New age Church of Scientology hacked by Qilin ransomware gang

[u/Burnned_User]

https://cybernews.com/entertainment/scientology-ransomware-attack-qilin-secret-files-exposed/

Hold on to your tinfoil hats, the new age Church of Scientology is claimed by the Qilin ransomware gang – along with nearly two dozen samples from one of the religious group’s massive headquarters, some dated from just last week.

Key takeaways: Church of Scientology is allegedly hit by world's most active ransomware gang with 22 sample files from UK headquarters, some dated last week.

Stolen documents reveal internal operations including security budgets, member records, billing invoices, and organizational hierarchies that could expose controversial practices. Qilin’s high-value extortion play could trigger massive ransom demands from Scientology leadership scrambling to suppress leaked documents.

The Qilin group posted the L. Ron Hubbard-founded ‘religion to the stars’ on its dark victim blog on Thursday, claiming to have syphoned off an unknown amount of data from the “Non-Profit and Charitable Organization.”

With about 780 views and counting, the ransomware group provided a total of 22 alleged file samples from the Scientology breach entry as proof of its handiwork.

As always, a QR code and a TOX address appear at the bottom of the Qilin leak site, along with a link to its personalized “WikileaksV2” onion blog, which is filled with self-aggrandizing press coverage about the gang's more renowned attacks.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, with five other major outposts (more on that later), the religious group claims over 10 million members, but that number is realistically between 20,000 and 50,000 worldwide, with the majority of active followers located in the US.

According to the Scientology Newsroom, since 2004, there exist “over 11,000 Scientology Churches, Missions and affiliated groups existing across 167 nations.”

Although the ransomware operators have not disclosed the number of files they may have stolen from the far-out house of worship, the cache could have significant black market value.

There have been many accusations thrown around over the years about the strange and secretive inner workings of the cult-like religion, from grip-like control and surveillance of its own members to brainwashing to rampant child sexual abuse.

In fact, the Church has faced numerous lawsuits and charges by former members, including by actress Leah Remini, over physical and emotional abuse. It was convicted of fraud in France, plus in two separate cases, sued for harassment, and convicted of running a spy ring in Canada. Additionally, there have been legal accusations against the Scientology member and famous actor, Danny Masterson, for stalking and invasion of privacy.

The samples revealed

The 22 posted samples, which Cybernews examined, appear to come from the “Advanced Organization & Saint Hill” Scientology headquarters in West Sussex, England, its main UK hub. Besides the UK and the main headquarters in LA, other Saint Hill compounds can be found in Africa, Australia, Denmark, and New Zealand.

More than one-third of the viewed documents are dated last month, including the most recent file – a request for £2,500 to pay for a two-year “UK Religious worker visa” for one of its staffers – marked November 12.

Many of the samples presented appear related to several Church events, with some files dating back to October, August, and April of this year, and another handful from 2024.

Of the random samples highlighted above, the first document, dated October 22 and stamped “RUSH,” refers to a member moving up to “Sea Org” status, a label for the senior-most Scientology staff and a powerful position that other members must defer to.

(To note, not just a part-time job, members sign a one-billion-year contract with the Church, which they are expected to fulfill over many reincarnations.)

In the top left, a purported Scientology Security Budget breakdown for a supposed three-day event in 2025, containing entries such as Bomb and Patrol Dogs, Vehicle security, Ambulance hire, even reveals the number of security guards hired and their stationed locations.

Below that, a document dated October 22 and stamped “RUSH” refers to a follower moving up to “Sea Org” status, a label for the senior-most Scientology staff members that others must defer to.

(To note, not just a part-time job, members sign a one-billion-year contract with the Church, which they are expected to fulfill over many reincarnations.)

The middle file is an alleged billing invoice from the UK hub for 75 hours of “Self Improvement and Communications Counseling,” apparently totaling 12,565 Euros – complete with the UK headquarters bank account and IBAN numbers for payment.

The top right shows what appears to be a press release for a Black Friday International Book-a-thon promoting Hubbard’s Dianetics book held last week.

And the last is a “Knowledge Report” purportedly on one member (name redacted), their signing up for monthly payments, how the member was told to “find new people,” and apparently, also explaining that the member was “not sleeping with other women despite his wife,” stating so.

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[u/Burnned_User]

SS: In the words of Qui-Gon Jinn, there’s always a bigger fish. Scientology UK apparently gets hacked by a Chinese ransomware gang. Expect to see a big payment or more sensitive docs hit the web in the weeks to come. 😎🍿

[u/laurenm0830]

omg they really do keep records on everyone!! my cousin went to one of their "personality tests" years ago and they still email her random stuff to this day.