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{{Infobox Person |
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| name = David Miscavige |
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| birth_date = {{bda|1960|4|30}} |
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| birth_place = ] |
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| death_date = |
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| title = Chairman of the Board |
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| employer = ] |
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| salary = ]50-60,000 (1990s)<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.sptimes.com/TampaBay/102598/scientologypart4.html|title = The man behind Scientology |accessdate = August 27, 2007|last = Tobin|first = Thomas C.|date = October 25, 1998|work=part 4|publisher = ]}}</ref> |
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| spouse = Michelle Miscavige |
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| nationality = American |
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| religion = ] |
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}} |
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'''David Miscavige''' (April 30, 1960) is the leader of the ] and its many affiliated organizations, having assumed that role shortly after the death of Scientology founder ] in 1986. His formal title is ] of the ] of ] (RTC), a corporation that controls the trademarked names and symbols of ] and ] and which "holds the ultimate ] authority regarding the standard and pure application of L. Ron Hubbard's religious technologies."<ref>Religious Technology Center (accessed May 8, 2007)</ref> His position is paramount within Scientology but, according to the church, it is not the same position once held by L. Ron Hubbard as the founder and originator of doctrines and policies; Miscavige's mandate is to protect the works of L. Ron Hubbard from distortion or misuse <ref name="christensen">{{cite book | last = Christensen | first = Dorthe Reflsund |chapter= Inventing L. Ron Hubbard | editor= James R. Lewis | title = Controversial New Religions | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 2004 | isbn = 0195156838 |page= 247 | url= http://books.google.com/books?id=YCNd2YPFKTMC}}</ref> and to serve as "worldwide ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion."<ref>Religious Technology Center (accessed May 8, 2007)</ref><ref name="Behar">Behar, Richard ] May 6, 1991 page 50</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Schaefer | first = Richard T. |chapter= David Miscavige | editor= William W. Zellner | title = Extraordinary Groups: An Examination of Unconventional Lifestyles | publisher = Worth Publishers, 8th Edition | year = 2007 | isbn = 0716770342 | page= 285 | url= http://books.google.com/books?id=u0K9bHZOj9cC}}</ref>. |
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Miscavige was an assistant to Hubbard (a "Commodore's messenger") while a teenager.<ref name="christensen" /> He rose to a leadership position within the organization by the early 1980s and was named Chairman of the Board of RTC in 1987.<ref>Young, Robert Vaughn , Quill magazine, Volume 81, Number 9, Nov/Dec 1993.</ref> Since assuming that role, Miscavige has been faced with press accounts alleging illegal and unethical practices. A 1991 ''Time'' magazine cover story described Miscavige as "ringleader" of a "hugely profitable global racket that survives by intimidating members and critics in a Mafia-like manner." <ref name="Behar">Behar, Richard ] May 6, 1991</ref> A 2009 series by the ''St. Petersburg Times'' details allegations by former Scientology executives and parishioners that Miscavige publicly humiliates and physically abuses his staff members.<ref name="TruthRunDown">{{cite web | first = Thomas C. Tobin| last = Joe Childs | title =The Truth Run Down | url = http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1012148.ece | work = | publisher = ] | date = June 23, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-23 }}</ref> Miscavige and other church spokespeople have consistently insisted that all such charges are false. He labels the sources quoted in the ''St. Petersburg Times'' as "lying" after the persons in question had been removed from the organization for "fundamental crimes against the Scientology religion."<ref name="DMLetter">{{cite web | first = Thomas C. Tobin| last = Joe Childs | title =A letter from David Miscavige | url =http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1012140.ece | work = | publisher = ] | date = June 23, 2009 | accessdate = June 23, 2009 }}</ref><ref>Hoffman, Claire , ], December 18, 2005</ref> |
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Among Scientologists, Miscavige is often referred to by his initials, "DM," or "C.O.B.," for Chairman of the Board.<ref name="Man in Control">{{cite news | first=Joel | last=Sappell | coauthors= Welkos, Robert W. | url=http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-scientologysideb062490,1,7772622.story?coll=la-news-comment&ctrack=1&cset=true | title=The Man In Control | work=] | page=A41:4 | date=June 24, 1990 | accessdate=2006-06-06 }} </ref> He reportedly lives at Scientology's ], which is also the main RTC headquarters, near ].<ref>Reitman, Janet ], Issue 995. March 9, 2006. Page 57.</ref> |
