A great Australian rugby league player has died almost two decades without being able to speak to his children, including disgraced actor Danny Masterson, who was jailed for rape.
Joe Reaiche was an Australian rugby league player who competed mainly as a fullback and winger in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
It has now been confirmed that Reaiche died suddenly while on a business trip earlier this month. He was 66.
And he died without any contact with his ex-wife, children and best friends who are all part of the Church of Scientology.
Reaiche played for several teams, including the Eastern Suburbs Roosters, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and South Sydney Rabbitohs, in the New South Wales Rugby League, which would later become the NRL.
During his career he was known for his versatility and goalscoring ability, especially during his time with the Roosters.
Reaiche later became involved with the Church of Scientology in the 1980s, which significantly affected his personal life, leading to estrangement from his family after he left the church.
Joe Reaiche has died aged 66 after a rugby league career and his rise and ex-communication from the Church of Scientology
Reaiche was the stepfather of Hollywood actor Danny Masterson, who has been jailed after being found guilty of raping two women
Reaiche joined at the age of 20 and progressed quickly, becoming a fully qualified counselor and reaching Operating Thetan (OT) 7, the highest rank in the Sea Org, at the age of 23.
The Sea Org is a dedicated and high-ranking group within the Church, often described as its clergy, whose members are committed to a lifetime of service.
Reaiche previously spoke about how the church actively targeted him because he was playing for the Rabbitohs, Australia’s biggest rugby club, at the time.
He followed them and believed their promises that they could turn him into a super human or super athlete.
“That sounds fucking crazy when you say it… but at the time it almost seemed too surreal to be unreal. You wouldn’t think anyone behind this organization would deceive you,” he said in 2015.
‘There was no internet, no blogging, no mobile phones. If someone told you something, you couldn’t verify it or look it up.”
Reaiche became a whistleblower for the Church of Scientology in 2005 and was therefore no longer able to talk to his family and friends
Reaiche’s ex-wife Carol with her eldest children Danny and Chris when they were children
He married Danny’s mother, Carol, in 1985 and became part of the Masterson family.
During their marriage, Joe and Carol had two children together, making Danny and his siblings part of a blended family.
There are four siblings in total, all Hollywood actors, Alanna, Danny, Christopher and Jordan Masterson. They all use their mother’s name as a sign of their father’s estrangement.
Joe always regarded Danny as his first son and died heartbroken after his horrific crimes and the move that cut the former footballer off from his friends and family.
Danny Masterson was found guilty of raping two women at a retrial, with the charges arising from incidents that took place between 2001 and 2003.
The lawsuit highlighted the involvement of the Church of Scientology, as the women who accused Masterson had ties to the church and claimed it tried to silence them.
Despite an earlier mistrial due to a deadlocked jury, the retrial resulted in a conviction on two counts, although the jury was unable to reach a verdict on a third allegation involving Masterson’s ex-girlfriend.
Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for his crimes.
Carole with siblings Masterson, Alanna, Jordan, Danny and Chris. All were estranged from Reaiche because he was declared a “suppressive person” by Scientology
During his trial, Danny’s siblings and mothers sat in the front seats to support him. But Joe was nowhere to be found, as the Church of Scientology excommunicated him in 2005.
Reaiche came forward as a whistleblower at the time. where he publicly criticized Scientology’s practices, including their disconnection and financial exploitation policies.
He appeared on national television in Australia and contributed to investigative work, seeking to expose the Church’s activities and warn others of its impact.
But it cost him his family, with the church forcing them to cut ties with the Australian before he even knew it was happening.
‘I called some of my friends who are 20, 25 years old. Nobody responds. That’s weird. I call my children. No one is responding,” he said in an interview with The Times.
The next day he received the letter.
“They let everyone know I was called out except me,” Reaiche recalled. “All of a sudden, from one day to the next, it seems like they’re all dead.” ‘When it happened, I cried. They are my children. I raised my children and now they have turned on their father,” Reaiche said.
“Not because of my decision, but because of the church’s decision. That is the evil of disconnection.’
His death has left many in Australian rugby league circles in mourning.
“A wonderful person, our family have known Joe since the old CBHS Lewisham days, very sad news, Rest In Peace Joe,” one person wrote.
‘Choc was a great guy and full of fun he always lit up a room. Had the privilege of going to school with Joe and playing alongside him. RIP Mate,” another posted.