Danny Masterson has been expelled from the Church of Scientology following his rape conviction that earned him 30 years in prison, DailyMail.com can reveal.
The actor has been declared a 'suppressive person' – or 'SP' – which the church defines as someone whose behavior seeks to impede the spiritual progress of those around him.
The label means fellow Scientologists, including his wife Bijou Phillips and his family, will be required to cut all ties with the convicted rapist.
But even with the expulsion, the church maintains that Masterson is innocent of all charges, according to insiders.
The shocking development was revealed by longtime private investigator Jeffrey Augustine on his website, The Scientology Money Project, which has been dedicated to exposing the alleged wrongdoings of the church since 2014.
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Augustine, a former Scientologist himself, explained the reasons behind the radical decision to cut ties with a member they publicly supported during two lengthy criminal trials.
Augustine, 66, said the Church of Scientology had not planned to go public with the news and are still telling members Masterson is innocent and that former Scientologist Leah Remini conspired with other revengeful former members to disparage him.
'According to my sources, Danny has been declared a suppressive person, which means he would be expelled from Scientology,' Augustine said.
'They are telling Scientologists that he will file an appeal and that he is innocent of the charges for which he was convicted.
'They (church officials) declared Danny a suppressive person for not maintaining the high ethical standards for the Church of Scientology, and other reasons – but not because he was convicted of rape,' Augustine added.
Masterson, 47, was convicted of two counts of rape in May. He was given his long prison sentence in September. A third rape charge ended with a hung jury. An earlier trial saw jurors deadlocked.
Augustine spoke out while attending a protest held in front of the Church of Scientology Celebrity Center in Hollywood on Saturday where dozens of former members and alleged victims of sexual abuse spoke out against the injustices of the 'cult'.
Chrissie Carnell Bixler, the accuser whose case ended without a guilty verdict attended Saturday's protest along with one of the women whose evidence convicted the star of That '70s Show.
When asked about Masterson being declared suppressive, Bixler told DailyMail.com: 'They should have declared him an SP when I originally went to them.'
Bixler and the other two women he was convicted of raping are suing the convicted rapist in a separate civil suit, another possible reason for his expulsion.
Augustine said: 'A lot of Scientologists were complaining that they have friends and family members that they can't talk to because they were declared suppressive. They questioned why Danny Masterson was allowed to be a Scientologist in good standing when he's brought such a horrible public relations situation on to the church with his felony rape convictions.
'So the members are asking why were their friends and family declared for reading the internet, watching Leah Remini's show, and doing other things that are far below what Masterson was charged with?'
Augustine said he was not surprised with the decision to put Masterson behind them because the church's controversial leader David Miscavige has to save face.
'Miscavige has the International Association of Scientologists event coming up in London. It's the first post-pandemic big multimillion dollar fundraiser.
'I think Miscavige is clearing the decks ahead of the IAS in London so he's not asked about Masterson. In other words, he wants it handled. He doesn't want Danny Masterson to be the focus.
'They are not going to make a public announcement. They are going to tell everyone at this big, posh London event don't talk about it, don't mention Danny. He has now become a person whose name must not be mentioned.'
'They are still maintaining his innocence, saying he will appeal and that's not why he's been declared, but this is not to be talked about by anyone,' he said.
The Church of Scientology did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Augustine, a licensed private investigator and longtime critic of the church, is married to former Scientologist Karen de la Carriere, one of the highest ranking members of the church who worked alongside church founder L. Ron Hubbard. She left the church in 2010 after 35 years.
Two of the three women who accused Masterson of rape were among those at the protest on Saturday.
'The suit is coming up and Scientology doesn't want to be accountable. They are going to say they have nothing to do with Masterson anymore,' Augustine explained.
Masterson grew up in a family of practicing Scientologists. His stepfather Joe Reaiche and mother Carole Masterson had been members of the Sea Org, the 'clergy' of the controversial faith.
Reaiche himself would eventually be deemed suppressive for questioning certain teachings and has not had any contact with his children since.
Like his own father who was kicked out of the church, Masterson may not even be aware that he has been declared a suppressive person and will find out when everyone cuts ties with him.
'I don't think Bijou wants to visit him in prison ever. She was just awarded custody of their daughter.
'I personally think Bijou Phillips will leave the Church of Scientology, that's my prediction. It's brought her nothing but grief, heartache and sorrow,' Augustine added.
Phillips, 43, stood by her husband throughout the two trials – the first of which ended with a hung jury – turning up on his arm each day for the court hearings.
But just 12 days after his September 7 sentencing she filed for divorce after 12 years of marriage.
In her filings she revealed that she and Masterson – who is currently in LA's Central Men's Jail awaiting a decision as to where he will serve his sentence – had been living apart for five years.
'I think she will shift towards Billy Baldwin and Chyna Phillips and their Christianity,' said Augustine. 'That's what I think will happen to Bijou if she gets out. There is no reason for her to stay in Scientology.'
Augustine said news for the church has been getting worse and worse. He said the next thing that could happen is for the IRS to revoke the church's tax exemption status.
'That would mean they are not a religion,' he said.
'They are currently protected by First Amendment religious protections and they would become a for-profit business. That would not allow them to get away with covering up rapes, pedophiles, white collar criminals – all of that would end.
'They have a culture of covering up sexual crimes and that's what happened with Danny Masterson for twenty years,' said Augustine.
Alexa Nikolas of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101 spearheaded the protest on behalf of her 'Eat Predators' movement, which she founded in 2022 to call out sexual predators and networks who protect them. Nikolas has never been a Scientologist.
The actress led the protest which lasted for more than thee hours with supporters chanting: 'Protect survivors, not Scientology, a cult is a predator...power to survivors.'
'Disconnection is suppressive. Scientology stop doing it,' said an ex-member who goes by the name Lara FM as she held a sign that said Declared Suppressive Person.
She confirmed: 'Yes, that's 100% true that Danny has been expelled.'
