Leah Remini sues Church of Scientology over alleged stalking, harassment: 'Tax-exempt cult' using 'mob-style tactics'

Actress and producer Leah Remini announced a lawsuit on Wednesday against the Church of Scientology and its leader David Miscavige over alleged stalking, harassment, intimidation, surveillance, and defamation.

"While advocating for victims of Scientology has significantly impacted my life and career, Scientology's ultimate objective of silencing me has not been achieved," Remini wrote in an article published this week on her Substack. "Although this lawsuit is about what Scientology has done to me, I am one of thousands of targets of Scientology over the past seven decades. People who share their experiences in Scientology, and those who tell their stories and advocate for them, should be free to do so without fearing retaliation from a tax-exempt cult with billions in assets."

Remini, a former Church of Scientology member, accused the church of using "mob-style tactics" and launching "a campaign to ruin and destroy" her life. She alleged that after leaving Scientology in 2013, she was labeled a "Suppressive Person" or "an enemy" of the church.

"Anyone who publicly leaves Scientology is automatically declared a Suppressive Person," the lawsuit stated. "Actions against Suppressive Persons are primarily carried out by members of the Sea Organization … which handles Scientology's internal security and outside legal affairs and serves as Scientology's intelligence and spying operation."

The lawsuit claimed that Remini was forced to endure "psychological torture meant to rewrite" her memories after she asked about the whereabouts of Miscavige's missing wife, Shelly, while attending Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' wedding in Italy in 2006.

According to the complaint, Remini "was immediately admonished by the group" and required to "undergo a quick 'ethics cycle,'" which involved a "Truth Rundown." Remini's lawsuit described the process as "a form of psychological torture meant to rewrite the target's memories" when "Scientology wants to erase their memory and implant new memories."

"It was clear to Ms. Remini that she was being punished for asking where Shelly Miscavige was and for filing reports on David Miscavige and others," the suit stated.

Shelly Miscavige, who has not been seen since 2007, was reported missing by Remini in 2013 when she left Scientology.

Remini accused the church of violating her First Amendment rights, and the lawsuit seeks to "recover compensatory and punitive damages for the enormous economic and psychological harm."

The Church of Scientology denied Remini’s allegations in a statement to TheBlaze on Thursday.

“This lawsuit is ludicrous and the allegations pure lunacy. Remini spreads hate and falsehoods for a decade and is now offended when people exercise their right to free speech, exposing her for what she is—an anti-free speech bigot,” it stated, in part.

The church compared Remini’s complaints to “an anti-Semite complaining about the Jewish Anti-Defamation League for exposing the anti-Semite’s bigotry and propaganda.”

The statement continued, “If Remini can no longer get a job, she has nobody to blame but herself. Obviously everybody in Hollywood now knows what we already knew: That Remini is a horrible person and toxic to so many who have the misfortune to come in contact with her.”

“If Remini does not believe in free speech, then she should consider emigrating to Russia,” the church concluded.

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