Danny Masterson. In March 2017, three women filed sexual assault allegations against Masterson, prompting a Los Angeles Police Department investigation. Masterson, through his agent, has denied the allegations. In response to the accusations, Netflix fired Masterson from its comedy series The Ranch on December 5, 2017, saying in a statement, "Yesterday was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him." Masterson stated that he is "obviously very disappointed in Netflix's decision to write my character off of The Ranch."A fifth woman who dated Masterson made similar rape accusations in December 2017. He was dropped as a client by United Talent Agency.
A planned 2019 episode of Leah Remini's show Aftermath, focusing on the Masterson rape allegations, was delayed due to what one of Masterson's accusers characterized as pressure from the Church of Scientology. The episode eventually aired on August 27, 2019.
Cedric Bixler-Zavala, singer for the bands The Mars Volta and At the Drive-In, alleged that Masterson sexually assaulted his wife Chrissie Carnell Bixler, and stated At the Drive-In's song "Incurably Innocent" (from the 2017 album In•ter a•li•a) is about the incident.
In August 2019, four women filed a lawsuit against Masterson and the Church of Scientology for stalking and harassment, stemming from their rape allegations. One plaintiff claimed her dog died from (unexplained) traumatic injuries to its trachea and esophagus, also alleging that church members chased her as she drove her car, filmed her without permission, harassed her online and posted ads to social media sites soliciting sex in her name. Another plaintiff stated that she and her neighbors observed a man snapping pictures from her driveway and later that night someone broke a window in her 13-year-old daughter's bedroom.[40][41][34] Such stalking and harassment claims are indicative of a Scientology policy titled Fair Game, which the Church claims was cancelled by L. Ron Hubbard in 1968, yet the plaintiffs' lawyers claim it continues still against any detractors and ex–church members, through 'outsourcing' to private investigators and off duty police officers.[42] Masterson has since responded to one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, claiming: "I'm not going to fight my ex-girlfriend in the media like she's been baiting me to do for more than two years. I will beat her in court—and look forward to it because the public will finally be able to learn the truth and see how I've been railroaded by this woman... and once her lawsuit is thrown out, I intend to sue her and the others who jumped on the bandwagon for the damage they caused me and my family." He did not address the stalking or harassment claims.[40][34]
On January 22, 2020, Bixler-Zavala reported that a second of his family pets had to be put down due to being fed rat poison wrapped inside a rolled-up piece of raw meat, alleging this was done by Scientologists in response to his repeated public statements alleging Masterson raped his wife (who was one of the four women who filed suit against Masterson). Masterson has yet to directly respond to any of Bixler-Zavala's claims or his prior rape allegations made by Chrissie Carnell Bixler with the closest acknowledgment being Masterson's wife Bijou Phillips making an Instagram post mocking Carnell Bixler's court papers against Masterson.
On June 17, 2020, Masterson was charged with raping a 23-year-old woman in 2001, a 28-year-old woman in early 2003, and a 23-year-old woman in late 2003. The three counts come after a three-year investigation beginning in 2017. If convicted, Masterson faces up to 45 years in prison.
On January 21, 2021, Masterson pleaded not guilty.[49] A four-day preliminary hearing began on May 18, 2021. On May 21, 2021, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo said that she "found all three witnesses to be credible and the evidence presented during a preliminary hearing sufficient to support the charges." She ordered that Masterson be bound over for trial on three counts of rape by force or fear and that he surrender his passport at his next arraignment, which was set for June 7, 2021.
On June 7, 2021, Masterson pleaded "not guilty" to rape accusations alleged to have occurred between 2001 and 2003. His defense attorney accused the three women (dubbed Jennifer B., N. Trout, and Christina B.) of colluding against Masterson, claiming that they were in contact with each other and sued him in arbitration. His defense attorney also stated that Jennifer B. had obtained money from Masterson in 2004. After the June 7th arraignment, Masterson remained free on a $3.3 million bail. A pretrial hearing was set for August 9, 2021.
During the pretrial hearing on August 9, 2021, Judge Olmedo rejected Masterson's subpoena for LAPD records related to David Miscavige, Shelly Miscavige, etc
