview residence. Mike, Katrina, and the unidentified white male exited the vehicle and entered the residence.
2:51pm- Tom was observed exiting the Riverview residence; he proceeded to refill the paraffin oil in the tiki torch in the front yard.
2:52pm- The red Mustang was observed arriving at the Riverview residence; the 2 unidentified males and female exited the vehicle. They proceeded to unload fireworks from the vehicle and then entered the residence.
2:54pm- The white Navigator was observed arriving at the Riverview residence. Robert exited the vehicle and carried two plastic garbage bags inside the residence, they appeared to be heavy and contain ice.
2:54pm- Robert carrying two white garbage bags inside Riverview Dr. (P4)
2:58pm- The unidentified white male from the blue Mustang was observed exiting the Riverview residence, he appeared to be looking for something in the Mustang, and then went back inside.
3:04pm- The unidentified female from the red Mustang was observed standing outside the Riverview residence talking on her cell phone.
3:23pm- Marty, Karen, and an unidentified white male were observed exiting the Riverview residence, the Karen appeared to be upset and crying. Marty and the unidentified male appeared to be consoling her.
3:24pm- The unidentified female from the red Mustang went back inside the residence.
3:25pm- Tom and Alison were observed exiting the Riverview residence and departed the area in the silver Audi TT.
3:25pm- Tom and Alison departing Riverview Dr. in Audi TT (P4)
3:29pm- Marty was observed walking back inside the Riverview residence.
3:33pm- Mosey was observed exiting the Riverview residence, she was carrying a white trash bag and placed it with the garbage cans outside.
3:34pm- The unidentified white female from the blue Mustang was observed exiting the residence, she was carrying a white trash bag and placed with the garbage cans outside.
3:37pm- A motorcycle, the green Isuzu Rodeo, a silver Kia, and a white Honda were all observed arriving at the Riverview residence. From those vehicles Dirk, 2 unidentified white females, 2 boy children, and 5 female teenagers entered the residence, unable to verify which vehicle they exited due to obstruction of view. At this time Christie was also observed exiting the residence, she walked over to Dirk and gave him a hug.
3:37pm- Dirk and unidentified group of people arriving at Riverview Dr. from Rodeo and Honda (P4)
3:42pm- A white Ford Focus was observed arriving at the Riverview residence, Steve Hall and unidentified female exited the vehicle, he proceeded to get a backpack out of the trunk, and then they entered the residence.
3:42pm- Steve and unidentified female in Focus arriving at Riverview Dr. (P4)
3:46pm- An unidentified female and male was observed exiting the Riverview residence.
3:47pm- Christie was observed taking a white plastic garbage bag outside and placing it with the garbage cans, and then she went back inside the residence.
3:48pm- The unidentified female and male were observed going back inside the residence.
3:48pm – Vehicles and people arriving at Riverview (P6)
3:49pm- A silver Moreno and silver Mazda Miata was observed arriving at the Riverview residence. Sophia, Victor, and 2 unidentified white females exited the vehicles and entered the residence.
3:49pm- vehicles at Riverview Dr. (P6)
3:50pm- Sophia, Victor, and two unidentified females arriving at Riverview Dr. (P4)
3:54pm- A white Chrysler Sebring convertible was observed arriving at the Riverview residence, an unidentified male and female exited the vehicle and entered the residence. At the same time unidentified male and female from the black Escort were observed exiting the residence, they walked over to the Escort and got something out, and then went back inside.
3:54pm- unidentified male and female arriving in Sebring at Riverview Dr. (P4)
4:10pm- The Audi TT was observed arriving at the Riverview residence, Tom and Alison exited the vehicle; he was carrying a plastic grocery bag inside the residence.
4:10pm- Tom and Alison arriving at Riverview Dr. (P4)
4:26pm- Laura was observed arriving at the Riverview residence in the black Versa. She proceeded to unload several brown shopping bags from the vehicle and placed them at the walk-way to the front door. She then got back in the vehicle and parked it down the street.
4:27pm- Laura carrying brown shopping bags to walk-way at Riverview Dr. (P4)
4:30pm- Robert was observed exiting the Riverview residence, he proceeded to greet Laura and her child, then they entered the residence.
