Former members said that, inside Nxivm, they are being portrayed as defectors who want to destroy the group. It was a trap, she shared. The Nxivm founder's disturbing fantasies were captured on an audio recording by "Smallville" actress and DOS slave Allison Mack, while the two took an early morning walk together on January 9,. The recordings have offered the first contemporaneous account of how Mr. Raniere helped devise one of the most secret and controversial practices within Nxivm. In March, Ms. Edmondson arrived for an initiation ceremony at Ms. Salzmans home in Clifton Park, N.Y., a town about 20 miles north of Albany where Mr. Raniere and some followers live. I lied to the media about it.. I was burned with initials of NXIVM sex cult monster who - The Sun As part of being together and being comfortable in our own skin, [she and the other women] would be naked together and take photos of ourselves naked, said Roberts. Meanwhile, Salzman erupted in tears Wednesday when she was confronted with nasty emails shed sent a woman named Daniela who she admitted to keeping in a room for two years. Within NXIVM was a secret women-branding sorority called DOS, in which masters directed their slaves to engage in sexual acts with Raniere, according to prosecutors. Watch First prominent NXIVM member sentenced to nearly 7 years in prison: Watch: What Clare Bronfmans prison sentence in NXIVM cult case, Kanye West urges voters to write in his name for president in first 2020 ad, The Wanted's Tom Parker diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at age 32, Kristin Cavallari kisses comedian Jeff Dye amid divorce from Jay Cutler, 'American Idol' royal shakeup: Katy Perry, Lionel Richie to be (temporarily) dethroned by '90s queen, pop prince, Aaron Carter's ex-fiance says his 'downfall' was losing custody of son Prince: doc, Before 'Guardians,' Chris Pratt says he was crushed by rejections for 'Captain America' and 'Thor.' He styled himself as the grandmaster of a secret society within NXIVM called DOS, while its members, all women, were his sexual slaves. The pyramid schemes the organization utilized were also Ranieres creation. Mr. Vicente said he was aware of the negative publicity, including a 2012 series by The Albany Times-Union that described alleged abuses inside Nxivm. Marvel's feedback: 'I was kinda sweaty. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. It was beautiful, said the 40-year-old, who herself was branded with the insignia. By the time the secret group was taking shape, Mark Vicente, the filmmaker, had been a faithful follower of Mr. Raniere for more than a decade. The brandings were connected to a Nxivm subset called D.O.S. Both decided to leave Nxivm, despite concerns that the group would retaliate by releasing their collateral or suing them. She said it was a character-building experience, Ms. Oxenberg said. As she traced the image with the cauterizing tool, for every line [branded], there was an intentional reading. The women being initiated did not know until they entered the room that Roberts would be the one to brand them. Life as a Nxivm 'Slave': Branding, Whippings and Cold Showers Mack was a high-ranking member and part of NXIVMs inner circle. It probably should be a more vulnerable position, Raniere describes to Mack, referring to how members should present themselves during the branding ceremony. Roberts purchased a cauterizing machine for the sessions. (Submitted by Sarah Edmondson) A Vancouver woman who went public with allegations of sex slavery inside a cult-like self-empowerment group is among . The women, who were referred to as slaves, were illustrating their submission in an indelible way: Their skin was seared with a symbol that included Mr. Ranieres initials. It means, in this court case, she considered me a victim. Before quitting, Mr. Ames went to Nxivms offices in Albany to collect money he said the group owed him. I would have been happy to not say anything, but I knew too much about what happened and I had a moral obligation to make sure it didn't happen to anyone else, she said. DontTreadOnMe16 4 yr. ago Did anything ever come of the Stormy Daniels accusation of her having the brand disguised by a tattoo? Thats all Ive got, Kellmans email ended. Interviews with a dozen of them portray a group spinning more deeply into disturbing practices. that he had repeatedly assured others he had nothing to do with. Porter had moved from Iowa to Albany so he could work on measuring the emotional and physical effects of Mr. Ranieres programs., Introduced to the group by her co-worker, Roberts joined up with NXIVM, moving to Albany in late 2014 and taking classes. As the recordings were played to the jury, witness Lauren Salzmana former member of NXIVM who was part of the DOS inner circleanswered questions from the prosecution concerning certain quotes. Most participants take some workshops, like the groups Executive Success Programs, and resume their lives. