Probably best known for portraying the seventies stoner Hyde on That 70’s Show, Danny Masterson is also among the latest celebrities to find himself in the crosshairs of rape accusations, but the Church of Scientology appears to have acted as a fixer, protecting the accused rapist with its money and influence.
A monthslong investigation into multiple allegations of rape against actor Danny Masterson has inexplicably stalled, despite the Los Angeles County district attorney having compelling evidence in the case, multiple sources told HuffPost. Four women have accused Masterson of raping them in the early 2000s.
Masterson is a longtime member of the Church of Scientology, an organization that has a history of covering up allegations of misconduct leveled against the organization and its members. At least three of the women who have accused him of rape were also Scientologists and reported the incidents to the Church of Scientology at the time.
Prior to the Harvey Weinstein tipping point that now has Hollywood virtually synonymous with rape, sexual assault, and perversion, the first thing you may have thought of if asked about Hollywood culture might have been Scientology.
The Scientologists have actively cultivated many celebrity adherents in order to normalize and market their weirdo beliefs. Some of the biggest stars in Hollywood are members—John Travolta, Elizabeth Moss, Tom Cruise. Even lesser known self promoters like the darling of Fox News Trumpists, Joy Villa.
Leah Remini’s investigative series on A&E, Scientology and the Aftermath has interviewed people claiming that they suffered sexual abuse within the cult. Remini and former Scientology bigwig Mike Rinder have by all accounts been meticulous in their investigations, in part because the cult is pretty ruthless and skilled in lawfare. They have reportedly interviewed Masterson’s accusers but have decided not to air the episode for now because it could interfere with the police investigation.
According to Tony Ortega, a journalist who covers the Church of Scientology, the women who have accused Masterson of rape were interviewed for the docu-series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath—but the episode was shelved amid concerns that it would interfere with the L.A.P.D. investigation. However, now that numerous Hollywood stars and other powerful men have come under fire for sexual-misconduct allegations, questions are rising again about how the Masterson claims will be handled—and what the docu-series will do with the episode it kept off the air.
Further complicating the matter is that some of Masterson’s accusers were also scientologists at the time they were allegedly raped. Reporting another scientologist to law enforcement is apparently against the rules of the cult.
After she filed the report, the Church of Scientology reportedly submitted 50 affidavits from Scientologists denying the woman’s claims. As HuffPost notes, reporting a fellow Scientologist to law enforcement officials is not just frowned upon—it’s grounds for expulsion from the organization. The case file later “vanished,” according to reporter Yashar Ali.
The L.A.P.D. began interviewing the four women in 2016. “Despite compelling—what one law enforcement source described as ‘overwhelming’—evidence, the charges have not been approved for filing,” Ali notes. The evidence reportedly includes “audiotapes, e-mails sent to and from Scientology officers at the time the alleged rapes happened, forensic computer evidence, and a threatening handwritten letter Masterson sent to one of the alleged victims.”
It’s hard not to see similarities here between Scientology and organized crime. One has to wonder if Scientology keeps cops and judges on its payroll like any powerful mafia family would to protect its interests.
NEW: Netflix Takes No Action Against Danny Masterson Despite Multiple Rape Accusations and DA investigation https://t.co/QPmkplFYrh
— Yashar Ali
(@yashar) November 4, 2017
Netflix has terminated its involvement with House of Cards actor Kevin Spacey over allegations of sexual misconduct. They’ve made no similar moves toward Masterson who also stars in a popular Netflix series The Ranch with fellow That 70’s Show alum Ashton Kutcher, Sam Elliot, and Debra Winger.
Maybe if Kevin Spacey had professed a belief in Scientology instead of coming out as gay he’d still have a job.
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