Trial Begins for NXIVM’s Leader as First Witness Testifies

EPOCH TIMES: NEW YORK—Opening arguments in the high profile trial of Keith Raniere, the leader of the purported self-help organization NXIVM, began on May 7 as the prosecution divulged how his “most trusted associates” will testify in what is expected to be a six-week-long court case detailing a master-slave society within the group.

Raniere, who was formerly known as the “Vanguard” by his group’s devotees in the United States and Mexico, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison over seven criminal counts that include sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, and racketeering, among others. The court at the Eastern District of New York in Brookyln was so full of people on the first day of the trial that reporters were sent to a separate overflow courtroom in order to watch the proceedings live on screen.

Although the prosecution did not explicitly state that Rainiere’s co-defendants—who have all since pleaded guilty—would testify against their former master, NXIVM’s ex-publicist and whistleblower Frank Parlato told The Epoch Times in an interview outside the courthouse that former ‘Smallville’ actress Allison Mack and Lauren Salzman, the daughter of the group’s president, may testify. He noted a “50/50” chance that Nancy Salzman would testify as well. Reports have indicated that Allison and Lauren may have agreed to cooperate to testify against Raniere.

In the prosecution’s opening statements, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Hajjar painted a picture of a “predator” Raniere, now 58-years-old, who targeted young girls and groomed them whilst pretending to be a “guru,” comparing himself to Einstein. All this he did so he could have sex with the women and control them.

“Keith Raniere claimed to be a leader,” Hajjar told the jury of eight men and four women. “But he was a con man … This was organized crime. Keith Raniere was an organized crime boss.”

Hajjar said Raniere exploited the trust of his devoted followers to fulfil his own fantasies involving “sex, power, and control.

“The defendant said he was a mentor, but he was a predator,” she added while telling the court how Raniere, under the guise of tutoring children, had brought a Mexican family with three girls and a boy to live in upstate New York where NXIVM’s headquarters was located.

“Instead, he had sex with all three daughters and, in order to do it, he turned family against family, sister against sister,” she said.

Raniere nicknamed the youngest daughter he slept with “Virgin Camila.” She was 15-years-old at the time and is expected to testify later against the former leader, prosecutors revealed for the first time. more here