Keith Raniere
American cult founder and convicted felon (born 1960) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Keith Allen Raniere (/ræˈnjɛəri/; born August 26, 1960)[2] is an American cult leader who was convicted of a pattern of racketeering activity, including human trafficking, sex offenses and fraud. Raniere co-founded NXIVM, a purported self-help multi-level marketing company offering personal development seminars and headquartered in Albany, New York. Operating from 1998 to 2018, NXIVM had 700 members at its height, including celebrities and the wealthy.[3][4][5] Within NXIVM, Raniere was referred to as "Vanguard".[6]
Keith Raniere | |
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Born | Keith Allen Raniere (1960-08-26) August 26, 1960 (age 63) |
Alma mater | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
Known for | Founder of NXIVM |
Criminal status | Incarcerated |
Conviction(s) |
|
Criminal penalty | 120 years' imprisonment; $1.75 million fine; $15,000 assessment pursuant to Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015; $3.5 million restitution to 21 victims pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and Mandatory Victim Restitution Act |
Details | |
Victims | 25 persons recognized by the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; 21 persons recognized by presiding judge |
Date apprehended | March 26, 2018 |
Imprisoned at | United States Penitentiary, Tucson |
Scholars in the fields of religious studies, law, and sociology describe NXIVM as a cult.[7][8][9][10] Mental health professionals and cult experts such as Rick Ross, Diane Benscoter, and Steve Hassan have called Raniere a cult leader who manipulates and exerts coercive control over his followers.[11][12][13] Multiple women have said they were sexually abused by Raniere, including three who have reported being underage at the time of the abuse.[14]
In 2018, reports of abuse related to a secret society within NXIVM, known as "DOS" or "the Vow", led to the arrests of Raniere and five other NXIVM associates.[6][15][16] On June 19, 2019, a jury in the 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.[1][17] The court received more than 100 victim impact statements detailing the harm Raniere caused.[18][19] On October 27, 2020, Judge Nicholas Garaufis sentenced Raniere to 120 years' incarceration and a $1.75 million fine.[20][21]