Mitch Brisker, 74, left Scientology more than a year ago after a conflict with the leader and his once-close associate David Miscavige
David Miscavige, leader of the Church of Scientology, is a reclusive man with a penchant for designer clothes, a hunger for gifts, fast cars and superbikes, and a penchant for blaring music.
And according to one of his closest lieutenants, he seemingly “banished” his wife Shelly without a second thought because he was “done with her.”
This is the image of the mysterious man, painted by Mitch Brisker, 74, former senior director and creative executive of Scientology’s Golden Era Studios.
Brisker was, by his own account, the chief architect of Scientology propaganda for 30 years and a trusted right-hand man to its leader, Miscavige, 63.
Once a member of the church’s upper echelons, he left the church a little over a year ago after clashing with Miscavige and losing faith in what it stood for.
Now he speaks out for the first time in an exclusive interview with , giving a unique insight into Miscavige, his personality, his “missing” wife, his infamous friendship with Tom Cruise and the luxurious lifestyle of the man he is says he acts like a “super celebrity.”
Brisker (far left), now 74, was once a member of the church’s upper echelons and was, by his own account, chief architect of Scientology propaganda for 30 years and a trusted right-hand man to Miscavige, 63. They are pictured together in 1991
Brisker also shared new findings about Miscavige’s alleged “missing” wife Shelly Miscavige, who has not been seen in public since 2007
According to Brisker, Miscavige’s assistant Laurisse “Lou” Henley-Smith “stepped up” after Shelly left. She (far right) is seen alongside church leader Tom Cruise and his now ex-wife Katie Holmes at the Laguna Seca Moto GP in Monterey, California in 2008
When Brisker first met Miscavige in 1990, he was immediately impressed by the person he describes as “very, very intense.”
Back then, Brisker says, Miscavige obsessively trained and toned his body, favoring tight muscle T-shirts to show off the fruits of his labor.
Brisker soon learned that he valued control in every aspect of his life.
According to Brisker: “There is no greater control freak ever born in human history.”
“Everything that happens in Scientology, down to the soap they will use on their luxury cruise ship, is submitted to him for approval.”
“I mean, he spends hundreds and hundreds of hours, so much of his week, I’ve been there, I’ve seen it, getting these CSW (Completed Staff Work) forms, which are basically a proposal for approval.”
“When I first went up there [to the International Base] When we made a film, every aspect of it – the casting, the wardrobe, the lighting, where the actors would stand, where the cameras would be placed – everything had to be submitted in detail for approval.
“He’s a total control freak.”
This “craziness” extends to the way he demands that the numerous conference rooms at every Scientology center be set up for him upon his arrival.
According to Brisker: “There should be a stack of Mont Blanc pens, an unopened pack of Camel cigarettes, an ashtray, a certain brand of mineral water that I forgot, and an unopened pack of chewing gum.”
He recalled: “During each meeting he would take a drag on a cigarette, drink a sip of water and chew a piece of gum.” If the meeting lasted longer, he might smoke another cigarette, but when he left he had to smoke the rest throw away.
Miscavige, who has been head of the church since 1987, is an enigmatic figure with a penchant for designer clothing, a hunger for gifts, fast cars and superbikes, according to Brisker
According to the former Scientologist, gift-giving is an important part of Scientology culture under Miscavige’s rule, with the leader known to circulate a wish list of gifts every birthday and at Christmas
Brisker also gave his unique insight into Miscavige’s infamous friendship with Tom Cruise, Scientology’s most famous member
“I don’t know if he was afraid of being poisoned or something, but everything always had to be new and unopened.”
According to Brisker, Miscavige is actually very concerned with the material world and acquiring new things.
Under Miscavige’s rule, gift giving is a large part of Scientology culture. According to Brisker, “He understands the power and pressure that can come with giving.”
Brisker, for his part, received thousands of dollars worth of gifts when he was in favor and was “love bombed” by Miscavige.
He recalls receiving an original Norwalk juicer valued at $3,000, an audio system valued at thousands and a television screen valued at $10,000, delivered and installed by church members.
He said: “But there was always this element of virtuousness and narcissistic philanthropy.” “He bought me the juicer because he said he was worried about my health.”
Miscavige was also a big fan of generous gifts.
