Life of L. Ron Hubbard from 1975 to 1986

L. Ron Hubbard spent the final decade of his life in hiding in various locations throughout the United States.

Daytona Beach

D.C.

Sparks

Southern California

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In his final decade, Hubbard hid throughout the United States, moving from Florida to D.C., then to Southern California.

Culver
City

Hemet

Newport Beach

Creston

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Hubbard hid in multiple locations in Southern California.

In the summer of 1975,^[when?] on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, Hubbard suffered a heart attack and pulmonary embolism.^[1] Hubbard spent two days in the ICU, followed by three weeks in hospital.^[1]

In Florida

Hubbard decided to relocate back to the United States and to establish a "land base" for the Sea Org in Florida.^[2] In October 1975, Hubbard moved into a hotel suite in Daytona Beach. The Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater, Florida, was secretly acquired as the location for the "land base".^[2] On December 5, 1975, Hubbard and his wife Mary Sue moved into "King Arthur's Court", a condominium complex in nearby Dunedin.^[3] The Apollo was banned from several Spanish ports^[4] and was expelled from Curaçao in October 1975.^[5]

According to a former member of the Sea Organization pseudonymously named "Heidi Forrester", in late 1975 she met with "a heavy-set older man. He had reddish grey hair, slightly long in the back. He was wearing a white shirt, black pants, black tie, and black shoes, highly polished."^[6]: 126 She recalls "He lay on top of me. As far as I can tell he had no erection. However, using his hand in some way he managed to get his penis inside me. [...] Then for the next hour he did absolutely nothing at all. I mean nothing!"^[6]: 126 Author Bent Corydon opined that the incident sounded like "Black Sex-Magic".^[6]: 127 Afterwards, "Forrester" was ordered to magically conceive a child; When she failed to do so, she was declared to be in a state of "treason" and punished.^[6]: 128

On the run

Hubbard's presence was meant to be a closely guarded secret but was accidentally compromised the following month ^[7] when Hubbard revealed his identity to a tailor who was a science-fiction fan.^[7] Hubbard's presence was soon reported in a local paper, prompting him to immediately leave Florida for Georgetown, Washington, D.C., accompanied by a handful of aides and messengers, but not his wife.^[8][9]

Six months later, following another security alert in July 1976, Hubbard left D.C. and moved to another safe house in Culver City, California. He lived there for only about three months, relocating in October to the more private confines of the Olive Tree Ranch near La Quinta.^[10] Police discovered Quentin Hubbard unconscious in his car in Las Vegas on October 28, 1976, without any identifying documents. Although a hose connected to the tailpipe was found in the car's window, a test for carbon monoxide was negative.^[11] L. Ron Hubbard was furious at the news, shouting, "That stupid fucking kid! Look what he's done to me!"^[12] Quentin died two weeks later without having regained consciousness.^[12][13] Mary Sue Hubbard told Scientologists that Quentin had died from encephalitis.^[14] L. Ron Hubbard is said to have deteriorated rapidly after Quentin's death, becoming dishevelled and increasingly paranoid.^[15]

FBI raid

On July 8, 1977, after two GO agents were caught in the Washington, D.C., headquarters of the IRS, the FBI carried out simultaneous raids on GO offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.,^[16][17] They retrieved wiretap equipment, burglary tools and some 90,000 pages of incriminating documents. On July 15, a week after the raid, Hubbard fled with Pat Broeker to Sparks, Nevada. While hiding in Sparks, Hubbard authored a screenplay titled Revolt in the Stars based on the Xenu story and by December he was prepared to being production. Hubbard's screenplay was passed around Hollywood in 1978.

