Prime Scientologist executives went to excessive lengths to stop an web troll from pranking high-profile member Tom Cruise, RadarOnline.com has discovered.
Leaked paperwork from a former Scientologist government revealed the extent to which the church went to cease a Florida faculty pupil’s prank on the actor in the course of the 2006 Los Angeles premiere of Mission: Unattainable 3.
The controversial church tried to limit airspace over the premiere’s location — and even sought assist from Los Angeles Police Division connections.
Stephen ‘Josh’ Schofield was a 21-year-old College of Central Florida pupil when he concocted a plan to prank Cruise.
Schofield implored on-line boards for $3,300 in donations and organized for 2 banners to be flown over the Grauman’s Chinese language Theater, the place Cruise, his followers, and Hollywood A-listers had been anticipated to collect for the premiere.
The banners had been meant to poke enjoyable at Cruise’s faith, notably the “galactic overlord” Xenu from Scientology teachings.
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“One airplane was going to hold a banner that mentioned Hail Xenu,” Schofield advised the Each day Mail. The second banner took a dig of then-newborn Suri Cruise and browse, “The newborn belongs to Xenu.”
Schofield’s plan by no means got here to fruition although, thanks to an enormous effort from Scientology’s Workplace of Particular Affairs. In April 2006, members from the church’s “Watchdog Committee” despatched a letter that warned of the scholar’s intent to “put up insulting banners.”
Each banners had been described as “each anti-Scientology and anti-Tom Cruise.”
The letter ordered the church’s Director/Commanding Officer from the Workplace of Particular Affairs to “discover out every part you may about them and let me know without delay.”
After Schofield’s private info was found and shared, one other letter was despatched that detailed the group’s effort to cease him. Senior Scientologist Kiersten Caetano revealed extraordinary measures taken to “be certain that this flyover is killed.”
Caetano’s letter said that the pilot employed for the prank had been tracked down and Robert Boyland, the pinnacle of safety for the premiere, was contacted.
Boyland then met with VP of Paramount Safety Companies Scott Lachase, a former and ex-LAPD officer. Collectively they “contacted the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] concerning getting the airspace restricted.”
The FAA refused to close down airspace and not using a “credible menace” and thus the church ready a “pack” of knowledge to beef up its grievance. Regardless of no menace of bodily hurt, Caetano claimed the prankster’s web historical past must be taken “significantly.”
The church’s safety division even reached out to ex-FBI agent Scott Nelson for recommendation — and then-chief Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis had a “transient” ready for LAPD’s Ron Sanchez to “decide precisely what the police can do to cease this.”
Regardless of the church’s efforts, climate finally prevented the prank from taking place. Karin Pouw, the church’s chief spokesperson, advised the outlet she wasn’t conscious of the occasion and could not find the paperwork in query.