The Church of Scientology has filed a motion with a Los Angeles federal court, demanding that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) hand over all records related to a 2013 missing‑persons report that the church claims was fabricated by former member and outspoken critic Leah Remini. The church’s legal team argues that the police failed to identify the source of the leak and that the documents could shed light on whether Remini’s allegations were a publicity stunt.
The Church of Scientology Seeks Court Order to Release LAPD Documents
According to court filings obtained by TMZ, the Church’s attorneys are asking a judge to compel the LAPD to produce documents “immediately.” The request follows a series of events that the church says demonstrate a pattern of false reporting and a lack of police transparency.
In the filings, the church accuses the LAPD of “failing to identify who leaked the Missing Persons Report filed in 2013, which claimed Scientology leader David Miscavige’s wife, Shelly, was missing.” The church argues that the police investigation was closed as “unfounded” without a thorough review of the source of the report.
Background: The 2013 Missing Persons Report and Leah Remini’s Accusations
Leah Remini, a former Scientology member for more than three decades, left the church in 2013. Since then she has become one of its most vocal critics, accusing the organization of abuse, financial exploitation, and other misconduct. In 2013, a detective named Kevin Becker—who the church claims was a personal friend and security guard for Remini—filed a missing‑persons report alleging that Shelly Miscavige, David Miscavige’s wife, was missing.
The church maintains that the report was fabricated. It says Remini filed it “knowing it was false and did so as a publicity stunt for her own personal benefit.” The LAPD, according to the church’s documents, sent two officers to speak with Shelly in person. They confirmed that she was not missing and apologized for the disturbance. The investigation was reportedly closed as “unfounded” a few days later.
In 2017, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department also met with Shelly and determined she was fine. Despite these findings, the church claims that Remini continued to make public statements suggesting Shelly was missing, thereby “gaining more publicity for herself.”
The Alleged Leak and the Role of Journalist Yashar Ali
The church alleges that the missing‑persons report was leaked to journalist Yashar Ali, who published the document in 2023. The church claims that the LAPD investigated the matter but was unable to identify the source of the leak. The church’s legal team is now seeking a court order to force the LAPD to disclose all related documents, hoping to uncover whether the leak was intentional or accidental.
While the church’s motion is still pending, the case has drawn
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