Documentary record Bound by Fear
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Conviction New religious movements Scientology Los Angeles, California, USA · 2023

United States: Danny Masterson convicted of raping two fellow Scientology members

Record class

Core record

Evidence status

Convicted

Authority role

prominent member of the Church of Scientology

Organization

Church of Scientology

Spiritual nexus

The complainants were fellow members of the same organisation, and the documented nexus is institutional rather than pastoral: prosecutors argued the group's internal reporting structure and its discouragement of contact with police is what suppressed disclosure of the assaults.

  • Institutional obedience or isolation

Evidence structure

Proceedings

  1. 2023-09-07 · conviction and sentence; appeal argued and under submission

    Los Angeles County Superior Court, California. Danny Masterson was convicted on two counts of rape of fellow Scientology members and sentenced to 30 years to life. The prosecution argued the organisation's internal policies discouraged the complainants from reporting to police. A three-judge panel of the California Court of Appeal heard argument on 25 June 2026 and took the case under submission; no ruling had issued as of July 2026.

Appellate history

  1. 2026-06-25 · undefined

    undefined

Documented coercion mechanisms

  • the organisation's internal reporting structure, which prosecutors argued discouraged members from going to the police

Primary record

Sources

national news agency verdict and sentencing report 'Danny Masterson sentenced to 30 years to life', Associated Press, 7 Sept. 2023.

Reports the conviction on two counts, the sentence, and the prosecution's argument about the organisation's internal reporting practices.

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