Keith Raniere

Raniere was born on August 26, 1960, in Brooklyn, New York, the only child of James Raniere (1932–2020), an advertising executive, and Vera Oschypko (1931–1978), a ballroom-dancing instructor.{{cite web|url=https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.416187/gov.uscourts.nyed.416187.925.0.pdf|title=United States District Court Eastern District of New York {{!}} United States of America against Keith Raniere, Defendant {{!}} Sentencing Memorandum on Behalf of Keith Raniere|website=courtlistener.com|access-date=October 22, 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Bloch |first1=Josh |last2=Goldhar |first2=Kathleen |last3=Elash |first3=Anita |last4=Pizer |first4=Dave |name-list-style=and |date=September 12, 2018 |title=Escaping NXIVM: Inside the secretive world of leader Keith Raniere |url=https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/the-making-of-the-vanguard |website=newsinteractives.cbc.ca}}{{cite news|url=https://observer.com/2010/08/poor-little-rich-girls-the-ballad-of-sara-and-clare-bronfman/|title=Poor Little Rich Girls: The Ballad of Sara and Clare Bronfman|work=The New York Observer|last=Tkacik|first=Maureen|date=August 10, 2010}} When Raniere was five years old, his family relocated to Suffern, New York. His parents separated when he was aged eight.{{cite web|url=https://frankreport.com/2018/07/13/univisions-timeline-of-keith-ranieres-life/|title=Univision's timeline of Keith Raniere's life|website=Frank Report|last=Parlato|first=Frank|date=July 13, 2018}}[https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/2020/10/27/nxivm-founder-keith-raniere-childhood/6047275002/ Lohud.com, The Journal News (Rockland), part of the USA Today Network], citing court papers filed in this case

Raniere attended Suffern High School for ninth grade before transferring to Rockland Country Day School. He graduated in June 1978, two months prior to his eighteenth birthday.{{cite web|url=https://frankreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/1978-06-28-white-plains-journal-keith-graduates-full-page.pdf |title=Graduations|date=June 29, 1978 |via=Frank Report|newspaper=The Journal News |access-date=June 9, 2019}} As an adult, Raniere reported that he read Isaac Asimov's mind control-themed work Second Foundation at age 12 and credited the novel with inspiring his work in NXIVM.{{cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/293143-raniere-affidavit-ross-case|title=Raniere Affidavit Ross Case|date=February 16, 2012|access-date=June 20, 2019|via=Internet Archive}}{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/05/15/keith-raniere-the-leader-of-the-nxivm-sex-cult/|title=When We Exposed Keith Raniere, The Leader Of The Nxivm 'Sex Cult'|first=Will|last=Yakowicz|website=Forbes|access-date=October 7, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211007191317/https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/05/15/keith-raniere-the-leader-of-the-nxivm-sex-cult/?sh=64acb7c135a9 |archive-date=October 7, 2021}} In 1982, Raniere graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a 2.26 GPA, barely passing and failing many classes.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/nyregion/nxivm-keith-raniere-trial.html|title=Once Idolized, Guru of Nxivm 'Sex Cult' to Stand Trial Alone|first=Barry|last=Meier|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 1, 2019|access-date=June 20, 2019}} He was employed as a computer programmer for the New York State Division of Parole.{{cite news |last1=Odato |first1=James M. |last2=Gish |first2=Jennifer |date=February 18, 2012 |title=In Raniere's shadows |url=https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/In-Raniere-s-shadows-3341644.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122080642/https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/In-Raniere-s-shadows-3341644.php |archive-date=November 22, 2017 |website=Times Union}}

Describing a conversation with Raniere's father, his former partner, Barbara Bouchey, recalled, "[James] said ... [they] told Keith about how gifted and how intelligent he was. And he said it was almost like a switch went off. And suddenly, overnight, [Raniere] turned into ... Jesus Christ ... [thinking] he was superior and better than everybody, like he was a deity. [James] said it was that [snaps] dramatic and that profound; he said it went right to [Raniere's] head."{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/uncover/transcripts/transcript-uncover-escaping-nxivm-season-1-ep-3-1.5084740|title=Transcript: Uncover: Escaping NXIVM – Season 1, EP 3|work=CBC Radio|date=April 4, 2019}} According to Bouchey, Raniere's mother also reported hearing "dozens of young girls ... calling the house, and [that Raniere] ... was telling every single girl the same thing: 'I love you. You're the special one. You're important. You are the only one in my life, and I love you.' And Vera says, 'He's saying this to all these girls. He's clearly lying 'cause all of them are not special!'"

In June 1988, the Albany Times Union profiled Raniere, reporting on his membership in the Mega Society after he achieved a high score on the MEGA test, an unsupervised, 48-question test published in the April 1985 issue of Omni magazine.Morris, Scot (April 1985). "The one-in-a-million I.Q. test". Omni, pp 128–132.{{cite web|first=Frank|last=Parlato|url=https://frankreport.com/2017/07/02/blast-from-the-past-complete-text-from-1988-tu-article-about-raniere-take-home-iq-test/|title=Blast from the past: Complete text from 1988 Times Union article about Raniere – and his take-home IQ test|date=July 2, 2017|website=Frank Report}} Although the MEGA test has been widely criticized as not having been properly validated, the 1989 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records (the last edition to include a category for highest IQ){{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-smartest-people-in-the-world-2011-3|title=The 18 Smartest People In The World|last=Johnson|first=Robert|website=Business Insider|access-date=December 30, 2019}} described the Mega Society as "the most exclusive ultrahigh IQ society", and the 1989 Australian edition identified Raniere, Marilyn vos Savant and Eric Hart as the highest-scoring members of the group.{{Cite book |last1=McWhirter |first1=Norris |author-link=Norris McWhirter |url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessbookofre00dona |title=The Guinness book of records : 1989 |last2=McFarlan |first2=Donald |date=1988 |publisher=Enfield, Middlesex : Guinness Pub. |isbn=978-0851128788 |page=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessbookofre00dona/page/16 16] |url-access=registration |via=Internet Archive}}{{cite book |last=Carlson |first=Roger D. |title=Test Critiques |publisher=PRO-ED |year=1991 |isbn=0890792542 |editor-last=Keyser |editor-first=Daniel J. |edition=Volume VIII |pages=431–435 |editor2-last=Sweetland |editor-first2=Richard C.}}{{Cite book |last=Castles |first=Elaine E. |title=Inventing Intelligence |url=http://www.abc-clio.com/product.aspx?id=2147510780 |access-date=August 31, 2013 |year=2012 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1440803383 |page=22 |quote=And what is that makes Marilyn vos Savant so uniquely qualified to answer such questions? There is only one reason: she is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the highest IQ ever recorded. Never mind that this record is based on a nonstandardized test put out by an obscure group known as Mega, supposedly the world's most selective organization of geniuses. Ignore the fact that test scores at the extreme ends of any distribution are notoriously unreliable. |archive-date=September 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926024412/http://www.abc-clio.com/product.aspx?id=2147510780 |url-status=dead }}

Throughout the 1980s, Raniere was involved with the multi-level marketing company Amway. In 1990, he founded a multi-level marketing company of his own, Consumers' Buyline Inc. (CBI),{{cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2010/11/bronfman-201011|title=The Heiresses and the Cult|first=Suzanna|last=Andrews|website=Vanity Fair|date=October 13, 2010|access-date=September 7, 2024}} a buying club that offered discounts in exchange for recruitment.{{cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Law-enforcement-has-fielded-NXIVM-complaints-for-12348611.php|title=Law enforcement has fielded NXIVM complaints for years|first=Brendan J.|last=Lyons|date=November 12, 2017|website=Times Union|access-date=September 7, 2024}}

At a CBI pitch meeting, Raniere met Toni Natalie,{{cite news|url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2018/03/08/rochester-woman-battles-nxivm-keith-raniere/360847002/|title=Rochester woman tells all about life with NXIVM's Keith Raniere, her ex|first=Jon|last=Campbell|date=March 8, 2018|website=Rochester Democrat and Chronicle|access-date=September 7, 2024}} who subsequently became a top seller for the organization, along with her then-husband. Natalie and her son later moved to Clifton Park, New York, to be near Raniere; her marriage ended shortly thereafter. Natalie and Raniere dated for the next eight years.

In 1993, CBI began to decline, and regulators in twenty states launched investigations into the entity. New York State filed a lawsuit alleging that CBI was a pyramid scheme.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2003/1013/088.html|title=Cult of Personality|first=Michael|last=Freedman|website=Forbes|date=2003|access-date=September 7, 2024}} In 1994, Raniere created National Health Network, a multi-level seller of vitamins;{{cite web|url=http://artvoice.net/issues/v15n02/raniere.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527152412/http://artvoice.net/issues/v15n02/raniere.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 27, 2019|title=Cult of NXIVM Series Part 8: The Relentless Pursuit of Enemies|website=Artvoice.net|last=Parlato|first=Frank|access-date=September 7, 2024}} that business failed three years later.{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/929293/allison-mack-and-the-story-of-nxivm-inside-the-alleged-sex-slavery-ring-accused-of-turning-women-into-recruiters-for-their-master|title=How Allison Mack Ended Up Involved With an Alleged Sex Slavery Ring|date=April 24, 2018|website=E! Online|access-date=September 7, 2024}} In 1996, Raniere signed a consent order with New York State resolving the case against CBI; without admitting wrongdoing, he agreed to pay a $40,000 fine. He ultimately only paid $9,000 to the state; despite having claimed a multimillion-dollar net worth, he said he was unable to pay the remainder. The consent order also permanently barred Raniere from "promoting, offering or granting participation in a chain distribution scheme".

{{See also|NXIVM}}

In 1998, Natalie met Nancy Salzman, a nurse and a practitioner of hypnotism and neuro-linguistic programming. Natalie recalled:

Nancy said, "You're so wonderful; how can I help you?" So I said, "Well, you can help me with my boyfriend." He had grandiose ideas and his hours were becoming erratic again ... She listened and she said, "Oh that's easy, I can help you. He's a sociopath ..." They met, and four days later she came out with the glazed eyes and gave me the, "You don't know who he is", and I was like, "Wow, there goes another one."{{cite web|url=https://radiopublic.com/pink-shade-with-erin-martin-6rVXLa/ep/s1!76165|title=34 – Toni Natalie, Keith Raniere's Ex-Girlfriend, On NXIVM|publisher=RadioPublic|date=May 15, 2018}}

Raniere and Salzman founded Executive Success Programs (ESP), a personal-development company offering a range of techniques aimed at self-improvement. A few years later, the program was rebranded under the name NXIVM. Raniere "adopted the title 'Vanguard' from a favorite arcade game in which the destruction of one's enemies increased one's own power."{{cite web |title= Her Darkest Role: Actress Allison Mack's Descent From 'Smallville' to Sex Cult |website= The Hollywood Reporter |access-date= May 18, 2018 |date= May 16, 2018 |url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/how-smallvilles-allison-mack-went-actress-sex-cult-slaver-1112107 }} Much of NXIVM was influenced by the teachings of Ayn Rand, one of Raniere's favorite authors.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/30/magazine/sex-cult-empowerment-nxivm-keith-raniere.html|title=Inside Nxivm, the 'Sex Cult' That Preached Empowerment|last=Grigoriadis|first=Vanessa|date=May 30, 2018|work=The New York Times Magazine|access-date=May 29, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|url=https://frankreport.com/2017/07/22/raniere-influenced-by-ayn-rand-in-more-ways-than-one-shocking-similarities-seen-in-her-and-ranieres-inner-circle/|first=Frank|last=Parlato|title=Raniere influenced by Ayn Rand in more ways than one: Shocking similarities seen in her and Raniere's inner circle!|date=July 23, 2017|website=Frank Report|language=en-US|access-date=June 19, 2019}} In 2002, Raniere and Salzman succeeded in recruiting members of the influential Bronfman family, heirs to the multibillion-dollar Seagram fortune.{{cite web |title=2010 Forbes 400 Net Worth #136 Edgar Bronfman Sr |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/edgar-bronfman/#2048da484465 |website=Forbes |access-date=October 6, 2020}} Sara Bronfman initially became involved, followed by sister Clare Bronfman. Their father, Edgar Bronfman Sr., took a NXIVM course the following year.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/11/business/clare-bronfman-nxivm.html |title=The Journey of the 'Sex Cult' Heiress: From Reluctant Recruit to Criminal Defendant |last=Meier |first=Barry |date= August 11, 2018 |work=The New York Times |access-date=April 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811113557/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/11/business/clare-bronfman-nxivm.html|archive-date=August 11, 2018}}

File:Edgar Bronfman Headshot.JPG took a NXIVM course at the encouragement of his daughters. Later that year, he denounced the group as a "cult" in a quote he gave to Forbes magazine.]]

