Former Scientologist and actress Leah Remini shared some disturbing claims regarding the whereabouts of Shelly Miscavige, the allegedly missing wife of Scientology leader, David Miscavige.
Remini, who has been a vocal critic of the Church of Scientology since leaving the church, has been looking for Miscavige since she vanished from the public in 2007.
Remini has dedicated entire episodes of her A&E show, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, to her investigation and has been openly vocal about her personal mission to find her friend.
One of the more unsettling details in Remini's series of tweets is her recollection of interacting with former 34-year Los Angeles Police Department veteran Cory Palka, who was in charge of the Hollywood division where Remini filed her missing persons report regarding the disappearance of Miscavige.
Palka is currently under investigation for colluding with top CBS executives–namely its former CEO Les Moonves–in fighting a sexual assault charge against him from a former CBS employee.
Remini's lengthy thread started with:
"Many of you know about Shelly Miscavige, the wife of Scientology's leader David Miscavige, who has been missing for over 15 years. Well, I have got a hell of an update for you…"
\u201c1. Many of you know about Shelly Miscavige, the wife of Scientology's leader David Miscavige, who has been missing for over 15 years. \n\nWell, I have got a hell of an update for you\u2026\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122350
“In 2013, after I left Scientology, I filed a missing person’s report with the LAPD on Shelly,” Remini began. “By the time I filed the report, it had been nearly eight years since I had seen or heard from Shelly.”
She began talking about meeting Palka and questioning his relationship with the religious movement.
\u201c2. Meet Cory Palka, a 34-year vet of LAPD and a longtime captain of the Hollywood Division. \n\nCory was in charge of the division where I filed my missing person's report into the disappearance of Shelly Miscavige.\n\nHere, Cory accepts a check from Scientology for an LAPD charity.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122350
\u201c3. Here's where things get interesting...\n\nCory is now being investigated for providing confidential investigative information to top CBS executives.\n\nWhich begs the question...what investigative information has he provided to Scientology over the years?\n\nhttps://t.co/MJpcYMwxQr\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122350
\u201c4. In 2013, after I left Scientology, I filed a missing person's report with the LAPD on Shelly. \n\nBy the time I filed the report, it had been nearly eight years since I had seen or heard from Shelly.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122350
Remini thought the glaring observation of Miscavige's absence from Tom Cruise's 2006 wedding to Katie Holmes, in a Scientologist ceremony, was a huge red flag.
\u201c5. At Tom Cruise's wedding to Katie Holmes in 2006, I was shocked when Shelly wasn't with her husband, David Miscavige. \n\nTom's wedding was dubbed "the wedding of the century" in Scientology. It was the most critical event for top Scientologists.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122350
\u201c6. Shelly was always with her husband. She was his shadow, not only because she was married to him but also because she was his top aide.\n\nFor her not to be in attendance was not only unusual but also unimaginable.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122350
When Remini inquired about where Miscavige was that day, she was aggressively discouraged from asking further questions.
@LeahRemini/Twitter
After losing contact with Miscavige and receiving no help in finding her, Remini took matters into her own hands.
"My letters to Shelley had all gone unanswered. I couldn't reach her by phone either."
"So when I left Scientology, my first goal was to try and find Shelly."
That was when she filed a missing person report "through a friend I knew at the LAPD."
\u201c8. My letters to Shelley had all gone unanswered. I couldn't reach her by phone either. \n\nSo when I left Scientology, my first goal was to try and find Shelly. \n\nI filed a missing person's report through a friend I knew at the LAPD.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122350
\u201c9. Hours after I filed the missing person's report, the case was closed, and the LAPD announced to the press that they had found Shelly.\n\nThis news was released first to the press, not to me, who filed the report.\n\nI learned about all of this from the media, not from the LAPD.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122350
\u201c10. When I asked if detectives had spoken to or had seen Shelly themselves, I was told that was "classified" by the LAPD.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122350
Remini paid $50K in attorneys fees filing various requests, but she said her requests for information from the LAPD were shut down.
"I still don't know anything about the circumstances of this investigation," she said.
She claimed Scientology has always done a good job at "ingratiating itself with law enforcement despite being experts in obstructing justice."
"Scientology hires off-duty LAPD cops as security and donates to LAPD charities."
"All while instructing their members never to help any criminal investigations involving Scientologists and making it a high crime within Scientology to report Scientologists to law enforcement."
When Remini met Palka concerning Miscavige, she allegedly saw a letter on his desk thanking him "for all his help with Scientology matters and inviting him to come and have lunch, as a guest, at the Celebrity Center."
\u201c15. I was so alarmed by Cory's closeness with Scientology I even offered to personally double any donations they made to LAPD charities if he wouldn't accept donations from them. \n\nCory was incredibly dismissive.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122354
She shared screenshots of the email correspondence between Palka and Scientology obtained by journalist, Tony Ortega to show how "friendly" the then-Commanding Officer's relationship with the Church was.
@LeahRemini/Twitter
In the email below, Palka appears to offer to introduce the Church to the Detroit Chief of Police.