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==Early life== |
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David Miscavige was born in ] to Loretta and Ron Miscavige Sr.<ref name="TMBS">{{cite web|url = http://www.sptimes.com/TampaBay/102598/scientologypart2.html|title = The man behind Scientology |accessdate = August 27, 2007|last = Tobin|first = Thomas C.|date = October 25, 1998|work=part 2|publisher = ]}}</ref> and he was the youngest of their four children. The Polish-Italian family was ].<ref name="TMBS" /> One sister is Denise Licciardi who in 2002 was hired by Bryan Zwan as a top executive for the ]-based company Digital Lightwave.<ref>{{cite news |
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| last = O'Neil |
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| first = Deborah |
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| coauthors = Kitty Bennett, Jeff Harrington |
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| title = The CEO and his church: Months of interviews and thousands of pages of court papers show the effect that influential church members had on a Clearwater company that was a darling of the dot-com boom. |
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| work = ] |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = St. Petersburg Times |
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| date = June 2, 2002 |
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| url = http://www.sptimes.com/2002/06/02/TampaBay/The_CEO_and_his_churc.shtml |
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| accessdate = }} |
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</ref> |
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His older brother is Ronnie Miscavige, who for a time was also in the ]<ref name="bluesky">{{cite book | first=Jon | last=Atack | coauthors= | title=] |url=http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/atack/contents.htm| publisher=Lyle Stuart | location= | year=1990 | editor= | isbn=0-8184-0499-X | chapter=Chapter Four—The Young Rulers | page=448 }}</ref> but who left the Church of Scientology in 2000.<ref name=niece>{{cite web | first = Jonny | last = Jacobsen | title = Niece of Scientology's leader backs Cruise biography | url = http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5heELOXbk_8qWowwJGtd3RrEXdqgQ | work = ] | publisher = ] | date = January 28, 2008 | accessdate = March 11, 2008 }}</ref> |
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As a child, Miscavige suffered from asthma and severe ] which prevented him from participating in many sports. During this time his father, a ] player, became interested in Scientology, and he had his son sent to a Scientologist. According to him and his son, the 45-minute ] session cured his ailments. The family was impressed enough by Scientology to move to the world headquarters in ], England.<ref name="TMBS"/> |
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==Scientology== |
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===Early activities=== |
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Miscavige joined Scientology in 1971. In 1976 he left high school and joined the ]anization, an association of Scientologists established in 1968 by Hubbard. In 1977 he worked directly under Hubbard as a cameraman for Scientology training films. Hubbard appointed him to the ], responsible for enforcing Hubbard's policies within the individual Scientology organizations. In 1981 he was placed in charge of the ] and the All Clear Unit, tasked with handling the various legal claims against Hubbard. He persuaded ] to resign from the ] (GO), deposed several GO officers through ] proceedings, and removed the GO from the church's organization.<ref name="religioninc">{{cite book|first=Stewart|last=Lamont|title=Religion Inc.: The Church of Scientology |location=London |publisher=Harrap |page = 95|isbn= 0245543341|year=1986}}</ref> |
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After closing the Guardian's Office, Miscavige set up a new organizational structure for Scientology to release Hubbard from personal liability. He set up the ], tasked with licensing Scientology's intellectual property, and ] to manage the proceeds. The ] was created at the same time with an ] to repurchase all of RTC's intellectual property rights.<ref name="religioninc"/> In October 1982 Miscavige required Scientology Missions to enter new trademark usage contracts which established stricter policies on the use of Scientology materials.<ref name="Man in Control"/><ref name="mystery">{{cite web |url = http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,951938,00.html |title = Mystery of the Vanished Ruler |accessdate = August 10, 2007 |date = January 31, 1983|work = |publisher = ]}}</ref> |
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===Rise to leadership=== |
