He also created a secret sorority for women within NXIVM called DOS, where women were branded with his initials and some were manipulated into being Raniere's sex slaves. NXIVM formerly known as Executive Success Programs (ESP) This page contains information The Cult Education Institute has gathered about NXIVM formerly known as Executive Success Programs (ESP). Discovery+. It was led by Keith Raniere who earlier ran a multi-marketing company, Consumers Buyline, which was shut down by some 20 Attorneys General for being a pyramid scheme. Kristin Snyder. There is no greater privilege than to materialize myself. The launch of the joint website of archive photos on February 15 (Photo: nhandan.vn) Hanoi (VNA) - A joint website featuring archive photos from the French School of Asian Studies (EFEO) and the Institute of Social . She eventually was appointed the head of NXIVM's Vancouver office. The coronavirus pandemic postponed sentencing for these crimes, but they're now back on track. [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. [57][58][59] Ross posted a psychiatrist's assessment of NXIVM's "secret" manual on his website that called the regimen "expensive brainwashing". All the celebrities we know were part of the NXIVM sex cult. 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. [254] On June 30, 2021, Mack was sentenced to three years in prison. [92][29][99][258] He was found guilty of all charges at trial. 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. ', "India Oxenberg Opens Up About Her Family's NXIVM Nightmare: 'It's Like Freaking Shakespeare', "Filmmaker breaks down describing Nxivm's duplicitous ideas and evil intent The Underground Bunker", "Journalist on leave after tangle with secretive 'NXIVM' group", "The truth vs. the cult: How a journalist exposed Keith Raniere and NXIVM", "A&E Investigates: Cults and Extreme Belief; S1E1 'NXIVM', "HBO Plans Docuseries on Alleged Sex Cult NXIVM", "Alleged sex cult NXIVM focus of HBO documentary series", "India Oxenberg Open Ups About NXIVM Experience in 'Seduced' Docuseries for Starz", "From Alleged Cult Leader To Cowering In Closet: How Keith Raniere's Arrest Went Down", "Lifetime Is Making a NXIVM Sex Cult Movie After Founder Keith Raniere's Conviction", "NXIVM Sex Cult Movie Set At Lifetime With Catherine Oxenberg Producing; Peter Facinelli & Andrea Roth To Star", "Lifetime's Trailer For 'Escaping The NXIVM Cult' Shows Seduction And Anguish", "Nxivm 'sex cult' part one: How my daughter became trapped", Three critical articles pertaining to the, "Actress Who Allegedly Recruited NXIVM 'Slaves' Is Dancing for Prisoner Rights Now", "Is NXIVM Still Operational? Before her prison sentence, Bronfman spent nearly $50 million on lawsuits on behalf of NXIVM. These principles - apart from any mystical or religious notions - allow for life to persist and uphold a diversity of beliefs. Ross received a copy of a NXIVM training manual and published portions of it on his website. In Federal District Court, Ms. Mack sobbed as she admitted that she had lured women into D.O.S. Female members were also forced to provide personal. At the very end of Episode 3 of @hbo The Vow' you will hear the awe-inspiring song 'Found' written and performed by @bonniempiesse An appropriate and heart-wrenching ending to an intense episode! [181][182], NXIVM has been described as a cult and Raniere a cult leader by anti-cult activists such as Rick Alan Ross and Steven Hassan, as well as the billionaire businessman Edgar Bronfman Sr.[183][184][12] Stephen A. Kent, a sociologist who studies new religious movements, in an article that compares NXIVM with Scientology, noted that NXIVM operated mainly as a business and never incorporated as a religious organization. Have you heard of NXIVM? "[228], The purported treatment for Tourette syndrome was noted by one reporter as not having been tested in a scientific peer-reviewed setting. [29][99] He was arrested in Mexico and held in custody in New York after appearing in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas. A superseding indictment charged Mr. Raniere and five women linked to Nxivm, including Ms. Salzman, Clare Bronfman and Ms. Mack, with racketeering conspiracy involving a raft of crimes, including identity theft, extortion, forced labor, sex trafficking, money laundering, wire fraud and obstruction of justice. [159], Oral arguments on both Raniere and Bronfman's appeals were heard before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on May 3, 2022. comment. Vicente is also one of the key voices in "The Vow" docuseries. Ms. Bronfman pleaded guilty to two charges related to identity theft and immigration fraud. Every birthday involves some massive introspective, existential examination. After she was arrested in 2018 and put on house arrest for a year, Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy. [268] In September 2021, Salzman was sentenced to 42 months in prison and a $150,000 fine for racketeering conspiracy. [44], On December 15, 2017, the ABC newsmagazine 20/20 aired an expos including interviews with many former NXIVM adherents, including Edmondson and Catherine Oxenberg, who alleged that her daughter, India Oxenberg, was in danger from the group. [274] In February 2014, Keeffe broke with Raniere and his group. Though not called to testify against Keith Raniere, prosecutors said that Mack, "was available to testify at Ranieres trial if requested to do so. Sources. By Kashmira Gander On 3/27/18 at 6:56 AM EDT. Self-help guru accused of sex trafficking", "The 'Sex Cult' That