Crazy Daze – Raniere’s Amazing Ability To Get People To Do Crazy Things

Think what you want about all of the things that Keith Raniere claimed he did or could do – e.g., East Coast judo champion at age 12, understood quantum physics at age 4, tied the New York State record in the 100-yard dash, etc., etc., etc. – but perhaps the most amazing thing about him is what he got other people to do.

First, think about Raniere’s co-defendants in the case of U.S. v. Raniere Et Al – and consider their current circumstances:

– Clare Bronfman: Gave up her quest to become an Olympic equestrian – and pissed away a good portion of her inheritance – to become the de facto leader of NXIVM. She’s currently under house arrest in an apartment in Brooklyn, NY – and awaiting trial on numerous criminal charges.

– Allison Mack: Gave up a lucrative career as an actress – and quite likely her entire life savings – to become one of the head honchos in the DOS sex slave organization. She’s currently under house arrest in her parents’ home – and awaiting trial on criminal charges that could result in her spending the rest of her life in jail.

– Kathy Russell: Left behind her family in Alaska, including her young son, to become the keeper of NXIVM numerous sets of financial records – and to pursue her fantasy of becoming a world-famous ballerina. She currently wears an ankle monitor [which hinders her ballet performances] and is under house arrest which requires her to be home by 8 pm every evening. Many believe that she is also being set up to take the fall for all of NXIVM’s financial crimes. As a further point of interest – unlike some of her co-defendants – she seems to have profited the least. She was low paid and had no prestige in the organization. The other Nxivm woman often made fun of her behind her back.

– Lauren Salzman: Turned away a number of would-be suitors to become part of Raniere’s harem – and, per his promise, the mother of an avatar child. She’s currently under house arrest – and coming to grips with the fact that she’s never going to have the children she always dreamed about.

– Nancy Salzman: Left behind her fake-but-sounds-good career as a “psychotherapist” to become the public face of the NXIVM criminal enterprise – and, along the way, gave away both of her daughters to temporarily satiate Raniere’s sexual desires. Currently under nightly house arrest while she recovers from cancer – and awaiting trial on a variety of criminal charges.

Next, think about some of the other people that have come within the purview of Raniere – and what they did at his behest:

– Sara Bronfman: Divorced her first husband at Raniere’s direction – and pissed away a sizable amount of money – to become the proud holder of a green sash in NXIVM. She’s currently hiding out in Europe – and, along with husband #2, hoping to avoid being named in the next superseding indictment.

– Pam Cafritz: Spent her entire adult life catering to Raniere’s wants and whims – and was one of his top recruiters for the underage girls that he loved to teach about sex. Allowed Raniere to treat her cancer with his “tech” rather than seek real medical treatment – and ended up dying alone and in great pain. Left her $8 million estate to him, the whereabouts of which is currently unknown (More on that topic in a future post).

– Barbara Jeske: Another woman who spent her entire adult life catering to Raniere’s wants and whims. Also died a painful and lonely premature death after Raniere convinced her that she was suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome rather than the brain cancer that eventually ended her life. Raniere persuaded her to make a will in his favor shortly before her death when she was not in full possession of her senses and in great pain. Her old will left her assets to her family. The new will supposedly left all her assets to Nxivm (More on that topic in a future post).

– Ivy Nevares: An attractive and talented native of Mexico who moved to Clifton Park, NY to be closer to her Vanguard. She stopped cutting her hair at his direction in order to heal an ethical breach she had committed against him – and spent more than 16 years waiting for Raniere to impregnate her. She’s currently hiding out in Mexico – and hoping to avoid being named in the next superseding indictment.

– Esther Chiappone: Moved from Alaska with her four children to be closer to Vanguard – who, per his usual pattern, assured that she was the only woman in his life. Stayed on even after she found out that she was just part of Raniere’s harem – and ended up so broke from taking NXIVM courses that she eventually had to move in with Jim Del Negro.

