For the New Yorker profile, entitled 'Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology,' writer Lawrence Wright spoke to the filmmaker, several former church members and two FBI investigators, who allegedly "assured me [Wright] that the case remains open," referring to a 2009 investigation into abuse claims against the church. Reports indicate the abuse charges relate to, in part, paying church members just $50 per week to meet Cruise's demands, which included customizing a building and repairing boats and motorcycles.
In a statement, the church and Cruise denied the allegations and any knowledge of the investigation, and said the New Yorker "irresponsibly" used "discredited" sources to write a misleading article in an effort to attract attention.
According to a former Scientologist interviewed by Wright, members who fail the church in some way are often sent against their will to Rehabilitation Project Force camps, described in the article as "punitive re-education camps." One former member, Bruce Hines, claims to have been confined to the camps, where he was forced to do manual labor and spiritual therapy, for more than six years.
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