The Church of Scientologys leader has been served 27 times for human trafficking charges, but he has evaded the charges every time up to this point.
According to Fox News, two states have attempted to serve him, but he has remained hidden, and his lawyer has refused to disclose his location.
U.S. Judge Julie Sneed ruled that after ten months, David Miscavige (the leader of the Church of Scientology) is actively concealing his whereabouts or evading service, according to Tuesdays court filing.
He deemed to have been properly served as of the date of this order (Feb. 14, 2023), and therefore has 21 days to answer or otherwise respond in response to allegations listed in the lawsuit.
Karin Pouw, a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology, has attempted to defend Miscavige by saying that he has never attempted to evade justice. Pouw stated:
The case is nothing but blatant harassment and was brought and is being litigated for the purpose of harassment and hoping that harassment will extort a pay day.
and
The allegations in the complaint are absurd, ridiculous, scurrilous and blatantly false.
According to Fox News, Miscavige has argued in court documents that he was never served with a lawsuit.
However, lawyers have attempted to serve him at five locations in California. They have also attempted to serve him in Florida as well. That said, this was only partially successful.
Judge Sneed wrote the following about her decisions: While Miscavige repeatedly asserts that Plaintiffs have attempted to effectuate service at the wrong address or addresses at which he was not present, Miscavige has never provided Plaintiffs or the court with the correct address.
She continued by saying: Indeed, following his counsels appearance in this matter, Plaintiffs have continued their attempts to effectuate service on Miscavige through his counsel and other identified addresses, and have sought to have Miscaviges counsel provide an adequate address at which to effectuate service. Miscaviges counsel has declined.
The lawsuit was filed by three former Church members of the Church of Scientology, Gawain and Laura Baxter, and Valeska Paris. They left the church in 2012 and 2009, respectively. Now, they seek justice for some situations they have been through.
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