Scientology whistleblower Leah Remini testifies rape allegation against Paul Haggis was part of church scheme

Actress Leah Remini is blaming the Church of Scientology for an alleged scheme to bring down writer/director Paul Haggis, reported feminist publication Jezebel.

Testifying under oath in court on Monday, Remini said that the 2013 rape allegations by publicist Haleigh Breest are part of an effort to attack Haggis after he left the church and began speaking out against it.

“You would have to retain lawyers and that would cost a lot of money. The purpose of this is to have you financially ruined so that the last thing you would want to do is to get into a battle with Scientology,” she said. “The purpose of Scientology lawsuits is just to destroy your life.”

Breest and other women alleging rape from Haggis are connected to the Church of Scientology, she also said, though during cross-examination she said that she wasn't certain.

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"Last week, Haggis testified that he couldn’t fully recall whether he and Breest had penetrative sexual intercourse. He claimed that Breest sent him 'mixed signals' in his apartment after they left a film premiere together," wrote Jezebel.

One of Breest’s attorneys, Ilann Maazel, told the Daily Beast outside the court that the pro-Scientology excuse is unsubstantiated "nonsense."