UPDATE 3:49 P.M. EST: Danny has responded. You can read his statement HERE.
You can’t Hyde from the truth.
The Church of Scientology has been accused of conducting tons of despicable practices lately, but the latest allegations about the organization may be the worst we’ve heard yet.
It’s been reported that the Los Angeles Police Department has been investigating Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson in at least three alleged cases of rape or sodomy of women.
According to The Underground Bunker, these women, who were also Scientologists, claim they were pressured by the church not to report their accusations against the That ‘70s Show star to the police.
Related: Celebs Who Opened Up About Surviving Sexual Assault
No charges have been filed against the actor, and neither Masterson’s camp nor the Church responded to the accusations.
One individual that did comment on the subject was Leah Remini, who has been exposing the religion with her docuseries Scientology and the Aftermath. Apparently, it was the actress’ explosive A&E series that encouraged the women to come forward.
Remini said that one of the women (Victim A) came to her with the allegations, and the King of Queens star told her to file a police report. Remini then got personally involved in the investigation, which soon added two additional women to it.
Another one of the women (Victim B) had filed a report with the LAPD in 2004 a year after her alleged rape occurred, however that investigation was closed when the witnesses (who were Scientologists) contradicted the victim’s testimony.
But Victim A’s coming forward, along with Remini’s persuasion, caused the LAPD to reopen Victim B’s case.
Related: Leah Says Tom Cruise Could ‘Singlehandedly’ End Scientology
After several months of getting nowhere in the case, however, Victim A grew frustrated and wrote a letter to the LAPD last month, insinuating the department had been compromised by the Church!
In her letter, Victim A explained she had been in a relationship with Masterson, but he had allegedly anally raped and injured her while she was unconscious in late 2001.
Victim A said Scientology officials discouraged her from going to the police, and then punished her for being victimized. She explained:
“They threatened me that if I ever told anyone or reported him to the police that I would be declared a ├óΓé¼╦£suppressive person’ and lose everything and everyone. Then they put me on a massive ethics program as punishment. My rapist was not punished at all. They didn’t even call him to talk about it. I ended up breaking up with him two months later.”
Wow, that is majorly fucked up!
But given all the (allegedly) horrible things the Church has done to its members, we’re unfortunately not that surprised.
Hopefully this investigation gets the right amount of attention and the truth comes out.
[Image via DJDM/WENN.]