In October 2003, Raniere was featured, cloaked in shadows, on the cover of Forbes magazine, accompanied by the appellation "The World's Strangest Executive Coach".{{cite news|title=Manipulations of fortune; Daughters of business royalty, alleged cult leader at centre of lawsuit|work=Canwest News Service|date=March 29, 2010}} The "devastating" cover story, penned by Michael Freedman and entitled "Cult of Personality", was later described as "a gold mine of previously unpublished information". It discussed Raniere's title of "Vanguard"; detailed the failure of CBI; and included a quote from Edgar Bronfman accusing the organization of being a cult.

Vanity Fair subsequently reported on the Forbes article's impact within the group: "People at NXIVM were stunned. Expecting a positive story, the top ranks had spoken to Forbes, including Raniere, Salzman, and Sara Bronfman. What upset them above all were Edgar Bronfman's remarks." According to Vanity Fair, the article was a turning point in Raniere's relationship with Edgar: one anonymous source said that the article's publication "was when Edgar Bronfman became NXIVM's enemy". A witness at Raniere's trial later testified that Bronfman's computer was compromised and his emails monitored by group members for a period of years.

NXIVM teachings drew upon diverse influences, including Ayn Rand ("parasites"), L. Ron Hubbard ("suppressives"), Milton Erickson's hypnosis, Isaac Asimov's science fiction, Rudolf Steiner, Tony Robbins and neuro-linguistic programming. NXIVM incorporated elements of multi-level marketing and practices from judo, with colored cloth for rank and bowing.{{Cite web |last=Parlato |first=Frank |date=July 7, 2019 |title=Did Isaac Asimov Inspire Keith Raniere to be 'the Mule'? |url=https://artvoice.com/2019/07/07/did-isaac-asimov-inspire-keith-raniere-to-be-the-mule/ |website=Artvoice |access-date=July 29, 2021 |archive-date=July 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729014452/https://www.artvoice.com/2019/07/07/did-isaac-asimov-inspire-keith-raniere-to-be-the-mule/ |url-status=dead }}

From January 2005 until late 2007, Raniere lost nearly $70 million in commodities trading. Bouchey spent $1.6 million covering losses of commodities trades which Raniere had made in her name. Raniere suggested to Clare Bronfman that the losses were due to market manipulation by her father. Beginning in August 2005, the Bronfman sisters covered the losses, ultimately using $150 million of their own funds in support of Raniere and his organization.

File:Tenzin Gyatso - 14th Dalai Lama (2012).jpg appeared at a NXIVM event.]]

Eager to distance themselves from negative allegations, NXIVM members sought the endorsement of the 14th Dalai Lama, spending $2 million on the project.{{cite web|url=https://artvoice.com/2015/12/23/cult-nxivm-part-6-raniere-bronfmans-try-buy-dalai-lama/|title=Cult of Nxivm Part 6: Raniere and the Bronfmans Try to Buy the Dalai Lama|website=Artvoice|last=Parlato|first=Frank|date=December 23, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/05/31/from-heiress-to-felon-how-clare-bronfman-wound-up-in-cult-like-group-nxivm/#472424f13ecf|title=From Heiress To Felon: How Clare Bronfman Wound Up In 'Cult-Like' Group Nxivm|website=Forbes|last=Yakowicz|first=Will|date=May 31, 2019}} On May 6, 2009, the Dalai Lama traveled to Albany to give a talk; during the event, he presented Raniere with a white scarf onstage.{{cite news|url=https://artvoice.com/2018/01/27/dalai-lama-secretary-denies-1-million-paid-speak-raniere-yet-dalai-lama-trust-founded-10-days-albany-speech-2-million-donations/|title=Dalai Lama Secretary denies $1 million paid to speak for Raniere; Yet Dalai Lama Trust founded 10 days after Albany speech with $2 million in donations|website=Artvoice|last=Parlato|first=Frank|date=January 27, 2018}} The Dalai Lama additionally wrote the foreword to the book The Sphinx and Thelxiepeia, which Raniere co-authored in 2009.{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/projects/2020/nxivm-timeline/|title=Unraveling NXIVM: A timeline of Times Union coverage|website=Times Union}} The prior year, Raniere had co-authored his first book, Odin and The Sphinx. Eight years later, it was revealed that, in 2009, Sara Bronfman had a sexual relationship with Lama Tenzin Dhonden, the Dalai Lama's gatekeeper, who arranged the appearance; and who, as a monk, had taken a vow of celibacy.{{Cite book |last=Oxenberg |first=Catherine |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1051779947 |title=Captive : a mother's crusade to save her daughter from a terrifying cult |date=2018 |others=Natasha Stoynoff |isbn=978-1-9821-0067-4 |edition= |location=New York |oclc=1051779947}} Amid accusations of corruption, Dhonden was replaced.{{cite news |author= |title=Suspended Lama Tenzin Dhonden Had A Lover Too!|url=http://www.tibetanjournal.com/suspended-lama-tenzin-lover/ |work=Tibetan Journal|date=November 1, 2017 |access-date=August 13, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/29/tenzin-dhonden-dalai-lama-corruption-celebrity-investigation |title=Controversial monk and Dalai Lama aide replaced amid corruption accusations |last=Carroll |first=Rory |date= November 29, 2017 |work=The Guardian |access-date=April 27, 2020 }}

In 2009, a group of Raniere's associates called the "NXIVM Nine"—which included his former partner, Barbara Bouchey—broke with the organization, citing "concerns about unethical practices and the alleged abuse of his leadership status to sexually manipulate women in the organization".{{cite web|url=https://tonyortega.org/2019/05/13/nxivm-witness-keith-raniere-put-women-through-brutal-humiliation-to-toughen-them/|title=Nxivm witness: Keith Raniere put women through brutal humiliation to 'toughen' them|website=The Underground Bunker|first=Tony|last=Ortega}}{{cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Nine-years-with-NXIVM-1636484.php|title=Nine years with NXIVM|work=Times Union|date=July 29, 2011}} In November 2010, Vanity Fair published an article, "The Heiresses and the Cult", in which Natalie, another former partner of Raniere, recalled that he "had insisted she keep the body of her dead puppy in her garage freezer and look at it daily". In a 2010 Times Union article, former NXIVM coaches characterized students as "prey" for Raniere to satisfy either his gambling or sexual proclivities.{{cite news|last=Odato| first=James |title=Ex-NXIVM trainer: Students are prey|url=http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Ex-NXIVM-trainer-Students-are-prey-824046.php |work=Times Union |date=November 22, 2010}}

{{external media|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9Buo3Gj3Zk 2009 discussion between Bouchey and Raniere]:

Partial transcript

KR: You don't have the experience of leadership. You don't have the experience of preserving people's lives with what you say. And the truth of the matter is –

BB: Well, in a way neither do you –

KR: Yes I do.

BB: No you don't, because the only company before this was Consumers Buyline and that, in my understanding, fell apart within a few years ... or was on the downhill after a couple years when you got sued or whatever it was.

KR: That's not ... Well .. Here's the thing ... I've been shot at because of my beliefs ... I have had to make choices: should I have body guards? Should I have them armed or not? I've had people killed ... because of my beliefs and their beliefs.

}}

Kristin Keeffe was a longtime partner of Raniere and the mother of his first child.{{cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Legal-papers-NXIVM-officials-probed-finances-of-6516856.php|title=Legal papers: NXIVM officials probed finances of 6 federal judges, Senator Schumer, others|first=Brendan J.|last=Lyons|date=September 20, 2015|newspaper=Times Union}} In 2010, it was reported that Raniere had ordered that the child be kept away from peers and that he was being cared for by nannies speaking five different languages. In February 2014, Keeffe broke up with Raniere and left NXIVM. After she fled the Albany area with her son, an email bearing her name explained: "I have full sole legal custody of Gaelyn. Keith was experimenting on him. I had to get Gaelyn away."{{cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/A-split-from-NXIVM-5468731.php|title=A split from NXIVM|first=James M.|last=Odato|date=May 11, 2014|website=Times Union}} Keeffe publicly described Raniere as "dangerous".

In 2015, Keeffe publicly alleged that Raniere directed the Canadian investigative firm Canaprobe to obtain financial information on six federal judges and a United States senator as well as a reporter, an editor and the publisher of the Times Union. That same year, Keeffe further alleged that Raniere had planned to lure his critics to Mexico with an invitation to an anti-cult conference; once there, the critics were to be arrested on false charges by order of a local judge who had been bribed.{{cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Records-NXIVM-hacked-billionaire-s-emails-with-6576310.php|title=Records: NXIVM hacked billionaire's emails with Hillary Clinton, world leaders|work=Times Union|last=Lyons|first=Brendan J.|date=October 18, 2015}}{{Cite magazine |last=Berman |first=Sarah |date=September 26, 2018 |title=The Alleged Plot to Put NXIVM's Critics in a Mexican Prison |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-alleged-plot-to-put-nxivms-critics-in-mexican-prison/ |access-date=December 30, 2019 |magazine=Vice |language=en}} Keeffe stated at Raniere's sentencing that he had never paid child support for their son.

In 2015, Raniere sued AT&T and Microsoft, alleging they had infringed on his patents. The following year, the case was dismissed with prejudice. The trial court ruled that Raniere's "conduct throughout this litigation, culminating in his untruthful testimony at the hearing on the motion to dismiss, demonstrates a pattern of obfuscation and bad faith".{{cite web|url=https://cases.justia.com/federal/district-courts/texas/txndce/3:2015cv00540/256610/171/0.pdf?ts=1472915798|title=Memorandum Opinion and Order granting 158 Motion for Attorney Fees. (Ordered by Chief Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn on 9/2/2016)|website=Justia}} Raniere was sanctioned and ordered to pay $450,000 in attorneys' fees.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/microsoft-attorneys-fees-idUSL1N1RW015|title=Self-help guru must pay Microsoft, AT&T attorneys' fees for patent dispute – Fed. Circ.|work=Reuters|date=April 19, 2018|access-date=June 20, 2019 |last1=Grzincic|first1=Barbara}}

Public accusations of sexually predatory behavior and inappropriate relationships with minors began trailing Raniere in the early 2010s. Soon after his arrest in 2018, prosecutors opposed bail, writing that Raniere had "a decades-long history of abusing women and girls."{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=United States of America|defendant=Keith Raniere|title=RESPONSE in Opposition re 191 Second MOTION for Bond|doc-number=202|att-number=1|date=November 19, 2018|pacer-number=420065|use-recap=yes|case-state=NY|case-district=ED|case-division=1|case-year=2018|case-type=cr|case-sequence=00204|access-date=May 17, 2022}} At his trial, prosecutors introduced evidence that Raniere held views approving sexual assault, child sexual abuse and incest.{{cite news |last=Moghe |first=Sonia |date=June 15, 2019 |title=Nxivm trial testimony ends with video of founder discussing child sex abuse |work=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/14/us/nxivm-keith-raniere-trial-testimony-ends/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190615033418/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/14/us/nxivm-keith-raniere-trial-testimony-ends/index.html|url-status=live|archive-date=June 15, 2019}}{{cite news |date=June 14, 2019 |title=NXIVM Video: Keith Raniere Frames Child Sexual Abuse as "Human Construct" |work=Spectrum News |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2019/06/15/nxivm-trial-update#}}{{cite news |last=Gavin |first=Robert |date=June 15, 2019 |title=Accused cult leader on tape: Some children 'perfectly happy' having sex with adults |work=Albany Times Union |url=https://www.wtae.com/article/accused-cult-leader-on-tape-some-children-perfectly-happy-having-sex-with-adults/28038155}}{{cite news |date=June 14, 2019 |title=Nxivm leader taught disciples that women enjoyed rape: witness |work=New York Post|first1=Emily|last1=Saul|first2=Lia|last2=Eustachewich |url=https://nypost.com/2019/06/14/nxivm-leader-taught-disciples-that-women-enjoyed-rape-witness/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614181147/https://nypost.com/2019/06/14/nxivm-leader-taught-disciples-that-women-enjoyed-rape-witness/|archive-date=June 14, 2019|url-status=live }}

Raniere's eight-year relationship with Toni Natalie ended in 1999. She later claimed to have been the victim of harassment. In a January 2003 ruling, federal judge Robert Littlefield implied Raniere was using a legal suit to harass his former partner, writing, "This matter smacks of a jilted fellow's attempt at revenge or retaliation against his former girlfriend, with many attempts at tripping her up along the way."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2010/11/bronfman-201011|title=The Heiresses and the Cult|date=October 13, 2010|magazine=Vanity Fair}} In 2011, Natalie filed documents in federal court alleging that she had been repeatedly raped by Raniere.

