Leah Remini sues Scientology over alleged 'harassment, intimidation, surveillance and defamation': report

Actress Leah Remini has filed a lawsuit against the Church of Scientology for being "dead set on making her life a living hell now that she's no longer a part of the church," TMZ reported on Tuesday.

Remini is "being stalked and harassed by the Church of Scientology as part of a coordinated campaign to destroy her life because she left the religion," TMZ learned from the complaint.

"According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Leah claims Scientology is stalking her and invading her privacy because the church is determined to silence her and others who are critical of the religion," TMZ wrote. "Leah claims the alleged abuse coming her way is part of a broader policy and practice of intimidation within the Church of Scientology ... which she says dates all the way back to founder L. Ron Hubbard."

Remini posted a statement to Instagram outlining her reasons for suing the faith.

"After 17 years of harassment, intimidation, surveillance, and defamation, I am filing a lawsuit against Scientology and David Miscavige," Remini said. "While advocating for victims of Scientology has significantly impacted my life and career, Scientology’s final objective of silencing me has not been achieved. While this lawsuit is about what Scientology has done to me, I am one of thousands of targets of Scientology over the past seven decades. People who share what they’ve experienced in Scientology, and those who tell their stories and advocate for them, should be free to do so without fearing retaliation from a cult with tax exemption and billions in assets."

Remini added that she is advocating for Scientology's alleged victims.

"Children, mothers, fathers, aunts, and uncles have a right to request welfare checks on their family members without fear of an operation activated against them by Scientology for doing so," said Remini. "Those in the entertainment business should have a right to tell jokes and stories without facing an operation from Scientology which uses its resources in Hollywood to destroy their lives and careers. With this lawsuit, I hope to protect the rights afforded to them and me by the Constitution of the United States to speak the truth and report the facts about Scientology without fear of vicious and vindictive retribution, of which most have no way to fight back."