Members of the Nxivm 'sex cult' led by Smallville actress Allison Mack reportedly held wild parties on billionaire Richard Branson's private Caribbean island at least twice.

According to The Sun, several members, including co-founder Nancy Salzman, visited Branson's Necker Island for two seminars in 2007 and 2010.

Former Nxivm publicist Frank Parlato told the newspaper: 'I was told the reason they staged the seminars on Necker was they hoped to recruit Branson into the organization.'

Parlato said that the businessman 'would have been the biggest score they ever had'.

One of the visits was reportedly paid for by billionaire heiress and Nxivm follower Sara Bronfman, whose late father, businessman Edgar Bronfman Sr, knew Branson, according to the Sun.

Sara's sister, Clare, is also one of Nxivm's longtime followers. Clare recently took over as leader for the 'sex cult' after actress Allison Mack and leader, Keith Raniere were arraigned on sex trafficking charges.

According to the Sun, Raniere did not visit the island during the alleged visits. Raniere was arrested on the sex trafficking charges in Mexico in March.

The Sun obtained photos that showed Branson, Sara and Mack together. The photos were reportedly taken on Necker Island in 2010.

Parlato claims that Salzman 'said she did the teaching by day. But she said he [Branson] became increasingly restless and hosted really crazy parties that started earlier and earlier'.

Branson told the newspaper that he was not aware of any seminars. He claims he has never heard of Raniere and never met him.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5649997/Sex-cult-Nxivm-partied-Richard-Bransons-private-island-twice.html

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3958539&forum_id=2#35909614)

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/01/31/21/3CB47B4400000578-4177700-image-a-28_1485898219321.jpg

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3958539&forum_id=2#35909641)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3958539&forum_id=2#35909669)

NXIVM

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NXIVM Corporation

NXIVM Logo.png

Type

Privately held company

Industry

Multi-level marketing

Founded

1998

Headquarters

Colonie, New York

Key people

Keith Raniere (founder)

Nancy Salzman (president)[1]

Products

Seminars

Website

www.nxivm.com

NXIVM (/ˈnɛksiəm/ NEKS-ee-əm) is a multi-level marketing organization[2][3][4] that offers personal and professional development seminars.[5] Based in Albany County, New York, NXIVM was founded in 1998 by Keith Raniere.[6] News reports and former members have described NXIVM as a cult.[7][8] Raniere was arrested in March 2018 on federal charges of sex trafficking.[9]

Contents [hide]

1 History 1.1 2003 litigation

1.2 Forbes coverage

1.3 New York Times and 20/20 exposés

1.4 2018 arrests and indictments

2 References

3 External links

History[edit]

NXIVM was founded by Keith Raniere (born August 26, 1960).[10] Raniere is the son of a New York City adman and a mother who taught ballroom dancing; he grew up in Suffern, New York after having spent his first five years in Brooklyn. He arrived in the Albany area at the age of 16, around the time his mother died, and claims to have attended the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1981.[11]

In 1998, Raniere and associate Nancy Salzman founded NXIVM in upstate New York, offering "executive success programs." Reportedly, over 12,000 people have attended the classes between its founding in 1998 and 2010.[12] Its clients have included Richard Branson as well as actresses Linda Evans, Allison Mack, Kristin Kreuk, and Nicki Clyne.[12] According to Forbes magazine, 3,700 people had taken part in its Executive Success Program as of 2003, including Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET; Antonia Novello, former Surgeon General of the United States; Stephen Cooper of Enron; and Ana Cristina Fox, daughter of former Mexican president Vicente Fox.[13]

The NXIVM training system is administered through Executive Success Programs, Inc. The training uses a technique called "rational inquiry" to facilitate personal and professional development. During seminars, students refer to Raniere and NXIVM President Salzman as "Vanguard" and "Prefect", respectively.[14][15][16]

Raniere has for many years been accused of running a cult-like organization,[17] in part due to him giving himself the title Vanguard. Kristin Keeffe, a longtime partner of Raniere and mother of his child, who split from the group allegedly due to his activities, described him as "dangerous".[18] Such a designation would seem to confirm an earlier article in the Times Union where NXIVM former coaches characterized students as "prey" for Raniere to satisfy either his gambling or sexual proclivities.[19] In 2017, a Canadian actress who had been with Executive Success Programs since 2005 recounted how she was inducted into a secretive program where women were blindfolded naked and, using a cauterizing pen, branded in the pubic area with Raniere's initials "KR" in a sexual submission ritual.[20]

