Keith Raniere has been found guilty of numerous charges related to his role as the founder and leader of NXIVM, the ostensible self-help company that was actually a cult.



Raniere was found guilty on seven counts, including racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and attempted sex trafficking. Though he didn’t testify in the case, Raniere’s attorney argued that his relationships with his followers consensual.

Not so, said Richard Donoghue, the U.S. attorney for the eastern district of New York, who told reporters that Raniere was “truly a modern day Svengali” whose “crimes, and the crimes of his co-conspirators, ruined marriages, careers, fortunes and lives:”

Raniere’s guilty verdict marks the closing of at least one chapter of the sprawling NXIVM case, which is bizarre, scary and sad all at once. Its reach included Smallville actress Allison Mack and Seagram’s liquor heiress Clare Bronfman, both of whom were also part of an inner group run by Raniere called DOS, which was said to enslave and abuse young women in a litany of horrific ways. 



Raniere will be sentenced on September 25, and faces life in prison. Nancy Salzman, president of NXIVM, has a sentencing hearing scheduled for July 10. Bronfman, who served as NXIVM’s financier, has a hearing July 25. </s> A verdict has been reached in the trial of Keith Raniere.

On Wednesday afternoon, a jury in a Brooklyn federal court found the co-founder of NXIVM guilty of all counts including racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and attempted sex trafficking. The jury also found that the government proved all charged racketeering acts.

The jury began deliberating at 9:25 local time meaning a verdict was reached in a matter of hours. Keith faces up to life behind bars.

"Over the last seven weeks, this trial has revealed that Raniere, who portrayed himself as a savant and a genius, was in fact, a master manipulator, a con man and the crime boss of a cult-like organization involved in sex trafficking, child pornography, extortion, compelled abortions, branding, degradation and humiliation," Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement after the verdict. "His crimes, and the crimes of his co-conspirators, ruined marriages, careers, fortunes and lives. The evidence proved that Raniere was truly a modern day Svengali."

During the trial, group members came forward and alleged they were pressured to have sex with Keith. While the defendant pleaded not guilty, he did not testify in the case and his defense attorney did not call any witnesses. </s> Keith Raniere, former leader of purported self-help group NXIVM, has been convicted on federal charges for his role in what prosecutors describe as a “sex cult.”

On Wednesday, a jury found Raniere guilty on seven charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering and forced labor conspiracy, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York. The Associated Press reports that the jury took less than five hours to deliberate after a trial which lasted for about six weeks. Sentencing is to take place on Sept. 25.

“This trial has revealed that Raniere, who portrayed himself as a savant and a genius, was in fact a massive manipulator, a con man and the crime boss of a cult-like organization involved in sex trafficking, child pornography, extortion, compelled abortions, branding, degradation and humiliation,” Richard Donoghue, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, told reporters outside of the Brooklyn federal court house. “Keith Raniere’s crime spree has ended and his victims will finally see justice.”

Raniere is one of several group members who have been charged since the New York first broke the NXIVM story in 2017, where it reported that an exclusive group existed within NXIVM and members were required to offer naked photographs as “collateral” in case they revealed the group’s existence. Raniere left to Mexico shortly after the story was published. He was arrested in March 2018 and deported back to the U.S. for trial.

“These serious crimes against humanity are not only shocking, but disconcerting to say the least, and we are putting an end to this torture today,” the FBI said in a statement released March 2018.

Prosecutors alleged Raniere coerced and blackmailed women into sleeping with him, branded women with his initials, had sex with a 15-year-old, took photos of her and confined another woman to a bedroom for 700 days, according to the AP.

Others have been convicted for roles in NXIVM’s illicit behavior including Allison Mack, an actress who appeared in ; Clare Bronfman, an heiress to the Seagram liquor company; and mother-daughter duo Nancy and Lauren Salzman. Raniere co-founded NXIVM with Nancy Salzman in 1998. </s> NXIVM Leader Keith Raniere Found Guilty Of All Charges In Sex Cult Case

Enlarge this image toggle caption Elizabeth Williams/AP Elizabeth Williams/AP

Updated at 5:30 p.m. ET

The leader of NXIVM, a group that espoused a philosophy of self-improvement but was accused of recruiting, grooming and even branding an inner circle of female sex slaves, was found guilty Wednesday by a federal jury in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Keith Raniere, who was known as "Vanguard," was convicted on all charges, including sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, human trafficking and multiple counts of racketeering — including sexual exploitation of a child.

