Robert Vaughn Young (April 23, 1938 – June 15, 2003) commonly known by his initials RVY, was an American
whistleblower
A whistleblower (also written as whistle-blower or whistle blower) is a person, often an employee, who reveals information about activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, immoral, illicit, unsafe or fraudulent. Whi ...
against the
Church of Scientology after working high inside their organization for over twenty years.
In Scientology
Of his years with the Church, Young said:
I have held nearly every type of position at every echelon. I have worked at the local, the regional, the national and the international levels. I have been a Scientology representative and spokesman before governmental bodies, the media and the courts. I have trained others on how to handle the media and governmental agencies. I have been the most senior public relations executive for Scientology world wide. I worked for years at the echelon that handles critics, "enemies," the media, judges, the courts and the government. I have been privy to documents and tactics of the most secret nature, including illegalities committed by Scientology executives and the means of cover-up.
He was a national spokesman for the church.
Young edited
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (March 13, 1911 – January 24, 1986) was an American author, primarily of science fiction and fantasy stories, who is best known for having founded the Church of Scientology. In 1950, Hubbard authored '' Dianeti ...
's ten-volume ''
Mission Earth'' series. Young said that Hubbard had written the main text of the series, but that he had
ghostwritten the introduction of each volume, as well as other writings in Hubbard's name.
After leaving
After leaving the Church of Scientology in 1989, Young became prominent as an expert in court cases regarding Scientology such as ''
CSI v. Fishman and Geertz'',
''
BPI v.
FACTNet
Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, also known as FACTNet, co-founded by Robert Penny and Lawrence Wollersheim, was a Colorado-based anti-cult organization with the stated aim of educating and facilitating communication about "destructive mi ...
'', the
Lisa McPherson civil trial, cited by the press, and as an
Internet-based critic of the organization. His ex-wife,
Stacy Brooks
Stacy Brooks (born April 8, 1952) was a Scientologist for over 20 years, working in the Sea Org in Los Angeles for almost fifteen. In 1985, Stacy Brooks was the managing editor of ''Freedom'' magazine.
Previously married to Vaughn Young, in 1 ...
, was a member of the
Lisa McPherson Trust
The Lisa McPherson Trust was an organisation created in 1999 by Bob Minton. The trust was named after Lisa McPherson, a Scientology member who died in 1995 after being in the Church of Scientology’s care for 17 days. Their stated goal was to "ex ...
. This frequently resulted in tension with his former organization.
Young was diagnosed with
prostate cancer on November 23, 1999, and turned his energies to
Phoenix5, a non-profit organization that runs a website on the disease. He died on June 15, 2003.
References
Books
*
External links
Phoenix5 home page(
Factnet
Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, also known as FACTNet, co-founded by Robert Penny and Lawrence Wollersheim, was a Colorado-based anti-cult organization with the stated aim of educating and facilitating communication about "destructive mi ...
)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, Robert Vaughn
1938 births
2003 deaths
American whistleblowers
Critics of Scientology
Deaths from prostate cancer
American former Scientologists