Wife of Scientology Leader is Missing
He is the reclusive and enigmatic leader of the world's most famous cult who played best man at TomKat's wedding.
But perhaps the biggest mystery shrouding Scientology chairman David Miscavige concerns his wife, Shelly, who has not been seen since 2007.
Once a leading Scientologist herself, Shelly Miscavige is even credited as the cupid to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' doomed alliance.
Where is she? Since Shelly's disappearance, there has been a host of theories as to her whereabouts. This missing person poster was released by the campaign group Why We Protest
Always by her husband's side, it was her to whom Mr Miscavige turned when a lovelorn Cruise begged for help in finding love following the break down of his second marriage to Nicole Kidman.
Believing the role of Hollywood matchmaker to be somewhat beneath him, it was claimed Mr Miscavige handed the task to Shelly who led the hunt for the Cocktail star's perfect match.
After scouring the list of Hollywood's most eligible maidens, her finger fell on the fresh-faced star of Dawson's Creek. Not long after, the couple were married in a lavish ceremony in 2006.
But within a year the organisation's famous First Lady was gone.
She was no longer present at meetings, and her post title, 'COB Assistant', disappeared from internal dispatches.
A campaign by group Why We Protest has been launched to find her, but so far without success.
Very little is known about Shelly's life inside the mysterious world of Scientology and almost no pictures of her appear to remain.
Where is his wife? David Miscavige, left, speaking during the opening of the Church of Scientology's new church in the City of London in 2006. His wife Shelly, right, has been missing since 2007
Her disappearance sparked a fever of speculation over her whereabouts.
Some believe Shelly, who would now be in her 50s, went into hiding after becoming disillusioned with the religion. Others say she died after a battle with cancer.
One of the more sinister hypotheses makes the extraordinary claim she was in fact sent on an intense 'behavior modification program' at a remote, confidential location, known as 'The Hole', after allegedly being caught filing job applications without her husband's permission.
Those who fail to submit are reportedly punished in ‘The Hole’, a pair of extra-wide mobile homes on Gold Base used as a prison block for Scientologists who have in some way offended their leaders.
Although the church denies the existence of such a place and some believe the buildings have been removed, a string of former Scientologists have come forward to detail the abuse they allege went on there.
Miscavige was best man at TomKat's wedding in 2006, left. Cruise embraces Miscavige during the opening of a new Scientology church in Madrid, right
Mark ‘Marty’ Rathbun, once the second most powerful figure in the church — but who later fell out with the organisation and fled the base — told a court that between 80 and 100 Scientologists were sentenced to the Hole at a time and were required to do group confessions all day and all night.
He claimed that, one night, Miscavige visited the Hole and organised a brutal game of musical chairs.
Putting the Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody on the sound system, he announced that only the winner would be allowed to remain a member of the church, prompting a desperate fight as Scientologists came to blows over the chairs.
The church has denied all allegations, branding Rathbun 'delusional'.
The punishment of members who attempt to leave the sect has been well documented.
Enclave: Gold Base, the Scientology camp on a 500-acre compound at San Jacinto in Riverside County, California
The church refers to people who defect but practice independently as 'squirrels'.
Mr Rathbun was stalked by a group of Scientologist 'squirrel busters' who fitted cameras to their heads and followed him wherever he went.
In a bid to fend off their approaches, he filmed the men when they came to his home.
His bizarre footage showed the men wearing skyblue t-shirts and black caps with the words 'Squirrel busters productions' turned up at his door and said they were there to look at his 'PC meters' - a piece of Scientology equipment - and check his 'tack'.
Perhaps most bizarrely about their attire is a picture of a squirrel with Mr Rathbun's head superimposed onto the image.
But dispite the controversies, Mr Miscavige and Cruise's relationship has remained strong.
Mr Miscavige reportedly taught Cruise how to clay pigeon shoot on Gold Base.
By MATT BLAKE
dailymail.co.uk/
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