The sex cult NXIVM has been sweeping through the Brooklyn hipster scene, according to Page Six.
Though NXIVM has been on the wane due to its founder, Keith Raniere, being arrested in Mexico on sex-trafficking charges, the Albany-based sex cult has been making strides among the arty and the “woke.”
“Last month, a number of notable Williamsburg artists and writers, who asked not to be named, were invited by friends to what was billed as a party promising ‘authentic conversation’ among creatives and ‘light vegetarian fare,'” reports Page Six. “A flyer for the event at a private home in Williamsburg billed it as ‘an evening of meeting cool, like-minded artists and chatting about life, authenticity, and the awesome human potential,’ also vaguely referring to an unexplained ‘human expression program.'”
The party essentially devolved into a long sales pitch for a $10,000 “curriculum” called “the Source,” a sort of “life-improvement” program for actors and artists. Some guests left the party giggling at the ridiculousness of it all, but others took it seriously.
The “Source” raises funds for NXIVM and the organizer of the bash had direct ties to the organization. “Smallville” actress Alison Mack is allegedly a member and is said to have been with the founder Raniere when he was arrested. The Daily Mail detailed the group’s horrifying tactics of control:
Ex-members have detailed how only the most loyal NXIVM female members are offered the ability to try out for DOS. In order to join, prospective new members must allegedly turn over damning personal information as a show of trust. But ex-members say that information is actually used to keep members from speaking out about the horrifying reality of the group.
Women in the group are allegedly kept on a 500-800 calorie a day diet and the female “slaves” must answer to their masters by recruiting other “slaves” or face being beaten on the buttocks.
When women are deemed worthy to enter the group, they are ordered to strip at an initiation ceremony and then branded with a symbol that includes both Raniere and Mack’s initials. The blog also says that there’s yet another tier of the cult above DOS. Women who perform well in DOS may also be invited to join Raniere’s harem.
NXIVM says of the allegations: “The allegations relayed in the story are built upon sources, some of which are under criminal investigation or already indicted, who act as a coordinated group. We will explore any and all legal remedies to correct these lies.”