Page 3 - aruba-today-20190506

A3
U.S. NEWS Monday 6 May 2019

Self-improvement guru set

to face 'sex slave' accusers

By TOM HAYS Garaufis has yet to rule on and other women in a lux-
Associated Press a request by prosecutors ury villa in Puerta Vallarta
NEW YORK (AP) — It was to protect the privacy of and taken into custody on
called "collateral" — nude some alleged victims, re- a U.S. warrant.
photos and other embar- ferred to as "Jane Does" in Mack, best known for her
rassing material that female court papers, by only using role as a young Super-
members of an upstate their first names, nicknames man's close friend on the
New York self-improvement or pseudonyms while they series "Smallville," also was
group turned over to their testify — measures needed charged, along with Clare
"masters" to ensure obedi- to protect them from "po- Bronfman , an heir to the In this Jan. 28, 2019 file photo, Lauren Salzman leaves Brooklyn
ence, silence and sexual tential harassment" and Seagram liquor fortune federal court in New York.
fealty to the organization's "undue embarrassment." who bankrolled NXIVM. Sal- Associated Press
spiritual leader, Keith Ra- Raniere, 58, has pleaded zman and two others also
niere. not guilty to sex-trafficking faced charges. charges against Raniere 15-year-old girl, all of his co-
Now some former mem- and other charges. His law- But after prosecutors earlier this year based evi- defendants pleaded guilty
bers of the group, NXIVM, yers have opposed what added child exploitation dence he had sex with a .q
are poised to break their they call "unusual and
vow of silence for the first dubious" protections that
time by testifying against would violate his consti-
Raniere, who has been tutional right to confront
compared to a cult leader. his accusers. They add it
Opening arguments are would "unfairly signal to the
set for Tuesday at a federal jury that, in the court's view,
court in Brooklyn. the witness is a victim of a
Among the more sensa- sex crime who is in danger."
tional allegations: Some Either way, the case has re-
women "slaves" in a secret sulted in a dramatic down-
NXIVM sorority were brand- fall for Raniere from a time
ed with Raniere's initials as when he was known as
part of their initiation. Oth- "Vanguard" by devotees in
ers were threatened with the United State and Mex-
the release of their col- ico.
lateral if they didn't have Promotional material for
unwanted sex with him. the now-disbanded NX-
Prosecutors have been IVM once hailed him as a
tight-lipped about who will "scientist, mathematician,
testify about the sorority, philosopher, entrepreneur,
called DOS, an acronym educator, inventor and au-
for a Latin phrase roughly thor" who has "devoted his
translated as "Lord/mas- life to developing new tools
ter of obedient women." for human empowerment,
There's speculation that for- expression and ethics."
mer members of Raniere's Last year, after a New York
inner circle including TV ac- Times expose on the group
tress Allison Mack and Lau- and reports that investiga-
ren Salzman, the daughter tors were interviewing some
of the group's top execu- women who had defected
tive, could take the witness from DOS, Raniere fled to
stand against him. Mexico. He was ultimately
U.S. District Judge Nicholas found staying with Mack