Leah Remini has filed an expansive lawsuit against the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, for harassment, defamation, surveillance, and other unlawful behavior resulting in “psychological torture.”
The 53-year-old actor, who joined Scientology as a child in 1979 and left in 2013, claims the organization’s “mob-style operations and attacks” have “significantly” affected her life and career.
“For 17 years, Scientology and David Miscavige have subjected me to what I believe to be psychological torture, defamation, surveillance, harassment and intimidation, significantly impacting my life and career. I believe I am not the first person targeted by Scientology and its operations, but I intend to be the last,” Remini said in a press release issued on Wednesday.
Remini filed the bombshell 60-page lawsuit in the California superior court on Wednesday in an attempt to “require Scientology, and any entity it controls and funds, to cease and desist its alleged practice of harassment, defamation and other unlawful conduct against anyone who Scientology has labeled as an ‘enemy’”, she stated.
The suit claims the organization orchestrated a pattern of “coordinated and malicious assaults” after Remini’s departure, including public claims that she was abusive toward her mother and daughter and had made racist statements.
The King of Queens star seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the alleged harm inflicted on her “life and livelihood” by the Church of Scientology and its leadership.
“With this lawsuit, I hope to protect my rights as afforded by the constitution of the United States to speak the truth and report the facts about Scientology,” Remini added in her statement. “I feel strongly that the banner of religious freedom does not give anyone license to intimidate, harass and abuse those who exercise their first amendment rights.”
Remini has been a public critic of Scientology for several years after her break with the Los Angeles-based organization. In 2016, she co-created and executive-produced a documentary series called Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, which won two Emmy awards and ran for three seasons.
Last November, she testified on behalf of the Oscar-winning writer and director Paul Haggis in his civil rape trial. She argued that the church was behind the allegations against the Crash director, who left Scientology in 2009. After the trial ended in a hung jury, Remini posted a lengthy statement on Twitter accusing Miscavige of covering up sexual harassment and assault within the church.
“Scientology was responsible for reporting these crimes to civil authorities but did no such thing. Instead, it covered them up,” she wrote. “Scientology and its evil leader David Miscavige obstructed justice and participated in a conspiracy to cover up these crimes. They have done this many other times in cases of rape and other sexual misconduct.”
LINK LOVE
HOT DEALS
- Save $60 on the YETI M15 Tote Soft Cooler! The newest member of the YETI® Hopper® Soft Cooler family is here with the tough-as-nails Hopper® M15. Made with durable MagShield Access, the extra-wide mouth top stays open when needed, making it easier than ever to load and unload food and drink for weekend excursions. Equipped with a strip of durable and powerful ultra-strong magnets, the top seals tight and locks cold in, while the Quick-Release Buckles add an extra layer of protection. [YETI]
- Save 15% on Harry’s Men’s 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner for all hair types! Harry’s 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner for men is a gentle yet effective shampoo and hydrating conditioner that leaves hair feeling soft, never dry. [Amazon]
- Save $60 on the Shark FlexStyle® Air Styling & Drying System. With Shark FlexStyle®, you can easily transform between a powerful, fast, no-heat-damage hair dryer, and an ultra-versatile multi-styler. [Shark]
- Save $50 on Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds featuring noise cancelling, heart rate monitor, ipx4, up to 45h battery & charging case, and they work with Apple & Android. [Amazon]
- Save $1000 on the Apple – 11-inch iPad Air M3 chip Built for Apple Intelligence Wi-Fi 128GB! [Best Buy]
- Save $5 on Banana Boat Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 Twin Pack. SPF 50 sunscreen lotion absorbs excess oil and moisture, allowing skin to breathe. [Amazon]
- Get 77% off NordVPN’s 2-year plan + 3 extra months, from $11.59 $3.09/month! Start using NordVPN with just a few clicks: get a plan, sign up, and tap the Quick Connect button to pick the best server for your network conditions. [NordVPN]
- A Roku 65-inch TV for under $300 — onn. 65” Class 4K UHD (2160P) LED Roku Smart Television HDR. Roku Smart TV – wirelessly stream 500,000+ movies and TV episodes available across thousands of free or paid channels, conveniently presented through your own customizable home screen. [Target]
Like most websites, Socialite Life uses affiliate links where available, which means we earn a little commission if you click through and buy something. Also, as Amazon Influencers, we earn from qualifying purchases. Savings shown are those from the date and time of this article’s publication.
