Readers are reminded that the A&E series entitled “Cults And Extreme Belief” premieres tonight. The first two episodes – which will be shown on successive nights – focus on the sex-slaver cult NXIVM and its erstwhile leader, Keith Raniere a/k/a Federal Prisoner 57005-177.
You can read about the series here.
Raniere has finally achieved the world-class recognition that he has always sought. And this time he didn’t have to make up a lot of phony bullshit about being the world’s smartest man, the East Coast judo champion, the New York State title holder in the 100-yard dash, a concert-level pianist, etc., etc., etc. That’s because A&E is just going to focus on the truth – and expose him for the sociopathic, sex-slaver cult leader that he is.
Sometimes, less is more….
Sarah Edmondson – the brave woman who risked her own personal humiliation, risked arrest, risked her marriage, and risked her freedom to expose NXIVM and Raniere – appears in this episode. Elizabeth Vargas is the host of the series.
Frank Parlato 
Janine Morrison 
J.J. O'Hara 
Richard Luthmann 
Marie White 
Paul Serran
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Are you freakin kidding me… I have several friends that were (and sadly some still are) involved with this cult. I was “recruited” by one of them who said “it’s just amazing you should do it” “it” being take a week plus off from work and spend thousands of dollars for “it’s amazing”. ( I need more of a pitch than that to spend $10 and 2 hours of my time on a movie) ….I’ve read the stories and seen the videos. I’ve heard first hand how “bad” they are. But this show has made me angry. I’m not feeling sympathy now I’m feeling angry… Vincente is capitalizing and trying to grow his bull shit film career. I don’t know what the eff Sarah is trying to do – but I do not believe this is genuine… I’ve seen her in lifetime movies and the acting in the lifetime movies was better than this BS. I believe her story is true. I believe she’s now wondering WTH did i get into and what did I do. I’m sure she drank the kook-aid as much as anyone else but this is not a genuine representation of the repurchssions. Them saying they didn’t know about the sex aspect didn’t read this blog or the times union articles from what…. 10 years ago? “It should be on their website”. Ummmm it was on many many other websites… I do not believe any of this remorse I think it’s another stage for these actors to grow their B at best list careers on.. Two questions I have… why the eff has Danielle Roberts not been arrested yet? And why frank are you letting this BS fly without covering it more?
I finally watched the episode. I thought it was well done. I think the people who were celebrities like Mark Vicente, Sarah Edmondson, Kristin Kreuk, Mark Hildreth, etc., all went in with sincere intentions with the hope to better the world and for that they can’t be blamed, even if they were gullible in believing all of the fantastical claims about its leader. After all, you don’t attract normally good people by advertising horrific acts. You trap them with honey and then you slowly trade it with vinegar. However, I think some of them do share blame in persisting well into 2017 when things began falling apart starting with the big nine who left, the 2012 TU article, Kristin Keeffe leaving, etc., and this episode was a good job in attempting to right those wrongs. But I can also somewhat understand why they stayed due to the money, the milieu control, and other cult control mechanisms that were in place.
I still don’t think there are really any “heroes” in this set of events except maybe Toni Natalie since she’s been fighting a behemoth for two decades. She’s the only one I would consider someone worthy of the title. But I do think Mark and Sarah should be complimented and given credit for doing the right thing after the fact in publicly fighting this battle instead of quietly riding off into the sunset.
Sometimes these type of fights get you to step outside of your own character and you have to extinguish the raging fire with its equivalent. It’s not right and I’ll certainly admit such, but I never claimed I was “the most ethical man in the world”.
– NXIVMInfo
Outsider view: Sarah is the embodiment of humility, grace, and strength. Unlike some other players, she repeatedly voiced her remorse for recruiting others. Her apology to a protege was absolutely genuine. Way to go Sarah! There are many other players who need your example. Nobody who recruited for NXIVM will ever be “Okay” until they own all the way up and make amends.
Nippy had been in NXIVM for years. He married Sarah Edmonson. When you watch the show you will see the role he plays out in all of this.
Sorry for how NXIVM swered up your life. It’s taken a great toll on thousands. The good news is the main players are starting to be held accountable, arrested and will soon know the hell they have put others through.
Allison Mack is getting off easy so far by being home with Mommy and Daddy who did not lift a finger to help her see the light. Such bad parents.
Cognitive dissonance. It’s what happens to everyone in a cult. It had to get to where it was to totally break the illusion. When it did. She went full throttle with grace. Every other high ranking member I’ve heard from, failed to own their part. She owns it. Might be due to her growing up with a therapist mother and counselor father.
You must not have read some of the older articles from years past or you would know that others have said they were sorry for their delusions. Some of those are no longer available as they were on the blog that no longer shows on the internet.
Some have made private admins to those they enrolled, when possible. Some were not ready to listen.
Understood. As the world becomes aware, they might think to repeat. It’s a necessary step. Out of the shadows. Into the light. It’s no longer a private matter. It’s about grand exposure. To foil a repeat venture. Cults aren’t original. They are all the same. They just use different spins. This is the first cult to mainly utilize the internet and social media outlets to be exposed. But not the last to try or garner some success. With every layer of the onion peeling away…Those who contributed to its growth should repeat and repeat some more thier experience..
What I don’t understand is why Sarah, Mark and Nippy are pretending there wasn’t a major shake up in the cult eight to nine years before they left.
Nine women left in 2009 because of Raniere’s sexual behavior, his loss of millions of students money through gambling in the market, bad real estate decisions, cash coming across the boarder of Mexico, the conflict of Raniere’s executive board of which he was sleeping with everyone of them and the abusive nature of the leadership.
