Paulette Cooper

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Paulette Cooper is a journalist who suffered extraordinary harassment after writing an article and a book about Scientology. FBI raids of Scientology offices turned up evidence of conspiracies against Cooper, including Scientology's attempt to frame her for sending bomb threats - threats which Scientology operatives sent themselves in order to get Cooper jailed.

More about Paulette Cooper

Scientology's Fair Game Attack on Paulette Cooper

Scientology waged a lengthy campaign of harassment against journalist Paulette Cooper in accordance with its Fair Game policy.

Paulette Cooper in the News

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February 2, 1969article on Scientology quotes L. Ron Hubbard as saying "I know of four Orgs in all our years that have collapsed or nearly collapsed. And each one was sex crazy." According to Paulette Cooper's book, the article also says that "in the basement of the Scientology Queen Street office, London, the Scientologists actually had a prison -- a tiny padlocked room known as the "dungeon" where erring Scientologists were locked up, sometimes for several days, on bread, butter and water. 'If a member of the staff made an accounting slip, or infringed on an ethics order,' he wrote, 'he is taken to the dungeon to enable him to find out where he is in Scientology.' One Scientologist told Mitchell that after he was locked up for two days, 'I signed an order saying I would observe all regulations of the org, but they weren't satisfied. I was told to go on a
April 1, 1972Author Here Sues Scientologists Paulette Cooper, a freelance writer, has accused the Church of Scientology in a lawsuit filed here of "intentional interference" with her constitutional freedom of speech and press, charging that the organization threatened her in the form of libel suits and wiretapping after her critical book about the quasi-religious organization was published last fall.
March 7, 1974Counterattack: The Response To Criticism The Church of Scientology does not turn the other cheek. Church policy is to find what attackers have to hide. The organization is quick to bring lawsuits challenging unfavorable books and articles. Many persons who leave or who are expelled by the church say that they are frightened by the organization.
August 14, 1977Paulette Cooper interview People magazine interviews Paulette Cooper in an article about the cult.
April 29, 1978article says Paulette Cooper's $15.4 million lawsuit against Church still pending. Gives Cooper's attorneys as Paul D. Rheingold "investigation" of matter by FBI offices in New York City under way.
May 1, 1978Author Paulette Cooper's battle with Scientology Church San Francisco Chronicle: Author Paulette Cooper's battle with Scientology Church
August 28, 1978Scientology Critics Assail Aggressiveness of Church The fair-game policy has been a central focus of Scientology's critics - among them former Scientologists - who contend that the church pursues individuals who offend it with the same combativeness it directs toward government agencies and private groups the church counts among its enemies.
January 22, 1979article about Paulette Cooper Article about Paulette Cooper lawsuits appears in New York Times.
November 24, 1979Scientologists Plotted To Frame A Critic as a Criminal, Files Show - Scientology's fair gaming of writer Paulette Cooper and oth Boston Globe : Scientologists Plotted To Frame A Critic as a Criminal, Files Show - Scientology's fair gaming of writer Paulette Cooper and other Scientology operations.
January 25, 1980The Scientology Papers: Files Show Spy Reported Woman's Intimate Words In one file was a letter dated June, 1974, from Dick Weigand to Henning Heldt, two of the leaders sentenced last month to four years in prison. Included in a review of an operative's past activities for the cult was the observation: Conspired to entrap Mrs. Lovely (code name for Miss Cooper) into being arrested for a felony which she did not commit. She was arraigned for the crime.
January 25, 1980Files show spy reported woman's intimate words (about Scientology spying on Paulette Cooper). "Another page referred to a time when, depressed about her problems, she had spoken one dark night about suicide. The secret agent told his superiors that on the outside he was sympathetic but inside he was laughing: "Wouldn't this be a great thing for Scientology?" "
May 7, 1982Writer says sect harasses her "It has been 11 years since freelance writer Paulette Cooper published what she calls 'the book that launched a thousand suits.' And it has been about a week since she was served with the eighteenth lawsuit filed against her by the Church of Scientology."
May 11, 198216 witnesses unlock sect's closed society "Of the 16 who testified, Flynn said he represents Lavenda Van Schaick and Paulette Cooper directly in separate lawsuits against the Church of Scientology. He said he is involved also indirectly in lawsuits filed by Ernest and Adelle Hartwell and Janie Peterson."