Preached Empowerment", "Mark: NXIVM, U.S. In a letter to the court, Ms. Mack apologized to the people she had brought into D.O.S. [149] The group began calling itself "The Forgotten Ones" and "We Are As You." ", "Former Sex Cult Official Describes Its 'Evil' Inner Workings", "Witness: Raniere bragged of wanting to 'break' follower Allison Mack", "How NXIVM Used a Simple Tool to Build Its 'Sex Cult', "NXIVM Trial Opens: Feds Say Founder Keith Raniere Was 'Crime Boss,' Not Guru", "Part 1: Master Raniere's secret teachings: What students learn in ESP 'Intensives'! [208], The oldest program of NXIVM, Executive Success Programs, had students recite a "Twelve-point Mission Statement", pledging to "purge" themselves "of all parasite and envy-based habits", to enroll others, and to "ethically control as much of the money, wealth and resources of the world as possible within my success plan." Salzman, who pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges connected to NXIVM, is currently serving a three and one half-year prison . Keith Raniere, the groups leader, styled himself a visionary, but a jury found him guilty of racketeering, sex trafficking and other charges. agent stated that Mr. Raniere had maintained a rotating group of 15 to 20 women with whom he maintained sexual relations. [146], In January 2020, Sarah Edmondson became lead plaintiff in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act civil suit filed in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York accusing Raniere and 14 associates (including Nancy Salzman, Clare Bronfman, Sara Bronfman, Lauren Salzman, Allison Mack, Kathy Russell, Karen Unterreiner, Brandon Porter, Danielle Roberts, and Nicki Clyne) of conducting illegal psychological experiments on members of the company and abusing them physically, emotionally and financially. NXIVM loyalist files $12 million suit against Starz network. Hunter Biden a avut un rol esenial n finanarea i asistarea unei companii responsabile de laboratoarele biologice din Ucraina. [259] On October 27, 2020, Raniere was sentenced to 120 years in prison. Item(s) 0. They were especially upset by remarks made by Bronfman, who told Forbes that he believed NXIVM was a cult and that he was troubled by his daughters' "emotional and financial investment" in it. My heritage, both good and bad, has formed me. At a hearing in Texas, he was sent to Brooklyn to face charges that he forced women to engage in sex. an acronym for a Latin phrase that roughly translates to Lord/Master of the Obedient Female Companions. The members were branded and some were assigned to have sex with Mr. Raniere. 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. Morris, Scot (April 1985). Anyone can read what you share. NXIVM operated a number of businesses that it used to control its members, forcing many to work up to 23 hours a day for no pay. As part of her plea agreement with the government, Salzman did not contest asset forfeiture. My Grandfather, Grandmother and Fathers who long ago passed away. The event included "tribute ceremonies" to Raniere by NXIVM members. 227K views 2 years ago Keith Raniere is days away from being sentenced on federal charges related to NXIVM, the group he founded that prosecutors call "cult-like." Raniere spoke out from prison. 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. February, 2003. [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. Originally from its inception, the group was designed to help empower people, grow them spiritually as well as professionally. She now sees a therapist and a specialist who help her boost the critical thinking she lost during her time in NXIVM, takes boxing classes to physically release her anger, and is planning a wedding with her fiance while living in Los Angeles. Oxenberg joined NXIVM on the recommendation of her mother, "Dynasty" actress Catherine Oxenberg, after she dropped out of college and felt lost about her next steps. Mack was reportedly recruited to the Vancouver chapter of NXIVM, along with her Smallville co-star Kristin Kreuk. [288] In August 2018, Catherine Oxenberg's book Captive: A Mother's Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult was published. 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. At the time, she was told the brand, which was done without anesthetic, symbolized elements in nature. Keith Raniere, founder of NXIVM, was arrested by the FBI in Mexico in . The company is listed as a "public relations" firm by the website of the City of Irvine (where it holds a business license). [236][237][238], Clare Bronfman, daughter of billionaire Seagrams chairman Edgar Bronfman Sr., was introduced to NXIVM by her sister Sara. NXIVM is an alleged sex cult covered up as a self-improvement company. A Forensic Psychiatrist Evaluates ESP, by John Hochman, M.D. Clare Bronfman arrives at federal court, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. helped the case make headlines. [Read our coverage of Keith Ranieres sentencing.]. Also arrested and charged with the same crime were NXIVM President Nancy Salzman; her daughter, Lauren Salzman; and another NXIVM employee, Kathy Russell. A federal appeals court on Friday upheld the convictions and sentences for NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere and his co-conspirator Clare Bronfman. [186][187][188], Over the decades, NXIVM emphasized Raniere's specialness through hagiography. [64] Another Forbes article in 2010 discussed the failures of commodities and real estate deals by the Bronfmans made on Raniere's advice. How NXIVM, a so-called self-help company, crumbled after former members exposed it as a cult that abused sex slaves. Former NXIVM member Sarah Edmondson describes being branded with sex cult leader Keith Raniere's initials during a secret initiation ceremony. 