In 2012, the Times Union reported that Raniere had three sexual relationships with girls under the age of consent during the 1980s and 1990s; Times Union reporters spoke to the girls and their families. One of the victims, who spoke out on condition of anonymity, said that she met Raniere in 1990, when she was aged 12 and he was aged 30. Raniere offered to tutor the girl, whose mother worked for CBI, and one of his live-in partners, Pamela Cafritz, hired her to walk their dog and encouraged her to visit their townhouse. The woman said that the tutoring sessions were a pretext for sexual encounters and that she and Raniere had over sixty such encounters over a course of months, ending around 1991. In 1993 she received counseling for victims of sex abuse and filed a report with the New York State Police against Raniere. The complaint was not forwarded to prosecutors because she had declined to wear a wire to obtain a confession from Raniere.{{cite news |last=Lyons |first=Brendan J. |date=April 22, 2019 |title=Feds seek testimony of ex-Shen student allegedly raped by Raniere |work=Times Union |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-seek-testimony-of-former-Shen-student-13786056.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422225852/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-seek-testimony-of-former-Shen-student-13786056.php|url-status=live|archive-date=April 22, 2019}}{{cite news |last=Lampen |first=Claire |date=April 23, 2019 |title=Prosecutors Seek Testimony From Woman Alleging Underage Sex Abuse By Nxivm Founder |url=https://gothamist.com/news/prosecutors-seek-testimony-from-woman-alleging-underage-sex-abuse-by-nxivm-founder |work=Gothamist}}

In the 2019 criminal case against Raniere, prosecutors alleged that, starting in 2002, Raniere gained a Svengali-like control over a Mexican family who all moved from Monterrey to the NXIVM community in Albany.{{Cite web |last=Berman |first=Sarah |date=May 25, 2019 |title=How Three Teen Sisters Were Allegedly Groomed into NXIVM Leader's 'Sex Cult' |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-three-teen-sisters-were-allegedly-groomed-into-nxivm-leader-keith-ranieres-sex-cult/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019191836/https://www.vice.com/en/article/7xgwqg/how-three-teen-sisters-were-allegedly-groomed-into-nxivm-leader-keith-ranieres-sex-cult |archive-date=October 19, 2020 |website=VICE}}{{cite web |last=Hays |first=Tom |date=June 20, 2019|title=Self-help guru convicted in lurid sex-trafficking case|url=https://apnews.com/article/religion-us-news-ap-top-news-keith-raniere-ca-state-wire-15c59712a185476b83b2c1b3c8b321dc|work=Associated Press|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121213507/https://apnews.com/article/religion-us-news-ap-top-news-keith-raniere-ca-state-wire-15c59712a185476b83b2c1b3c8b321dc|url-status=live|archive-date=January 21, 2022}}{{cite web |last=Hong |first=Nicole |date=October 29, 2020 |title=How the Nxivm Sex Cult Leader Tore One Family Apart |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/29/nyregion/nxivm-cult-keith-raniere-abuse.html |work=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029102309/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/29/nyregion/nxivm-cult-keith-raniere-abuse.html|archive-date=October 29, 2020|url-status=live}} The three sisters in this family eventually became sexual partners of Raniere. The eldest, Marianna, is the mother of Raniere's second biological child.{{Cite news|last=Gavin |first=Robert |date=September 14, 2020|title=Feds want Clare Bronfman to serve five years in prison|url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-want-Clare-Bronfman-to-serve-5-years-in-15566840.php|work=Times Union|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916041240/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-want-Clare-Bronfman-to-serve-5-years-in-15566840.php|url-status=live|archive-date=September 16, 2020}} The middle child, Daniela, testified that she was groomed as a minor and began a sexual relationship with Raniere days after her 18th birthday.{{cite web |last=Moghe |first=Sonia |date=June 3, 2019 |title='Please let me out': Former Nxivm member testifies about being held in a room for 2 years |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/02/us/nxivm-room-testimony/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603054442/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/02/us/nxivm-room-testimony/index.html |archive-date=June 3, 2019 |work=CNN}} The youngest, Camila, stated that Raniere began sexually abusing her in 2005, when she was aged 15. The prosecution established that Raniere impregnated each sister at various times and compelled them to obtain abortions. In addition, Daniela testified that Cafritz coached each sister to refuse to answer questions about paternity to prevent his abuse from becoming known to any nurse who might be a mandated reporter.{{cite web |last=Melendez |first=Pilar |date=May 28, 2019 |title=NXIVM 'Sex Cult' Leader Forced 3 Sisters to Get Abortions, Ex-Follower Testifies |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/nxivm-keith-raniere-leader-forced-3-sisters-to-get-abortions-ex-follower-testifies |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605150249/https://www.thedailybeast.com/nxivm-keith-raniere-leader-forced-3-sisters-to-get-abortions-ex-follower-testifies |archive-date=June 5, 2019 |work=The Daily Beast}}

According to Daniela, who testified for the prosecution at Raniere's trial, Raniere claimed that he had "mystical" powers and could help people grow spiritually and "fix disintegrations" through sex.{{Cite web |last1=Grinberg|first1= Emanuella|last2=Moghe|first2=Sonia |date=May 24, 2019 |title=She says she dropped out of school and left Mexico to join a cult |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/24/us/nxivm-trial-mexican-witness/index.html|website=CNN |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524163648/https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/24/us/nxivm-trial-mexican-witness/index.html|url-status=live|archive-date=May 24, 2019}} The sisters were strongly discouraged from discussing their sexual relationships with Raniere, even between each other.

Beginning in 2010, Daniela was confined to a bedroom for two years in her family home on the pretext that she had stolen money.{{cite web |last=Berman |first=Sarah |date=May 31, 2019 |title='I Was Gone from the World and Nobody Noticed': One Woman's Story of Being Trapped by NXIVM|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/i-was-gone-from-the-world-and-nobody-noticed-one-womans-story-of-being-trapped-by-nxivm/|work=VICE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001153646/https://www.vice.com/en/article/evy58a/i-was-gone-from-the-world-and-nobody-noticed-one-womans-story-of-being-trapped-by-nxivm|url-status=live|archive-date=October 1, 2020}} Daniela maintained her captivity began when she told Raniere she had romantic feelings for another man. Raniere accused her of an "ethical breach" and assigned Salzman to help her "learn from her mistakes". Daniela described the spartan conditions of the room, consisting of blacked-out windows with only a mattress on the floor, a pen and paper. Daniela was only allowed to speak to Salzman; other family members were instructed to shun her. This alleged confinement ended in 2012, after she almost attempted suicide, but instead decided to leave her family home. After escaping her captivity, Daniela went to a volleyball game to confront Raniere, who attempted to hide.{{cite web |last=Saul|first=Emily|date=May 29, 2019|title=Nxivm leader hid from me when I escaped his captivity: witness|url=https://nypost.com/2019/05/29/nxivm-leader-hid-from-me-when-i-escaped-his-captivity-witness/|work=New York Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401030115/https://nypost.com/2019/05/29/nxivm-leader-hid-from-me-when-i-escaped-his-captivity-witness/|archive-date=April 1, 2023|url-status=live}} She was later escorted out of the NXIVM community and was left at the U.S.–Mexico border with less than $80 and no personal documents.{{cite web |last=Pullano |first=Nina |date=October 28, 2020 |title=Years of Cruelty Recounted at Sentencing of NXIVM Sex Cult Leader |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/hours-of-cruelty-recounted-at-sentencing-of-nxivm-sex-cult-leader/ |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121035121/https://www.courthousenews.com/hours-of-cruelty-recounted-at-sentencing-of-nxivm-sex-cult-leader/ |archive-date=January 21, 2023 |access-date=October 2, 2023 |work=Courthouse News}}

Salzman corroborated Daniela's account at the trial, testifying that her efforts to leave the room (including cleaning her room, exercising and writing daily letters to Raniere) were all rejected, and that Raniere had told Salzman to ignore a letter sent by Daniela pleading to be let out, brushing it off as "a tantrum". Salzman admitted that she and others were "incredibly abusive" to Daniela and that "[n]othing [Daniela] could do was the right thing".{{cite web |last=Melendez |first=Pilar |date=May 22, 2019 |title=NXIVM Leader Held Woman Inside Bedroom for 2 Years, Ex-Lieutenant Testifies |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/nxivm-leader-keith-raniere-held-woman-inside-bedroom-for-2-years-lauren-salzman-testifies?ref=scroll |work=The Daily Beast|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319222814/https://www.thedailybeast.com/nxivm-leader-keith-raniere-held-woman-inside-bedroom-for-2-years-lauren-salzman-testifies?ref=scroll|url-status=live|archive-date=March 19, 2022}}

At Raniere's trial, prosecutors accused Raniere of the sexual exploitation of Daniela's underage sister Camila, narrating it through Daniela's testimony, hospital records, transcripts of Raniere's communication with Camila and sexually explicit photos of Camila found in his home.{{cite web |date=May 27, 2019 |title=Part 8 [Final]: In-Depth: Dani's Testimony: 'Raniere's Destructive Influence on My Sisters' |url=https://frankreport.com/2019/05/26/part-8-final-in-depth-danis-testimony-ranieres-destructive-influence-on-my-sisters/ |access-date=June 20, 2019 |website=Frank Report|first=Frank|last=Parlato}}{{cite news |last=Gavin |first=Robert |date=June 13, 2019 |title=Jury sees child pornography allegedly possessed by NXIVM leader |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Jury-sees-child-pornography-allegedly-possessed-13987155.php |work=Times Union|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124071855/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Jury-sees-child-pornography-allegedly-possessed-13987155.php|url-status=live|archive-date=November 24, 2020}}{{cite web |last=Voytko |first=Lisette |date=June 6, 2019 |title=Nxivm Leader's Text Messages With Sex 'Slave' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/06/06/nxivm-leaders-text-messages-with-sex-slave/?sh=9ae4e19b6b0f |work=Forbes|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110204032/https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/06/06/nxivm-leaders-text-messages-with-sex-slave/|url-status=live|archive-date=January 10, 2021}} Prosecutors also introduced WhatsApp messages between Raniere and Camila, which showed that Raniere considered her as his "slave" and tasked her with finding more sex slaves, which Raniere calls "successors" and expresses a preference for women shorter than him, younger and virgins.{{cite web |last=Saul |first=Emily |date=June 5, 2019 |title=Nxivm leader allegedly had sex slave troll Tinder for more virgins |url=https://nypost.com/2019/06/05/nxivm-leader-allegedly-had-sex-slave-troll-tinder-for-more-virgins/|work=New York Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606025744/https://nypost.com/2019/06/05/nxivm-leader-allegedly-had-sex-slave-troll-tinder-for-more-virgins/|archive-date=June 6, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/06/06/fbi-nxivms-leader-had-sex-slave-cruise-tinder-for-him/|title=FBI: Nxivm's Leader Had 'Sex Slave' Cruise Tinder For Him|first=Lisette|last=Voytko|website=Forbes|date=June 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107234326/https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/06/06/fbi-nxivms-leader-had-sex-slave-cruise-tinder-for-him/|url-status=live|archive-date=November 7, 2020}}