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. I didnt understand that it was dozens, 20, 30 Vicente says. Here, she reveals how she was brutally branded in her most intimate area, threatened with the leak of intimate videos . Allison Mack Gave Tape of Keith Raniere Planning NXIVM Brand - Vulture Pain is how we know how much we love. While Ms. Mehdaoui had joined the sorority, the women in her circle were not branded. Remembering one of fashions most problematic faves, Karl Lagerfeld. Nxivm recently filed criminal complaints with the Vancouver police against Ms. Edmondson and two other women accusing them of mischief and other crimes in connection with the firms now-closed center there, according to Ms. Edmondson. The ensuing scar bears the initials of Nxivm founder Keith Raniere as well as Mack, the former Smallville star now facing federal felony charges as the alleged No. Among them were the eight women whom Mr. Raniere recruited to join D.O.S., and who were referred to as first line D.O.S. Slaves were ordered to delete encrypted messages between them and erase Google documents, two women said. During her visit, Ms. Salzman said she had something really amazing she wanted to share. Nxivms Executive Success Programs offices in Albany. That's years of grooming. Sarah Edmondson, 42, spent 12 years in the cult led by the charismatic Keith Raniere. El primer video revelado de las ceremonias en las que NXIVM marcaba a mujeres. Through Nxivm, Mr. Raniere transformed himself into a New Age teacher with long hair and a guru-like manner of speaking. Absolutely. Mr. Raniere and other top Nxivm officials, including Lauren Salzman, did not respond to repeated emails, letters or text messages seeking comment. I knew what I was up against. Here is video evidence of a branding session. What I was learning was the opposite. Do you think the person who is being branded should be completely nude and sort of held to the table like a sort of, almost, like a sacrifice? Mr. Raniere asked the actress Allison Mack in one recording. Marrying the Ghost of Karl Lagerfeld at the 2023 Met Gala. You just dont realize what is happening.. This was a way to help women surrender and realize that they can take pain. India also recalled the initiation ceremony into DOS where she was unknowingly branded with Ranieres initials. Do you think the person whos being branded should be held to the table, almost like a sacrifice? Raniere asks Mack, adding that he thinks the slaves should be completely nude. And in New York, the doctor of choice for the NXIVM sex cult is defending the practice of branding sex slaves. In early June, Mr. Parlato published the first in a torrent of salacious posts under the headline, Branded Slaves and Master Raniere.. For hours, muffled screams and the smell of burning tissue filled the room. There are things I didnt know that I didnt sign up for, and Im not even hearing about it from you, she texted Mr. Raniere. [Allison] had a lot of power and control over me and I was scared of her but she can't hurt me anymore, India explained to People. If youre attracted to someone on the yacht, the worst thing you can do is tell Gary. In explaining why Mack deserves a less-than-guidelines punishment, prosecutors explained that perhaps most significantly, Mack provided the government with a recording that, at trial, served as crucial evidence of Ranieres role in devising the branding ceremony., Do you think the person whos being branded should be completely nude and sort of held to the table like a sort of almost like a sacrifice? To become effective, members had to overcome weaknesses that Mr. Raniere taught were common to women an overemotional nature, a failure to keep promises and an embrace of the role of victim, according to Ms. Edmondson and other members. We were told that it was a symbol of the elements and that this was gonna be a bonding experience, she said explained. The voice of a woman who Mr. Ames said is Lauren Salzman is heard trying to calm him. The organization has chapters across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Ms. Mehdaoui said that when she went to say goodbye to Mr. Raniere, he urged her to stay. Trainees who failed had to pay penalties, including fasting, or could face physical punishments, two women said. It probably should be a more vulnerable position, he muses. And hes a predator.. This is criminal, Mr. Ames says. They felt bad-ass after enduring the pain. Mr. Ranieres trial in Federal District Court in Brooklyn, which is set to enter its fourth week on Tuesday, has had no shortage of surprising, even shocking, moments. Women should be completely nude, he suggested, and held to the table. He admitted Thinking Out Loud was actually inspired by Van Morrison, not Marvin Gaye. The fact that Moira Penza [the lead government attorney in the Raniere trial] did not consider me as a subject of the investigation is somewhat of an insult to me, said Roberts. But other people have become drawn more deeply into Nxivm, giving up careers, friends and families to become followers of its leader, Keith Raniere, who is known within the group as Vanguard.. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. Former member of NXIVM cult tells about 'branding ceremony' This includes personalizing content and advertising. The most gripping TV drama of the year is happening behind closed doors.