SENTENCED TO LIFE
What are the allegations against NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere?
THE NXIVM "sex cult" is a recruiting platform for a secret society led by advertiser Keith Raniere in which women were branded and forced into sexual slavery, according to court documents.
The cult organized itself as a multi-level marketing company that offered personal and professional development seminars through its "Executive Success Programs," according to authorities.
10
What is the NXIVM sex cult?
The Nxivm sex cult was allegedly founded by Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman.
Nxivm presented itself as a multi-level marketing company that offered seminars through “Executive Success Programs” for its members.
The movement garnered the attention of several celebrities and public figures such as former Surgeon General Antonia Novello, Allison Mack, and the daughter of Mexican President Vicente Fox.
Novello and Fox's daughter have not been charged or linked to any wrongdoing.
Authorities say the members of the cult were to refer to Raniere and Salzman as Vanguard and Prefect respectively.
10
Nxivm conducted classes divided into modules for 12 hours a day for 16 days and called them intensives.
They reportedly cost $7,500.
In one of the modules known as relationship sourcing, students were instructed to think about the benefits they would receive if their partner suddenly died.
Some members claimed that the inner circle were told that in past lives they were high-ranking Nazis.
Where is Keith Raniere now?
Raniere is currently facing life in prison as he was found guilty of two counts of sex trafficking, racketeering and forced labor conspiracy in 2019.
He is being held at a federal jail in Brooklyn, as he awaits sentencing.
Raniere was arrested in March of 2018 by Mexican officials in , where he fled when the group’s sordid activities were exposed.
In January of 2018, a search warrant was issued for Raniere's email account.
10
A jury in federal court in Brooklyn took less than five hours to find Raniere guilty on all counts, prompting ex-Nxivm members to burst into applause.
Raniere showed no reaction as he learned the verdict.
Raniere is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2020.
The evil leader faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 15 years, but could be put behind bars for life.
His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said he plans to appeal.
10
Did Keith Raniere have children?
He has two children, although it is undisclosed with whom.
The sister of a that Raniere tried to get her sister "killed after getting her pregnant."
10
Who is Allison Mack and how was she involved?
Allison Mack, 38, is an American actress best known for her role as Chloe Sullivan in Smallville.
Mack was allegedly a "master" in the cult and therefore had to obey orders from leader Raniere.
She allegedly had to find bed partners for him, run 40 miles a week and keep a strict diet to stay as skinny as possible.
An ex-publicist for the "cult" claimed Allison was in charge of recruiting new women into NXIVM - and in April 2019 Mack pleaded guilty to blackmailing women into becoming sex slaves for the cult.
10
The group's former publicist, and began studying its logistics as he grew curious about its popularity.
Suddenly, details began to emerge about Dominus Obsequious Sororium (DOS), a secret sisterhood within Nxivm.
The women in it allegedly referred to as slaves and were branded with the initials of Raniere and Mack according to prosecutors.
They could also be subjected to corporal punishment from their masters and had to provide nude photos with personal information to the leaders as collateral.
Canadian actress that she was held down by Mack and three other women and was branded with the initials of the cult with a cauterizing pen.
Mack reportedly admitted to coming up with the DOS brand to use on the women,
Mack was arrested in Brooklyn by the FBI in April of 2020 on charges of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy, and forced labor conspiracy in relation to her role in the Nxivm organization.
She pleaded guilty to racketeering charges and is currently awaiting sentencing.
10
When did the organization begin and is it still going?
The Nxivm organization was founded in 1998.
The website is no longer active and it is unclear if its members and Raniere’s followers still gather privately.
Parlato claims the members are
What happened to Nancy Salzman?
- Nancy Salzman, the co-founder of Nxivm, pleaded guilty to racketeering, identity theft, and “altering records to influence the outcome of a lawsuit against the organization” in 2019
- She was released on a $5million bail bond since her July 2018 arrest.
- There is no date for her sentencing yet and she is currently under house arrest.
10
When is the HBO documentary The Vow coming out?
Most read in US News
HBO documentary The Vow premiered on August 23, 2020 and tells the story of the evil cult.
It is based on the DOS secret society, Nxivm, and the downfall of the cult.
It will be available on HBO and HBO Max.
10
10
Topics