[74] Amid accusations of corruption, Dhonden was replaced. They should probably say that before they're held down, so it doesn't seem like they're being coerced. 2023 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. [147][174][175] At Raniere's trial, prosecutors introduced a recording of a private meeting with DOS inner circle members in which Raniere stated: "The monogram as it is right now is very directly related to my initials." New episodes of The Vow, Part Two drop every Monday on HBO Max. Not only that, it was a take home IQ test, which means no one monitored for the possibility of his cheating. All the family members moved to Albany, New York. Serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as the "Happy Face Killer," brutally murdered eight women between 1990 and 1995. When he was around eight years old, his parents separated. [116][117][118][119][120] 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. "[18][96][97][98][99][29], In the criminal case against Raniere, prosecutors established that starting in 2002, Raniere gained a Svengali-like control over an NXIVM family from Monterrey, Mexico. [167][168], 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. She later claimed to have been the victim of harassment. Keith Raniere. "[237], In 2019, Investigation Discovery aired a documentary titled "The Lost Women of NXIVM", speculating that Raniere committed homicide. . Police recovered a note that read: "I attended a course called Executive Success Programs based out of Anchorage, AK, and Albany, NY. Raniere signed a consent order permanently barring him from "promoting, offering or granting participation in a chain distribution scheme" and ordering him to pay a $40,000 fine. DOS members were encouraged to recruit "people of power and influence" to the group. Morris, Scot (April 1985). Another said she had spotted Raniere entering her underage sister's bedroom. [69], 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". Among Raniere's followers were several famous names: Emiliano Salinas, the son of a former Mexican president; heiresses Sara and Clare Bronfman, who provided NXIVM and Raniere with enormous sums; actress Allison Mack, star of the television show Smallville; and India Oxenberg, daughter of actress Catherine Oxenberg. Ultimately I agreed to be intimate with Keith, and it was just as he said. [121], While Camila did not testify during the trial, she confirmed the sexual abuse at Raniere's sentencing in her victim impact statement. Raniere designed NXIVM's classes, drawing in part from Ayn Rand's philosophies (she was a favorite author). [47], Vanity Fair subsequently reported on the Forbes article's impact within the group: "People at NXIVM were stunned. Daniela said her confinement ended in 2012 after she almost attempted suicide but instead decided to leave her family home. That's what makes me feel really bad. Sexual exploitation of Camila as a minor and possession of. Raniere attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. ", Women who were "slaves" were supposed to recruit their own followers, to whom they would become "masters." The complaint was not forwarded to prosecutors because she had declined to wear a wire to obtain a confession from Raniere. She was ordered to seduce Raniere, she said, by her "slave . Snyder's mother recalled that her daughter "had come to believe she was responsible for the Columbia shuttle disaster" and "thought Keith was incredible". Keith Raniere was born on August 26, 1960, in Brooklyn, New York. The woman told the Times Union, "[Raniere] took my innocence. It doesn't matter that you understand the command, it matters that you obey. When he was brought up on charges, officers discovered that despite Ranieres self-proclaimed brainpower, his GPA in three majors biology, math, and physics was just 2.26. We strive for accuracy and fairness. [237][238], Mental, physical and sexual abuse of members, Loyalists' activities at Metropolitan Detention Complex. [37] From January 2005 until late 2007, Raniere lost nearly $70million in commodities trading. [164][165][166] NXIVM member Dr. Danielle Roberts performed the "ceremonial branding" of DOS members using a cauterizing pen. She was later escorted out of the NXIVM community and was left at the Mexico border with less than $80 and no personal documents. Cult of Personality. Keith Raniere's devoted followers say he is one of . On October 27, 2020, Raniere was found guilty of all counts against him racketeering, sex trafficking . Now that HBO has brought back The Vow for a second