4:30pm- Robert greeting Laura and baby at Riverview Dr. (P4)
4:49pm- Mike, Christie, and several other people were observed standing out in front of the residence talking.
4:49pm- Mike, Christie, and several other people outside in front of Riverview Dr. talking (P4)
4:56pm- Mosey was observed exiting the Riverview residence and gave Karen a hug and said goodbye.
4:56pm- Mosey giving Karen a hug & saying goodbye at Riverview Dr. (P4)
4:58pm- Mike and Marty were observed outside in the drive-way behind the RAV4 talking.
4:59pm- Christie was observed walking over to join Mike and Marty talking behind the RAV4. PRO-5 conducted spot – check of Marina Dr. the Navigator and an antique truck were observed in the drive-way.
4:59pm – Navigator and antique truck at Marina Dr (P5)
5:03pm- Christie was observed going back inside the residence. Mike, Marty, and a couple other people were still out front talking.
5:04pm- Mike, Marty, and several other people outside in front of Riverview Dr. talking (P4)
5:15pm- The group of people talking out in front of the residence went back inside.
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I think that a piece of the solution is requiring financial reporting and disclosure for religious non-profits – as is the case for other types of organizations, public companies and corporations. That would surely make it much harder if not near impossible, for irresponsible, exploitive and abusive organizations to get away with what they are now doing behind closed doors; I think they would even start to be held accountable by members, if it were known exactly what the money being begged for, was actually being used for.
I understand there must have been an impetus not to put a burden on organizations trying to carry out charitable works. But the truth is that accounting and accountability are necessary to help prevent fraud, waste and abuse – and embezzlement is a real problem at small charities without proper financial controls and oversight. Reasonable exceptions might be made for the smallest of operations so as not to put an undue burden on them.
Someone counted I think 47 people in this photo of Scientology Independents. Now, a dozen and more years later, I wonder how any of them still consider themselves any part of Hubbard’s Scientology, how many have done any Auditing in the past year or two to discover the root cause, in this life or a prior life, of whatever is currently bothering them. Or how many still practice Touch Assists for alleviation of injuries and illnesses, and so on. In other words, how many still give credence to the ‘dreck’ I mean ‘tech’ promoted by Hubbard and his underlings?
Pass the Cal-Mag, honey, I need a pick-me-up! And don’t forget to word-clear that water bill before you pay it!
Full Disclosure: Though never in Scientology, I too followed a less-than-productive path for too many years. We are all human in our failings, it’s just a case of more or less. I applaud everyone who gets out of any situation that impedes living their life to its fullest, and hold out hope for anyone still in their own prison of belief, whatever it may be.
Looks like a whole lot of suspicious activity going on.
People getting in and out of foreign (and domestic) vehicles.
Beings who look like people going in and out of the house.
Unknown people greeting and talking to each other.
Multiple trips out to the garbage cans.
And all of this going on out in view of the public.
I can practically hear the Peter Gunn theme song playing.
Holy Cow, Mike. OSA found out that you and Christie shop at a grocery store near your house. Jeez, this is serious. This surveillance of the two of you together on a wild grocery spree in your very own neighborhood must have yielded quite a bit of damaging information for their files back then. But look, with any luck the cult is still not 100% sure if you and the kids prefer plain corn flakes for breakfast or the frosted kind.
LOL!!!
🙂
It’s unfortunate that the US government and its agencies do not seem interested in looking at the abuse being done with tax free money.
Keep up the good work Mike! You and many other bloggers are shining a light on this covert group and thus, waking up politicians.
If you were slanderous or wrong, they would have sued you by now!
You can help! See Mike’s blogpost – how to find your political representatives with suggestions about what topics to bring up to them that may get their attention. We thought about creating a template for people to use but based on some good community input, decided that templates probably aren’t too effective. Please see: https://www.mikerindersblog.org/how-to-contact-elected-representatives/
Hubbard ordered minions to do what he wished he had the balls to do, and they had to do it exactly as he wished he had told them to do it, whether or not he actually said/wrote the words intelligibly. And it mattered not that they were breaking the law
In my opinion, a large part of the opposition to Scientology would simply disappear if the practice (not name) of Fair Game would stop. Cancelling the name Fair Game and not the practice of Fair Game may have been another case of Hubbard being wrong. (Do I have to tell the window washing story again?)