Raniere, 58, faces up to life in prison. His sentencing is set for Sept. 25.

Following the verdict, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Richard Donoghue called Raniere "a modern-day Svengali."

"This trial has revealed that Raniere, who portrayed himself as a savant and a genius, was in fact, a massive manipulator, a conman and crime boss of a cult-like organization involving sex trafficking, child pornography, extortion compelled abortions, branding degradation and humiliation," Donoghue told reporters.

He said Raniere's crime spree — which "ruined marriages, careers, fortunes and lives" — had finally ended "and his victims will finally see justice."

Throughout the trial prosecutors argued NXIVM was a criminal enterprise that operated largely in secrecy. The Albany, N.Y.-based group operated across the U.S. and in several other countries. Its devotees included an actress, an heiress and a 15-year-old girl; several of its high-ranking members have also been charged.

Throughout the six-week trial, several women offered disturbing details of their experience with Raniere in what they said they initially believed was a women's empowerment group. They testified that he ultimately blackmailed dozens of women into joining a secret society of "slaves" and "masters" called "DOS" or the "Vow," that operated as a sex cult under a pyramid-scheme system in which they turned over a trove of damning "collateral" and often were left financially indebted to him.

During closing arguments Monday, prosecutor Moira Penza told the jurors that to the outside world, Raniere's inner circle had tried to construct an image of him as a "humanitarian, leader, mentor, guru."

"You saw him for what he was, a conman, a predator, a crime boss," Penza said, adding that Raniere had "tapped into a never-ending flow of women and money" and calling him a "crime boss with no limits and no checks on his power."

Newer members believed NXIVM to be a self-improvement business that offered pricey coaching and training workshops based on its philosophy of "a new ethical understanding" that enables "humanity to rise to its noble possibility," as the group described on its now defunct website, according to court documents.

But Penza accused Raniere of building a personal fiefdom through abuse and control. He and the women in the organization's top ranks used "tactics that destroyed his victim's sense of self and ability to trust," she said.

He also ordered female slaves to be branded. Several of the women who belonged to the inner circle of DOS had a NXIVM symbol seared into their flesh with a cauterizing pen — a process that took between 20 to 30 minutes to complete — while another woman was told to film the so-called ceremony. The women later learned the symbol contained Raniere's initials.

The actress Allison Mack, best know for her role on the television series Smallville, pleaded guilty for her role as a "master" in the cult, often recruiting women who would ultimately be coerced into having sex with Raniere.

As one of Raniere's top lieutenants, Mack sought to gather "collateral" — embarrassing or potentially criminal material — from other followers, that top NXIVM leaders could potentially leverage to keep dissenters from defecting and exposing the inner workings of the group.

She was convicted in April of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy. Mack will be sentenced in September.

Agnifilo, argued throughout the trial that his client had committed no crimes and his directives were meant to spur their personal growth.

In closing arguments Tuesday, defense attorneys said Raniere had no criminal intent and that there was no sex trafficking by DOS because the sexual encounters were consensual and there was no commercial aspect to them.

Raniere did not testify in the case and his attorneys did not call any witnesses.

In an emailed statement, Agnifilo told NPR, "Keith maintains his innocence and we do intend to appeal." </s> Keith Raniere, the founder of the Nvixm sex cult, was convicted on racketeering and sex trafficking charges on Wednesday.

The jurors deliberated for about five hours before returning with guilty verdicts on all seven counts, including racketeering and forced labor conspiracy charges. He is set to be sentenced on Sept. 25, and faces the possibility of life in prison.

“Keith Raniere’s crime spree has ended and his victims will finally see justice,” said Richard Donoghue, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, in a press conference outside court. “His crimes and the crimes of his co-conspirators, ruined marriages, careers, fortunes, and lives.”

Raniere was arrested in March 2018 and accused of using a network of self-help groups to lure women into his sex cult. The actress Allison Mack, best known for appearing on “Smallville,” pleaded guilty in April for her role as a recruiter for the cult.