While Camila did not testify during the trial, she confirmed the sexual abuse at Raniere's sentencing in her victim impact statement.{{cite web | url=https://frankreport.com/2020/11/01/camilas-complete-statement-at-ranieres-sentencing-when-i-was-still-15-he-took-naked-pictures-naked-pictures-of-me/ |first=Frank|last=Parlato|work=Frank Report|title=Camila's Complete Statement at Raniere's Sentencing -'When I Was Still 15, He Took Naked Pictures - Naked Pictures of Me!' | date=November 2020 }} Camila said she met Raniere at age 13 and began a sexual relationship with Raniere when she was aged 15, which lasted for twelve years. The abusive relationship with Raniere continued into her adulthood, where his control and demands led to her developing an eating disorder, self-harming and attempting suicide.{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/nxivm-victims-describe-keith-ranieres-sexual-abuse-sentencing-185611990.html|title=NXIVM victims describe Keith Raniere's sexual abuses at sentencing|date=October 28, 2020|work=Yahoo|first=Taryn|last=Ryder}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/nxivm-child-sex-abuse-victim-says-keith-raniere-stole-12-years-of-her-life/|title=NXIVM Child Sex Abuse Victim Says Keith Raniere Stole 12 Years of Her Life|last=Berman|first=Sarah|date=October 29, 2020|work=VICE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030130530/https://www.vice.com/en/article/3anzx8/nxivm-child-sex-abuse-victim-says-keith-raniere-stole-12-years-of-her-life|url-status=live|archive-date=October 30, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/biz/news/keith-raniere-sentenced-prison-nxivm-1234815933/|title=NXIVM Sex Cult Leader Keith Raniere Sentenced to 120 Years in Prison|date=October 27, 2020|work=Variety|first=Elizabeth|last=Wagmeister}}

• In 1984, a 24-year-old Raniere seduced and statutorily raped 15-year-old Gina Melita after the two met in a theater group.{{cite web | url=https://frankreport.com/2019/12/15/heidi-when-did-raniere-and-keeffe-last-have-contact-with-my-sister-the-late-gina-hutchinson/ |first=Heidi|last=Hutchinson|title=Heidi: When Did Raniere and Keeffe Last Have Contact with My Sister, the Late Gina Hutchinson? |work=Frank Report| date=December 16, 2019 }} When their relationship ended, Melita introduced him to her friend Gina Hutchinson, only aged 14, whom he also statutorily raped. When her sister, Heidi Hutchinson, found Raniere climbing into Gina's bedroom window and confronted the pair, Raniere told her that Hutchinson was a "Buddhist goddess meant to be with him". Heidi recalled that, during the late 1980s, Raniere was fascinated by Amway, Scientology and neuro-linguistic programming.{{cite web |last1=Bloch |first1=Josh |last2=Goldhar |first2=Kathleen |last3=Elash |first3=Anita |last4=Pizer |first4=Dave |name-list-style=and |date=September 12, 2018 |title=The making of Vanguard |url=https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/the-making-of-the-vanguard/ |website=CBC}} Gina dropped out of school and continued her relationship with Raniere, working for a time at CBI. On October 11, 2002, the 33-year-old Gina was found dead of a gunshot wound to her head on the grounds of the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra Buddhist monastery in Woodstock, New York, an apparent suicide. According to former NXIVM publicist Frank Parlato,{{cite web |url=https://www.distractify.com/p/gina-hutchinson-nxivm|title=What Happened to NXIVM Cult Leader Keith Raniere's Ex-Girlfriend Gina Hutchinson?|work=Distractiyfy|date=October 31, 2022 }} "one source close to Raniere, who knew Gina, said she observed Raniere discussing with Gina various methods people use to commit suicide. Sometimes, he would send her images of suicide for her to comment on. He took her to movies with scenes or themes of suicide. He would sometimes pose the question—'Is suicide always wrong? When could it be the right thing to do?'" Allegedly, after Raniere learned that Hutchinson had another boyfriend, he "reportedly said she must ascend to the level of the goddess by leaving her body."{{cite web|url=https://frankreport.com/2019/10/21/did-gina-hutchinsons-journal-disclose-motive-for-murder/|title=Did Gina Hutchinson's Journal Disclose Motive for Murder?|last=Mercury|first=Anna|date=October 21, 2019|website=Frank Report|access-date=November 14, 2020}}
• Kristin Snyder was a 35-year-old environmental consultant who, in November 2002, paid $7,000 to enroll in a sixteen-day ESP course conducted in Anchorage, Alaska, hosted by Salzman.{{Cite web|first=Frank|last=Parlato|work=Frank Report|date=August 9, 2017|url=https://frankreport.com/2017/08/09/was-kristin-snyder-murdered-sources-claim-snyder-said-she-was-pregnant-with-ranieres-child-right-before-disappearing/|title=Was Kristin Snyder murdered? Sources claim Snyder said she was pregnant with Raniere's child right before disappearing|language=en-US|access-date=December 30, 2019}} The following January, Snyder traveled to Albany to visit Raniere and other NXIVM leaders. Snyder's mother recalled that her daughter "had come to believe she was responsible for the Columbia shuttle disaster" and "thought Keith was incredible". Snyder signed up for a second ESP course in Anchorage.{{cite web |url=https://charleyproject.org/case/kristin-marie-snyder|title=Kristin Marie Snyder|work=The Charley Project}} On February 6, 2003, the tenth day of the second seminar, she reportedly began claiming to be pregnant with Raniere's child, a claim allegedly corroborated by Clare Bronfman.{{cite news|last1=Gavin|first1=Robert|last2=Seiler|first2=Casey|title=NXIVM insiders speak in upcoming special|date=November 29, 2019|url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-insiders-speak-in-upcoming-special-14871030.php|work=Times Union|access-date=October 22, 2020}} Clifford recalled: "I was told [by a NXIVM instructor] not to bring her to the hospital. That's what makes me feel really bad."{{cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/An-ESPian-s-brief-life-15640498.php|title=An Espian's brief life|last=Yusko|first=Dennis|date=February 1, 2004|work=Times Union|access-date=October 4, 2021}} Snyder was last seen leaving this session of the course. Her vehicle was discovered two days later in Seward, Alaska, 120 miles from Anchorage. Police recovered a note that read: "I attended a course called Executive Success Programs ... based out of Anchorage, AK, and Albany, NY. I was brainwashed, and my emotional center of the brain was killed/turned off. I still have feeling in my external skin, but my internal organs are rotting ... I am sorry life [sic]; I didn't know I was already dead. May we persist into the future." A separate page added: "No need to search for my body." A witness at Raniere's trial testified that, after Snyder disappeared, Raniere paid $24,000 to obtain the password to her email account.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/nyregion/nxivm-trial-sex-cult-spyware-bronfman.html|title=Sex Cult Used Spyware to Monitor Bronfman|first=Colin|last=Moynihan|date=May 28, 2019|work=The New York Times}}
• 63-year-old Barbara Jeske died from brain cancer on September 3, 2014. A business graduate of Michigan State University, Jeske was one of the earliest ESP recruiters in 1999 and became Raniere's top lieutenant in NXIVM.{{Cite web |title=Watch The Lost Women of NXIVM Season 1 {{!}} Prime Video |url=https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Women-NXIVM-Season/dp/B082H1FQ3H |access-date=March 29, 2023 |website=amazon.com}} In 2014 she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, but was told by Raniere that she instead had carpal tunnel syndrome and was instructed not to seek medical attention.{{Cite web |last=Parlato |first=Frank |date=June 5, 2017 |title=Part 1: Branded Slaves and Master Raniere; Sources: Human branding part of Raniere-inspired women's group |url=https://frankreport.com/2017/06/05/part-1-branded-slaves-and-master-raniere-sources-human-branding-part-of-raniere-inspired-womens-group/ |access-date=March 29, 2023 |website=Frank Report |language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine |last=Dickson |first=EJ |date=May 6, 2019 |title=NXIVM Insiders Tell Us What to Expect From Keith Raniere's Trial |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/nxivm-insider-kieth-raniere-trial-preview-831774/ |access-date=March 29, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}
• On November 7, 2016, another senior NXIVM member, 57-year-old Pamela Cafritz, died of renal cancer. Both Jeske and Cafritz were diagnosed with cancer while living with Raniere in his Halfmoon, New York, condominium. Two other female NXIVM members were diagnosed with cancer while residing in the same residence, although both survived.{{Cite web |date=June 4, 2021 |title=The Dead Women of NXIVM |url=https://www.truecrimeedition.com/post/nxivm |access-date=March 29, 2023 |website=True Crime Edition |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=November 9, 2020 |title=The Lost Women of NXIVM: Rumors vs. Reality – video Dailymotion |url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7xckxx |access-date=March 29, 2023 |website=Dailymotion |language=en}} A sample of hair from one of the women, who survived bladder cancer, showed that she had "significantly higher" levels of carcinogenic "heavy metals" such as bismuth and barium. After Cafritz' death, Raniere and his co-conspirators used her identity and her credit card, charging over $300,000.{{Citation |title=The Lost Women of NXIVM | date=December 9, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjhZ7_0QiMI |access-date=March 29, 2023 |language=en}} In 2009, Raniere was filmed claiming: "I've had people killed because of my beliefs—or because of their beliefs."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/is-nxivm-a-cult-what-we-know-129600/|title=Is NXIVM a Cult? What We Know|first1=Laura|last1=Barcella|date=November 21, 2017|magazine=Rolling Stone}}

In 2015, Raniere created a secret subgroup within NXIVM called "DOS", an acronym for "Dominus Obsequious Sororium".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43550908|title=Keith Raniere: Nxivm leader charged with sex trafficking|date=March 27, 2018|work=BBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327204936/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43550908|url-status=live|archive-date=March 27, 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/feds-self-help-guru-kept-women-as-sex-slaves-branded-them-with-his-initials |title=Feds: 'Self-Help' Guru Kept Women as Sex 'Slaves,' Branded Them With His Initials |first=Tatyana |last=Bellamy-Walker |work=The Daily Beast |date=March 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329114057/https://www.thedailybeast.com/feds-self-help-guru-kept-women-as-sex-slaves-branded-them-with-his-initials|url-status=live|archive-date=March 29, 2018}} DOS operated with levels of women "slaves" headed by "masters". Slaves were expected to recruit slaves of their own, becoming masters themselves. Slaves owed service not only to their own masters but also to masters above them in the DOS pyramid.{{cite news|author=United States' Attorney's Office|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/founder-nxivm-purported-self-help-organization-based-albany-ny-arrested-sex-trafficking|title=The Founder of "Nxivm," a Purported Self-Help Organization Based in Albany, N.Y., Arrested for Sex Trafficking and Forced Labor Conspiracy|date=March 26, 2018|work=Department of Justice}}{{PD-notice}} An estimated 150 women joined DOS. Raniere was the only male in DOS and sat at the top of the pyramid as the "grandmaster".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48699099|work=BBC|date=June 19, 2019|title=Nxivm: Sex cult leader Raniere found guilty in New York|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619201226/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48699099|url-status=live|archive-date=June 19, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/groom-a-slave-for-me-xrated-texts-that-exposed-sex-cult-nxivms-secret-purpose/news-story/fee519a2ac704498c6acc689d9b1fac2|work=The Chronicle|date=October 2, 2019|title='Groom a slave for me': X-rated texts that exposed sex cult NXIVM's secret purpose|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120114721/https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/groom-a-slave-for-me-xrated-texts-that-exposed-sex-cult-nxivms-secret-purpose/news-story/fee519a2ac704498c6acc689d9b1fac2|url-status=live|archive-date=January 20, 2022}}

