[52] According to Vanity Fair, NXIVM leadership, who had spoken to Forbes, had expected a positive story. In reality, Raniere rebranded real psychological methods used in therapy and used them to elicit private information from his followers that he later wielded as blackmail, according to former members. The actress Allison Macks role in the Nxivm subgroup D.O.S. Nicole Hong, Barry Meier and Colin Moynihan contributed reporting. [265], Emiliano Salinas is a venture capitalist and businessman. The women were required to hand over collateral embarrassing and incriminating information, including nude photographs that would be publicly released if they disclosed the existence of D.O.S. Natalie would subsequently claim to have been the victim of harassment. A frustrated Raniere instructed his followers to help get him moved back by ingratiating themselves to prison staff, including offering coffee and donuts as they left their shifts. [114][115], On March 13, 2019, Nancy Salzman pleaded guilty to a charge of racketeering criminal conspiracy. I am so grateful to my Mother, who is still with me. She pleaded not guilty in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn. This documentary series from Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning directors Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer ( The Square, Control Room, The Vow) follows members who joined the self-improvement group NXIVM - whose leader was convicted of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and other crimes - to reveal the emotional toll of unfolding events on these At his trial in May 2019, jurors heard a seemingly endless slew of. Vicente testified against Raniere at his 2019 trial. [158], Bronfman initially served her sentence in Federal Detention Center, Philadelphia. Keith Raniere, orchestrator of the cult Nxivm, was recently sentenced to 120 years in prison for racketeering, possession of child pornography, and sex trafficking. Fleeing the region with her son, an email bearing Keeffe's name explained: "I have full sole legal custody of Gaelyn. Tighe's home was raided by the New York State Police, and his computer was seized. [191], Well before co-founding NXIVM, Keith Raniere made fantastical claims about his intelligence. According to prosecutors, after she recruited women into first NXIVM and then DOS, Mack coerced them into engaging in sexual activity with Raniere and performing menial tasks, for which Raniere allegedly paid her. [113] Bronfman was arrested on July 24 and charged with racketeering. [81] Kristin Keeffe, a longtime partner of Raniere and mother of his child, left the group in 2014 and called Raniere "dangerous", saying, "[a]ll the worst things you know about NXIVM are true. Though they initially claimed to be entertaining all of the detainees, they were seen with a sign addressed to "Kay Rose," a name sharing Raniere's initials. [214], NXIVM conducted "Intensives," classes conducted for 12 hours daily for 16 days. These women were taught to revere him and were ordered to maintain near-starvation diets to achieve the physique he found desirable. [276][277][278][279][280], Toni Natalie met Raniere in 1991 when he was pitching his business Consumer's Buyline. What We Know About the Cult's Current Status", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NXIVM&oldid=1139121398. Steely resolve and passion. Here's where other former and current NXIVM members and leaders are now. Rick Alan Ross is the executive director of the Ross Institute, which specializes in studying cults. Ms. Mack, whose involvement in Nxivm boosted the cases profile, pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges related to her role in the organization. [Read our coverage of Keith Ranieres sentencing.]. Laboratoarele au strnit ngrijorarea c materiale periculoase ar putea fi folosite pentru [] NXIVM The NXIVM Loyalists Are Not Backing Down Keith Raniere may have been sentenced to 120 years in prison, but some of his most devoted followers remain unswayed. [189], Every August, NXIVM members would gather in Silver Bay, New York, to celebrate Raniere's birthday, known as "Vanguard Week", which began as a single day and eventually expanded to 11 days. The sponsored articles echo complaints from Keith Raniere's appeals and prison-related case, including Raniere's complaints asserting that: Of these articles, one (placed in the Village Voice) names an author writing on behalf of the Ascend Agency. Beginning in 2000, Bouchey dated Raniere. Reported participants included businesswoman Sheila Johnson, former Surgeon General Antonia Novello, Enron executive Stephen Cooper, Ana Cristina Fox (daughter of former Mexican president Vicente Fox),[52] entrepreneur Richard Branson (who denied having taken the classes[53][54]), businessman Edgar Bronfman Sr.,[52] and actresses Linda Evans, Grace Park, and Nicki Clyne. [268] In September 2021, Salzman was sentenced to 42 months in prison and a $150,000 fine for racketeering conspiracy. He falsely told followers that he was a scientist and that he had created a unique self-help method that would help anyone achieve their personal and professionals aspirations. "[199], At