My Grandfather, Grandmother and Fathers who long ago passed away. February, 2003. The Many Homes of the NXIVM Sex Cult on HBO's 'The Vow' - realtor.com I have survived so far. Shortly thereafter, Odato was described as being "on leave" from the Times Union. Frank Parlato 12:06 am 100 Comments I am touched and flattered. He then asked her questions about her sexual history while another person performed oral sex on her, she said. [294], Frank Parlato was hired by NXIVM in 2007 to help with publicity. Item(s) 0. But after Bronfman's father learned how much his daughter was spending on Raniere's legal pursuits, he called the organization out as a cult in a 2003 Forbes profile of Raniere. They seemed to be losing an unhealthy amount of weight and restricting their caloric intake, Piesse said in "The Vow.". Here Are All the Major Players in the NXIVM Case | Time [293] Following Keith Raniere's sentencing in 2020, the editorial board of the New York Daily News praised Odato's work exposing NXIVM for its prescience, taking the unusual step of commending the work published by a competitor. Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act civil suit, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury, United States District Court for the Central District of California, A&E Investigates: Cults and Extreme Belief, Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother's Fight to Save Her Daughter, "Brooklyn judge finds 'issues' with Nxivm defense fund", "Who Is Emiliano Salinas? NXIVM (/nksim/) is the name commonly used to describe the personality cult of imprisoned racketeer and sex offender Keith Raniere. Prosecutors claim NXIVM was an illegal pyramid scheme, which Raniere used to recruit women and force them to have sex with him. Much of the footage in "The Vow" comes from Vicente's filming, since he took the clips with him when he left the cult. During her Brooklyn court appearance, Bronfman was also issued a fine of more than $500,000 and ordered to pay more than $96,000 to a migrant she brought to the US from Mexico, according to court documents previously obtained by Insider. [52] In 1999, Raniere's eight-year relationship with Natalie ended. Timothy A. Clary/Agence France-Presse Getty Images, Ms. Salzman admitted that she had planned invasions of privacy, pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges, described how on one day Mr. Raniere took her to a house. [248], Suneel Chakravorty, a software developer, remained among Raniere's post-conviction followers, dancing outside the jail where Raniere is confined. Discovery+. My heritage, both good and bad, has formed me. The visit was initially canceled by the Dalai Lama owing to negative press about NXIVM,[70] but was rescheduled; the Dalai Lama spoke at Albany's Palace Theatre in May 2009. Their official website no longer exists, and an archived version from before it was taken down reads, in part, "It is with deep sadness that we inform you we are suspending all NXIVM/ESP. Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult: With Catherine Oxenberg, India Oxenberg, Kelly Thiel, Steve Hassan. On that same day, Nxivms bookkeeper, Kathy Russell, pleaded guilty to one count of visa fraud. The NXIVM Files These are the essays the NXIVM cult (aka ESP, or Executive Success Program) is suing Rick Ross over, trying to have their publication suppressed. "[52] By the time of a 2012 Times Union article, these claims had extended to Raniere convincing some in NXIVM that "his intellectual energy sets off radar detectors. [109][110] In late May, authorities moved to seize two NXIVM-owned properties near Albany. Here Are the Major Players in the Case", "Lder de secta NXIVM enseaba que la violacin y el abuso infantil no son delitos", "Inside Nxivm, the 'Sex Cult' That Preached Empowerment (Published 2018)", "Inside the Tangled Web of NXIVM: The Surprising Players Sucked Into the Alleged Cult's Orbit", "Ordered to seduce Raniere, woman planned escape from NXIVM", "NYC Prison Dancers Linked to 'Sex Cult' NXIVM Start Social Justice Org", "NXIVM members dancing for Raniere outside federal prison", "Doctor Associated With Cult-Like New York Group Loses License", "NXIVM Trial: Prosecution's opening statements lasted 90 minutes", "NXIVM Leader Keith Raniere Convicted on Sex Trafficking Charges. One of the victims was 15 years old when the abuse began. Prosecutors showed a biography that once appeared on a Nxivm website claiming Raniere attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute when he was 16 and immediately started taking graduate-level. [236][237][238], Clare Bronfman, daughter of billionaire Seagrams chairman Edgar Bronfman Sr., was introduced to NXIVM by her sister Sara. The Bureau of Prisons keeps Raniere's cell in Tucson USP "contaminated with feces"; An impending transfer of Raniere out of Tucson USP is "clear retaliation". 