David Miscavige Net Worth – $3 million
How much is David Miscavige worth?
Introduction
Branding himself as a leader throughout his entire life and career, David Miscavige has never been afraid to jump in and try something new, which has paid dividends in terms of his current leadership role.
He is the current leader of The Church of Scientology and the captain of the Sea Organization, a branch organization of The Church of Scientology.
He is known to be charming, direct, and hard-working. David Miscavige quite literally rose through the ranks to earn his spot at the top.
Make no mistake, there have been major bumps in the road for Miscavige.
He is the subject of multiple controversies, including some suspicious circumstances surrounding his wife.
Despite controversies surrounding its leader, the Church of Scientology has been reinvigorated under his leadership.
The Origin Story
Born in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania, David had a pretty normal early childhood with his parents, twin sister, Denise, and two other siblings.
He played baseball and football as a kid, even though he struggled with asthma and allergies.
When David was 11, his family joined The Church of Scientology and became very active members.
During a Scientology ceremony called a “Dianetics” session, Miscavige was cured of his asthma and allergies altogether.
His father, Ron Miscavige, was a best-selling author and leader of the Sea Organization, a religious order of Scientology that controlled the management operations within the church.
The entire family became very committed to Scientology, and when David was 16, he dropped out of high school to work for the Sea Organization full time.
He moved to Florida and worked odd jobs in the organization, such as food service, groundskeeping, and photography.
Rising Through the Ranks
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No stranger to hard work, David was committed to the church and was almost obsessively involved in his job with the Sea Organization.
He was very connected to L. Ron Hubbard during his tenure, and this relationship helped him climb the ranks into leadership positions very early.
He became the right-hand man to L. R. Hubbard and was not afraid to shape his own destiny from there.
Some ex-Scientologists who knew David describe him as quick, clever, and unafraid.
Many attribute his success to these very qualities.
When his mentor passed away, and the top leadership position in the Church opened, David jumped at the chance.
Despite being very young when he took his role in leading the church, David reinvigorated the church’s members and grew its base rapidly.
There are many controversies surrounding his job as a leader and the methods he used to command respect, but David Miscavige is the face of Scientology.
Wife
While Miscavige was working at the Sea Organization in his late teens, he met a young teen named Michele “Shelly.”
Shelly was completely committed to serving L. R. Hubbard and supported him in many ways since she was a mere 12 years old.
Their commitment to Scientology and Hubbard was a foundation builder in their relationship, and the pair became Mr. and Mrs. Miscavige in 1982.
The couple rapidly became the “It couple” within The Church of Scientology.
While their marriage looked equal at first, when R. L. Hubbard died in 1986 and David took over as leader of The Church, there was a shift in the couple’s dynamic.
David expected Shelly to do his bidding but did not give her much autonomy to make decisions for The Church.
Previous church members claim that Shelly quickly became quiet and withdrawn but that she stuck by her husband’s side through many tough times.
Shelly’s last public appearance was made in 2007, and after that, it was as if she had vanished.
Her longtime friend Leah Remini, a TV star and defector, rang alarm bells after getting vague answers about Shelly’s whereabouts.
Remini claims that The Church would say Shelly was away on a special assignment or at a re-education center.
Remini filed a police report, and the case was later closed, but no conclusive evidence was made public.
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Controversies
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The Church of Scientology is and has always been riddled with controversy during its tenure.
Leading the organization is bound to come with bumps, allegations, and controversies as well, and Miscavige had no shortage of them.
Even the process of David taking over for L. R. Hubbard has claims of fraud and angry allegations surrounding it.
A Prominent leader in The Church, along with his wife, shared an order from Hubbard stating that the pair were to be promoted to Loyal-Officers, the highest-ranking members of the organization.
Miscavige claimed the document was falsified and dismissed the request.
Miscavige has also had to navigate dealings with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to gain a tax exemption for the church.
Since 1970, and many during Miscavige’s tenure, The Church filed over 50 lawsuits against the IRS in an attempt to coerce the organization to grant a tax-exempt status for the organization.
The Church of Scientology was later granted the sought-after exemption.
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David Miscavige – Net Worth
So, how much is David Miscavige worth? The Church of Scientology is well known in Hollywood and has some very famous supporters, including Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Therefore, the leader of the Church of Scientology, David Miscavige, has an estimated net worth of $3 million.
This association with Hollywood and the wealthy means that leaders of The Church find themselves in very wealthy positions as well.
Miscavige’s leadership within the Church of Scientology and the Sea Organization grants him a very plush lifestyle, though it is not one without hard work.
His real estate is difficult to pin down because many of the places he resides are owned by the Church of Scientology.
The Sea Org’s headquarters has a $10 million mansion on its grounds that L. R. Hubbard used to live in, and it’s not unlikely that the house is now inhabited by Miscavige.
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