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. I am sorry I ever exposed you to the nefarious and emotionally abusive schemes of a twisted man, she wrote, adding, I feel a heavy weight of guilt for having misused your trust.. The sisterhood, which was billed as an empowerment group, comprised circles, each led by a master who recruited slaves. In time, the subordinates also recruited their own slaves.. [263] After Raniere's conviction, Roberts was among the dancers outside the jail in which he was incarcerated. Ames helped run SOP, or Society of Protectors, a fraternity-like group that NXIVM men could join. Much of the footage in "The Vow" comes from Vicente's filming, since he took the clips with him when he left the cult. 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. [240][241][242][243] On September 30, 2020, she was sentenced to six years, nine months in prison by a federal judge. 2021. [160], On October 27, 2020, federal judge Nicholas Garaufis sentenced Raniere to a prison term of 120 years (effectively a life sentence) in prison and fined him $1.75 million. In her decision, Judge Sykes found that the documentary did "imply that Plaintiff was a devoted member of an organization whose leader has been implicated in a range of serious sexual crimes, but this assertion however unflattering is substantially true. [292], James Odato is an investigative reporter who wrote for the Albany Times Union. [191], Well before co-founding NXIVM, Keith Raniere made fantastical claims about his intelligence. 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]. Unlike the Luciferian, a non-Luciferian's neurophysiological processes will not register as pleasure for this stimulus. India Oxenberg wrote and narrated an audio book memoir, This page was last edited on 13 February 2023, at 13:37. It touts itself as a "professional coaching company" and its website says it offers "Executive Success Programs," or "ESP," in New York, California, Canada, Mexico and elsewhere. [27][28] Raniere was convicted on the top charge of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy as well as several other charges. A complaint from a 2020 lawsuit by former members of NXIVM recapitulated several fantastical claims made in marketing materials about Raniere. During a "fright study", Porter exposed subjects to disturbing videos, including actual footage of a decapitation. 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. C-SPAN receives no funding from any government. 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. 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. Senator Chuck Schumer, and Albany Times Union publisher George Randolph Hearst III in a box in the basement of Nancy Salzman's home. She also wrote a memoir. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Superseding indictment #2, USA v. Keith Raniere, et al. "[283][281] In 2011, Natalie filed documents in federal court alleging that she had been repeatedly raped by Raniere.[281]. Oxenberg produced a docuseries on Starz about her experience in DOS and the first episode aired on October 18. Lauren Salzman testified that the women in D.O.S. [119], Following the conviction of Keith Raniere, members of the defunct organization split, with many speaking out against Raniere and the organization. [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. ", "Nxivm: 8 Things We Learned from 'Sex-Cult' Expos", "Feds: 'Self-Help' Guru Kept Women as Sex 'Slaves,' Branded Them With His Initials", "State Closes Midtown Miami School Tied to NXIVM 'Sex Cult' Leader", "The stripe path: How to make your way up in NXIVM", "I Tried to Make Sense of the Alleged Sex Cult NXIVM's Bizarre Health Claims", "RE: In the Matter of Brandon Porter, M.D. "[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. He is among the NXIVM members who remain loyal to Raniere. The company values the land at $20-$25 million. Former members said that as Nxivms curriculum progressed, Mr. Raniere used psychological manipulation to indoctrinate his followers into obedience. Classes by NXIVM had a number of idiosyncratic practices, described within the Rational Inquiry patent as "rules and rituals" and third-party sources as including: A 2018 documentary film directed by Alessandro Molatore showcases a purported study of the use of NXIVM's exploration of meaning technique to treat Tourette syndrome. Sara hasn't received any criminal charges, and may even make money off the NXIVM properties she owns. 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. Former members who were branded also allege that "AM," Mack's initials are also contained in the brands they received. by saying they would be part of a female mentorship program. He was sentenced to life in prison. The organization was criticized in similar terms by Rick Alan Ross of the Cult Education Institute and activists and academics from the anti-cult movement. "[69], The World Ethical Foundations Consortium, an organization co-founded by Raniere and the Bronfman sisters, sponsored a visit to Albany by the Dalai Lama in 2009. The council page on the Niagara Falls website. Keith Raniere, the founder of an organization that presented itself as a self-help group, has . Accordingly, the Luciferian's neurophysiological processes will register pleasure over the skater's