File:US v. Raniere Prosecution exhibit - Diagram of DOS 'first-line slaves'.png

Raniere initially recruited eight women to join DOS, including Allison Mack, Nicki Clyne and Lauren Salzman, who became his inner-circle members and DOS "first-line masters".{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/16/us/nxivm-keith-raniere-trial/index.html|work=CNN|date=June 16, 2019|title=6 weeks of testimony in Nxivm case reveal lurid details of alleged sex cult, including branding women and holding them captive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616092611/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/16/us/nxivm-keith-raniere-trial/index.html|url-status=live|archive-date=June 16, 2019}} DOS masters recruited new members by telling them they were joining a women-only organization that would empower them, with Raniere's status as the leader of DOS concealed.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/keith-raniere-nxivm-misogyny-833427/|title=Keith Raniere's Alleged Sex Cult Was Extreme — But His Misogynistic Views Were Horrifyingly Normal|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=EJ|last=Dickson|date=May 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509231419/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/keith-raniere-nxivm-misogyny-833427/|archive-date=May 9, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web |date=April 20, 2018 |author=United States' Attorney's Office|title=Founder of 'NXIVM', a Purported Self-Help Organization, and Actor Indicted for Sex Trafficking and Forced Labor Conspiracy |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/founder-nxivm-purported-self-help-organization-and-actor-indicted-sex-trafficking-and|work=Department of Justice}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/nyregion/nxivm-trial-lauren-salzman.html|title=Nxivm Trial: Naked Meetings and Photos for Sex Cult 'Grandmaster'|last=Moynihan|first=Colin|date=May 17, 2019|work=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518021525/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/nyregion/nxivm-trial-lauren-salzman.html|url-status=live|archive-date=May 18, 2019}}

Raniere maintained command and control over DOS members by collecting "collateral"—which included highly damaging personal information, sexually explicit photos or videos and rights to personal assets—and relied on his inner-circle members to carry out his orders and build the DOS pyramid group.{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/20/us/nxivm-trial-slave-master-testifies/index.html|title=Nxivm member testifies of paddlings, branding of 'slaves' and plans for a dungeon|work=CNN|date=May 21, 2019|first=Sonia|last=Moghe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521041459/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/20/us/nxivm-trial-slave-master-testifies/index.html|url-status=live|archive-date=May 21, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47858819|title=Nxivm: Actress Allison Mack pleads guilty in 'sex cult' case|work=BBC|date=April 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408205608/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47858819|url-status=live|archive-date=April 8, 2019}} Women were required to provide collateral before joining DOS and continue to give new collateral every month after joining it.{{cite news |last=Cobb |first=Kayla |date=September 7, 2020 |title='The Vow' Finally Explained How NXIVM's Sex Cult Worked |work=Decider |url=https://decider.com/2020/09/07/the-vow-hbo-nxivm-sex-cult-explained/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406033239/https://decider.com/2020/09/07/the-vow-hbo-nxivm-sex-cult-explained/|archive-date=April 6, 2023|url-status=live}} Slaves were told that their collateral could be released for any number of reasons, including if they left DOS, spoke publicly about DOS, or repeatedly failed DOS obligations or assignments.

Raniere tasked his inner-circle members with various DOS projects and devised assignments for DOS slaves, including instructions for seduction assignments in which DOS masters implicitly or expressly directed their slaves to engage in sexual activity with Raniere.{{Cite web |title=Woman Reveals How She Went From Aspiring Olympian to NXIVM Sex 'Slave' |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/one-womans-harrowing-journey-from-aspiring-olympian-to-nxivm-sex-slave-trial/ |date=May 9, 2019|work= VICE|first=Sarah|last=Berman|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028091105/https://www.vice.com/en/article/neaenk/one-womans-harrowing-journey-from-aspiring-olympian-to-nxivm-sex-slave-trial|url-status=live|archive-date=October 28, 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/nxivm-defector-india-oxenberg-breaks-silence-on-alleged-sex-cult-4075805/|title=NXIVM Defector India Oxenberg Breaks Silence on "Inhumane" Sex Cult|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Jackie|last=Strause|date=October 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707023920/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/nxivm-defector-india-oxenberg-breaks-silence-on-alleged-sex-cult-4075805/|url-status=live|archive-date=July 7, 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/11/us/nxivm-testimony-actress-lured/index.html|title=An actress testifies she was lured into 'sex cult' through classes|work=CNN|first=Sonia|last=Moghe|date=June 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611073538/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/11/us/nxivm-testimony-actress-lured/index.html|url-status=live|archive-date=June 11, 2019}} The assignments later served as the basis for Raniere's indictment and convictions for sex trafficking and attempted sex trafficking.{{Cite news|first=Sarah|last=Berman|date=October 28, 2020|title=NXIVM Leader Keith Raniere Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sex Trafficking|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/nxivm-leader-keith-raniere-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-sex-trafficking/|work=VICE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101045438/https://www.vice.com/en/article/jgqx9b/nxivm-leader-keith-raniere-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-sex-trafficking|url-status=live|archive-date=November 1, 2020}}

Raniere encouraged DOS masters to use demeaning and derogatory language and racial slurs to humiliate DOS slaves. Slaves were required to provide free labor for their masters and were severely sleep-deprived from forced participation in "readiness drills" which required them to respond to their masters at any time of the day or night.{{cite news |date=July 1, 2021 |title=Allison Mack sentenced to 3 years in prison for role in NXIVM |work=ABC News|first1=Aaron|last1=Katersky|first2=Allie|last2=Yang|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/allison-mack-sentenced-years-prison-role-nxivm/story?id=78579948|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630195631/https://abcnews.go.com/US/allison-mack-sentenced-years-prison-role-nxivm/story?id=78579948|url-status=live|archive-date=June 30, 2021}}{{cite web |author=United States' Attorney's Office|date=March 26, 2018 |title=United States v. Keith Raniere - Detention Memo|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Raniere-Detention-Memo.pdf|work=United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York}} DOS members were subject to corporal punishment, which included being forced to hold painful poses, stand barefoot in the snow, take cold showers and whip each other with a strap.{{cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2019/05/20/ex-nxivm-disciple-torture-was-a-way-of-life/|title=Ex-Nxivm disciple: Torture was a way of life|newspaper=New York Post|first1=Emily|last1=Saul|first2=Kate|last2=Sheehy|date=May 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626235503/https://nypost.com/2019/05/20/ex-nxivm-disciple-torture-was-a-way-of-life/|archive-date=June 26, 2023|url-status=live}} FBI agent Michael Lever reported that DOS slaves were forced to adhere to extremely restrictive diets to satisfy Raniere's preference for "exceptionally thin" women.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48401061|work=BBC|date=June 19, 2019|title=Keith Raniere's Nxivm sex cult trial: What we learned|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101124210/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48401061|url-status=live|archive-date=January 1, 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://people.com/crime/allison-mack-accused-diet-catherine-oxenberg-daughter-sex-slave-nxivm/|title=Allison Mack Accused of Keeping Catherine Oxenberg's Daughter on Diet for Ideal Sex Slave Weight|work=People|date=June 10, 2019|first1=Liz|last1=McNeil|first2=Chris|last2=Harris|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611145553/https://people.com/crime/allison-mack-accused-diet-catherine-oxenberg-daughter-sex-slave-nxivm/|url-status=live|archive-date=June 11, 2019}} The extreme diet caused women to stop menstruating and their hair to fall out.{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/06/11/nxivm-trial-former-sex-cult-member-almost-blacked-out-when-told-she-had-to-seduce-leader-keith-raniere/?sh=47f2d45a21a3|title=Nxivm Trial: Former 'Sex Cult' Member Almost 'Blacked Out' When Told To Seduce Leader Keith Raniere|work=Forbes|date=June 11, 2019|first=Will|last=Yakowicz|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118182326/https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/06/11/nxivm-trial-former-sex-cult-member-almost-blacked-out-when-told-she-had-to-seduce-leader-keith-raniere/?sh=47f2d45a21a3|url-status=live|archive-date=January 18, 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.insider.com/everything-we-learned-nxivm-cult-docuseries-seduced-2020-10 |title=Everything we learned from 'Seduced,' the 4-part docu-series on alleged sex cult Nxivm|work=Insider|first=Julia|last=Naftulin|date=November 12, 2020|archive-date=May 30, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530024442/https://www.businessinsider.com/everything-we-learned-nxivm-cult-docuseries-seduced-2020-10}} Slaves were also ordered to remain celibate and stop removing their pubic hair.{{cite news|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/former-sex-cult-member-recounts-recruitment-by-actress/|title=Former Sex-Cult Member Recounts Recruitment by Actress|work=Courthouse News|first=Amanda|last=Ottaway|date=June 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403021409/https://www.courthousenews.com/former-sex-cult-member-recounts-recruitment-by-actress/|archive-date=April 3, 2023|access-date=October 2, 2023|url-status=bot: unknown}}

File:US v. Raniere Prosecution exhibit - Brand.jpg, which consisted of Raniere's initials K.A.R.]]

DOS members were branded in their pelvic regions with a symbol that, unbeknownst to them, incorporated Raniere's initials.{{cite news|title='The Smell of Burned Flesh': Former NXIVM Member Describes Being Branded with Cult Leader's Initials|first=Johnny|last=Dodd|work=people|date=September 11, 2019|url=https://people.com/crime/smell-of-burned-flesh-former-nxivm-member-describes-being-branded-with-cult-leaders-initials/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911224627/https://people.com/crime/smell-of-burned-flesh-former-nxivm-member-describes-being-branded-with-cult-leaders-initials/|url-status=live|archive-date=September 11, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://people.com/crime/india-oxenberg-branded-nxivm-keith-raniere-allison-mack/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013202208/https://people.com/crime/india-oxenberg-branded-nxivm-keith-raniere-allison-mack/|url-status=live|archive-date=October 13, 2020|title=Catherine Oxenberg's Daughter India Recalls Harrowing Moment She Was Branded in Nxivm Sex Cult|work=People|first=Liz|last=McNeil|date=October 13, 2020}} Some slaves were told the brand stood for the elements.{{cite news|title=Self-Help Boss Accused of Sex Slavery Appears in Court|work=Courthouse News|first=David|last=Lee|date=March 28, 2018|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/self-help-boss-accused-of-sex-slavery-appears-in-court/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406110623/https://www.courthousenews.com/self-help-boss-accused-of-sex-slavery-appears-in-court/|archive-date=April 6, 2023|access-date=October 2, 2023|url-status=bot: unknown}} Only Raniere's inner-circle members knew the brand was his initials.{{citation|title=Nxivm trial: Raniere expected women to be as obedient as 'hungry dogs'|newspaper=The Guardian|agency=Associated Press|date=May 21, 2019|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/20/nxivm-trial-keith-raniere-lauren-salzman-alleged-sex-cult|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520225412/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/20/nxivm-trial-keith-raniere-lauren-salzman-alleged-sex-cult|url-status=live|archive-date=May 20, 2019}} At Raniere's trial, prosecutors introduced a recording of a private meeting in 2016 with inner-circle members where Raniere stated, "The monogram as it is right now is very directly related to my initials." The group discussed how to obscure that fact.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/26/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial-branding.html|title=Nxivm Branding Was Scripted by Sex Cult Leader to Be 'Like a Sacrifice'|first=Colin|last=Moynihan|date=May 26, 2019|work=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527002508/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/26/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial-branding.html|archive-date=May 27, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Former 'Slave Master' Recounts Sex Cult Branding Ritual|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/former-slave-master-describes-sex-cult-branding-ritual/|date=May 22, 2019|work=Courthouse News|first=Amanda|last=Ottaway|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406033227/https://www.courthousenews.com/former-slave-master-describes-sex-cult-branding-ritual/|archive-date=April 6, 2023|access-date=October 2, 2023|url-status=bot: unknown}}