@LeahRemini/Twitter
\u201c17. Cory even assigned a particular detective who could personally handle Scientology's complaints! \n\nHe also agreed to help introduce them to the Detroit Chief of Police! \n\nThis is unheard of!\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122356
Additionally, LAPD Lieutenant Andre Dawson–who was put in charge of Remini's report–spoke about matters of human trafficking at a Scientology event.
"You can't make it up," Remini exclaimed.
\u201c18. LAPD Lieutenant Andre Dawson, the detective in charge of my missing person's report into Shelly Miscavige, also has a cozy relationship with Scientology.\n\nHere he is speaking at Scientology's celebrity center at an event about human trafficking! \n\nYou can't make it up!\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122357
Remini demanded an investigation looking into the relationship between Palka and the Church, and she requested the LAPD to sever all ties with Scientology and refuse to accept their funds.
She concluded the thread with:
"WHERE IS SHELLY???"
Twitter expressed their concerns and also supported Remini's determination to uncover the truth.
\u201c@LeahRemini Dogged determination. Impressive. I hope you finally get to the bottom of all this. If they are as you describe I hope you can, some day, find your friend and crush them.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini Wow, woman! First, I always thought you were an amazing and funny actress. I never realized you were so fierce and unrelenting. This must be so incredibly unsettling. Does Shelly have no family screaming about this? How awful.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini The LAPD is one of the most corrupt organizations in the world. It's a scary institution.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini @LeahRemini I notice the pics you attach are all pretty dated. Here\u2019s one from last month - October 2022 - a \u201ccommunity cleanup\u201d sponsored by Scientology and benefitting \u201cFaith In Blue\u201d. Very heavy LAPD presence, across all ranks. No doubt: Scientology has infiltrated the LAPD!\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini This hurts my heart terribly that Shelly is still missing and people we have put into a place of authority is mis-using this authority for what appears to be "bought off for silence" of her disappearance,and most likely her murder. Thank you for all you do to expose this cult!\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini Hearing your account along with others when they step away from Scientology is scary. Why hasn\u2019t DOJ looked into it? Or is it all wired like everything else in this country? Someone knows. It takes one whistleblower.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini The church of scientology makes me sick...I'm not surprised that LAPD is corrupt. They are literally the worst PD in the country. Is there any way to get another agency involved?\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini This needs to be handled by the U.S. Department of Justice. ASAP\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini LAPD has a long-standing reputation that\u2019s been anything but stellar. They are supposed to be serving the people, not special interests that pad their pockets. Maybe it\u2019s time for the #DOJ to have a look?\n\n#whereisshellymiscavige\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini I\u2019m a huge fan of yours for your courage. After EVERYTHING they\u2019ve put you through, the fact that you\u2019re still such a loyal friend to her and are doggedly pursuing answers on her whereabouts is truly beautiful. You\u2019re a real one, girl! \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udcab\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini Probably the least necessary comment on this - but you're a hero, to me, for going to the lengths you did to help find her. Enduring all that, spending all that time and money and effort and energy. Not many people would do that for another person but you did. That's greatness.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini You are the type of friend I would want. No one is concerned within #Scientology or @LAPDHQ @911LAPD @LAPDHollywood yet you continue to raise the alarm. Incredibly distressing that #LawEnforcement not taking this seriously\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini This is very alarming, well down for having the courage to shine a light on this corruption\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini You are an amazing individual! From someone who first heard of Scientology in high school, and marveled at the absurdities within it, thank you for pursuing this and not giving up!\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
\u201c@LeahRemini Where is Shelly indeed. Thank you for keeping at this. Scientology ruined my ex-sister-in-law, and my nephew and my brother have had to deal with the repercussions of what happens to a young woman "signed over" at 11 who emancipates herself at 16. She will always struggle.\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1668122360
The State of New York reached a settlement in which Moonves and Paramount Global agreed to pay CBS shareholders a combined total of $24.5 million to settle claims of insider trading and sexual misconduct.
As part of that agreement, Palka was identified as the LAPD captain who enabled insider trading.
It also came to light that in 2018, Palka had "secretly leaked confidential police reports and other documents with CBS SVP of talent relations Ian Metrose, who then shared it with Moonves and other CBS execs."
New York Attorney General Letitia James disclosed that the late former Chief Communications Officer Gil Schwartz was authorized to sell nearly $8.5 million of CBS stock ahead of the public disclosure of the sexual conduct allegations against Moonves.
James' office said CBS executives and Palka had "worked for months to keep the assault allegations from becoming public."
In 2013, a Scientology spokesperson told People Remini filing the missing person report was “nothing more than [a] publicity stunt for Ms. Remini, cooked up with unemployed anti-zealots.”
The spokesperson also stated Miscavige was "not a public figure" and the Church asked that her "privacy be respected.”
On Saturday, the LAPD stated despite allegations of wrongdoing against Palka, the Miscavige investigation was completed properly, noting after the report was filed in 2014, officers “personally made contact with [Miscavige] and her attorney.”