Leah Remini files a lawsuit against church of Scientology, citing defamation and harassment

“King of Queens” star Leah Remini has spent years speaking out about her time in the Church of Scientology, calling it a toxic cult that encourages brainwashing. A former Scientologist herself, she has found herself at odds with former friends and colleagues who are current members, like Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, and others.

Now, the actress is taking her accusations a step farther, filing a lawsuit against the church, citing defamation and harassment.

The star filed her suit in the Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, per The Hollywood Reporter, claiming she has been “stalked, surveilled, harassed, threatened, intimidated, and, moreover, has been the victim of intentional malicious and fraudulent rumors” to intimidate and silence her. She cites “series of retaliatory activities” against people and groups deemed an “enemy” of the church.

While the damages she seeks are unspecified, she has asked for a court ordered  “cease and desist its harassment, defamation, and other unlawful conduct.”

The “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” host alleges in a statement that she was subjected to “psychological torture” which began at the wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and states, “With this lawsuit, I hope to protect my rights as afforded by the Constitution of the United States to speak the truth and report the facts about Scientology.”

“I feel strongly that the banner of religious freedom does not give anyone license to intimidate, harass, and abuse those who exercise their First Amendment rights.”

Remini states that the church’s goal has been to “totally restrain and muzzle” her through a pattern of defamation, stalking and abuse. She also claims her family, friends, business partners, advertisers, potential employers and staff have also been harassed.

Remini also alleges that the church pressured iHeartRadio to drop her podcast about the church after four years, stating that the radio producers, “grew so fearful that iHeartMedia made the decision to terminate the relationship with Ms. Remini to protect its employees and agents, even though the show was successful in its ratings.”

Remini has been no shrinking violet when it comes to being a Scientologist whistleblower, and her departure from the group was anything but easy. A source told Page Six, "[Remini] was put through interrogations and blacklisted within the church that she donated millions to and that her family has spent their lives in. She was put through 'thought modification' for five years."

After leaving the church in 2013, Remini stunned the masses in 2015 when she sat down for an interview on ABC's "20/20" and spoke out about the controversial religion. "I know what my former Church — how they deal with people who tell their story," Remini told journalist Dan Harris. "And so I wanted to be the one to say it," she declared when asked about her tell-all book, "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology." 

But that was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to Remini's quest to expose her former faith. In 2016 she also released a documentary series she co-produced with A&E, "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath," wherein she featured other former members whose lives had also been negatively affected by the organized religion.