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In 1981 ], then second only to L. Ron Hubbard himself in Scientology's hierarchy, was appealing her prison sentence for her part in ], and she began to face criticism from within the Scientology organization. The ''St. Petersburg Times'', in the 1998 article "The Man Behind Scientology," states: "During two heated encounters, Miscavige persuaded Mary Sue Hubbard to resign. Together they composed a letter to Scientologists confirming her decision -- all without ever talking to L. Ron Hubbard." According to Miscavige, he and Mary Sue Hubbard remained friends thereafter.<ref name="TMBS"/><ref name="barefaced">{{cite book | author=Miller, Russell | authorlink=Russell Miller| title=Bare-faced Messiah, The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard | publisher=Henry Holt & Co | location=New York | edition=First American | year=1987 | isbn=0-8050-0654-0 | pages = 305–306 |chapter=22. Missing, Presumed Dead}}</ref> |
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In a 1982 ] case, ], Hubbard's estranged son, accused Miscavige of embezzling from and manipulating his father. Hubbard denied this in a written statement, saying that his business affairs were being well managed by ], of which Miscavige was the Chairman of the Board. The case was dismissed on June 27, 1983.<ref>{{cite book | author=Miller, Russell | title=], The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard | publisher=Henry Holt & Co | year=1987 | isbn=0-8050-0654-0 }} Page 369.</ref> |
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Miscavige announced L. Ron Hubbard's death in 1986, speaking to Sea Org members assembled in the ]. Shortly before Hubbard's death, an apparent order from him circulated in the Sea Org that promoted Scientologist Pat Broeker and his wife to the new rank of Loyal Officer, making them the highest-ranking members.<ref>{{cite book| |
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first=Jon|last=Atack| |
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title=A Piece of Blue Sky| |
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year=1990}}</ref>{{page number}} Miscavige established himself as the ecclesiastical leader of the religion.<ref></ref> |
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=== Allegations of abuse === |
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Former senior-level Church of Scientology staff, including marketing executive Jeff Hawkins and Stacy Young, have alleged that Miscavige ] and ] his subordinates, including high-ranking Church executives. Church representatives have consistently denied such accusations. Hawkins, a senior marketing executive in the Church, claimed that Miscavige had physically assaulted him at an executive meeting in 2002, and, on other occasions, had punched him in his stomach and hit him on the head.<ref>{{cite news|title=Selling Scientology: A Former Scientologist Marketing Guru Turns Against the Church|first=Matt|last=Davis|date=August 7, 2008|url=http://www.portlandmercury.com/news/selling_scientology/Content?oid=862344|accessdate=August 10, 2008}}</ref> Young, the wife of Hubbard's former ] spokesman Vaughn Young and Miscavige's former secretary, has claimed that Miscavige emotionally tormented staff members on a regular basis during her tenure. "His viciousness and his cruelty to staff was unlike anything that I had ever experienced in my life ... He just loved to degrade the staff," Young said in a 1995 ] interview. "He got a kick out of it. He thought it was funny. Anybody who didn't think it was funny, like I didn't, was very suspect."<ref>"Inside the Cult", ITV's ''The Big Story'', 1995</ref> |
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In June 2009, the '']'' reported that top former Scientologists ], ] and two other witnesses said Miscavige beats and demoralizes staff, and claimed violence is a standard occurrence.<ref name="TruthRunDown"/> Scientology spokesman ] denied these claims and provided witnesses to rebut them.<ref name="TruthRunDown"/> Miscavige sent a letter, which was posted online, to the newspaper a day before the first story ran, saying: <blockquote> |
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"I have been advised that you have decided to move forward with your story without my interview. This, despite the fact confirmed more than three weeks ago that I would make myself available on a date certain (6 July), after you spoke to other relevant Church personnel and toured Church facilities, and that I would provide information annihilating the credibility of your sources including the fundamental crimes against the Scientology religion that were the reasons for their removal from post."<ref name="DMLetter"/> |
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</blockquote> |
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The editors replied: "The Times first requested an interview with Mr. Miscavige on May 13, and offered to meet with him in person, or interview him by telephone at any time since."<ref name="DMLetter"/> |
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In 2009, Miscavige was named as a defendant in a lawsuit for slavery and child labor by a former Scientologist.<ref>{{cite news | last =Hull | first =Tim | title = |
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Man Says Scientologists Enslaved Him as Boy | work =] | date =December 1, 2009 | url =http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/12/01/Man_Says_Scientologists_Enslaved_Him_as_Boy.htm | accessdate = 2009-12-02 }}</ref> |
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=== Tax advocacy === |