Raniere's trial, testimony revealed that Raniere had convinced several girls and women that sex with him could heal their purported "disintegrations," and that his semen had supernatural qualities. by saying they would be part of a female mentorship program. [272][91][273] Edmondson showed the brand in a New York Times expos of NXIVM. NXIVM is a secretive self-help organization based in Albany that was founded by Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman. Characteristics associated with cults include: the group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader, and its members (e.g. Edmondson regularly sees a therapist to work through the trauma she endured during her time with the cult. [175] The Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons and authorities at USP Tucson moved to deny the injunction, on grounds that Chakravorty is not a paralegal but merely "an ardent former ESP and NXIVM coach with whom [Raniere] is banned from associating. Investigators say Nxivm was a sex-trafficking operation disguised as mentoring group. A genius intellect in grade school who mastered college level mathematics; An elite athlete who won judo and track tournaments. The group's. [247] On November 7, 2016, Pam Cafritz died. HBO's docuseries "The Vow," which wrapped up its first season on Sunday, followed former members of the alleged sex cult NXIVM as they tried to take the organization down founder and leader Keith Raniere's manipulation and sexual abuse. [152], Ahead of his sentencing, prosecutors submitted a number of Raniere's communications and disciplinary issues in prison as evidence of remorselessness and that he continues to control his followers. In 2013, Keeffe gave birth to Raniere's son Gaelyn. [72], NXIVM has been described as a pyramid scheme,[73][74][75][43] a sex-trafficking operation,[76] a cult,[77][78][79] and a sex cult. Co-founder's daughter testifies in plea deal for NXIVM wrongdoings", "NXIVM President Nancy Salzman Sentenced to 42 Months' Imprisonment for Racketeering Conspiracy", "Guilty plea ends Salzman's long allegiance to Raniere", "Nxivm member was branded at Allison Mack's home", "Legal papers: NXIVM officials probed finances of 6 federal judges, Senator Schumer, others", "The Alleged Plot to Put NXIVM's Critics in a Mexican Prison", "Records: NXIVM hacked billionaire's emails with Hillary Clinton, world leaders", "Transcript: Uncover: Escaping NXIVM Season 1, EP 3", "Rochester woman tells all about life with NXIVM's Keith Raniere, her ex", "Transcript: Uncover: Escaping NXIVM Season 1, EP 4", "Catherine Oxenberg Reveals How She Lost Her Daughter to the Sex Cult NXIVM", "Allison Mack reportedly forced NXIVM sex cult members to follow 500-calorie-a-day diets", "Catherine Oxenberg's Daughter Was 'Branded' with 'Cult' Leader's Initials: 'I Was Horrified', "Catherine Oxenberg Says Her Daughter Who Has Left Nxivm Is 'Moving Forward', "Tomorrow: @GMA Exclusive: India Oxenberg, daughter of TV star Catherine Oxenberg, speaks out alongside her mother about being caught up in NXIVM and what prosecutors have called a 'sex cult. [101][102] United States Attorney Richard Donoghue stated that Raniere "created a secret society of women whom he had sex with and branded with his initials, coercing them with the threat of releasing their highly personal information and taking their assets". Item(s) 0. ", "Did the NXIVM Cult Actually Help People? [274] In February 2014, Keeffe broke with Raniere and his group. [256][255][257], Keith Raniere, founder of NXIVM, arrested and indicted on a variety of charges related to DOS (a "secret sisterhood" within NXIVM), including sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit forced labor in March 2018. The Federal Bureau of Prisons first transferred him temporarily to United States Penitentiary, Lewisburg, a medium-security penitentiary, followed by a transfer to his permanent prison at United States Penitentiary, Tucson. NXIVM co-founder and "Prefect" Nancy Salzman takes center stage in the second episode of the new season of HBO's "The Vow." We hear from her for the first time since the NXIVM organization fell. https://www.nytimes.com/article/nxivm-timeline.html. Serial Number: 78109670", "Her Darkest Role: Actress Allison Mack's Descent From 'Smallville' to Sex Cult", "This Keith Raniere Sex-Cult Story Is Much Deeper Than Allison Mack's Arrest", "A Top NXIVM Sex Cult Recruiter Comes Forward, Says Founder 'Messed With the Wrong Person', "NXIVM's files on 'enemies' debated in court", "Witness: Bronfmans tried to apply political pressure", "FBI shifts mountain of data in NXIVM's seized computers", "Dalai Lama fills Palace with message of compassion", "Suspended Lama Tenzin Dhonden Had A Lover Too! Every birthday involves some massive introspective, existential examination. Nxivm was founded. Keith Raniere, the founder of an organization that presented itself as a self-help group, has . "[275] Keeffe publicly described Raniere as "dangerous". [4][5] The United States seized ownership of NXIVM related entities and their intellectual property through asset forfeiture following Raniere's conviction. The indictment alleges