season, we have more questions than ever. Raniere was . In June 2019, Raniere was found guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking, and was sentenced to 120 years in prison on October 27. [136], 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. The middle child ("Daniela") was groomed as a minor and began a sexual relationship with Raniere days after her. Sadistic Nxivm svengali Keith Raniere appeared virtually in Brooklyn federal court Tuesday wearing a big grin -- then learned he has to shell out a total of nearly $3.5 million in restitution to a . Being a bit better at math than the room + a weird obsession with volleyball = a 240 IQ in Keith Ranieres mind.#TheVow pic.twitter.com/7f40C4GAFu. Keith Allen Raniere (/rnjri/; born August 26, 1960)[2] is an American criminal convicted for a pattern of racketeering activity including human trafficking, sex offenses, and fraud. [56][57][58] A few years later, the program was rebranded under the name NXIVM. Though Raniere was intimately involved in NXIVM, he held no official role. but then you find out he took some little IQ test and wasn't recognized," Jackson . Raniere also had dreams of founding his own country and controlling his own currency. [237] Live-in girlfriends Barbara Jeske and Pam Cafritz both died from what was diagnosed as cancer at the time but is alleged to have actually been subtle poisoning. There could be any number of reasons for the discrepancy between Ranieres self-proclaimed intelligence and his GPA on paper, but psychologists have deemed Raniere to be a narcissist who may have been intelligent. After showing adverse childhood experiences, she received counseling for victims of sex abuse and filed a State Police report against Raniere in 1993. [7], Scholars in the fields of religious studies, law and sociology describe NXIVM as a cult. When the police arrived, Salzman and Raniere barricaded themselves in the master suite, with Raniere attempting to hide in a walk-in closet. [58][128] Raniere was the only male in DOS and sat at the top of the pyramid as the "grandmaster". (the last edition to include a category for highest IQ) described the Hoeflin Research Group as "the most exclusive ultrahigh IQ society", and the 1989 . In 1974, Ronald DeFeo killed his entire family, including his parents, brothers and sisters, while they were sleeping in their beds. And suddenly overnight he turned into like Jesus Christ. Raniere sued Rick Ross, an expert in cults, for sharing NXIVM materials online (in 2016, following a decade and a half of litigation, the suit was dismissed). Camila said she met Raniere at age 13 and began a sexual relationship with Raniere when she was 15 years old, which lasted for twelve years. After joining DOS, initiates were branded with a cauterizing pen. [21][22][1] More than 100 letters and statements from victims were sent to the court about the harm Raniere caused them. His supposedly bias-free news organization was the only one members were supposed to read. He started a women's group called Jness, which taught that men were naturally promiscuous, whereas women were monogamous. Keith Raniere has an estimated net worth of $20 million. He's clearly lying 'cause all of them are not special! Devotees of the upstate self-help organisation pay thousands of dollars for . He attended a Waldorf school, before leaving for a public junior high school. [37] Raniere "adopted the title 'Vanguard' from a favorite arcade game in which the destruction of one's enemies increased one's own power. [100][101][102][103], The prosecution established that Raniere impregnated each sister at various times and compelled them to obtain abortions. On October 11, 2002, she was found dead of a gunshot wound to her head on the grounds of the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra Buddhist monastery in Woodstock, an apparent suicide. [208][209], Convicted in June 2019, the 2020 outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on prisons delayed Keith Raniere's sentencing until over a year later. John Gotti, also known as 'The Teflon Don,' was an organized crime leader who became head of the Gambino family. Many DOS slaves were also groomed for sex with Raniere. As NXIVM's leader, Raniere was called "Vanguard." What upset them above all were Edgar Bronfman's remarks. He helped start NXIVM, a company that does multi-level marketing and has its headquarters near Albany, New York. He went on trial the next year for charges of racketeering conspiracy, identity theft, extortion, forced labor, money laundering, wire