The trial lasted nearly six weeks, and included testimony from several of the women involved. The trial included allegations that Raniere had coerced the women into a form of sexual slavery. Some women were tattooed with Raniere’s initials. His defense team argued that the women made “adult choices” to participate in the group. </s> Prosecutors in on Wednesday found the of an alleged "sex cult," Keith Raniere, guilty on seven charges including

The founder of an American self-help company called NXIVM, Raniere had pleaded not guilty to all the charges which are racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, forced labour conspiracy, sex trafficking, conspiracy and attempted sex trafficking, according to

Prosecutors believe that secretly housed a sex cult, which women were lured into. During a six-week long testimony at Brooklyn federal court, witnesses told a 16-person jury that they were pressured into having sex with Raniere and were "ceremonially" branded with the founder's initials in their lower bodies.

Raniere's attorney, Marc Agnifilo, called their relationship with him as "consensual" during the proceedings. The secret group in the company was called "DOS" or "The Vow".

Witnesses have also claimed that they were blackmailed into silence due to damaging personal information with their "masters."

labelled NXIVM's founder as a " boss" during her closing arguments on Monday. "The defendant tapped into a never-ending flow of women and money. (He was) a boss with no limits and no checks on his power," quoted Penza as saying.

Agnifilo, on the other hand, maintained that no crimes were committed. "You may find him repulsive, disgusting and offensive. We don't convict people in this country for being repulsive or offensive," Agnifilo said. "Unpopular ideas aren't criminal. Disgusting ideas aren't criminal," the said.

Raniere is scheduled to be sentenced on September 25 and could be awarded life in prison. He has been in custody since his arrest in last year. </s> THE LEADER OF a sex cult in New York has been found guilty on charges of sex trafficking, extortion and conspiracy.

Keith Raniere was the leader of Nxivm, a purported life coaching group that prosecutors said extorted money from followers and enabled him to sexually exploit female devotees.

A jury in federal court in Brooklyn took less than five hours to find Keith Raniere guilty on all counts of sex-trafficking and other charges accusing him of coercing women into sex.

“Raniere was truly a modern-day Svengali,” Brooklyn US attorney Richard Donoghue said outside court, calling him a manipulator who “ruined marriages, careers, fortunes and lives.”

His lawyer Marc Agnifilo said Raniere plans to appeal the verdict. His sentencing is scheduled for 25 September.

“Keith maintains his innocence. It’s a very sad day for him,” Agnifilo said. “I think he’s not surprised but he maintains that he didn’t mean to do anything wrong.”

Raniere (58) once had an international following including a number of famous faces through his cult-like group Nxivm.

His adherents included Smallville actress Allison Mack, heiress to the Seagram drinks fortune Clare Bronfman, and a daughter of TV actress Catherine Oxenberg of Dynasty fame.

“This was a very frightening group,” Oxenberg said after the verdict. Her daughter India left NXIVM after her mother became an outspoken critic of it.

“I had to save a child who was caught in the grips of this cult, so I wasn’t going to stop until I succeeded,” Oxenberg said.

Prosecutors had told jurors that Raniere was known as ‘Vanguard’ and revered as “the smartest man in the world” among some followers.

A sorority made up of some NXIVM members, sometimes called The Vow, was created “to satisfy the defendant’s desire for sex, power and control,” assistant US attorney Moira Penza said in closing arguments.

Among the more damning allegations against Raniere were that he had some women branded with his initials and that he started having sex with a follower when she was 15-years old.

Prosecutors said he took a series of nude photos of the teen that were shown at trial to the eight women and four men who comprised the jury.

Raniere kept the photos stashed in his private study as “a trophy” of “his sexual conquest,” Penza said.

The defense argued Raniere was a genuine believer in unconventional means for self-improvement and that all his sexual encounters with female followers of Nxivm were consensual.

His behavior could be seen as “repulsive and offensive, but we don’t convict people in this country for being repulsive or offensive,” Agnifilo said in his closings.

With reporting from Associated Press. </s> The former spiritual leader of a purported upstate New York self-improvement group that's been called a cult and a pyramid scheme has been found guilty on seven counts including sex trafficking, racketeering and conspiracy charges, CBS New York reported. Jurors began deliberating the case against Keith Raniere Wednesday morning and announced they had reached a verdict about four hours later.