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. India Oxenberg, daughter of actress Catherine Oxenberg, was introduced to the group in 2011. Critics faced retaliation and lawsuits, creating an internal culture with no tolerance for dissent. It wasn't until her friend and fellow NXIVM member Lauren Salzman, the daughter of top-ranking leader and psychologist Nancy Salzman, convinced Edmondson to join the secret sorority DOS that she woke up to Raniere's brainwashing. Nancy Salzman - Wikipedia [111], In April 2018, the New York Post reported that NXIVM had moved to Brooklyn, New York, and was being led by Clare Bronfman. NXIVM students are taught that Raniere is the smartest and most ethical man in the world. Keith Raniere, founder of NXIVM, was arrested by the FBI in Mexico in . It was never about possessions, status, renown wealth is now measured by the quality of friendship, soulfulness and love. 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 As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Prosecutors revealed a decades-long pattern of grooming, sexual abuse of girls and women, physical and psychological punishments against dissenters, and hacking and vexatious litigation against enemies. A former nurse, Salzman worked with Keith Raniere in the development of the organization beginning in the 1990s. A genius intellect in grade school who mastered college level mathematics; An elite athlete who won judo and track tournaments. Mr. Ranieres sentencing was the culmination of his fall from grace and included hours of statements from more than a dozen victims. In a six-week trial, prosecutors presented a damning case against Mr. Raniere. Bronfman's sister Sara and late billionaire father Edgar were also involved in NXIVM. After five years there, she was recruited to DOS and forced to have sex with Raniere for two years. After Raniere's conviction, Clyne and others began dancing nightly outside the detention center containing Raniere.[252]. I now have a trusted circle of friends who know what it is to stand in the fire with me. [214], NXIVM conducted "Intensives," classes conducted for 12 hours daily for 16 days. Investigators say Nxivm was a sex-trafficking operation disguised as mentoring group. Keith Raniere, the groups leader, styled himself a visionary, but a jury found him guilty of racketeering, sex trafficking and other charges. Bronfman was previously charged with racketeering, which she denied, in 2018. Mr. Raniere and Nancy Salzman, a former psychiatric nurse, founded Nxivm (pronounced NEX-ee-um) as a purported self-help organization near Albany, N.Y. [297], Indictment of Raniere and co-conspirators, Guilty pleas, corporations and conviction, Sentencing and appeals for Raniere and Bronfman, Claims of Raniere's superior intellect and sexual powers. NXIVM - HuffPost [42][270], Barbara Bouchey was a client of Nancy Salzman, having been referred to her in 1988. 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. [71] In 2017, Lama Tenzin Dhonden, the self-styled "Personal Emissary for Peace for the Dalai Lama" who had arranged the appearance, was suspended from his position amid corruption charges; the investigation also revealed a personal relationship between Dhonden and Sara Bronfman, which began in 2009. The film identifies the Tourette's study's "lead researcher" as Dr. Brandon Porter, at the time a hospitalist at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany. He was sentenced to life in prison. Allison Mack is an American actress known for her role on the series Smallville. "[275] Keeffe publicly described Raniere as "dangerous". Mr. Raniere has accused Judge Garaufis of corruption and has demanded a new trial, which the judge has denied twice. Cult Education Institute :: Group Information Archives Nxivm cult: Actress Allison Mack sentenced to three years in - BBC News The NXIVM Files - Carnegie Mellon University Nxivm 'slave master' Lauren Salzman gets time served - New York Post After a report about the branding appeared in The New York Times in late 2017, the authorities began a criminal investigation and Mr. Raniere moved into a villa near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The YouTube link for the full song is in Bonnies bio. Reviews [12], Over its existence, former members and families of NXIVM clients alarmed by Raniere's behavior and NXIVM's practices spoke to investigative journalists of Forbes, Vanity Fair, The New York Observer, and the Times Union of Albany calling the organization a "cult". 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. He started NXIVM in the 1990s in Albany, New York as a purported self-improvement group that then expanded across the country. [48][49][50] The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Raniere adopted the title from the 1981 video game Vanguard, "in which the destruction of one's enemies increased one's own power". article in The New York Times, details began to emerge about "Dominus Obsequious Sororium", a secret society of women that started in 2015 within NXIVM in which female members were allegedly called slaves, branded with the initials of Raniere and Mack, subjected to corporal punishment from their "masters", and required to provide nude photos or other potentially damaging information about themselves as "collateral".