NXIVM Co-founder Keith Raniere Charged With Sex-Trafficking: Self-Help Guru Branded Followers With His Initials
Keith Raniere – known within the group as ‘Vanguard’ – oversaw a barbaric system in which women were told the best way to advance was to become a ‘slave’ overseen by ‘masters’.
Leader of a secretive self-help group in upstate New York turned female followers into ‘slaves’ who were branded with his initials and bludgeoned into having sex, authorities alleged on Monday in a criminal complaint charging him with sex-trafficking. Keith Raniere, co-founder of the group called Nxivm, was arrested in Mexico and returned to Texas on Monday. He was to appear in court on Tuesday in Fort Worth on the charges filed by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn.
Raniere left the US late last year after the New York Times reported the stories of some women who defected from their secret sorority and the government began interviewing potential witnesses. He sought to cover his trail by using encrypted email and ditching his phone, court papers say. According to the complaint, Raniere – known within the group as ‘Vanguard’ – oversaw a barbaric system in which women were told the best way to advance was to become a ‘slave’ overseen by ‘masters’. They were also expected to have sex with him and do menial chores for masters, and to keep the arrangement a secret or to be publicly humiliated, the complaint says.
In a letter attributed to Raniere previously posted on a website related to Nxivm, he denied the practices were sanctioned by his group. The letter read, “These allegations are most disturbing to me, as non-violence is one of my most important values.” The complaint says, “During the branding ceremonies, slaves were required to be fully naked, and the master would order one slave to film while the other held down the slave being branded.” The women were branded in their pelvic area with a symbol featuring Raniere’s initials.
Investigators said Raniere preferred exceptionally thin women, so the women in the group had to stick to very low-calorie diets and document every food they ate. As punishment for not following orders, women were forced to attend classes where they were compelled to wear fake cow udders over their breasts while people called them derogatory names, the court papers say.
Investigators affirmed that he was ultimately found staying with several women in a luxury gated community in Puerta Vallarta. Raniere and Nxivm have been the subject of criticism for years. In 2012, the Times Union of Albany published a series of articles examining the organisation and allegations that it was like a cult. Over the years, Nxivm has attracted a following that includes Emmy Award-winning actress Allison Mack.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 27, 2018 11:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).