Ex-Scientologist's Kidnapping Lawsuit Against Church Moves Forward After Failing To Drag Tom Cruise & Elizabeth Moss Into Legal Mess
March 14 2023, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
The Church of Scientology has forked over two arbitrators in its battle against ex-member Valerie Haney. The decision comes after an intense back-and-forth, with Haney failing to drag the church's most famous members, Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Moss, into her legal mess.
RadarOnline.com has learned that two arbitrators have been approved in Haney's kidnapping lawsuit, but their identities are being kept a secret.
As this outlet reported, Haney filed a lawsuit against the church in 2019, claiming Scientology held her against her will while working as part of the Sea Org near Hemet, California. She alleged she was able to escape by hiding in the trunk of a vehicle being driven by an unnamed actor who was on the base filming.
Haney said that since her escape, she has been subjected to harassment, including surveillance, intimidation, and internet attacks. The church denies her allegations.
Haney's not getting the arbitrators without a fight. Scientology is demanding Valerie pay sanctions for dragging out her legal case. According to documents filed by her attorney, Graham Berry, the church is asking for $107,832.50 in penalties.
Haney didn't just name Cruise and Moss as potential arbitrators in her case. After the scorned former member's request for the Top Gun star and the Handmaid's Tale actress was shot down, she named longtime Scientologist Jenna Elfman, Sneaky Pete actor Giovanni Ribisi, and fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff as possible replacements.
According to Tony Ortega, one of the 15 people on Haney's recent list agreed to serve as an arbitrator — but we don't have names.
However, RadarOnline.com can reveal the agreed arbitrator is not Cruise, Moss, or the church's leader David Miscavige's wife Shelly, who hasn't been seen in public since 2007.
We already reported that Scientology hit back at her nominees, listing several reasons why the two A-listers and Shelly would be unable to fulfill arbitration duties.
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The reason why Haney's case is being pursued in the church's arbitration process is simple. Scientology argued that she signed employment contracts that prevented her from suing the religious organization in court — and if she wanted to pursue her allegations, she had to do it the church's way through arbitration.
The alleged victim was ordered by a judge to move forward with Scientology's arbitration process — or her lawsuit would be at risk of being thrown out.
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