Who runs Scientology in the United Kingdom? Canadian-born Janet Laveau is listed as the Managing Director of the Church of Scientology Religious Education College Inc (COSRECI), the Australian-registered charity through with Scientology runs its UK operation, but who is she and what else do we know about her?

In 2008, Laveau appeared alongside former Scientologist Astra Woodcraft on Channel 4’s ‘Richard & Judy’ where she defended the Church’s financial motives and denied allegations of forced abortions. Although introduced as a “Reverend”, Laveau was in fact the head of Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs (OSA), which is responsible for public relations, covert intelligence and attacking critics.

She appeared again in October 2014, when a group of former members visited Scientology’s UK Headquarters at Saint Hill near East Grinstead, Sussex ahead of the annual IAS event (International Association of Scientologists). They filmed their encounter, where Laveau is seen confronting one of the group and liaising with the Police before being removed from the site for trespassing.

Born in December 1955, Janet Laveau was recently promoted according to filings with Companies House. In June 2022, she was registered as Managing Director of COSRECI, the Church’s UK organisation, where she replaced Angius Massimo who resigned shortly afterwards in August of the same year.

She is also listed as the Director of Narconon Trust, Scientology’s drug rehabilitation centre in Sussex where drug users are subjected to high doses of vitamins and spend long hours in a sauna in an attempt to rid them of the effects of drugs.