The leader of a cult-like organization based in upstate New York has recently been arrested on federal sex trafficking charges. Keith Raniere, founder of the group NXIVM, is accused of brainwashing female followers to have sex with him.
Based in Albany, NY, the leaders of NXIVM describe the group as a self-help organization. NXIVM’s website states that it is a “community guided by humanitarian principles that seeks to empower people and answer important questions about what it means to be human.”
Raniere, also known as “Vanguard” by members of NXIVM, told women that they needed to become “slaves” to advance in the group. The women were branded with a symbol containing Raniere’s initials. Additionally, the women were expected to have sex with Raniere.
Women in NXIVM were lured to the organization by other female members. Dr. Damon Berry, professor of religious studies at St. Lawrence University, compared Raniere’s role in recruiting women to that of a pimp. “You don’t control the women yourself. You have women to control the women,” said Berry.
Former spokesman for NXIVM, Frank Parlato, believes that the existing female members of the group were why Raniere could recruit so many women. “I think the most important thing that Raniere used was using women to bring in other women,” said Parlato.
To prevent dissent, Raniere would collect collateral from members. The collateral would be embarrassing material, such as nude photographs, that the members would not want released. Raniere could use the information to blackmail his followers in the event that they left NXIVM, spoke publicly about the group, or angered Raniere in any way.
Berry believes that NXIVM does not fit the traditional definition of a cult because of its lack of religious influences. “As far as what people would traditionally identify as religious, there’s nothing there,” said Berry. “It has a lot more in common with the pyramid scheme and that’s indeed the history of NXIVM.”
Raniere’s arrest spells the end of NXIVM, according to Parlato. “It’s finished. I believe there will be no future for NXIVM.”
Albany County native, Chris Denham ’21, expressed disbelief that something like NXIVM could happen near his hometown. “I never would have thought that something like that could happen where I’m from,” said Denham. “I’ve never heard anything about it and it caught me totally by surprise.”