– Barbara Bouchey: Another woman who once thought she had an exclusive relationship with Raniere – and who spent more than eight years working for the NXIVM cult. When she and several other women left NXIVM in 2008, she was subjected to numerous lawsuits and demands for depositions. Raniere persuaded her to turn over her life savings to him, which he promptly squandered. She nevertheless remained with him for several years afterward – and was one of Nxivm’s highest ranking members when she finally left.

– Toni Natalie: She became involved with Raniere while he was still running Consumers Buyline but left him just as he was starting up what became the NXIVM/ESP cult. As a result, Raniere initiated numerous legal actions against her – including two criminal actions, both of which resulted in dismissals.

– Kristin Keeffe: She got involved with Raniere shortly after dropping out of high school – and eventually rose through the ranks to become NXIVM’s self-trained Legal Liaison. After becoming the mother of Raniere’s first-born child, she had to flee along with her son, who was being subjected to what eventually became the Rainbow Cultural Gardens training program.

– Emiliano Salinas: The son of Carlos Salinas, the former President of Mexico, and a would-be future president of the country, Emiliano ended up becoming lovers with Alex Betancourt because Raniere directed him to do so. Now hiding out in Mexico – and hoping that he’s not named in the next superseding indictment (His father has called in a lot of favors – and spent a small fortune – to ensure that doesn’t happen).

– Alex Betancourt: A Mexican trust fund baby who became quite successful on his own accord in several businesses based there. Betancourt got ensnared in NXIVM – and eventually was the person who initiated criminal charges in Mexico against several of Raniere’s enemies. He is currently hiding out in Mexico – and hoping that he’s not named in the next superseding indictment in the case.

– Jim Del Negro: A flunky who became one of Raniere’s pawns in a variety of illegal activities. He once testified, under oath, that he didn’t know the name of a company that he was President of – and has also been accused of raping the wife of a guy that he was working with on behalf of Raniere.

– Dr. Brandon Porter: Put his medical career and license at risk in order to conduct unauthorized psychological experiments on women to identify those that would be most susceptible to becoming members of DOS. Currently hiding out – and hoping that he’s not named in the next superseding indictment in the case.

– Dr. Danielle Roberts: Put her medical career and license at risk by branding all the women that were recruited into DOS. May still be under investigation by the New York State Department of Health over the brandings she administered.

– Gina Hutchinson: Supposedly committed suicide in October 2002 at the age of 33. She had allegedly incurred Raniere’s wrath because she had developed a romantic interest in another man.

And then there are the many others who obediently followed Raniere’s commands and demands even though what they were told to do was harmful to themselves or to people they cared about:

– All the underaged girls who were convinced – or, in many cases, coerced – to have sex with Raniere.

– The, according to Marc Agnifilo, +/- 150 women who allowed themselves to be branded to show their devotion to their Vanguard.

– The other actresses who put their careers at risk by becoming part of Raniere’s inner circle: e.g., Kristin Kreuk, Grace Parks, Ludwika Paleta, etc.

– The hundreds of women who became sexually involved with Raniere – and agreed never to be with another man for the rest of their lives.

– The numerous men who knowingly became cuckholds as a result of their belief in Raniere’s superiority.

– The woman who drank from a mud puddle and almost ran into a tree trunk because Raniere directed her to do so.

– The thousands of people who wasted their time and money taking NXIVM courses.

And the list goes on and on…

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Raniere’s personal website – which, surprisingly enough, can still be accessed at http://www.keithraniere.com/ – only gives a hint of his claimed accomplishments:

– “Raniere…has developed a series of educational models that offer integrative solutions to subjects such as gender, relationships, childhood development, mind-body complex, compassionate ethics, and creative expression”.

– “Raniere’s patent-pending technology…(is)…helping individuals with different neurobiological disorders, specifically severe cases of Tourette’s Syndrome and OCD”.

– “Raniere holds 147 international patents, including 47 in the United States, in a variety of technical fields”.

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He is so much more than those false claims. And so much less…

K.R. Claviger