Inside the NXIVM cult that embroiled famous actress Allison Mack, as gripping HBO docuseries ‘The Vow’ hits Foxtel
Stories about the NXIVM sex cult have been making headlines for years, and a fascinating new series takes viewers inside what actually happened.
The #MeToo movement brought an endless number of harrowing accounts of sexual abuse and assault. But few were as shocking and gut-wrenching as the bombshells dropped about the self-help company NXIVM.
And a new HBO documentary, which begins streaming on Foxtel today, explores the horrifying realities of what was deemed a “sex cult” with its seven-part docuseries, The Vow.
From Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning directors Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer comes this deep dive into this bizarre case.
From who Keith Raniere is to how Smallville actress Allison Mack was involved, consider this your very guide to the world of NXIVM’s headline-making scandal.
RELATED: Allison Mack says branding skin of sex cult slaves was her idea
What Is NXIVM?
The company typically branded itself as a multi-level marketing company.
Founded in 1998 by Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman, the organisation sold a series of “Executive Success Programs” for self-improvement.
The company worked by selling ESPs to interested people, promising these customers that these classes would teach them how to experience more joy in their lives.
These classes would be sold as either part of packs of classes or as intensives, both sold for thousands of dollars. As new customers progressed higher up in the program they were pressured to recruit even more people to the organisation.
As members progressed further in the company they would gain a different coloured sash. The organisation also had special names for its top members.
Raniere and Salzman were referred to as “Vanguard” and “Prefect” respectively. This was because Raniere was the creator of the methodology that would become NXIVM and Salzman was his first student.
As the company became more popular and successful it recruited several bigger name members.
Sara Bronfman, the daughter of Seagrams chairman Edgar Bronfman Sr., Battlestar Galactica actor Nicki Clyne, and Star Wars actor Bonnie Piesse were all members. But the most notable member was Smallville and Wilfred actor Allison Mack.
Mack was later charged for her involvement for her role in the secret society within NXIVM.
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What Is “DOS” or “The Vow”?
What made NXIVM appealing to so many members wasn’t just its lessons or Raniere’s teachings.
It was the organisation’s community. As the organisation expanded, several NXIVM centres were founded all around the world with the central one residing in Albany, New York.
It was common for subgroups to emerge in these centres.
The division was similar to how study groups and intramural leagues typically emerge within church communities.
For the most dedicated members, it was possible for their entire lives to be associated with NXIVM and NXIVM’s communities. That’s how DOS, also known as The Vow, came to be.
Commonly believed to be founded by Allison Mack, Dominus Obsequious Sororium was a secret sisterhood within NXIVM.
It was only open to people by invitation. A member of DOS would reach out to a candidate she thought would be a good potential recruit.
But instead of telling her more about the organisation, she would ask that the new potential recruit offer up Collateral.
Collateral was essentially any embarrassing secret or incriminating photo or video that the potential recruit didn’t want to be released.
It was only after these secrets were offered up that the recruiting member would tell the new member what the group was.
Initially DOS and its Collateral were explained as a self-help tool.
RELATED: Dynasty actress opens up about horrifying NXIVM experience
Most members were told that the point of DOS was to make an accountability promise with yourself. A new member would outline a list of goals she wanted to accomplish and give them to her recruiter, also known as her “Master.”
Every time she failed one of these self-imposed goals or told someone about the sub-organisation, she risked her Collateral being released.
But as many members progressed in the organisation they came to view their Collateral as a form of blackmail.
Many former members have said that the reason they kept quiet for so long was because they were afraid of legal action and that their secrets would be released.
But there was an even darker side to DOS.
Once recruits reached a certain level in the secret society they were taken to an initiation ceremony. During that ceremony they were branded near their genitalia.
Later members who had left the group realised that their brand was likely a combination of Mack and Raniere’s initials.
The further involved members became in this secret group the more involved their Masters became in their day-to-day lives.
Most former members reported that their Masters would put them on a strict diet that required their “Slaves” to text them before eating any amount of calories.
But the most disturbing aspect of DOS had to do with Raniere. One of the things certain members were allegedly told to do was to seduce Raniere.
Were There Criminal Charges?
There is one silver lining in this awful case. Those who allegedly orchestrated these crimes were criminally charged. Both Raniere and Mack were charged and indicted with a list of charges that included sex trafficking.
Raniere was convicted in June of last year.
The jury found him guilty of sex trafficking, sexual exploitation of a child, possession of child pornography, identity theft, trafficking for labour, and conspiracy to alter records.
He is set to be sentenced sometime in 2020.
In 2018, Mack was arrested on charges of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labour conspiracy. The following year she pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and racketeering charges. She is also awaiting her sentencing.
Four others also pleaded guilty to criminal charges: Nancy Salzman, Lauren Salzman, Clare Bronfman, and bookkeeper Kathy Russell. None of those cases have resulted in a sentencing yet.
The Vow hits Foxtel today
This story originally appeared on Decider and has been reproduced here with permission
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