Scientology Leader Accused of Human Trafficking in Federal Lawsuit

Three former Scientology members filed a federal lawsuit in April 2022 against David Miscavige, the Church of Scientology's de facto leader, alleging a decades-long pattern of human trafficking, forced labor, and child exploitation. The case, filed in the Middle District of Florida, names Miscavige and five Scientology entities as defendants, including the Church of Scientology International and the Religious Technology Center.

The plaintiffs—Valeska Paris, Gawain Baxter, and a third unnamed complainant—claim they were raised within Scientology and forced into labor within the organization's Sea Org, a semi-military internal order, from early childhood. Paris was allegedly forced into Sea Org work at age 14 in Clearwater, Florida, while Baxter claims he began working in the Cadet Org at just 6 years old.

According to court documents, the plaintiffs were separated from their parents, denied accredited schooling, and subjected to hazardous working conditions. Baxter alleges he cleaned fuel tanks without a respirator on the Freewinds ship in Curaçao, working 18-hour days while exposed to asbestos—eventually coughing up blood. Paris claims she was sexually assaulted by a senior officer at 14 and punished when she reported the abuse. At 17, she was allegedly locked in an engine room for 48 hours after her mother left the organization.

The lawsuit invokes the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and alleges violations including forced labor, peonage of children, and human trafficking. The allegations suggest a systematic use of children within Scientology's internal hierarchy, with plaintiffs claiming they received no formal education and were exploited for unpaid labor.

A separate undated lawsuit filed before 2019 by a plaintiff identified as "Jane Doe" also targets Miscavige and 25 others, alleging human trafficking, child abuse, and forced labor under California law. That complainant claims a lifetime of membership in Scientology and isolation in an internal punishment facility known as "the Hole."

Court proceedings have been protracted. In February 2023, U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie S. Sneed ruled that Miscavige had been "actively concealing his whereabouts or evading service" and officially declared him served with the lawsuit. However, in April 2023, U.S. District Judge Tom Barber issued a stay on the case, ordering the plaintiffs to attempt to resolve their disputes internally with Scientology before proceeding further. As of the latest available information, no final verdict or resolution has been reached.

Miscavige and Scientology have denied all allegations, characterizing the lawsuits as attacks targeting Miscavige due to his prominent leadership role. The organization has stated that Miscavige does not reside in Florida, and has not engaged substantively with the trafficking allegations in public statements.

The case builds on earlier scrutiny of Scientology's labor practices. Between 2009 and 2010, the FBI investigated Miscavige and the organization over allegations of human trafficking and slavery at Gold Base, a Scientology compound in California. That investigation, which had reportedly planned a raid, was ultimately discontinued.

As of 2023, the 2022 lawsuit remains ongoing without resolution. No convictions or court verdicts have been issued against Miscavige or the named Scientology entities in relation to these allegations.

**Sources:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Miscavige https://kohnswift.com/case/groundbreaking-human-trafficking-lawsuit-against-scientology/ https://www.mjpattorneys.com/blog/2019/july/multiple-lawsuits-allege-the-church-of-scientolo/ https://www.cohenmilstein.com/case-study/baxter-et-al-v-church-scientology-international/ https://www.foxnews.com/us/scientology-leader-david-miscavige-nowhere-found-prosecutors-try-serve-federal-trafficking-suit