Nxivm Sect: 120 years of imprisonment for self-help guru Keith Raniere

Self-help guru Keith Raniere, who exploited sex followers and sex slaves, was sentenced to 120 years in prison in the United States. A New York federal judge sentenced the founder of the cult organization Nxivm to life in prison. The 60-year-old was found guilty on seven counts in June 2019, including sex trafficking, sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old and the formation of a criminal organization.

Raniere is said to have used the self-help group Nxivm, which he founded, as a cover for the sexual exploitation of women. He is said to have in the meantime held up to 20 women as sex slaves. He clearly affirmed his property with the brand on the skin of his followers.

Raniere founded Nxivm (pronounced: Nexium) in the late 1990s in New York State. The charismatic leader attracted numerous prominent and wealthy women under his spell. Members paid up to $ 5,000 for a five-day self-help course.

Many women have been financially and sexually exploited by Raniere. They had to hand over photos, letters and other compromising documents so that Raniere could publish them in case the women wanted to leave Nxivm.

In a sub-organization founded by Raniere called DOS, women were called “slaves” and himself “great masters”. Women always had to be available to have sex with him. His youngest victim was 15 years old.

Fled to Mexico first

Raniere has always denied the accusations against himself. In a letter sent before the sentence was passed, he was quite “proud” of his “life’s work”. He never deliberately harmed anyone, and sex was always consensual.

Raniere fled to Mexico in October 2017 after members managed to break free and the New York Times revealed the organization’s activities. He was arrested the following year in a luxury villa in the Puerto Vallarta beach town. Two documentary series about Raniere and Nxivm have already appeared, one of them on the pay channel HBO.

Five co-defendants of Ranieres pleaded guilty during the legal process of the scandal, including actress Allison Mack, known from the TV series “Smallville” and “Wilfred”. In late September, Canadian spirit heiress Clara Bronfman, who had supported Raniere for years, was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison.