As alleged Capital Region cult leader Keith Raniere appeared in federal court Friday, we’re learning new details about the crimes he’s accused of committing and what the FBI found while raiding local homes connected to him.
The Albany Times Union first requested that certain documents pertaining to Raniere’s case be made public, and a judge granted that request. They detail what the FBI seized when it searched two homes connected to Keith Raniere’s business called NXIVM.
It’s in the documents that new details are revealed about the federal case against Keith Raniere. He’s the leader of NXIVM and accused of sex trafficking women.
A criminal complaint against Raniere says he urged women to become slaves, and then forced them to have sex with him. According to the complaint, members of the group had to submit damaging materials that would be made public if they decided to leave.
Two weeks ago, the FBI raided two homes in Saratoga County. Records show that 3 Oregon Trail in Waterford belongs to Nancy Salzman, the co-founder of NXIVM.
FBI agents say they found hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, including currencies from Russia and Mexico. Also located were computers, cell phones and hard drives.
Less than a mile down the road, authorities searched 8 Hale Drive, a home owned by NXIVM. There agents found video and audio tapes, a book called “History of Torture,” and a DVD titled “Bought and Sold,” which is a sex trafficking documentary.
In the application for obtaining a search warrant for that residence, a special agent details another woman’s involvement in Raniere’s alleged actions named Allison Mack. Seen in past interviews with Raniere, Mack is an actress who authorities allege was involved in the group.
The documents say Mack invited one of the victims to join and would take nude photographs of her and other women. Federal investigators say Raniere was Mack’s master and the women's grandmaster.
Also detailed in the documents is how women were branded during a nearly 30-minute process. The document describes how it involved women holding each other down while the branding was filmed.
The victim, referred to as “Jane Doe 1” in the document, tried to leave without having her collateral released. The special agent says Mack and other slaves “berated” her for leaving during a two-hour intervention.
Another accusation revealed that Raniere was present when unwanted sexual activities were performed on “Jane Doe 1.” The document also alleges Raniere had sexual contact with the victim repeatedly at the Hale Drive home where security was priority.
Though this document continually refers to this victim, it’s alleged there are many more.