Scientology Leader David Miscavige Officially Served In Federal Human Trafficking Lawsuit
David Miscavige has been officially considered served in a federal human trafficking lawsuit after attorneys allegedly failed to track the Scientology leader down nearly 30 separate times, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In the latest development to come one year after three former Scientology members sued Miscavige for allegedly trafficking them into the church as children before forcing them to work as adults, a United States judge ruled on Wednesday that Miscavige was officially served in the case.
According to U.S. Judge Julie S. Sneed, the 62-year-old Scientology leader was “actively concealing his whereabouts or evading service” as attorneys attempted to track him down and serve him the federal human trafficking lawsuit on 27 separate occasions.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, former Scientology members Valeska Paris, Gawain Baxter, and Laura Baxter filed the human trafficking lawsuit against Miscavige in 2022.
Between May and August 2022, attorneys for the three plaintiffs attempted to serve Miscavige nearly 30 separate times at ten different Scientology properties – including the church’s Hacienda Gardens facility in Clearwater, Florida where Miscavige allegedly lives.
On January 25, lawyers for Paris and the Baxters reportedly asked Miscavige’s lawyers if they would accept their client’s service notice – but his lawyers allegedly declined.
“For years, David Miscavige has succeeded in evading accountability,” a recent joint statement from Paris and the Baxters’ lawyers read.
“[The] ruling brings our clients — who alleged to have endured unimaginable abuses in Scientology as children and into adulthood — one step closer to getting their day in court and obtaining justice against all responsible parties,” the joint statement added.
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According to Daily Mail, Florida law dictates that defendants of a lawsuit must be personally served – but U.S. Judge Sneed revealed there is a legal loophole that allows for substitutes for “nonresidents and individuals concealing their whereabouts.”
Despite Miscavige being considered officially served the human trafficking lawsuit, Scientology officials have argued that the three plaintiffs previously signed contracts agreeing to solve all disputes internally.
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“The allegations are both scurrilous and ridiculous and the lawsuit is both a sham and a scam,” a Scientology spokesperson said when the suit was filed last year.
Miscavige reportedly has 21 days after the lawsuit was ruled served to respond to the federal human trafficking complaint.