2003 litigation[edit]

In 2003, NXIVM sued the Ross Institute alleging copyright infringement for publishing excerpts of content from its manual in three critical articles commissioned by cult investigator Rick Alan Ross and posted on his website. Ross posted a psychiatrist's assessment of NXIVM's "secret" manual on his website – the report called the regimen "expensive brainwashing." The manual was obtained by Ross from former member Stephanie Franco, a co-defendant in the trial, who had signed a non-disclosure agreement not to divulge information from the manual to others. NXIVM filed suits in both New York, and New Jersey, but both were later dismissed.[12][21]

Forbes coverage[edit]

In October 2003, Forbes published an article on NXIVM and some involved parties.[13] Originally intended to focus on NXIVM, the article also discussed Raniere and his life. The emergence of NXIVM came at a time of high demand by executives, with some coaches charging $25,000 a day. Advocates[who?] say the workshop sharpens focus, and has been described[by whom?] as a “practical M.B.A.” Critics[who?] cited the amount of confidentiality, the fact that students sign a nondisclosure agreement, and the amount of power that Raniere has over the operation and the students. John Hochman, a forensic psychiatrist at UCLA, described NXIVM as “a kingdom of sorts,” and a former student described becoming physically exhausted after going through 17-hour days of workshops and needing to check herself into the hospital.[13] After the article was released, Sitrick and Company, a public relations firm, was hired to work on press surrounding the company, but would later part ways with NXIVM.[22]

In 2006 Forbes published an article about the Bronfman sisters, stating that they had taken out a line of credit to loan NXIVM US$2 million, repayable through personal training sessions from co-founder Nancy Salzman, and for Salzman being available to take calls from Clare.[23]

A 2010 follow-up article in Forbes discussed commodities and real estate deals made pursuant to Raniere's advice that went awry. In reference to Edgar Bronfman’s relationship to his daughters, his advisor released a statement saying that there had "been no change in the excellent relations between Edgar M. Bronfman and his daughters, Clare and Sara."[24] The World Ethical Foundations Consortium (an organization co-founded by Clare and Sara Bronfman and NXIVM founder Raniere) sponsored a visit to Albany, New York, for the 14th Dalai Lama's in 2009. However, the visit was cancelled due to negative press surrounding NXIVM.[25] However, the Dalai Lama later reconsidered, accepted NXIVM's invitation and spoke at Albany's Palace Theatre in May 2009.[26][27]

In 2017, Emiliano Salinas (son of former Mexican president Carlos Salinas), has been identified by Proceso magazine as "director" in Mexico for NXIVM.[28]

New York Times and 20/20 exposés[edit]

In October 2017, The New York Times published an article which detailed women's experiences being branded while under the supervision of Salzman. The article reported that a "secret sisterhood" within NXIVM referred to female members as "slaves", branded them with Raniere's initials, and required them to provide nude photos or other potentially damaging information about themselves if they wished to join.[29][30]

On December 15, 2017, the ABC news magazine 20/20 aired an exposé featuring interviews with many former NXIVM adherents; the report included an interview with Catherine Oxenberg, who alleged that her daughter, actress India Oxenberg, was in danger due to the group. Several former members reported financial and sexual predation carried out by NXIVM leaders.[29][30]

2018 arrests and indictments[edit]

In March 2018, Raniere was indicted on federal charges after being arrested in Mexico on sex trafficking charges.[9] Following his arrest, Raniere appeared in front of a federal judge in Fort Worth, Texas to face charges of sex trafficking and forced labor in New York state. Many women claim to have undergone forced branding with a surgical instrument that carved Raniere's initials into their flesh.[31][32]

On April 20, 2018, actress Allison Mack was arrested and set to stand trial for sex trafficking, based on her role as a recruiter for NXIVM. According to prosecutors, after she recruited women to join the organization, she used tactics such as blackmail to force them into engaging in sexual activity with Raniere against their wishes, and enslaved them to do menial tasks, for which Raniere allegedly paid Mack. Mack is said to be second in command of NXIVM after Raniere.[33][34][35]

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3958539&forum_id=2#35909702)