Church Of Scientology Drawn Into Messy Danny Masterson Sexual Abuse Row

It appears the row involving the sexual assault charges filed against actor Danny Masterson is getting uglier by the day. Church of Scientology officials has been drawn into the issue with the accusers baring that people were trying to silence them during testimony on the rape case.

Three women revealed efforts but church officials to silence them in connection with the Masterson rape case, the Los Angeles Times reported. One of the accusers stated that she was told to put in writing that she would take full responsibility for the 2001 alleged sexual assault where the victim claims she was unconscious when the rape happened.

Another one of the victims says that a church lawyer went to their house and was threatened to be expelled from the congregation if she told police that the 45-year-old raped her at his Hollywood mansion in 2004.

“We’re going to work out how you can not lose your daughter,” the unnamed lawyer reportedly said.

The whole thing has put the church in a bad light with one of the accusers also adding that she was a passage from “Introduction to Scientology Ethics” that discouraged her from speaking to law enforcement. She added that she was also told that reporting Masterson was a high crime.

The church denied that it had a policy dissuading victims from reporting abuse to authorities. The claim that the accusations against Masterson were a “money shakedown.”

“Church policy explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land, including the reporting of crimes. This is blatantly clear in the documents we understand were put before the Court — and many others,” church spokesperson Karin Pouw said.

Masterson will face three counts of rape that date back to 2000. The actor has pleaded not guilty to the charges.