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In 1993 after lengthy negotiations an agreement with the ] was reached on its treatment of the Church of Scientology. In 1991 Miscavige, with ], had gone to IRS headquarters to meet with the ] ], which led to a two year review process (in which IRS tax analysts were ordered to ignore the substantive issues because the issues had been resolved prior to review),<ref>{{cite web | first = Douglas | last = Frantz | title = Scientology's Puzzling Journey From Tax Rebel to Tax Exempt | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B05E7DE1639F93AA35750C0A961958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all | work = | publisher = ] | date = March 9, 1997 | accessdate = January 22, 2008 }}</ref> and ultimately, ]ion for the Church of Scientology International and its organizations in the US. Later, in 1997, the church issued a statement denying its own "impromptu meeting" version of events, which the IRS and Goldberg declined to comment on.<ref>{{cite web | first = Douglas | last = Frantz | title = Scientology Denies an Account Of an Impromptu I.R.S. Meeting | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A04EED81038F93AA25750C0A961958260 | work = | publisher = ] | date = March 19, 1997 | accessdate = January 22, 2008 }}</ref> |
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In 1990, David Miscavige founded the organization ]. In 1997 the group was challenging the US tax system.<ref>'']'', October 23, 1997</ref> |
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=== Public contact === |
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Although he is often a speaker at major Scientology openings, award ceremonies and related events,<ref>, |
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(accessed August 3, 2006)</ref> Miscavige has rarely spoken to the press. |
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In his first media appearance, in 1992, Miscavige was interviewed at length by ] of ]. During the nearly hour-long appearance, Miscavige identified what he considered to be misconceptions about Scientology and condemned recent criticism of the Church as unfounded and bigoted. Miscavige also addressed the issue of ] in Scientology, dismissing them as no different from the beliefs of any other religion. When played an audio recording of ] describing a visit to the ], Miscavige rejected it as " part of current Scientology."<ref name="Nightline">Koppel, Ted, '']'', David Miscavige interview of February 14, 1992; </ref> |
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In 1998, Miscavige gave his sole newspaper interview to the '']''.<ref>{{cite web | first = Thomas C. | last = Tobin | title = The Man Behind Scientology | url = http://www.sptimes.com/TampaBay/102598/scientologypart1.html | work = | publisher = ] | date = October 25, 1998 | accessdate = January 22, 2008 }}</ref> Later that year, he appeared in an ] '']'' installment called "Inside Scientology" which aired in December.<ref>A & E ''Investigative Reports'': "Inside Scientology", December 14, 1998</ref> |
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==Personal life== |
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Miscavige served as ] in ]'s 2006 wedding to ].<ref>{{cite news | title = Cruise and Holmes go on honeymoon | publisher = BBC News | date = November 19, 2006 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6160350.stm | accessdate = February 10, 2007 }}</ref> |
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==See also== |
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{{Portal|Scientology|Scientology e meter blue.jpg}} |
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*] |
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*] |
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==References== |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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==External links== |
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{{wikinewshas|news on this topic| |
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*] |
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*] |
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}} |
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;Church of Scientology official |
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* . |
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* Official biography of Miscavige. |
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* A Church of Scientology-produced response to the ''St. Petersburg Times' '' critical series about Miscavige. |
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;News media |
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* . A 1998 interview with David Miscavige in the '']''. |
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* Investigative reports and interviews about Scientology, largely focused on Miscavige, ''St. Petersburg Times,'' June-August 2009. |
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;Criticism |
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* |
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{{Scientology}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Miscavige, David}} |
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