Brisker recalled, “He handed out a wish list of gifts every birthday and Christmas, and members were expected to come together and buy items from it for him.”
“There were things like $700 designer shirts, expensive cameras – he loved camera gear – music, he loves thumping music.”
“He had a customized Mustang valued at more than $100,000 that was given to him by members of Flag (Flag Services Organization of the Church of Scientology in Clearwater, Florida) and a superbike that also came from Flag.”
Brisker remembers Miscavige and Cruise racing around the International Base on motorcycles gifted to them by members of the Sea Org.
He said: “They really are like they were separated at birth.” It was almost sweet to see them together. I think for Tom it’s a real friendship and almost an adoration.”
But a fundamental difference between the men, says Brisker, is that Cruise has “a real streak of goodness” in him, while he can find no such redeeming quality in Miscavige.
In fact, Brisker says, “Tom Cruise is Scientology’s number one victim.” I know people won’t agree with me on this, but it’s like he lives in a distorted reality. He is completely in the Matrix.’
Today, Brisker suspects the same is true of Shelly Miscavige, once crowned “First Lady of Scientology” by Vanity Fair. She was last seen in public in 2007. Her whereabouts have been the subject of investigation and speculation ever since.
In 2012, lawyers seeking to represent Shelly stated that she was healthy and fit and only had a private life dedicated to Scientology.
Shelly Miscavige’s whereabouts have been the subject of investigation and speculation for more than a decade and a half
Actress Leah Remini has been a vocal critic of Scientology since leaving the church in 2013. She reported Shelley Miscavige missing to the Los Angeles Police Department, but the case was closed within hours
In August, Remini announced that she was suing the church and Miscavige, demanding that punitive and compensatory damages be proven in court
Questions continued, and in 2013, actress and vocal Scientology critic Leah Remini filed a missing person report with the Los Angeles Police Department amid rumors that she was being held against her will somewhere. It was closed within hours.
But according to Brisker, he saw Shelly in 2008 – a year after she supposedly disappeared.
He said: “Shelly is not missing and she is not being held captive anywhere, that is my honest belief.”
He is certain that she is instead living in Scientology’s secret, bunker-like base in the mountain town of Crestline, California.
The base near Twin Peaks is where believers spend their days ensuring founder L. Ron Hubbard’s immortality by memorializing his many writings on metal plates.
Brisker explained: “When I was training at Golden Era, my routine was that I would go out [to the International Base in Gilman Springs, California] and I stopped for lunch in a town called Redlands and then drove another 30 minutes or so to the base.
“If you draw a straight line on the only road out of Crestline, the first place you end up is Redlands. It’s really the only place out there with notable restaurants where you can have a good lunch.
“And that day I noticed a woman I knew and now know is one of Shelly’s “carers.” This is a person’s examiner and friend.’
Brisker has no idea about the restaurant, but thinks it may have been a Chipotle.
He continued: “Then I realized Shelly was sitting there. It looked like three friends were having lunch. It was very embarrassing when they saw me.
“Now I realize they didn’t want anyone to know where she was, but I have no doubt that she is in Crestline because there is no other reason for it. She would have been way out there for lunch that day.”
But while Brisker doesn’t believe that Shelly is being held against her will and is instead simply living a devoted life, he does believe that Miscavige acted with shocking recklessness when he sent her to Crestline – effectively throwing her into “exile.” when he was “done” with her.
According to the insider, Miscavige was rarely seen without Lou by his side for many years. The two are pictured with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes at the same event in 2008
Brisker recalled Miscavige and Cruise racing around the international base on motorcycles gifted by Sea Org members
Brisker said, “I think he was just done with her.” He never wanted to see her again.
“When they were together she was always friendly to me, very warm and polite.” We coordinated birthday and Christmas presents.
“Some have speculated that she could have taken over leadership of the church. I never saw her as anything other than a glorified social director and assistant.”
Brisker recalled that Miscavige often failed to include Shelly in public conversations, and she always stood slightly behind her husband when he spoke.
In Shelly’s absence, Brisker said, the chairman’s assistant, Laurisse “Lou” Henley-Smith, “stepped up.”
Brisker said, “She looked after Tom Cruise for many years, but after Shelly left, Miscavige was never seen without Lou by his side.”
“Seriously, the only place I saw him without them was the men’s room. They even started dressing alike, like a couple.”