that Raniere and his co-defendants comprised an organized racketeering enterprise by recruiting others into NXIVM and DOS for financial and personal benefits and committed crimes ranging from sex trafficking to forced labor and visa and wire fraud. However, on July 15, 2019, the Senior U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis postponed the sentencing until further notice to allow federal probation officials to conduct presentencing investigations. By Kashmira Gander On 3/27/18 at 6:56 AM EDT. She told Insider that she uses every speaking opportunity she can to share her story so that others don't fall into the same trap. [168][169], In 2021, Raniere supporter Marc Elliot filed a lawsuit against Lions Gate Entertainment in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that the Starz network documentary Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult libelled and defamed him. A July 16, 2020, intelligence analysis memorandum from the Federal Bureau of Prisons' Counter Terrorism Unit states that Raniere instructed his follower Suneel Chakravorty to get more women to dance "erotically" outside of the MDC. Here Are the Major Players in the Case", "NXIVM founder Raniere guilty on all counts", "NXIVM doctor who branded women is target of investigation", "Nxivm doctor Danielle Roberts, accused of branding 'sex slaves,' could lose her medical license", "NXIVM doctor who branded women loses medical license", "Inside the NXIVM Sex Cult's Secret Plot to Take Over Mexico", "Co-founder of 'self-help' group arrested and charged with sex trafficking", "Who is Nancy Salzman? Photo @bonniepiessephotography, A post shared by Mark Vicente (@markvicente) on Jun 22, 2020 at 5:32am PDTJun 22, 2020 at 5:32am PDT. That year, Bouchey left the group and later went to law enforcement. Thank you to all of you! It allows you to explore your most fundamental nature and begin to redirect your power of creation, a power that we all possess in a very human sense. Bronfman was also charged with ID fraud after pleading guilty for using the credit card and bank information of someone who had been dead for 15 months, racking up $135,000 in bills. [253] Mack was reportedly a founder of DOS, a Raniere-affiliated Master/Slave group. At the time, she was told the brand, which was done without anesthetic, symbolized elements in nature. In October 2013, Odato was named in a lawsuit filed by NXIVM, along with Suzanna Andrews of Vanity Fair and blogger John J. Tighe; all had written critically of the group. Vicente, a writer and director from South Africa, joined NXIVM after meeting and befriending Raniere while on vacation. Clare Bronfman arrives at federal court, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. [234][235] In August 2019, the New York State Department of Health suspended Porter's license to practice medicine in the state, finding that he conducted studies without an appropriate human research review committee. Insider. He started NXIVM in the 1990s in Albany, New York as a purported self-improvement group that then expanded across the country. Nxivm trial evidence On Wednesday, Salzman apologized for keeping a woman named Daniela captive in a room from 2010 to 2012 at Raniere's request and threatening to deport her to Mexico. The YouTube link for the full song is in Bonnies bio. Frank Parlato 12:06 am 100 Comments I am touched and flattered. Salzman met Raniere through her mother who helped co-found the group. Piesse joined NXIVM to see if it'd boost her waning singing career, which she was considering abandoning, similar to Edmondson's trajectory. When former NXIVM members left the organization and spoke about the manipulation tactics its leaders used, they were oftenbombarded with lawsuits. je voulais juste avoir de tes nouvelles nxivm website archive. [32], Sara Bronfman, daughter of Edgar Bronfman Sr., was introduced to NXIVM by a family friend in 2002. [55][56] In the early 2000s, Seagram heiresses Clare and Sara Bronfman, daughters of Edgar Bronfman Sr., became attached to the organization. In 2001, she began a secret sexual relationship with Raniere, and later helped him recruit women to DOS and run the sorority. Visitor Comments Sworn testimony of NXIVM leaders Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman Sworn testimony of NXIVM leaders Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman The sentence was more severe than guidelines, with Garaufis stating that, "Raniere and his adherents appear to understand Ms. Bronfmans continued loyaltyeven after his trial and conviction, during which all the details of his sexual abuse and exploitation became known to the world. comment. Edmondson alleged that participants were blindfolded naked, held down by Mack and three other women, and branded by NXIVM-affiliated doctor Danielle Roberts, using a cauterizing pen. One former member, identified only as Nicole, described how on one day Mr. Raniere took her to a house, told her to disrobe, blindfolded her and tied her down to a table. drawing from innovations from courses in emotional intelligence (NXIVM), using only mind over body, and sheer will. The film is executive produced