The DOS branding ritual followed a script created by Raniere: slaves were required to be fully naked, with the ceremonies filmed and used as more collateral on the DOS slaves. In a recorded conversation between Raniere and Mack discussing the branding, Raniere said, "The person should probably ask to be branded. They should probably say that before they're held down, so it doesn't seem like they're being coerced."{{cite news |last=Klasfeld |first=Adam |date=June 22, 2021 |title=Smallville Actress Allison Mack Gave Government Key Tape That Brought Down NXIVM Sex Cult Leader: Prosecutors |work=Law & Crime |url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/smallville-actress-allison-mack-gave-government-key-tape-that-brought-down-nxivm-sex-cult-leader-prosecutors/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622151252/https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/smallville-actress-allison-mack-gave-government-key-tape-that-brought-down-nxivm-sex-cult-leader-prosecutors/|url-status=live|archive-date=June 22, 2021}} NXIVM member Danielle Roberts performed the branding of DOS members using a cauterizing pen. The New York State Department of Health later revoked Roberts' medical license following an investigation into the branding.{{Cite news |date=October 1, 2021 |title=Doctor who branded women for Raniere loses medical license |work=Albany Times Union |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-loyalist-Danielle-Roberts-loses-license-for-16501584.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001135340/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-loyalist-Danielle-Roberts-loses-license-for-16501584.php|url-status=live|archive-date=October 1, 2021}}{{cite news|title=NXIVM doctor who branded women loses medical license|url=https://apnews.com/article/health-religion-new-york-keith-raniere-1d401bae4ee168316a2b9216c192c81e|work=Associated Press|date=October 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001193154/https://apnews.com/article/health-religion-new-york-keith-raniere-1d401bae4ee168316a2b9216c192c81e|url-status=live|archive-date=October 1, 2021}}

At Raniere's trial, Salzman stated that the DOS pyramid had four levels of slaves, each reporting to their master on the level above them, and all of them ultimately accountable to Raniere, the grandmaster.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial.html|title=Life as a Nxivm 'Slave': Branding, Whippings and Cold Showers|work=The New York Times|date=May 20, 2019|first=Colin|last=Moynihan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520230838/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial.html|archive-date=May 20, 2019|url-status=live}} Salzman testified that the overriding emphasis of DOS was to venerate Raniere and foster an atmosphere of total obedience and secrecy. DOS members communicated using encrypted phone applications like Telegram and Signal, and members' identities were not always known to one another. DOS members were encouraged to recruit people of power and influence with DOS sororities across the country.{{Cite news |last=Saul |first=Emily |date=May 20, 2019 |title=Nxivm head Keith Raniere aspired to infiltrate political office |work=New York Post |url=https://nypost.com/2019/05/20/nxivm-head-keith-raniere-aspired-to-infiltrate-political-office/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121044945/https://nypost.com/2019/05/20/nxivm-head-keith-raniere-aspired-to-infiltrate-political-office/|archive-date=January 21, 2023|url-status=live}} Salzman also testified that she was helping Raniere edit his DOS manifesto that enforced the master-slave relationships.{{Cite news |last=Berman |first=Sarah |date=May 21, 2019 |title=The NXIVM 'Sex Cult' Story Keeps Getting More Disturbing |work=VICE |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-nxivm-sex-cult-story-keeps-getting-more-disturbing/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017015126/https://www.vice.com/en/article/evyb5j/the-nxivm-sex-cult-story-keeps-getting-more-disturbing|url-status=live|archive-date=October 17, 2020}} Excerpts from the book included: "The best slave derives the highest pleasure from being her Master's ultimate tool" and, "Your sole highest desire must be to further your Master from whom all good things come and are related."

On June 5, 2017, Frank Parlato reported the existence of DOS and the practice of human branding.{{Cite web|url=https://frankreport.com/2017/06/05/part-1-branded-slaves-and-master-raniere-sources-human-branding-part-of-raniere-inspired-womens-group/|title=Part 1: Branded Slaves and Master Raniere; Sources: Human branding part of Raniere-inspired women's group|date=June 5, 2017|website=Frank Report|first=Frank|last=Parlato|language=en-US|access-date=July 31, 2019}} On October 17, 2017, The New York Times published a story detailing DOS abuses, including the requirement of slaves to provide collateral.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/nyregion/nxivm-women-branded-albany.html?pagewanted=all|title=Inside a Secretive Group Where Women Are Branded|last=Meier|first=Barry|work=The New York Times|date=October 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018140033/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/nyregion/nxivm-women-branded-albany.html?pagewanted=all|archive-date=October 18, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/nxivm-member-invited-secret-sorority-branded/story?id=51617201|title=Former NXIVM member says she was invited into a secret sorority, then branded|date=December 16, 2017|work=ABC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702011206/https://abcnews.go.com/US/nxivm-member-invited-secret-sorority-branded/story?id=51617201|url-status=live|archive-date=July 2, 2018}}

Following the NYT piece, Raniere sent a draft position statement to DOS first-line masters, writing that women who had been branded were being shamed by a "misogynistic strike" and that DOS was an "autonomous" organization, "separate and distinct from NXIVM" and that he had "little knowledge or authority in the issue". In a separate letter to NXIVM members he wrote, "I feel it is important to clarify the sorority is not part of NXIVM and that I am not associated with the group."{{cite news|url=https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/1038-keith-raniere-nxivm-letter/d098772a3fa594c6d627/optimized/full.pdf#page=1|work=EXECUTIVE SUCCESS PROGRAMS|title=Letter from the Co-Founder}}

{{Wikisource|Superseding Indictment, United States of America v. Keith Raniere, et al.}}

In the wake of the Times piece, Raniere and members of his inner circle fled to Mexico.{{cite web |last1=Dickson |first1=EJ |date=June 19, 2019 |title=Keith Raniere, Head of NXIVM and Alleged Sex Cult, Found Guilty on All Counts |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/keith-raniere-nxivm-trial-guilty-all-counts-849967/ |access-date=June 20, 2019 |magazine=Rolling Stone}} A search warrant was issued for his email account on January 18, 2018. The FBI filed a sealed criminal complaint and obtained a warrant for Raniere's arrest from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York on February 14.{{cite web |date=February 14, 2018|title=COMPLAINT AND AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF ARREST WARRANT|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/press-release/file/1046381/download|work=Department of Justice}} On March 26, Mexican Federal Police located Raniere in a luxury villa outside Puerto Vallarta, arresting and deporting him as persona non grata.{{cite web|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/nxivm-founder-keith-raniere-arrested-on-sex-slave-charges/|title=NXIVM Founder Keith Raniere Arrested on Sex-Slave Charges|first=Amanda|last=Ottaway|date=March 26, 2018|publisher=Courthouse News Service|access-date=June 20, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-raid-home-of-NXIVM-co-founder-Nancy-Salzman-12784322.php|title=FBI raids NXIVM president's house as Raniere appears in federal court|work=Times Union |date=March 27, 2018|access-date=March 23, 2021|first=Brendan J.|last=Lyons}} Salzman later testified that when the police arrived, she and Raniere barricaded themselves in the master suite, with Raniere attempting to hide in a walk-in closet.{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/nxivm-leader-keith-raniere-was-arrested-just-before-group-sex-with-slaves-ex-member-testifies|title=NXIVM Leader Was Arrested Just Before Group Sex With Slaves, Ex-Member Testifies|first=Pilar|last=Melendez|date=May 21, 2019|website=The Daily Beast|access-date=June 20, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/michaelblackmon/keith-raniere-closet-arrest-mexico-lauren-salzman|title=The Founder Of An Alleged Sex Cult Hid In A Walk-In Closet When Officials Raided His Mexican Villa To Arrest Him|date=May 21, 2019|work=BuzzFeed News|first=Michael|last=Blackmon}}

American authorities took custody of Raniere and presented him in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas, and later transferred him to custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in New York City.{{Cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/leader-of-alleged-cult-that-ensnared-vancouver-woman-appears-in-court-1.4595940 |title=Leader of alleged cult that ensnared Vancouver woman appears in court |date=March 27, 2018 |agency=Associated Press|via=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation}}{{cite web|url=https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2018/04/24/the-eagles-guide-to-brooklyns-nxivm-sex-cult/|title=The Eagle's guide to Brooklyn's Nxivm 'sex cult'|first=Paul|last=Frangipane|work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|date=April 24, 2018|access-date=March 4, 2022}} The unsealed complaint accused Raniere of a variety of crimes related to DOS, including sex trafficking, conspiracy for sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit forced labor. The complaint alleged that at least one woman was coerced into sex with Raniere, who forced DOS members to undergo the branding ritual alleged by former DOS members.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/self-help-guru-denies-enslaving-branding-women-sex-cult-n871441|title=Self-help guru denies enslaving, branding women in Nxivm sex cult|last=Siemaszko|first=Corky|date=May 4, 2018|work=NBC News|access-date=May 16, 2018|language=en-US}}{{cite news|title=NXIVM female sex "slaves" allegedly branded with secretive group leader's initials|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nxivm-leader-keith-raniere-charged-sex-trafficking|work=CBS|agency=Associated Press|date=March 27, 2018}} United States Attorney Richard Donoghue stated that Raniere "created a secret society of women with whom he had sex and had branded with his initials, coercing them with the threat of releasing their highly personal information and taking their assets."{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/founder-secretive-group-nxivm-arrested-charged-sex-trafficking/story?id=54025385|title=Founder of the secretive self-help group NXIVM charged with sex trafficking|website=ABC News}}

From his 2018 arraignment in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York through his sentencing in 2021, prosecutors sought to keep Raniere remanded to the MDC. Raniere's attorneys petitioned for his release on bail,{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=United States of America|defendant=Keith Raniere|title=Motion for Release on Bail|doc-number=43|date=June 5, 2018|pacer-number=416187|use-recap=yes|case-state=NY|case-district=ED|case-division=1|case-year=2018|case-type=cr|case-sequence=00204|access-date=June 12, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/nxivm-founder-keith-raniere-denied-bail-as-organization-suspends-operations-1119661/|title=Nxivm Founder Keith Raniere Denied Bail as Organization Suspends Operations|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=June 12, 2018}} while prosecutors opposed the petition, citing Raniere's inconsistent answers about his income and his previous flight to Mexico.{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=United States of America|defendant=Keith Raniere|title=Response in Opposition|doc-number=44|date=June 8, 2018|pacer-number=416187|use-recap=yes|case-state=NY|case-district=ED|case-division=1|case-year=2018|case-type=cr|case-sequence=00204|access-date=June 12, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/latest-alleged-sex-cult-case-allison-mack-attends-hearing-keith-raniere-denied-bail-nxivm-suspends-operations-213105143.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABdFS00YNgus7mbj7suhhqg6WRQGef6Wwx-6TX3Useq1Aeew3dG-oJ8tj6vk7Y-jFGPJW66dLCsoZWml45whdZ7wi2BTRMbR9_zz2zd5ZejtcnoQBa72AEFgetSgbE2x3zpmmO51-yFifPDQZj8FE1RiBso2qDlArACXALDZ0Ncf|title=The latest in alleged sex cult case: Allison Mack watches as Keith Raniere is denied bail, and Nxivm suspends operations|website=Yahoo|date=June 13, 2018}}

File:Raniereconviction_converted.webm on June 19, 2019]]

Raniere's federal racketeering trial began on May 7, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.news10.com/video/nxivm-trial-prosecution-s-opening-statements-lasted-90-minutes_20190507163116/1986277706|title=NXIVM Trial: Prosecution's opening statements lasted 90 minutes|date=May 7, 2019|website=WTEN}} The charged acts included:

• Sexual exploitation of Camila as a minor and possession of child sexual abuse material depicting her;[https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/IndictmentNXIVM.pdf Court document] courthousenews.com July 2018
• Sex trafficking and forced labor of "Nicole";{{Cite news|first1= Colin|last1= Moynihan|first2=Emily|last2= Palmer|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/07/nyregion/nxivm-trial-keith-raniere.html| title=Nxivm Trial: Allison Mack Lured Woman Into Sex Cult, She Says|date=June 7, 2019|work= The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608042617/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/07/nyregion/nxivm-trial-keith-raniere.html|archive-date=June 8, 2019|url-status=live}}
• Attempted sex trafficking of "Jay";{{Cite web |title=Ex-cult member testifies 'special assignment' to seduce NXIVM leader 'disgusted' her, convinced her to bolt |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-raniere-nxivm-trial-sex-trafficking-20190611-4rbsomk5uzezncsuaeob3l4n6u-story.html |first1=Shayna|last1=Jacobs|first2=Cathy|last2=Burke|date=June 12, 2019|work=New York Daily News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612151554/https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-raniere-nxivm-trial-sex-trafficking-20190611-4rbsomk5uzezncsuaeob3l4n6u-story.html|archive-date=June 12, 2019|url-status=live}}
• Identity theft against Edgar Bronfman, James Loperfido, Ashana Chenoa, "Marianna" and Pam Cafritz;{{cite web|url=https://frankreport.com/2019/06/19/raniere-guilty-on-all-counts/|first=K.R.|last=Claviger|date=June 19, 2019|title=Keith Raniere Guilty on All Counts – Faces Life in Prison|work=Frank Report}}
• Subjecting Daniela to "document servitude" for labor and services;
• Conspiracy to alter records for use in an official proceeding;
• Sex trafficking conspiracy;
• Forced labor conspiracy;
• Racketeering conspiracy, and;
• Wire fraud conspiracy.

