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STAND Acknowledges Whistleblowers Exposing Tony Ortega, as His Former Bosses Stand Criminal Trial
STAND wishes to acknowledge all those who have already come forward and provided information on individuals enabling Tony Ortega, an unemployed anti-Scientology hate blogger.
Ortega has systematically stalked, harassed and spread bigotry against Scientologists for more than a decade, over the course of which his abusive behavior alienated not just the targets of his public hate, but many whom he might have once called “friends.”
A number of these individuals have reached out to STAND to expose Ortega and provide information on those anonymously enabling him in the name of hate.
Ortega’s passion for victimizing others is a passion of long standing—one which extended to his loudly, proudly advocating for and defending Backpage.com, the largest sex trafficking site in the world before its seizure by the FBI in 2018. Countless minors, victims of child sex slavery, were bought and sold on Backpage, including a teenager who describes being gang-raped, choked and forced to perform sexual acts at gunpoint, with another stabbed to death and another murdered in 2017.
Ortega’s passion for victimizing others is a passion of long standing—one which extended to his loudly, proudly advocating for and defending Backpage.com.
This is the site about which Ortega gloated, “The people I work for were smart enough to start Backpage.com.” He was referring to his bosses, the owners of Village Voice, on whose behalf he attacked any seeking to expose the illegal operations of Backpage, including the Church of Scientology.
Michael Lacey and James Larkin, the bosses of whom Ortega is so proud, are currently standing criminal trial in federal district court in Arizona for facilitating prostitution and money laundering.
Ortega has been described by former colleagues as “twisted,” “abusive,” “demean[ing]” and a “terrible guy.” Those of his former friends who have written in to STAND characterized Ortega as “pure filth,” “disgusting” and “despicable,” stating he has “done nothing but to create hatred and division between people.”
STAND joins with people of faith and people of conscience across the United States seeking to put an end to Ortega’s campaign of exploitation and hate—a campaign against decency, religious freedom and human rights, a campaign, it is becoming increasingly clear, that is both a public and private crusade to dehumanize every individual he can—whether former colleagues, Backpage victims, Scientologists, human rights champions or his “friends.”
STAND encourages any with information and documentation to write in to info@standleague.org.