misfortune which may be identified and quantified using the medical instrumentation. Prosecutors dropped charges of sex trafficking, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and forced labor. Vicente testified against Raniere at his 2019 trial. Bronfman's sister Sara and late billionaire father Edgar were also involved in NXIVM. Many of these crimes took. [90][75][91][92] Law enforcement representatives have alleged that DOS members were forced into sexual slavery. In one module, "Relationship Sourcing", students were instructed to explore the benefits they would receive in the event of a partner's sudden death. Bronfman joinedNXIVM, an alleged sex cult billed as a multi-level marketing company for self-improvement courses, in 2003 and rose to the top of its ranks as anexecutive board member 15 years later. NXIVM operated purported self-help programs based in Albany, New York, which attracted millionaires and Hollywood stars including Oxenberg, who said she attended her first meeting with her. The purported study is similar to a patent Raniere filed, "Determination of whether a luciferian can be rehabilitated": One example of a test to determine whether a person is a Luciferian comprises a video clip of an ice skater performing in a competition. [247] On November 7, 2016, Pam Cafritz died. Investigators say Nxivm was a sex-trafficking operation disguised as mentoring group. [269], Karen A. Unterreiner is a member who became Raniere's live-in partner beginning in the 1980s and an early employee of his company Consumers' Buyline. 02. He was sentenced to life is prison on October 27. Keith Raneire was sentenced to 120 years in prison on October 27. #happyvalentinesday #love, A post shared by Sarah Edmondson (@sarahedmondson) on Feb 14, 2020 at 9:48pm PSTFeb 14, 2020 at 9:48pm PST. "[124][125][126], On April 19, 2019, Bronfman pleaded guilty to charges of harboring an alien and identity fraud; bookkeeper Kathy Russell pleaded guilty to visa fraud. They meet furtively in underground parking lots, target. The prosecution said Bronfman promised one of the migrants $3,600 a month for her work, but the woman, identified as Jane Doe, only received $4,195 total of the $96,000 she was promised. Deep, profound, insightful and loving. 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. What We Know About the Cult's Current Status", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NXIVM&oldid=1139121398. [229] Another reporter reached out to NXIVM member Marc Elliot, who promotes both the purported treatment and film, and did not receive a reply. 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. ", "The Program: Inside the Mind of Keith Raniere and the Rise and Fall of NXIVM", "Did Isaac Asimov Inspire Keith Raniere to be 'the Mule'? They became close, and Raniere asked Vicente to film his life to create a film about NXIVM. [22][23][24][25][26], Raniere chose to go to trial in 2019. [75][91] Edmondson further appeared in "Escaping NXIVM", during the first season of the CBC podcast Uncover. 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. Steely resolve and passion. By Dan Adler November 11,. February 15, 2023 by en.vietnamplus.vn. [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. [39][40], Before founding NXIVM, Raniere created Consumers Buyline, a business venture that the New York Attorney General accused of having been a pyramid scheme; Raniere signed a consent order in 1996 in which he denied any wrongdoing but agreed to pay a $40,000 fine and to be permanently banned from "promoting, offering or granting participation in a chain distribution scheme". Instead, officials said, she had recruited them into the society as slaves, and some women were required to have sex with Mr. Raniere. On Wednesday, Allison Mack, an actress who pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges for her role in Nxivm, was sentenced to three years in prison. Photo @bonniepiessephotography, A post shared by Mark Vicente (@markvicente) on Jun 22, 2020 at 5:32am PDTJun 22, 2020 at 5:32am PDT. C-SPAN's operating revenues come from license fees paid by cable systems and satellite companies that offer the network to their. How NXIVM Seduced Hollywood Stars and America's Most Powerful Elite Into a Barbaric 'Sex Cult' Season Two of HBO's The Vow will follow the downfall of the organization and its leaders. Wrote Littlefield: "This matter smacks of a jilted fellow's attempt at revenge or retaliation against his former girlfriend, with many attempts at tripping her up along the way. [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. Edmondson, a Vancouver-based actress, was part of NXIVM for 15 years, and joined when she felt her acting career was at a standstill and was feeling lost. [285] At Raniere's trial, a witness testified that India had spent a year on a 500-calorie-per-day diet. After posting bail for $100 million, she wasreleased on house arrest. as well as other partner offers and accept our, Melkorka Licea/STARZ; Mary Altaffe/AP; Seth Wenig/AP; Skye Gould/Business Insider, Visit Insider's homepage for more stories, plead guilty in March 2019 to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy, Seagram's heiress Clare Bronfman has been sentenced to almost 7 years in prison for her involvement in the NXIVM cult, The 3 main personality traits of cult leaders, according to a cult-recovery therapist, 3 reasons why people join cults, according to a cult-recovery therapist, How a married couple who escaped NXIVM is rebuilding their relationship from scratch after leaving the cult.