Although Miscavige was the highest-ranking member of the Sea Org, the church’s pseudo-militaristic “clergy,” he rarely wore uniforms, Brisker said, favoring designer suits and Italian leather jackets.
He said, “He and Lou had matching ones, you know ‘his and hers’.”
Brisker also noted that, unlike Miscavige’s wife, Lou often stood slightly in front of him when the leader spoke socially.
Brisker, who calls Lou a “co-conspirator” with Miscavige, said he believes their relationship turned romantic during a night flight on Tom Cruise’s private jet.
He said: “It was 2016 or 2017 and there were only four of us on the plane.” Miscavige and Lou disappeared into the master suite at the start of the flight and emerged eight hours later freshly showered.
“Whatever happened – even if they just have an amazing platonic friendship – it made me so angry because it violated so many of the Sea Org’s basic rules about men and women.”
In her book Troublemaker, Leah Remini also said that Miscavige and Henley-Smith appeared to have a stronger relationship than that between two people working together.
She said she first noticed it at Tom Cruise’s wedding to Katie Holmes in Italy in November 2006. She found it strange that Miscavige was there without his wife and noticed him fooling around with his communicator in Shelly’s absence.
Sea Org members may marry each other, but sex outside of marriage is strictly prohibited and unmarried men and women should not be alone in potentially intimate ways.
Brisker doesn’t go into detail, but he admits that he has had conflicts with Miscavige in his own love life, so any hint of double standards stings.
According to Brisker, the men had a falling out before the pandemic, which he didn’t see as “irreparable,” but as the rhythm of life was disrupted by closures, Brisker began to reevaluate his relationship with the church.
He said: “Miscavige, who has some germphobia, fled to Clearwater, Florida, where he had less public contact.”
“They bought a beautiful Spanish villa back there, El Cadiz, and they combined two apartments into one, and that’s where he stays when he’s there – even though he may have been on base during the pandemic.”
“He spends the rest of his time in Los Angeles.”
Danny Masterson was supported throughout the process by his wife, Bijou Phillips. However, she has now filed for divorce and he has been expelled from the Church of Scientology
Remini appeared next to Masterson in a photo taken at a fundraiser in Las Vegas in November 2007
According to Brisker, he always knew that Miscavige was at the church’s Author’s Services Inc (the literary agency representing L. Ron Hubbard’s estate) on Hollywood Boulevard in LA because “I would see the same security that exists at every end of everyone.” journey he made.” He did not travel with them, but there would be one at each end.
“They looked like private military contractors.” They all wore desert boots, combat pants and all had the same Glock pistol in a ballistic nylon holster.
“If you arrived at ASI and there was a private security guard at the gate with a Glock, you knew Miscavige was there.”
He added: “If he wasn’t there, you just come over and press the buzzer for the receptionist to let you in. There were always unarmed Sea Org security guards in their rent-a-cop uniforms, but they were just greeters.”
Referring to the heavy security surrounding the church leader, Brisker said, “To be fair, there was a random guy with a sniper rifle who went to prison for threatening to murder Miscavige.”
After that incident in 2016, Brisker noted “a sharp increase in safety.”
He said: “It was then that the type of security displayed by a former private contractor in the special forces was visible.”
Perhaps now more than ever, the church needs to generate support and strengthen the trust and commitment of its members, Brisker said.
In recent months, Scientology has suffered a number of high-profile setbacks – none more painful than the conviction of member and actor Danny Masterson on multiple counts of rape.
The former “That 70s Show” star was sentenced last month to 30 years in prison for drugging and raping two church members 20 years ago, and although he alone was charged with the crimes, there can be no doubt that that this is in the public eye. Scientology has also come under close scrutiny.
Prosecutors and victims alleged that for years the church sheltered and protected its famous members to such a grotesque extent that it allowed Masterson to rape fellow Scientologists without consequences.
According to Brisker: “The entire church is a crime scene with victims scattered everywhere.”
“I think to say that the Church and Miscavige are facing the greatest and most urgent crisis in living memory is an understatement. Given the pressure he is under at the moment, I think the outcome is very uncertain.”
Mitch Brisker’s book The Big Lie: How I made an Evil Cult Look Good will be available on Amazon on November 24, 2024