Leah Remini wants to face down Scientology once and for all with new lawsuit

Ever since Leah Remini officially left the Church of Scientology, she’s been a thorn in the organization’s side. From her documentary series Scientology And The Aftermath to supporting the accusers of Danny Masterson, she’s been one of the Church’s most visible and vocal critics. Now, she’s taken a further step to check Scientology’s power by filing a lawsuit against the Church.

“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,” Remini said in a statement. “I believe I am not the first person targeted by Scientology and its operations, but I intend to be the last.”

The suit (which can be read in full over at Remini’s Substack) names as defendants The Church of Scientology International, Religious Technology Center, Inc., and the head of the Church, David Miscavige. Scientology’s alleged intimidation tactics against people the Church deems “Suppressive Persons” (often ex-Scientologists and critics of the organization) has been well documented in Remini’s docuseries and elsewhere. The suit points to the Church’s Office of Special Affairs (OSA), which is tasked with “monitoring the activities of Scientologists and non-Scientologists and exacting revenge and retribution on anyone who has been declared an enemy of Scientology,” per a press release about the suit.

While Remini states that her suit is about the retribution Scientology has sought against her specifically, she notes that “I am one of thousands of targets of Scientology over the past seven decades.” With that in mind, one of the goals of her legal action is “to end Scientology’s policies against Suppressive Persons so that current and former Scientologists, and others who wish to expose Scientology’s abuses, including journalists and advocates, may feel free to hold Scientology accountable without the fear that they will be threatened into silence.”

“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 said. “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.”