Death of a ‘whale’: Scientology loses a major donor and Mark Bunker critic
This is the last thing Scientology leader David Miscavige needs right now. What with so much going on, including Scientology getting a drubbing in trials on two coasts, Mike Rinder still on his media rounds for his excellent new book ‘A Billion Years,’ and the two mayoral candidates in Los Angeles trying to outdo each other trashing Scientology, the organization’s slow recovery from the ravages of the pandemic has been a nightmare.
And now this. We have just learned that Platinum Meritorious donor and OT 8 Scientologist Steve Anderson died suddenly last month. He was only 53 and newly retired after the company he ran in Clearwater, AutoLoop, had merged with Affinitiv, a Chicago company, and he’d parachuted out as chairman after the transition.
The two companies merged after competing to grab the market of delivering data solutions to car dealers, selling packages that tracked everything from sales to ordering to service and everything else in the car-buying experience.
And while his company was growing in Clearwater, Anderson was not happy that Scientology critic Mark Bunker had been elected to the city council in March 2020 and was then asking to be added to the Downtown Development Board.
Anderson was one of a handful of prominent local Scientologists who made quite a showing at a public meeting in order to protest Bunker’s addition to the board. Here, take a look at Anderson’s contribution, it’s just a couple of minutes long as he warns that Bunker is going to bring back noisy protests against Scientology to Clearwater’s quiet streets…
OK, so that proved to be a faulty prediction. Mark Bunker has done no such thing. But Anderson moved on from AutoLoop-Affinitiv and in his brief retirement pursued his interests in an active life of kite-surfing, piloting, and then, this last year or so, race car driving. He was really living life to the fullest.
But then, on October 8, he suddenly died of what sounds like a heart attack. A memorial for him is being held in Clearwater on November 19.
We looked, but we were unable to find any statement about Anderson’s passing from the Church of Scientology, where he was not only OT 8, but he was also a major donor. He and his wife Jennifer were named “Patrons Meritorious” in 2006, which indicates a cumulative donation of $250,000 to the International Association of Scientologists, the membership organization of Scientology. And by 2014, they had really stepped up their game and were named “Platinum Meritorious” for a cumulative total of $2.5 million to the IAS.
An OT 8 who not only was loaded but who turned over millions to Dave’s coffers and was willing to step up at a public meeting and advocate against an arch Scientology villain?
Oh, Dave, we feel your loss.
Hey, speaking of Mark Bunker, he put out this video a few days ago encouraging the citizens of Clearwater to vote tomorrow for a ballot referendum to approve a $400 million sale of two bluff properties to a developer. And in the process, he really does a great job summarizing the current and past situation in that town with Scientology…
Motions and jury instructions at the Danny Masterson trial
Today, Monday, we’ll be at the courthouse as the Danny Masterson trial takes a break from testimony. Judge Charlaine Olmedo indicated that she would be dealing with motions, and that they would also begin talking about jury instructions.
So we expect there to be considerable news and we’ll get you those reports as soon as we can.
Testimony in the prosecution’s case will resume at 1:30 pm on Tuesday.
Yesterday we sent out a short message to our subscribers on a day off from the Danny Masterson trial. We’re releasing it to everyone this morning, and here’s also the version at our YouTube channel.
Thank you for reading today’s story here at Substack. For the full picture of what’s happening today in the world of Scientology, please join the conversation at tonyortega.org, where we’ve been reporting daily on David Miscavige’s cabal since 2012. There you’ll find additional stories, and our popular regular daily features:
Source Code: Actual things founder L. Ron Hubbard said on this date in history
Avast, Ye Mateys: Snapshots from Scientology’s years at sea
Overheard in the Freezone: Indie Hubbardism, one thought at a time
Past is Prologue: From this week in history at alt.religion.scientology
Random Howdy: Your daily dose of the Captain
Here’s the link for today’s post at tonyortega.org
And whatever you do, subscribe to this Substack so you get our breaking stories and daily features right to your email inbox every morning…
In honor of Steve's passing, I have called off the massive downtown protest that was scheduled for 1 pm this afternoon and hereby suspend the sale of torches and pitchforks within city limits for the foreseeable future.
MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO STEVE'S WIFE AND DAUGHTERS.
I always felt when I saw Steve speak out that he was "asked" to do so and as a scientologist one doesn't really have a choice; maybe he did it willingly but I guarantee you, he was asked and probably wouldn't have if he wasn't asked.
Steve was born into scientology. His father is the OT 8 C/S on the ship and has been forever. His mother was and maybe still is a Class 12 auditor at Flag. So something tells me, he didn't get to see much of his parents as a child and growing up.
At a very young age he became a successful business man and then he did it again and created and expanded another business out of whole cloth. It seems he was going to try and "live a little" and sold that business.
I can get really snarky about scientologists but not Steve. I always had such a fondness for these kids that had to go it alone as children. I am heartbroken but especially for his wife and daughters. I don't know what happens when people die but I hope Steve finds a real peace and happiness.