Some former members of the group, NXIVM, are poised to break their vow of silence for the first time by testifying against the organization's spiritual leader, Keith Raniere, who has been compared to a cult leader.
It was called"collateral" — nude photos and other embarrassing material that female members of an upstate New York self-improvement group turned over to their"masters" to ensure obedience, silence and sexual fealty to the organization's spiritual leader, Keith Raniere.
Prosecutors have been tight-lipped about who will testify about the sorority, called DOS, an acronym for a Latin phrase roughly translated as"Lord/master of obedient women." There's speculation that former members of Raniere's inner circle including TV actress Allison Mack and Lauren Salzman, the daughter of the group's top executive, could take the witness stand against him.
Either way, the case has resulted in a dramatic downfall for Raniere from a time when he was known as"Vanguard" by devotees in the United State and Mexico. Mack, best known for her role as a young Superman's close friend on the series"Smallville," also was charged, along with Clare Bronfman , an heir to the Seagram liquor fortune who bankrolled NXIVM. Salzman and two others also faced charges.
At her plea hearing, Mack tearfully said she had collected"collateral" against women and expressed regret about getting involved with Raniere — a change of heart from when she told The New York Times that, as one of the DOS"masters," she saw the women's servitude and willingness to be branded as acts of devotion.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
For The First Time Ever, This Year's Miss America, Miss USA, And Miss Teen USA Are All Black WomanMeet The Three 2019 Miss America, Miss USA, And Miss Teen USA Winners Who Just Made Black History
Read more »
Where Women Rule: Six tribes from around the world run by womenMatrilineal tribes still exist but are struggling to uphold their culture.
Read more »
Supermajority: Nearly 50,000 women from all 50 states sign up to group demanding “Women’s New Deal”Supermajority aims to mobilize at least 2 million women over the next year to become political leaders in their communities and influence U.S. elections, including the upcoming 2020 race.
Read more »
New group launches to harness political power of womenThree influential activists launch organization that aims to harness the political power of women to influence elections and shape local and national policy priorities.
Read more »
How an anti-Semitic cartoon ended up in The New York TimesSixteen New York Times staffers described a short-staffed international publication; an opinion section prone to self-inflicted wounds; and an ongoing debate about the newspaper's biases and blind spots.
Read more »