OOH LA LA: Scientology opens its ‘Ideal Org’ in Paris today and we’re on the scene!

Apr 06, 2024

[Today’s guest article is by Alexander Barnes-Ross]

Alas, the moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. Today, the new 78,500 square foot Church of Scientology and Celebrity Centre of Grand Paris (to use its full official title) will open its doors for the first time and boy, are we ready.

When a Fairfax, Virginia-registered organisation called Building Investments Group purchased the former Samsung headquarters at 270 Av. du President Wilson, Saint-Denis in 2017, local residents weren’t fooled. Scientology has a track record of forming shell companies and complex corporate structures in an attempt to conceal its vast movements of wealth, and never is it more apparent than when it comes to real estate. Take Manchester Org, for example; a leaked internal OSA report we’ve reviewed details how when purchasing the former Duckworth Distillery building in 2007 Scientology “wanted to keep the real ownership confidential til the change of zoning was approved by the local council. In the past [they] had opposition to applications for change of use with neighbors and Christian minister opposing them.” It goes on to warn however, “this cover may be blown” by a tax ruling that was ongoing at the time.

Fortunately when it came to Paris, the people of France saw through the faux filings and jumped straight into action. Thirty thousand local residents filed a petition with the municipality in an attempt to halt Scientology’s acquisition of the building in 2017, which resulted in a lengthy appeal process that prevented renovation works starting for four years. Since then, pressure has been mounting to ensure Paris org opens its doors before the Paris 2024 Olympics — Scientology wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to snap a photo of their “volunteers” handing out Way to Happiness or Truth About Drugs booklets outside the Stade de France, which is a 7-minute walk and is where the Olympics closing ceremony will take place on August 11.

The building for the new Org sold for 33 million Euros (about $36 million USD) and had only just gone through a €5.7 million refurbishment ($6.2 million USD) after Samsung’s lease came to an end; the owners wanted to make it more attractive to prospective tenants looking for office space. The irony is that in all likelihood, the majority of this renovation work would have been undone by Scientology, who have a set ‘Ideal Org’ formula that don’t quite align with the office needs of, say, a multinational tech company. Even worse (or better, depending on how you look at it)… after all the fanfare of this weekend is over, the building will stand just as empty as before it opened, gathering dust and worker discontent.

Today’s festivities have been long awaited. Scientology leader David Miscavige began drumming up the excitement at the November 2023 gathering of the International Association of Scientologists (IAS) in East Grinstead, UK. In a press statement released on November 3rd, the new “93,000 square foot” building was set to open in January. By the LRH birthday event the building had somehow grown, with a press statement released on March 16 describing the cohort of staff as “a tour de force set to light up the City of Light from their 95,000-square-foot Ideal Church.” Despite this magic reported growth, the floorpans reveal the building is actually 78,500 square feet – which is still an impressively large building for an organisation as small as Scientology. But of course, Miscavige can’t help but exaggerate such statistics.

Scientology is considered a sectarian group in France. It isn’t illegal to practice Scientology, but having been found guilty of fraud on more than one occasion, they are under the watchful eye of the French authorities — not excluding MIVILUDES, the government agency responsible for analysing cults and coercive groups. Despite the fierce opposition to Scientology’s purchase of the building, having boots on the ground in Paris allows us to see that the organisation has been hard at work “safe pointing” the local community. One business neighbour, for example, has offered the use of their carpark for event production vehicles, and a guest at a local hotel said that most of those working at his hotel were church staffers who were moonlighting.

Sea Org and other Scientology officials were spotted last night checking into nearby budget hotels, and a number of blacked-out SUVs and luxury cars have been seen going to and from the property over the last 24 hours. Whether Miscavige finds the bravery to open the Paris Org himself, or chickens out and sends someone like Erin Banks to fill his place at the last minute (like he did at the IAS event), remains to be seen. But one local resident tells us he has been working closely with the French Gendarmerie over the last few weeks to formally organise a public demonstration. Yesterday morning, they were told a gathering would be permitted at Rond Point Des Délices, a small open space to the rear of the property, but whether or not the protestors will be willing to abide by such restrictions, who knows?

Doors open at 11am (CEST) and the event kicks off at 1pm. Join us live on YouTube below as we document how Paris responds to the arrival of “the largest Golden Age of Admin team on Earth” and their new 78,500 sq ft/ 93,000 sq ft / 95,000 sq ft / very large new building.

Some additional facts about the new Ideal Org:

– 183 staff across both day & foundation (according to Miscavige).
– Golden Age of Admin: 16 auditors and 18 course supervisors.
– Building Investments Group: The French company was set up 24 July 2017 for 100 euros. Ninety-nine shares owned by BIG Inc (a US company), 1 share owned by James Towarnicky, a lawyer in Virginia. On the same day the company was set up, its capital was increased to €36,481, 814, of which Torwanicky would still own 1 share.

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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

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