On March 31, we reported the startling news that Hanan Islam, 62, had died of cancer, which also happened to end the prosecution against her for stealing about $4 million from the state of California through Medi-Cal fraud, and with the use of a Scientology rehab clinic.
So imagine our surprise when we learned that since that day, the Los Angeles Superior Court has sworn out an arrest for her.
Say what?
According to the court record, when Hanan’s attorneys showed up on June 9 to tell Judge H. Clay Jacke II that their client was no longer among the living and that her case should be ended, the judge was apparently perturbed that they had not brought a death certificate with them, and issued a warrant for arrest and bail set at $20,000. It also appears to have put the $250,000 bond that was already keeping her out of jail in some jeopardy.
Now, we know this news will get the conspiracy minded wondering if Hanan has “faked” her death in order to get out of being prosecuted. But we don’t think that’s the case.
We looked up her bail bond company that had secured the $250,000 bond and gave them the call. The person who spoke to us told us that this actually wasn’t very unusual at all.
“This happens once in a while. And since the name you gave me doesn’t ring a bell, I’m assuming it’s not a case I’m concerned about,” the representative at 365 Bail Bonds told us.
Well, he might not be concerned, but we haven’t heard back from the prosecutor on the case after we sent an email to see if he has any concerns about something nefarious going on.
Meanwhile, although Hanan was characterized as the ringleader of the $4 million Medi-Cal fraud, three of her children are still facing prosecution in the matter, including her notorious son Rizza Islam, who was last year named one of the 12 biggest sources of online misinformation about vaccines.
According to a state investigator who testified in a preliminary hearing in the case, Rizza helped create fake reports about high school kids supposedly being treated at the Scientology clinic that were then sent to the state in order to get insurance payments for treatment that didn’t actually happen.
His next court date is August 22, for something called a “readiness hearing.” One website we checked suggested that a readiness hearing is held when a trial is imminent. Could that be the case with Rizza? We don’t see a trial date on his docket, but we will continue to monitor this case that has dragged on for years.
And at least the judge is all over arresting this dead woman, so the case has that going for it.
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
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Why is it that anything having to do with $cientology is so bizarre? The whole enterprise is built on such a web of lies and deception, and everyone who gets near it ends up in a tangle of evil deeds.
Tony, your eye for grim humor makes reading the stories you choose so much appreciated.
You've attained real distinction, you've got something, when I read your first Scientology articles from the 1990s, I thought, you were the epitome of who should cover Scientology's story.
Especially Tory Christman's article, because her story as the classic defector (OSA agent turned against OSA/Scientology) is a theme with Scientology that's not quit and just repeats and repeats.
Thankyou again for even taking up Scientology and the attachments to it.
Truly you do good. You write so well, and you speak so incredibly clear and informative all your talks and shows where you are interviewed, just so valuable.