After a six-week trial, NXIVM’s founder Keith Raniere was convicted on Wednesday on all seven counts against him for creating was prosecutors described as a sex cult. The charges included racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and attempted sex trafficking. He will be sentenced Sept. 25.
Raniere and "Smallville" actress Allison Mack were indicted in April 2018 for their roles in DOS, a secret society within NXIVM. Mack is accused of recruiting women into DOS, which was allegedly run by Raniere. The women in the group were allegedly branded and forced to participate in sexual acts with Raniere.
A criminal complaint from the Department of Justice states, "In 2015, Raniere created a secret society within Nxivm called ‘DOS,’ which loosely translated to ‘Lord/Master of the Obedient Female Companions,’ or ‘The Vow.’ DOS operated with levels of women ‘slaves’ headed by ‘masters.’ Slaves were expected to recruit slaves of their own (thus becoming masters themselves), who in turn owed service not only to their own masters but also to masters above them in the DOS pyramid. Raniere stood alone at the top of the pyramid. Other than the (sic) Raniere, all members of DOS were women."
Raniere denied the allegations in a statement last year, which read, "I feel it is important to clarify the sorority is not part of NXIVM and that I am not associated with the group. I firmly support one’s right to freedom of expression, so what the sorority or any other social group chooses to do is not our business so long as there is no abuse. Our experts, a forensic psychiatrist of international repute, psychologists and ex-law enforcement, say members of the sorority are thriving, healthy, happy, better off, and haven’t been coerced. Furthermore, the sorority is proud of what they created and want to share their story. I am confident they will be addressing you very soon."
Source: ABC News