In opening statements, prosecutors contended that Raniere was not a mentor but a "predator" who targeted people looking to improve their lives and took advantage of them once he gained their trust.{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/07/us/nxivm-trial-begins-tuesday/index.html|title=Nxivm leader's trial opens: Women who belonged to inner circle might testify|date=May 7, 2019|work=CNN|first=Sonia|last=Moghe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507065746/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/07/us/nxivm-trial-begins-tuesday/index.html|url-status=live|archive-date=May 7, 2019}} The defense argued that Raniere was akin to a strict sports coach, emphasizing that "[t]his [was] something these people signed up for."{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-call-Raniere-crime-boss-at-opening-of-13825446.php|title=Feds call Raniere 'crime boss' at opening of NXIVM leader's trial|first=Robert|last=Gavin|date=May 7, 2019|website=Times Union|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023030740/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-call-Raniere-crime-boss-at-opening-of-13825446.php|url-status=live|archive-date=October 23, 2021}} Prosecution witnesses included NXIVM member Lauren Salzman; filmmaker Mark Vicente; victims "Sylvie", "Daniela", "Jay" and "Nicole"; and cult educator Rick Alan Ross. The defense rested without calling any witnesses.

At closing arguments, prosecutor Moira Penza argued that the organization Raniere founded was secretly a sex cult set up like a pyramid scheme and that Raniere was "a con man" and "a crime boss with no limits and no checks on his power" who "tapped into a never-ending flow of women and money".{{cite magazine|first=EJ|last=Dickson|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/keith-raniere-nxivm-dos-sex-cult-closing-849005/| title='This Is Just His Lifestyle': Keith Raniere's Lawyer Defends NXIVM Head as Trial Closes|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=June 18, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618212410/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/keith-raniere-nxivm-dos-sex-cult-closing-849005/| archive-date=June 18, 2019 |url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/17/us/nxivm-trial-closing/index.html|title=Closing arguments begin in the trial of alleged Nxivm sex cult leader|work=CNN|date=June 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190617184126/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/17/us/nxivm-trial-closing/index.html|url-status=live|archive-date=June 17, 2019}} Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, conversely, said that Raniere's interactions were all consensual, saying that those who left the group were not subject to punishment. Agnifilo concluded Raniere was an eccentric who lived an alternative polyamorous lifestyle with consenting adults, noting that their "lifestyles aren't criminal".{{cite web | url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/defense-alleged-nxivm-sex-cult-leader-keith-raniere-might-be-gross-but-he-isnt-criminal/ |first=Alberto|last=Luperon|title=Defense: Alleged NXIVM Sex Cult Leader Keith Raniere Might Be Gross, But He Isn't Criminal| date=June 18, 2019|work=Law and Crime|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620131019/https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/defense-alleged-nxivm-sex-cult-leader-keith-raniere-might-be-gross-but-he-isnt-criminal/|url-status=live|archive-date=June 20, 2019}} On June 19, 2019, the jury found Raniere guilty on all charges after five hours of deliberation.{{Cite web | url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-trial-14018002.php|title=NXIVM founder Raniere guilty on all counts|date=June 19, 2019|newspaper=Times Union|last=Gavin|first=Robert|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619190617/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-trial-14018002.php|url-status=live|archive-date=June 19, 2019}}

While awaiting sentencing, Raniere filed two motions for a new trial: a March 2020 motion claimed witnesses perjured themselves,{{Cite web |title=NXIVM leader Keith Raniere demands new trial, says witnesses lied about intent to file lawsuit |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-keith-raniere-nxivm-leader-new-trial-20200309-4r4kh7x6mbekfa67oavlmma7gy-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310105731/https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-keith-raniere-nxivm-leader-new-trial-20200309-4r4kh7x6mbekfa67oavlmma7gy-story.html |archive-date=March 10, 2020 |access-date=June 12, 2022 |website=New York Daily News|date=March 9, 2020|first=Noah|last=Goldberg }} then an October 2020 motion claimed that prosecutors had intimidated witnesses.{{Cite web |last=Gavin |first=Robert |date=October 19, 2020 |title=Women in 'master/slave' group defend Raniere in affidavits |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Women-in-master-slave-group-including-15659100.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020080019/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Women-in-master-slave-group-including-15659100.php |archive-date=October 20, 2020 |access-date=June 12, 2022 |website=Times Union |language=en-US}} Judge Garaufis denied both motions.{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=United States of America|defendant=Keith Raniere|title=Memorandum and Order|doc-number=902|date=July 17, 2020|pacer-number=416187|use-recap=yes|case-state=NY|case-district=ED|case-division=1|case-year=2018|case-type=cr|case-sequence=00204|access-date=June 12, 2022}}{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=United States of America|defendant=Keith Raniere|title=Memorandum and Order|doc-number=963|date=October 23, 2020|pacer-number=416187|use-recap=yes|case-state=NY|case-district=ED|case-division=1|case-year=2018|case-type=cr|case-sequence=00204|access-date=June 12, 2022}}

File:Brooklyn MDC jeh.JPG, where Keith Raniere was jailed during his trial. According to Federal Bureau of Prisons, Raniere demanded "a group of women to show up regularly and dance provocatively for inmates to view through their cell windows".|upright]]

Convicted in June 2019, the 2020 outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on prisons delayed Raniere's sentencing until over a year later. He remained in the MDC awaiting sentencing. While there, he began communicating with a supporter, Suneel Chakravorty, who recorded some of their conversations. These recordings were released through a website as a podcast called Raniere Speaks, with copyright held by Dialogue Productions, LLC.{{Cite web |title=Raniere Speaks |url=https://www.ranierespeaks.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101011140/https://www.ranierespeaks.com/ |archive-date=November 1, 2020 |access-date=June 12, 2022 |website=Raniere Speaks |language=en-US}} Raniere was subsequently forbidden by MDC officials from contacting Chakravorty.{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=Keith Raniere|defendant=Merrick Garland|title=Exhibit D, Response in Opposition re: 7 First Motion for Preliminary Injunction|doc-number=14|att-number=5|date=June 9, 2022|pacer-number=1295745|use-recap=yes|case-state=AZ|case-division=4|case-year=2022|case-type=cv|case-sequence=00212|access-date=June 12, 2022}}

In the summer of 2020, with the pandemic preventing in-person visitation to the MDC, Raniere's remaining followers, including Clyne, began assembling to dance near the jail. Though they initially claimed to be entertaining all of the detainees, they were seen with a sign addressed to "Kay Rose", a name sharing Raniere's initials.{{Cite web |date=July 17, 2020 |title=Podcast: NXIVM members dance outside federal lockup for Keith Raniere |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Podcast-NXIVM-members-dance-outside-federal-15415507.php |access-date=June 12, 2022 |website=Times Union |language=en-US}} The group began calling itself "The Forgotten Ones" and "We Are As You". Former NXIVM member turned prosecution witness Mark Vicente dismissed the group as a "cover movement" for support of Raniere.{{Cite news |first=Jessy|last=Edwards |date=July 23, 2020 |title=Brooklyn Prison Dancers Linked to 'Sex Cult' NXIVM Start Social Justice Organization |url=https://bkreader.com/2020/07/23/nxivm-group-holds-nightly-dances-outside-of-brooklyn-prison-despite-its-controversial-ties/ |access-date=June 12, 2022 |work=BK Reader |language=en-US}}

A July 16, 2020, intelligence analysis memorandum from the Bureau of Prisons Counter Terrorism Unit stated that Raniere instructed Chakravorty to get more women to dance "erotically" outside the MDC. In response, authorities moved Raniere to another unit to keep the dancers out of his line of sight. A frustrated Raniere instructed his followers to help get him moved back by ingratiating themselves to prison staff, including offering coffee and donuts as they left their shifts.

Ahead of his sentencing, prosecutors submitted a number of Raniere's communications and disciplinary issues in prison as evidence of remorselessness and of his continued control over his followers. The communications included Raniere instructing his followers to have Alan Dershowitz, the attorney who successfully negotiated a non-prosecution agreement for the late Jeffrey Epstein, speak on his behalf; Dershowitz did not comment on the matter.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesunion.com/nxivm/article/Raniere-facing-possible-life-sentence-wants-15521201.php|title=Raniere, facing possible life sentence, wants judge to know 'he's being watched'|first=Robert|last=Gavin|date=August 28, 2020|website=Times Union}} Prosecutors also submitted documentation that Raniere and Chakravorty used a false name and "burner phone" to evade detection, with Raniere instructing Chakravorty to "get scrutiny" on Judge Nicholas Garaufis, explaining that "the judge needs to know he's being watched".{{cite web |last=Gavin |first=Robert |date=August 28, 2020 |title=Raniere, facing possible life sentence, wants judge to know 'he's being watched' |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Raniere-facing-possible-life-sentence-wants-15521201.php |website=Times Union}}{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=United States of America|defendant=Keith Raniere|title=Government's Sentencing Memorandum as to Defendant Keith Raniere|doc-number=914|date=August 27, 2020|pacer-number=416187|use-recap=yes|case-state=NY|case-district=ED|case-division=1|case-year=2018|case-type=cr|case-sequence=00204|access-date=June 12, 2022}}{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=United States of America|defendant=Keith Raniere|title=Exhibit D, Sentencing Memorandum by USA as to Keith Raniere|doc-number=914|att-number=3|date=August 27, 2020|pacer-number=416187|use-recap=yes|case-state=NY|case-district=ED|case-division=1|case-year=2018|case-type=cr|case-sequence=00204|access-date=June 12, 2022}}

As sentencing proceeded, federal prosecutors asked for life imprisonment for the severity of Raniere's crimes and his lack of remorse—they said he showed "a complete lack of acceptance of responsibility for his crimes" and argued that he would continue to commit crimes if released. Prosecutors said Raniere has stayed in touch with members of NXIVM since his conviction, casting himself in emails as a victim and encouraging them to keep the group alive.{{Cite web |last=Ryder |first=Taryn |date=October 28, 2020 |title=Keith Raniere, NXIVM sex-cult leader, sentenced to life in prison |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/keith-raniere-nxivm-sex-cult-leader-sentenced-life-prison-205754088.html |work=Yahoo}}{{Cite web |last=Hays |first=Tom |date=August 29, 2020 |title=Prosecutors: Self-help guru calls sex slave scheme 'noble' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/prosecutors-self-help-guru-calls-165410373.html |agency=Associated Press}} Prosecutors argued in their sentencing memorandum that Raniere "concealed his abuse behind the smoke screen of his supposed 'personal growth' programs—a charade he continues to this day".{{Cite web |last=Moynihan |first=Colin |date=August 28, 2020 |title=Nxivm 'Sex Cult' Leader Should Get Life in Prison, Prosecutors Say|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/28/nyregion/nxivm-keith-raniere-sentence.html |work=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828211558/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/28/nyregion/nxivm-keith-raniere-sentence.html|archive-date=August 28, 2020|url-status=live}}

