UNRAVELING

NXIVM Co-Founder Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charges

Nancy Salzman pleaded guilty to committing identity fraud and destroying video evidence.

The co-founder of sex-cult NXIVM, Nancy Salzman, has pleaded guilty to three racketeering charges. According to prosecutors, Salzman pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit identity theft, and conspiracy to alter records. She allegedly committed identity theft to intercept communications and destroy or alter video evidence. She reportedly faces up to 20 years in prison when she’s sentenced in July, but the government’s sentencing guidelines recommend 33 to 41 months behind bars. Several NXIVM members, including Seagram liquor heiress Clare Bronfmann and Smallville actress Allison Mack, were indicted on an array of charges last year—including encouraging and inducing illegal entry, money laundering, extortion, sex trafficking, forced labor, and wire fraud. The group claimed to be a self-help organization, but allegedly recruited people to serve as slaves to cult leader Keith Raniere and perform sex acts with him.

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Amy Zimmerman