They were handed the case following a trial in Brooklyn federal court that has given a disturbing inside look inside the group, NXIVM.

Since early May, jurors have been hearing testimony from what prosecutors say are former "sex slaves" who spoke about the torment of being branded with Raniere's initials — their "supreme master," often referred to as "Vanguard." The women said they were duped into a joining a secretive NXIVM sub-sect known as DOS under the pretenses that it was a women's empowerment group. But, they said they were forced by other women who were their "masters" to turn over "collateral," including nude photographs, and groomed for sex with Raniere.

During closing arguments this week, Assistant U.S. Attorney Moira Penza recounted testimony that Raniere had some of his brainwashed female followers starved, forced one to have sex with another woman and confined a third to a room for nearly two years for defying his orders. The jury has also seen alleged child pornography involving a teenage girl prosecutors say Raniere coerced into sex.

Penza on Monday called Raniere a "con man" and a "crime boss" who used the organization to "tap into a never-ending flow of women and money." DOS, she said, was formed "to satisfy the defendant's desire for sex, power and control."

But attorneys for Raniere, 58, say he had no criminal intent and that his sexual encounters with female followers were consensual.

Raniere's lawyer Marc Agnifilo said Raniere had a "disgusting lifestyle," the New York Daily News reported, but that the government has not proven its case that he is guilty of sex trafficking, racketeering and conspiracy. Agnifilo argued that the so-called collateral wasn't meaningful because it was never released.

Raniere stood trial alone after five former members of his inner circle negotiated plea deals, including TV actress Allison Mack and Seagram liquor heiress Clare Bronfman. Last year, after a New York Times exposé on the group and reports that investigators were interviewing some women who had defected from DOS, Raniere fled to Mexico. He was found staying with Mack and other women in a luxury villa and taken into custody on a U.S. warrant.

Mack was initially indicted on sex trafficking charges for allegedly recruiting women into DOS, but pleaded guilty to racketeering in April, admitting she collected "collateral" from two women at Raniere's direction and threatened to make it public if they didn't perform "so-called acts of love."

Bronfman, who bankrolled Raniere and his program of intense self-improvement classes, admitted she harbored someone who was living in the U.S. illegally for unpaid "labor and services" and that she committed credit card fraud on behalf of Raniere. Both Bronfman and Mack, who await sentencing, said they wanted to help people through NXIVM and apologized for their actions.

 

 Raniere faces life in prison.

This story was first published to CBSNews.com on June 19, 2019 at 2:54 p.m. </s> LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The man accused of leading a sex cult that was said to have enslaved women was found guilty on all Wednesday.

Keith Raniere will be sentenced in September on the multiple sex trafficking and racketeering verdicts.

It took jurors just a couple of hours to decided on a guilty verdict.

Raniere led a group called NXIVM that was promoted as a self-help organization,.

According to prosecutors, the group was actually a sex slave operation led by Rainiere.

Prosecutors said Rainiere and others, including “Smallville” actress Allison Mack, would recruit women and convince them to turn over nude photos and admit embarrassing details about themselves that Rainiere would then use as blackmail.

Daughter of actress Catherine Oxenberg’s was among one of Rainiere’s victims.

Oxenberg has since released a book about the group and spoke with CBSLA last year about the ordeal of seeing her daughter sucked into the cult.

According to the book, Rainiere brainwashed women, forced them to starve, brand themselves with his initials, and have sex with him.

Oxenberg was at the courthouse Wednesday when the verdict was read and called her daughter to report the news.

“She’s in shock and I’m in shock as well because this has been kind of a culmination of a year and a half of such an incredible fight,” Oxenberg told reporters.

U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue told reporters, “This trial has revealed that Rainiere, who portrayed himself as a savant and a genius, was, in fact, a massive manipulator, a con-man, and the crime boss of a cult-like globalization, involving sex trafficking, child pornography, extortion, compelled abortions, branding, degradation, and humiliation ”

Raniere could spend the rest of his life in prison.

His sentencing is set for Sept. 25.
NXIVM leader Keith Raniere is found guilty of seven charges, including human trafficking, sex trafficking, sexual exploitation of a child, forced labor conspiracy, and racketeering.