by Clare Bronfman. [214], Pam Cafritz,[244][245] daughter of Washington, D.C., socialites Buffy and William Cafritz. It wasn't until Edmondson revealed her brand, which contained Raniere's initials, the Ames decided to leave the cult with his wife. [] Accordingly, the court finds that all lower-ranking DOS members are statutorily entitled to the return of their collateral, and it orders Mr. Raniere to effectuate that return to the fullest extent practicable.". Porter faced 24 professional conduct charges, including "moral unfitness to practice medicine". Although the company, which had become popular in Hollywood and among business circles, advertised self-help classes, workshops, coaching and mentorship, according to former members, the group . After leaving NXIVM in early 2017, she publicly denounced the organization, claiming that she was invited into DOS, a substructure within NXIVM operated by Keith Raniere and Allison Mack, and was branded with a combination of Raniere's and Mack's initials at Mack's Albany home. NXIVM was founded by Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman, a nurse and hypnotist, in the '90s. (for wordpress.com hosted blogs and archive.org item <description> tags) . After concluding that NXIVM members were being defrauded by Raniere, Parlato began blogging about the group on his sites ArtVoice, The Niagara Falls Reporter, and The Frank Report.[295][270]. Son of Former Mexican President Allegedly Top Member of Sex Cult NXIVM", "NXIVM Leader Keith Raniere Sentenced to 120 Years in Prison for Racketeering and Sex Trafficking Offenses", "Raniere loses battle to keep NXIVM 'tech', "How NXIVM Rippled Through Vancouver Actors' Friend Networks", "Inside Nxivm, the 'Sex Cult' That Preached Empowerment", "How NXIVM Seduced Hollywood Stars and America's Most Powerful Elite Into a Barbaric 'Sex Cult', "Why So Many Celebrities Joined NXIVM, According to Cult Experts", "A Critical Analysis of the Executive Success Programs Inc", "Inside a Secretive Group Where Women Are Branded", "Seagram's heiress arrested for role in controversial 'sex cult', "How NXIVM Was the Ultimate Wellness Scam", "Founder Of "Nxivm," a Purported Self-Help Organization, and Five Others Charged in Superseding Indictment with Racketeering Conspiracy", "NXIVM co-founder Nancy Salzman pleads guilty in case of alleged cult", "Nxivm: Seagram heiress Clare Bronfman pleads guilty in 'sex cult' case", "Woman implicated in NXIVM sex slave case pleads guilty", "Allison Mack of 'Smallville' Pleads Guilty in Case of Nxivm 'Sex Cult' Where Women Were Branded", "Nxivm accountant spelled out dirty messages with colorful fridge magnets", "The Most Disturbing Details From the NXIVM Sex-Cult Case", "Leader of NY Group Branded Women, Made Them Sex Slaves: Feds", "Nxivm Trial: Leader Convicted After Trial Exposed Sex Cult's Sordid Inner Workings", "He told women he could help. The story of the NXIVM cult, founded by the now-imprisoned "guru" Keith Raniere, has remained headline news ever since details of his abusive sex ring emerged.The network lay at the heart of the shadowy organization, in which major Hollywood celebrities were involved in the trafficking of women at Raniere's behest. publication beginning with the 2020 Inaugural Issue. He was sentenced to life in prison. [95], Seven socially prominent Mexican citizens, including Emiliano Salinas (son of former president Carlos Salinas de Gortari) and Ana Cristina Fox (daughter of former president Vicente Fox), Rosa Laura Junco, Loreta Garza Dvila (a business leader from Nuevo Leon), Daniela Padilla, Camila, and Mnica Durn, have been accused of involvement. Mr. Raniere has accused Judge Garaufis of corruption and has demanded a new trial, which the judge has denied twice. They became close, and Raniere asked Vicente to film his life to create a film about NXIVM. How Keith Raniere, a former I.T. The company ceased operations last year after a New York Times expos alleged that female members were used as sex slaves within the group. The downfall of NXIVM (pronounced Nex-ee-um) began in October 2017, when the Times published an expos in which former members claimed that they had been blackmailed, branded and nearly starved. [51][66][103][104][105] On April 24, Mack was released on $5 million bond pending trial and held under house arrest with her parents in California. Ms. Salzman, who was known to the groups followers as Prefect, was charged with identity theft and altering records to influence the outcome of a lawsuit against Nxivm. [255] In 2016, Porter was present at a NXIVM retreat ("V-Week") where 300 to 400 individuals were struck by an unidentified disease; Porter failed to report the outbreak, in violation of his duties as a licensed medical doctor. Before her prison sentence, Bronfman spent nearly $50 million on lawsuits on behalf of NXIVM. [55][60], Ross obtained the manual from former member Stephanie Franco, a co-defendant in the trial, who had signed a non-disclosure agreement not to divulge information from the manual to others. Mr. Ranieres sentencing was the culmination of his fall from grace and included hours of statements from more than a dozen victims.