On October 27, 2020, Judge Nicholas Garaufis sentenced Raniere to 120 years in prison and fined him $1.75 million. To begin serving his 120-year sentence, Raniere was first transferred to United States Penitentiary, Lewisburg, a medium-security penitentiary in Pennsylvania, and then to the United States Penitentiary, Tucson (USP Tucson) in Arizona. The Arizona facility is the sole facility in the federal prison system that is both specially designated for sex offenders and also at the maximum-security level.{{Cite web |date=January 10, 2021 |title=Raniere in Quarantine in USP Lewisburg PA; Likely Headed for Sex Offender Prison in Tucson Next |url=https://frankreport.com/2021/01/10/raniere-in-quarantine-in-usp-lewisburg-pa-likely-headed-for-sex-offender-prison-in-tucson-next/ |access-date=June 12, 2022 |website=Frank Report |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Brean |first=Henry |title=Leader of New York sex cult transferred to federal prison in Tucson |url=https://tucson.com/news/local/leader-of-new-york-sex-cult-transferred-to-federal-prison-in-tucson/article_ea983276-d0b1-5c00-ae1d-f138866e1d11.html |access-date=June 12, 2022 |website=Arizona Daily Star |date=February 3, 2021 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kozlowski |first=Kim |title=Larry Nassar now housed in Arizona prison |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/02/09/larry-nassar-milan/110251634/ |access-date=June 12, 2022 |website=The Detroit News |language=en-US}}

On July 20, 2021, Raniere made a virtual appearance from his USP Tucson prison cell for a hearing on restitution, the last remaining material from the trial. Imprisoned co-defendant Clare Bronfman paid attorneys Marc Fernich and Jeffrey Lichtman to represent him.{{Cite web |last=Gavin |first=Robert |date=July 13, 2021 |title=Seagrams heiress keeps paying as NXIVM's Keith Raniere adds big-name lawyers |url=https://www.timesunion.com/nxivm/article/Seagrams-heiress-keeps-paying-as-NXIVM-s-Keith-16311046.php |access-date=June 12, 2022 |website=Times Union |language=en-US}} Judge Garaufis ruled that twenty-one victims of Raniere should receive a total of $3.46 million in restitution. This included payments to cover the cost removing the DOS-related scarification, ongoing mental health care and making labor trafficking victims whole.{{Cite web |last=Moghe |first=Sonia |date=July 21, 2021 |title=Nxivm founder Keith Raniere to pay 21 victims a total of $3.46 million in restitution |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/20/us/nxivm-keith-raniere-restitution/index.html |access-date=June 12, 2022 |website=CNN}} Garaufis's order also stated that "all lower-ranking DOS members are statutorily entitled to the return of their collateral" and ordered Raniere "to effectuate that return to the fullest extent practicable". Due to Fifth Amendment concerns, this order was stayed until sixty days after a ruling on Raniere's appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=United States of America|defendant=Keith Raniere|title=Supplemental Sentencing Statement & Order as to Keith Raniere|doc-number=1073|date=July 20, 2021|pacer-number=416187|use-recap=yes|case-state=NY|case-district=ED|case-division=1|case-year=2018|case-type=cr|case-sequence=00204|access-date=June 12, 2022}}

Raniere gave notice of appeal of both his conviction and sentence to the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in November 2020.{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=United States of America|defendant=Keith Raniere|title=Notice of Appeal - Final Judgment|doc-number=972|date=November 4, 2020|pacer-number=416187|use-recap=yes|case-state=NY|case-district=ED|case-division=1|case-year=2018|case-type=cr|case-sequence=00204|access-date=June 12, 2022}} Oral arguments were heard on May 3, 2022.{{Cite web |title=Oral Argument for United States v. Raniere (Bronfman) – CourtListener.com |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/audio/80967/united-states-v-raniere-bronfman/ |access-date=June 12, 2022 |website=CourtListener |language=en-us}} The Circuit upheld the decision and rejected the appeal on December 9, 2022. Judge José A. Cabranes wrote, "Raniere has failed to persuade us that there is insufficient evidence to sustain his convictions."{{Cite web |last=Gavin |first=Robert |date=December 9, 2022 |title=Raniere, Bronfman lose federal appeals in NXIVM case |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Raniere-Bronfman-lose-federal-appeals-in-NXIVM-17642697.php |access-date=December 9, 2022 |website=Times Union |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Klasfeld|first=Adam|date=December 9, 2022|title=NXIVM 'Cult' Founder Keith Raniere Loses Appeal of 120-Year Sentence Following Sex Trafficking Convictions|url=https://lawandcrime.com/crime/nxivm-cult-founder-keith-raniere-loses-appeal-of-120-year-sentence-following-sex-trafficking-convictions/|work=Law & Crime}}

In January 2020, Raniere and several other NXIVM leaders were named as defendants in a civil lawsuit filed in federal court by eighty former NXIVM members. The lawsuit details allegations of fraud and abuse and charges NXIVM with being a pyramid scheme, exploitation of its recruits, conducting illegal human experiments and making it "physically and psychologically difficult, and in some cases impossible, to leave the coercive community."{{cite web|title=Nxivm 'Sex Cult' Was Also a Huge Pyramid Scheme, Lawsuit Says|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/29/nyregion/nxivm-lawsuit-keith-raniere.html|first=Nicole|last=Hong|date=January 29, 2020|website=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129164023/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/29/nyregion/nxivm-lawsuit-keith-raniere.html|archive-date=January 29, 2020|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Federal-lawsuit-accuses-Raniere-and-his-NXIVM-15007930.php|title=Lawsuit targets Keith Raniere and NXIVM associates|first=Brendan J.|last=Lyons|date=January 27, 2020|work=Times Union|access-date=August 20, 2021}} This case is ongoing {{As of|2024|03|lc=y}}.[https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/16772334/edmondson-v-raniere/ Case Docket], on Courtlistener.com

In May 2022, Raniere filed suit against the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Prisons, alleging that his civil rights are violated as a prisoner in USP Tucson. Raniere sought an injunction allowing visitation and phone calls from Chakravorty, who he claims is a paralegal working on his appeals.{{Cite web |last=Gavin |first=Robert |date=May 17, 2022 |title=NXIVM leader Raniere suing Arizona federal prison |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-leader-Raniere-suing-Arizona-federal-prison-17178449.php |access-date=June 15, 2022 |website=Times Union |language=en-US}} The Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons and authorities at USP Tucson moved to deny the injunction, on grounds that Chakravorty is not a paralegal but merely "an ardent former ESP and NXIVM coach with whom [Raniere] is banned from associating."{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=Keith Raniere|defendant=Merrick Garland|title=Defendants' Response to Motion for Preliminary Injunction|doc-number=14|att-number=0|date=June 9, 2022|pacer-number=1295745|use-recap=yes|case-state=AZ|case-division=4|case-year=2022|case-type=cv|case-sequence=00212|access-date=June 12, 2022}} Judge Raner Collins granted the Department of Justice's motion to dismiss the suit on grounds that Raniere failed to exhaust administrative remedies in line with the Prison Litigation Reform Act, and for insufficient service of process.{{Cite Pacer|plaintiff=Keith Raniere|defendant=Merrick Garland|title=Order on Motion for Summary Judgment and Order on Motion to Dismiss|doc-number=52|date=December 5, 2022|pacer-number=1295745|case-state=AZ|case-district=D|case-division=4|case-year=2022|case-type=cv|case-sequence=00212|access-date=December 2, 2022}}

• In 2018, Josh Bloch, a CBC Radio producer and childhood friend of actress and former NXIVM member Sarah Edmondson, compiled an investigative podcast series about NXIVM titled Uncover: Escaping NXIVM.{{Cite news |title=Uncover Season 1 — Escaping NXIVM|url=|date=May 30, 2018|work=CBC}}{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/true-crime-podcast-escaping-nxivm-cult-777462/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406211402/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/true-crime-podcast-escaping-nxivm-cult-777462/ | archive-date=April 6, 2023 | title=True-Crime Podcast: 'Uncover: Escaping NXIVM' | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=January 10, 2019 }}
• In 2019, TV network Investigation Discovery released a documentary titled The Lost Women of NXIVM. In that film, Frank Parlato examines the deaths of four women who had connections to NXIVM and Raniere.{{cite web | url=https://deadline.com/2019/06/investigation-discovery-the-lost-women-of-nxivm-1202635465/ | title='The Lost Women of Nxivm': Investigation Discovery Explores Sex Cult in Two-Hour Special |first=Peter|last=White|work=Deadline|date=June 20, 2019 }} According to that program, a woman who lived with Raniere and developed bladder cancer submitted a hair sample that reportedly revealed the evidence of dangerous levels of bismuth and barium.{{cite web |last=Tron |first=Gina |title=Did NXIVM leader Keith Raniere poison and kill women? That's what a documentary suggests |date=December 12, 2019 |publisher=Oxygen.com |url=https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/did-keith-raniere-poison-kill-women-documentary |access-date=October 22, 2020}}{{cite news |title=Is Keith Raniere a murderer? New documentary explores if NXIVM leader poisoned women |date=December 8, 2019 |newspaper=Calgary Herald |url=https://calgaryherald.com/entertainment/television/is-keith-raniere-a-murderer-new-documentary-explores-if-nxivm-leader-poisoned-women/wcm/0023fd9b-4117-4937-afbe-0dedb7d4f2ff/ |access-date=October 22, 2020}}{{cite web | url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/nxivm-sex-cult-convict-keith-raniere-neighbors-terrified-new-documentary-poisoned-women | title=Sex cult convict Keith Raniere's former neighbors 'terrified' after documentary claims he poisoned women in NY home | website=Fox News | date=December 10, 2019 }}
• Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult is a four-part documentary series that follows the story of India Oxenberg, her time at NXIVM. The series premiered on Starz on October 18, 2020.{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/features/nxivm-cult-india-oxenberg-catherine-oxenberg-seduced-docuseries-1234796912/|title=India Oxenberg Opens Up About NXIVM Experience in 'Seduced' Docuseries for Starz|date=October 13, 2020|first=Danielle|last=Turchiano|work=Variety}}
• HBO released a docuseries about NXIVM titled The Vow. The documentary series premiered on August 23, 2020. Musician Nick Jonas subsequently appeared as Raniere on Saturday Night Live, satirizing footage featured in The Vow.{{cite web | url=https://www.vulture.com/2021/02/watch-nick-jonas-sings-about-murder-shows-on-snl.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511012219/https://www.vulture.com/2021/02/watch-nick-jonas-sings-about-murder-shows-on-snl.html | archive-date=May 11, 2023 |first= Rebecca|last=Alter|title=SNL Knows That Nothing Says Relaxation Like Watching Murder Shows | date=February 28, 2021 }} Season 2 of The Vow was released on October 17, 2022, and details Raniere's court trial.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/tv/alleged-sex-cult-nxivm-focus-hbo-documentary-series-n996196 |title=Alleged sex cult NXIVM focus of HBO documentary series |last=De Leon |first=Radhamely |date=April 19, 2019 |website=NBC News |access-date=April 11, 2021}}{{Cite news|last=Ryan|first=Maureen|date=August 23, 2020|title=Review: 'The Vow' Follows Nxivm Down Dark, Damaging Paths|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/23/arts/television/review-the-vow-nxivm.html|access-date=August 29, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}

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