Nippy met with these women before they left and heard their concerns. Did he share with anyone what he found out?
Mark had to know about the cash coming across, he spent a lot of time going between Albany and Mexico (he was deep in so did he bring cash across for his Master)? Was that not a concern for him in any way at the time that something wasn’t right?
Sarah hasn’t said a word about the fact there was information out there of Raniere’s sexual adventures and manipulation. The Center she had been going to was shut down in April of 2009. Two meetings were held speaking badly about these nine women that Sarah attended. One in Seattle and one in Vancouver B.C.
All three of them ignored this major shake up and all were a part in the cover up of saying these women were disgruntled ex-employees of the corporation. All three turned a blind eye when the truth was right in front of them.
To date none of them mentioned this shake up and the fact they ignored this major event. None sought out any information of the real facts that could have saved thousands of people from ending up making their Master into the man whos behavior got so bad he ended up branded and enslaved so many.
Now it appears through the media they want to take the credit for exposing their Vanguard. All without any acknowledgement of the nine brave souls who left exposing Keith and the leadership for who they truly were.
This is the power of brainwashing and how it gets passed down through the ranks.
I haven’t seen the show yet, but who the hell is Nippy?
Otherwise, I agree with most of what was posted here, even though I knew the whole thing was a scam prior to 2009 before any of the nine “brave” souls left. I don’t think there are any heroes in this saga. Most of these people were enablers for years and many made good money doing it. Whether they were fooled or “brainwashed” only lessens the negative impact of what they did. I think people should only be credited for rectifying some of their wrongs. Otherwise, no one really should be praised.
This cult still indirectly screwed with and wasted years of my life.
Congratulations Sar, Mark, Jenn and Nip. I’m so proud of you all and your constant bravery. I feel like this was the first time the world got to see how normal we all are and how anyone could fall into a cult. That the slow indoctrination over time and the trust we had with those in ESP created this situation. Sar, I will never be able to fathom what this last year has been like for you, but I want you to know, that you have made a difference in the world. A big one. Mark, your heart is so beautiful and your soul so pure. I’m glad to call you my friend. To know that KR had your video in his possession and then it “ended up” in the “Fright Experiment” Jenn went through. Omg. He is behind EVERYTHING. Jenn your grace and quiet strength floor me. Thank you for your part in the show. To Janja: Your book has changed my life. I highly recommend it to the general public and to Espians and Expians.
Why no mention of the Bronfmans?
Rich people, like the Bronfmans, are often clever enough to leave no fingerprints on their evil deeds.
Meanwhile suckers like Raniere and Mack, the public faces of NXIVM, leave their fingerprints all over the place.
I am glad I didn’t watch this before I went to sleep last night.
I literally thank God every single day that I was not sucked further into this.
Even only attending one intensive over a decade ago, shit (and I literally mean shit) comes into my head that I know is not my own thoughts. It actually seems to have gotten worse with these months of paying attention to this story, and I am just hoping that it is the last of old garbage coming up to be cleared out.
Shame on you, JDN. I thought you were my friend, and I trusted you. The fact that you are still propping up this garbage after all of this show me who your true colours. Your time is going to come.
I watched the A&E program and I love Elizabeth Vargas’ complete disgust at Keith and her amazement that someone that bland had women left and right. I do wonder why the doctors weren’t named on the program, the one who did the branding or the one behind the fright experiments.
True. It is a travesty of justice that someone like him was able to bed many women even under false and manipulative conditions, while nice guys finish last. But that’s reality nowadays.
There were lots of group photos of NXIVMs, but I’m confused as to the criteria for which member’s faces were shown while others obscured.
Like Kristin Kreuk’s face was shown many times (though her name was never mentioned) while Mark Hildreth’s face was obscured–even though were verified members. And many other faces were revealed but others were not…why?
And the smiles on NXIVM faces always look so forced and contrived.
Kudos to Sarah Edmondson and this TV series.
Speaking of NXIVM media publications… Just wanted to give this message to Toni Natalie and Chet Hardin…
“The Fall” is a great name.
But the subtitle currently on your site: “Toni Natalie’s Saga to Survive Keith Raniere and NXIVM”…….is not an optimal way to pull readers/listeners in.
I sure as fuck wouldn’t tune in based upon reading that subtitle.
…and anybody who doesn’t already know who Toni and Keith are would never buy that book based upon that bland/boring subtitle. Not trying to offend, just being honest.
The word “saga” implies a boring novel is about to be shoved at us. It’s also too “bland” sounding overall to attract anybody who doesn’t already know who Toni, Keith and NXIVM are.
A better direction to follow would be to let the reader’s imagination run wild, to guarantee they want to read/listen, such as…
“The Fall”
-How One Woman Outsmarted The Smartest Man in the World and Helped Destroy a Sex Cult.
or
“The Fall”
-How Toni Natalie Outsmarted The Smartest Man in the World and Helped Destroy NXIVM.
Or whatever. I’m sure you can come up with a dozen better subtitles than that, it’s just a quick example of how not to be boring.
PS — Hopefully you’ll tell your story with gusto and excitement, since it would be cool to read another good story about NXIVM next year. I hope it’s not written like an anti-romance novel saga.
Sorry for the long posts everybody, but I type extremely fast. 🙂
Thank you for your support and suggestions, we promise you won’t be bored. Keep up with all of our updates by liking us on our Facebook page at The Fall of NXIVM and follow us on twitter @TheFallofNXIVM
Some interesting observations….
https://www.theepochtimes.com/exclusive-delving-into-the-childhood-of-nxivms-leader_2540043.html