In February 1978, L. Ron Hubbard was convicted, in absentia, by a French court for obtaining money under false pretenses. He was fined and sentenced to four years in prison.^[18] On August 18, 1978, Hubbard collapsed while filming in the desert.^[19] Suffering from a pulmonary embolism, Hubbard fell into a coma, but later recovered.^[20] Hubbard summoned his personal auditor, David Mayo, to heal him; Mayo recalled: "Hubbard considered the cause of illness to be some bad auditing he'd had just prior, so the idea was to find out what had gone wrong in the auditing and correct that - it would be a spiritual cure."^[9]

In April 1979, Hubbard went further into hiding, moving to an apartment in Hemet, California, where his only contact with the outside world was via ten trusted messengers. In August 1979, he saw his wife for the last time.^[21] Hubbard faced a possible indictment for his role in Operation Freakout, the GO's campaign against New York journalist Paulette Cooper.In February 1980 he disappeared into deep cover in the company of two trusted messengers, Pat and Annie Broeker.^[22][23] On October 26, eleven senior people in the church's Guardian's Office were convicted of obstructing justice, burglary of government offices, and theft of documents and government property.^[23]

Hiding with the Broekers

For the first few years of the 1980s, Hubbard and the Broekers lived on the move, touring the Pacific Northwest in a recreational vehicle and living for a while in apartments in Newport Beach and Los Angeles.^[24] Hubbard used his time in hiding to write his first new works of science fiction for nearly thirty years—Battlefield Earth (1982) and Mission Earth, a ten-volume series published between 1985 and 1987.^[25] They received mixed responses; as writer Jeff Walker puts it, they were "treated derisively by most critics but greatly admired by followers".^[26]

In OT VIII, dated 1980, Hubbard explains the document is intended for circulation only after his death. In the document, Hubbard also teaches that "the historic Jesus was not nearly the sainted figure [he] has been made out to be. In addition to being a lover of young boys and men. he was given to uncontrollable bursts of temper and hatred".^[27] Hubbard mentions the Book of Revelation and its prophecy of a time when "an arch-enemy of Christ, referred to as the anti-Christ, will reign". According to Hubbard, the "anti-Christ represents the forces of Lucifer". Hubbard writes "My mission could be said to fulfill the Biblical promise represented by this brief anti-Christ period."^[28] Hubbard told his followers to preserve his teachings until an eventual reincarnation when he would return "not as a religious leader but as a political one".^[29]

External video
Nibs Hubbard testimony Day 1 and Day 2
Nibs Hubbard interview (1983)
Nibs Hubbard interviewed by Carol Randolph
Jamie DeWolf reads grandfather Nibs's memoir

In May 1982, the City of Clearwater held a week-long series of hearings into Scientology; Nibs Hubbard testified. On November 6, Nibs Hubbard sued for control of his father's estate, saying that his father was either deceased or incompetent.^[30] His reclusive father was proven to still be alive, although he never appeared in court.^[31] In 1983, Nibs gave an interview with Penthouse magazine.^[32][33]

 

The ranch in San Luis Obispo County, California where Hubbard spent his final years

For the last two years of his life, Hubbard withdrew from public life, prompting various rumours and media speculation.^[34][35] He spent his time "writing and researching" in a luxury Blue Bird motorhome on Whispering Winds, a 160-acre (65 ha) ranch near Creston, California, according to a spokesperson, and pursued photography and music, overseeing construction work and checking on his animals.^[36] He repeatedly redesigned the property, spending millions of dollars remodeling the ranch house—which went virtually uninhabited—and building a quarter-mile horse-racing track with an observation tower, which reportedly was never used.^[24] Hubbard suffered further ill-health, including chronic pancreatitis, during his time in Creston.

He was still closely involved in managing the Church of Scientology via secretly delivered orders^[24] and continued to receive large amounts of money, of which Forbes magazine estimated "at least $200 million [was] gathered in Hubbard's name through 1982".