Paulette Cooper in the News

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March 30, 1971Paulette Cooper, $15.4, New York Supreme Court Paulette Cooper sues the cult for $15.4 million in damages in New York Supreme Court.
March 30, 1972Paulette Cooper Sues Scientology Paulette Cooper sues the Church of Scientology for $15.4 million in damages in New York Supreme Court. Paul D. Rheingold was Cooper's attorney. Paulette Cooper vs. Church of Scientology of New York, et al., Supreme Court of State of New York, County of New York, Index No. 6732/72.
September 7, 1972Guardian's Office Guardian's Office weekly intelligence report says "Paulette Cooper still at large" and reports on intelligence operations on Cooper and others.
October 10, 1972Guardian's Office Weekly Report Directs Attacks on Paulette Cooper Scientology Guardian's Office Weekly Intelligent Report notes that Paulette Cooper is "still actively attacking Scientology" and lists three "handling" actions, including giving New York Scientologists orders to "attack her in as many ways as possible"; this item says that action has already been taken on "wide-scale exposure of PC's sex life."
December 15, 1972Paulette Cooper, 300 E. 42nd St. FBI, Scientology's New York office Paulette Cooper moves to new apartment at 300 E. 42nd St. The FBI questions her about the bomb threats received by Scientology's New York office.
February 4, 1973Paulette Cooper Paulette Cooper's neighbors receive a letter smearing her.
May 9, 1973Paulette Cooper, jury. In 1975, prosecute, FBI, Cooper, threats, themselves Paulette Cooper is indicted for bomb threats and perjury by federal grand jury. In 1975, the state will choose not to prosecute, and later FBI raids will show that Scientology agents conspired to frame Cooper for these bomb threats, which they sent themselves.
May 19, 1973Paulette Cooper arrested, arraigned, jury. In 1975, prosecute, FBI, Cooper, threats, themselves Paulette Cooper arrested, arraigned, and indicted for bomb threats and perjury by federal grand jury. In 1975, the state will choose not to prosecute, and later FBI raids will show that Scientology agents conspired to frame Cooper for these bomb threats, which they sent themselves.
February 1, 1974Paulette Cooper, National Enquirer, 1982 Paulette Cooper begins work as stringer for the National Enquirer, which remains her major source of income through at least 1982. [Sometime in February 1974; exact date unknown.]
January 29, 1976Paulette Cooper Deposed In Toronto Lawsuit Paulette Cooper is deposed in the Toronto lawsuit.
January 30, 1976Paulette Cooper Deposed In Toronto Lawsuit Paulette Cooper deposed in Toronto lawsuit.
January 31, 1976Paulette Cooper Deposed In Toronto Lawsuit Paulette Cooper deposed in Toronto lawsuit.
December 5, 1976Scientology Settles With Paulette Cooper Scientology settles with Paulette Cooper. Cooper agrees not to republish or comment on her book "The Scandal of Scientology". She signs a statement that 52 passages were "erroneous or at best misleading" and assigns the copyright to Church of Scientology of California, Inc. CoS pays Cooper's legal fees.
August 9, 1977Paulette Cooper, $20, cult's New York organization Paulette Cooper files a $20 million lawsuit against the cult's New York organization.
October 12, 1977FBI, Paulette Cooper, documents The FBI informs Paulette Cooper of evidence to support her claims of harassment in siezed cult documents.
October 12, 1977Paulette Cooper, FBI, FBI, her Paulette Cooper receives a phone call from an FBI employee telling her the FBI raid had uncovered evidence which may show her to be innocent of making the bomb threats attributed to her.
May 25, 1978Church Of Scientology Of California Vs. Paulette Cooper, Breach Of Contract, Specific Performance, U.S. District Court, Central Church of Scientology of California vs. Paulette Cooper, Breach of Contract, Specific Performance, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Case No. 78-2053. Cooper's attorney John P. McNicholas files $10 million counterclaim.
June 1, 1978Church Of Scientology Of New York Vs. Paulette Cooper, Supreme Court Of New York, Breach Of Contract; No. Cv 79 -2053(Rmt), Sout Church of Scientology of New York vs. Paulette Cooper, Supreme Court of New York, Breach of Contract; No. CV 79 -2053(RMT), Southern District of New York. Counterclaim filed by Paulette Cooper. [June 1978; exact date unknown]
August 9, 1978Paulette Cooper, $20, Church, New York, New York Supreme Court, County, New York, Index No. 16000/78 Paulette Cooper files a $20 million damage suit against the Church of Scientology of New York, in New York Supreme Court, County of New York, Index No. 16000/78.
August 14, 1978People Magazine, Paulette Cooper, Church, Scientology People Magazine publishes an interview with Paulette Cooper in an article on Church of Scientology
August 21, 1978Publishers Weekly, Paulette Cooper's, Scientology Publishers Weekly reports Paulette Cooper's lawsuit against Scientology.
December 7, 1978Paulette Cooper Is Deposed In New York Scientology Lawsuits Paulette Cooper is deposed in New York Scientology lawsuits.
February 6, 1979Paulette Cooper Is Deposed In California Case (Cv-78-2053) Paulette Cooper is deposed in California case (CV-78-2053).
January 22, 1980John Seffern Deposed In Church of Scientology of California John Seffern deposed in Church of Scientology of California, Inc. v. Paulette Cooper, Southern District of New York, CV-79-2053 (RMT). Seffern refused to answer certain questions, claiming attorney/client privilege.
June 15, 1980Paulette Cooper's, John Seffern, Richard Bast, Church, Scientology Paulette Cooper's friend John Seffern learns that Richard Bast is covertly working for the Church of Scientology.