fraud and sex trafficking. To attract younger members to NXIVM, Raniere set up an a cappella singing group. [78][bettersourceneeded], In 2009, a group of Raniere's associates (called the "NXIVM Nine") broke with Raniere and his organization, citing "concerns about unethical practices and the alleged abuse of his leadership status to sexually manipulate women in the organization. There was also a two-hour special in 2019 called The Lost Women of NXIVM. Over a year later, he would be convicted on . "I'm very sorry for the victims of this case," she said . The family's three daughters were sexually groomed by Raniere as teenagers, with the sisters eventually becoming sexual partners of Raniere. DOS members communicated using encrypted phone applications like Telegram and Signal, and members' identities were not always known to each another. [71] Beginning in August 2005, the Bronfman sisters covered the losses, ultimately using $150 million of their funds in support of Raniere and his organization. (CBI). NXIVM was founded as Executive Success Programs in 1998. [179][180][157], According to DOS members, Raniere had envisioned DOS to grow into thousands of members, with DOS sororities across the country. Raniere was convicted in 2019, but now the group of six former FBI forensic experts claims the government framed him on the charge of possession of child pornography. Salzman testified that Raniere hoped to have a DOS candidate in a high-level political office and that the individual would be "highly collateralized". He was a celebrity judge of 'American Idol' and is married to actress Nicole Kidman. Keith Raniere Boasts of an Extremely High IQ, but Is He Telling the Truth? He was convicted and sent to prison in 2020. You're important. All Rights Reserved. Keith Raniere, 60, was found guilty last year of sex trafficking, racketeering, fraud and other crimes. In 2020, The Vowand Seduced examined Raniere's life and crimes. In May 2022, Keith Raniere filed suit against the U.S. Department of Justice and Bureau of Prisons, alleging that his civil rights are violated as a prisoner in United States Penitentiary, Tucson. Raniere pleaded not guilty to the slew of crimes he was charged with, and in June of 2019, was convicted by a Brooklyn jury of all counts against himracketeering, sex trafficking, forced labor. In March 2018, Raniere, while trying to hide in a closet, was arrested by Mexican police at a luxury villa in Puerto Vallarta. [8][9][10][11][12] Journalists, mental health professionals and cult experts such as Rick Ross, Diane Benscoter, and Steve Hassan call Raniere a cult leader who manipulates and exerts coercive control over his followers. In November 2010, Vanity Fair published an article titled "The Heiresses and the Cult" in which Raniere's former partner Toni Natalie recalled that Raniere "had insisted she keep the body of her dead puppy in her garage freezer and look at it daily. The lawsuit details allegations of fraud and abuse and charges the NXIVM organisation 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. It delves into the stories of NXIVM's top leadership in the U.S. and Mexico . April 7, 2018 - 4:07PM. Who Is Keith Raniere? [27], Keith Raniere was born on August 26, 1960 to James Raniere (19322020), a New York City advertising executive, and Vera Oschypko (19311978), a ballroom dancing instructor. Due to Fifth Amendment concerns, this order is stayed until 60 days after the ruling on Raniere's appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He was devastated and unmoored by the death of longtime girlfriend Pamela Cafritz in November 2016. Some sources say that Einstein had an IQ of around 160, while others say it was closer to 200. "[186][187], In the wake of The New York Times article, Raniere fled to Mexico, accompanied by a few members of his inner circle. [52] In the mid-1990s, Raniere and Natalie operated a health-products store.[49]. [90][91][92][93][94] Public accusations of sexually predatory behavior and inappropriate relationships with minors have trailed Raniere since the early 2010s. To be a part of DOS, a woman was required to offer up "collateral" that would be released if she talked about the group. You don't have the experience of preserving people's lives with what you say. Consumers' Buyline grew to 250,000 members across several states and about $33 million in annual revenue. What Happened to NXIVM Cult Leader Keith Raniere's Ex-Girlfriend Gina Hutchinson? De aspecto comn y corriente, no encaja con la imagen que solemos tener de. 