Death

In September 1985, the IRS notified the Church that it was considering indicting Hubbard for tax fraud.^[37] In December 1985, Hubbard allegedly attempted suicide by e-meter, according to caretaker Sarge Pfauth.^[38] He suffered a stroke on January 17, 1986, and died a week later.^[39] His body was cremated and the ashes were scattered at sea.^[40][41]

References

1. Atack 1990, p. 255.
2. Miller 1987, p. 334.
3. Miller 1987, p. 336.
4. Atack 1990, p. 204.
5. Atack 1990, p. 209.
6. Corydon, Bent (1987). L. Ron Hubbard, Messiah or Madman?. Lyle Stuart. ISBN 0818404442.
7. Miller 1987, p. 338.
8. Miller 1987, p. 340.
9. "Interview with David Mayo".
10. Miller 1987, p. 343.
11. Clark County Coroner. Report of Investigation, Case #1003–76.
12. Miller 1987, p. 344.
13. Sappell, Joel; Robert W. Welkos (June 24, 1990). "The Mind Behind the Religion : Life With L. Ron Hubbard : Aides indulged his eccentricities and egotism". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
14. Atack 1990, p. 214.
15. Miller 1987, p. 348.
16. Marro, Anthony (July 9, 1977). "Federal Agents Raid Scientology Church: Offices in Two Cities Are Searched for Allegedly Stolen I.R.S. Files" (PDF). New York Times.
17. Robinson, Timothy S. (July 6, 1978). "FBI Raid on L.A. Scientologists Upheld". Washington Post.
18. Marshall, John (January 26, 1980). "The Scientology Papers: The hidden Hubbard". Toronto: Globe and Mail
19. "Bare-Faced Messiah: Timeline".
20. Atack 1990, p. 256.
21. Atack 1990, p. 258.
22. Atack 1990, p. 259.
23. Miller 1987, p. 364.
24. Sappell, Joel; Welkos, Robert W. (June 24, 1990). The Mind Behind the Religion : Chapter Four : The Final Days : Deep in hiding, Hubbard kept tight grip on the church." Los Angeles Times, retrieved February 8, 2011.
25. Queen, Edward L.; Prothero, Stephen R.; Shattuck, Gardiner H. Encyclopedia of American religious history, Volume 1, p. 493. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-0-8160-6660-5
26. Walker, Jeff. The Ayn Rand Cult, p. 275. Chicago: Open Court, 1999. ISBN 978-0-8126-9390-4
27. "UP THE BRIDGE: We finally reach 'OT 8' — but was its first version really a hoax? – The Underground Bunker". tonyortega.org.
28. Wakefield, Margery (1991). "What Christians Need to Know about Scientology". David Touretzky.
29. Urban, Hugh B (2006). "Fair Game: Secrecy, Security, and the Church of Scientology in Cold War America". Journal of the American Academy of Religion. 2 (74).
30. Philadelphia Daily News, December 6, 1982.
31. Miller, Russell (1987). Bare-faced Messiah, The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard. Henry Holt & Co. ISBN 0-8050-0654-0. Page 369.
32. "Bare-Faced Messiah: Chapter 4". Clambake.org. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
33. "Inside The Church of Scientology: An Exclusive Interview with L. Ron Hubbard Jr". Penthouse. June 1983.
34. Joel Sappell; Robert W. Welkos (June 24, 1990). "The Mind Behind the Religion". Los Angeles Times.
35. "Religion: Mystery of the Vanished Ruler". time.com. January 31, 1983.
36. Brown, Mark (January 30, 1986). "Creston provided quiet retreat for controversial church leader". The County Telegram-Tribune, San Luis Obispo, pp. 1A/5A.
37. Behar, Richard (October 27, 1986). "The prophet and profits of Scientology". Forbes 400 (Forbes)
38. "Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's caretaker and friend, Steve 'Sarge' Pfauth, 1945–2016 | the Underground Bunker".
39. Church of Scientology. L. Ron Hubbard's death. Image of Death Certificate. Retrieved on: June 15, 2012.
40. Lindsey, Robert; Times, Special To the New York (January 29, 1986). "L. Ron Hubbard Dies of Stroke; Founder of Church of Scientology". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
41. Miller 1987, p. 375.

Sources

• Atack, Jon (1990). A Piece of Blue Sky: Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed. Lyle Stuart Books. ISBN 081840499X. OL 9429654M.
• Miller, Russell (1987). Bare-faced Messiah : The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard. Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 0805006540. OCLC 17481843. OL 26305813M.