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. US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis read the sentence in Brooklyn federal court Tuesday, after more than a . https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/keith-raniere. His parents divorced when he was 8. Keith Raniere in a courtroom during his trial. This preparation included extreme dieting to satisfy Raniere's preference for "exceptionally thin" women. After escaping her captivity, Daniela went to a volleyball game to confront Raniere. Raniere was arrested in 2018 and tried in 2019 on federal charges that included racketeering, sex trafficking, extortion and forced labor. [51][36] That business failed in 1999. The journey of Keith Raniere from smart man to full blown cult leader is bizarre, involves far too many failed MLMs, and a Smallville actress. [19][20][7] On June 19, 2019, a jury in an Eastern District of New York convicted Raniere of racketeering for a pattern of crimes including the sexual exploitation of a child, sex trafficking of women, and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Oct 13, 2003,12:00am EDT. In 1989, an Australian edition of the Guinness Book of World Records listed that Raniere's IQ placed him in a "Mega" genius group. [145][146] 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. Share to Twitter. However, when Rolling Stone dug deeper into this, they found plenty of shaky foundations in his claim. Following a seven-week trial, jurors took less than. Distractify is a registered trademark. In fact, he also claimed that he was able to speak in full sentences by the time he was one year old, he could read by two years old, and he was a proficient pianist by the time he was 12 years old. '"[47] 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. He punished women who didn't heed his orders to be monogamous with him and manipulated some by telling them that by disappointing him they had drained his energy. United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Theodore Roosevelt United States Courthouse, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, "Jury Finds Nxivm Leader Keith Raniere Guilty of All Counts", "NXIVM: What We Know About Alleged Sex Trafficking, Forced Labor", "Faces of NXIVM: An alleged cult's inner circle and beyond", "NXIVM courts rich, powerful and influential", "These are the people involved in the scandal around alleged sex cult inside Nxivm", "Founder Of "Nxivm," a Purported Self-Help Organization, and Five Others Charged in Superseding Indictment with Racketeering Conspiracy", "Cult Education Institute: Group Information Archives", "Preventing Predatory Alienation by High-Control Groups: The Application of Human Trafficking Laws to Groups Popularly Known as Cults, and Proposed Changes to Laws Regarding Federal Immigration, State Child Marriage, and Undue Influence", "IJCAM - Introduction - Comparative Reflections on Scientology and NXIVM", "Narcissistic sexual predation: Keith Raniere's grooming practices in NXIVM", "The 3 main personality traits of cult leaders, according to a cult-recovery therapist", "Unraveling NXIVM: A timeline of Times Union coverage", "Keith Raniere Nxivm trial: Why it's so hard to stop a cult", "Why So Many Celebrities Joined NXIVM, According to Cult Experts", "Leader of NY Group Branded Women, Made Them Sex Slaves: Feds", "NXIVM founder Raniere guilty on all counts", "Nxivm Trial: Leader Convicted After Trial Exposed Sex Cult's Sordid Inner Workings", "NXIVM Survivor India Oxenberg on Why She Didn't Believe She Was Brainwashed", "Keith Raniere, Leader of Nxivm Sex Cult, Is Sentenced to 120 Years in Prison", "NXIVM Leader Keith Raniere Sentenced to 120 Years in Prison for Racketeering and Sex Trafficking Offenses", "United States District Court Eastern District of New York | United States of America against Keith Raniere, Defendant | Sentencing Memorandum on Behalf of Keith Raniere", "Escaping NXIVM: Inside the secretive world of leader Keith Raniere", "Poor Little Rich Girls: The Ballad of Sara and Clare Bronfman", "Univision's timeline of Keith Raniere's life", Lohud.com, The Journal News (Rockland), part of the USA Today Network, "When We Exposed Keith Raniere, The Leader Of The Nxivm 'Sex Cult', "Transcript: Uncover: Escaping NXIVM Season 1, EP 3", "Once Idolized, Guru of Nxivm 'Sex Cult' to Stand Trial Alone", "Did Gina Hutchinson's Journal Disclose Motive for Murder? `` Vanguard. were monogamous was devastated and unmoored by the death of longtime girlfriend Pamela Cafritz in November.! 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