Frank Report has been publishing the victim statements delivered at Keith Raniere’s sentencing hearing on October 27, 2020.
These are important to have recorded online and will form a part of the detailed review of this case that is forthcoming. As readers know, Raniere was sentenced to 120 years in prison. There were 15 speakers – 13 women and two men – at the sentencing hearing.
There were four speakers from the same Mexican family, whose six members – father, mother, three daughters and one son – were all part of Nxivm. They moved from Mexico to live in Albany to be closer to Raniere and make Nxivm a big part of their life.
Today “The Family” is in schism. There are two, the father and the eldest daughter, who are still loyal to Raniere. The eldest daughter, Marianna, has a son with Keith. The child is three years old.
Raniere had intimate relations with all three daughters. The youngest, Camila, has said, at the sentencing hearing, that this relationship began when she was 15. The middle daughter, Daniela, is well known to readers, for she was the woman who testified that she spent almost two years in a room in her family’s home, in solitary confinement, because Keith wanted her to heal an ethical breach.
Adriana, her mother, helped to reinforce Raniere’s plan for Daniela and, at one time, Adriana actually entered the adjoining room and went into solitary confinement herself to help her daughter heal her ethical breach, a breach that no one knew other than Daniela and Keith and was apparently based on the fact that Daniela desired a romantic relationship with a man other than Raniere.
Much has happened and much has been learned by the mother since Daniela left her confinement eight years ago, and since Camila returned to her side of the family (the anti-Keith side) – and now for the first time we will hear the mother’s voice in this.
We have already heard from siblings, Camila and Adrian.
The prior speakers were:
By Adriana
Your Honor, my name is Adriana. Thank you for the opportunity to read this letter to Keith Raniere.
Keith, your trial and the verdict handed down by the grand jury where you were found guilty all of charges, are a triumph of true love, a love that you do not know, a love that surrounded you for years and you never touch it.
The greatest crime that a human being can commit is to hinder, stop, manipulate and influence in a negative and deceptive way the spirit, the development and the expansion of the consciousness of another human being.
In your case, the majority of your victims are women. In this way, you raped and denigrated my three daughters, lying, manipulating and deceiving them as well as me, my son and their father. You have consciously committed this hideous, scandalous and inhumane crime and will consciously live accordingly.
Some time ago, I was afraid to leave my own existence. Immature and fragile, out of my center, is that I came to you in search of answers. I found with that, even imagining myself, lies, deceptions, manipulations, blackmail, perversions, malevolence disguised as empathy, compassion, consideration and true knowledge.
You wanted to eliminate me and my family. You separated us. You deprived me of my experience of being a mother. I was not there for my children, and I am really sorry. It is impossible that you can think about my pain of losing my family in life. You will never be able to restore it. It was required that I die in life to my fear and be reborn in love and truth in life to realize the monster that you are.
Also, it is true that in biology we are alike. There is a great difference between us. The difference that exists between those of us who believe in family, justice, love, evolution, development and you is that you do not harbor a minimum awareness of the self. But, on the contrary, inside you only harbor violence, lies, fear, loneliness and emptiness with an intense impulse to destroy all the beauty that surrounds you.
You, you are part — only part of the beast.
And that beast against justice that we, the human beings of this new humanity, enforce. You are the antithesis of love. Now you are who you have chosen to be by your actions. Even if you close your eyes, there is a justice and God exercises it through the Honorable Judge Nicholas Garaufis, representative of society, the prosecutors and the law.
How many years, Keith? 20? 30? Maybe you will spend your whole life in prison. Maybe.
Listen carefully to what I am now telling you, Keith: I, Adriana, being a human being, being a woman, a daughter, a mother of this new paradigm shift of planet Earth, I tell you that no matter how much they dictate to you, your sentence has no proportion to the damage you have caused to my family and dozens of other families. The true proportion will come with time, when you totally disappear from our lives, from our thoughts, from our interactions with friends and strangers, when someone mentions you and remembers you as the beast of darkness that you are and the pain of your actions will no longer exist in our hearts. Maybe generation will pass.
I already told you once, it is not from me that you have to ask for forgiveness. I already forgave you in my forgiveness. It is to them, my children. My children. And if you ever realize how you damaged them, you will fall to your knees and beg for forgiveness, each one. And maybe in this way you will find the return to your soul.
Three of my children have found the way back to their essence, as I have. My heart knows that the father of my children [Hector] and my eldest daughter [Marianna] will one day be themselves again and she will bring her son [Keith and Marianna’s son] into the family if she wants. I am certain that consciousness surpasses genetics [She is referring to the child being Keith’s son]. In this way, her son will be fine.
And in that consciousness, it is true that along with us, some women and men who experienced themselves in your hell will become more and more luminous in the action of living a more loving life with ourselves, that whenever we make a conscious decision to know who we are and what we want for ourselves, death does not exist.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Not making a diagnosis of anyone here, but it’s interesting to think about how features of Dependent Personality Disorder relate to the behaviour of some current and ex-NXIVM members.
*Inability to make decisions, even everyday decisions like what to wear, without the advice and reassurance of others.
*Avoidance of adult responsibilities by acting passive and helpless; dependence on a spouse or friend to make decisions like where to work and live.
*Intense fear of abandonment and a sense of devastation or helplessness when relationships end; a person with DPD often moves right into another relationship when one ends.
*Oversensitivity to criticism.
*Pessimism and lack of self-confidence, including a belief that they are unable to care for themselves.
*Avoidance of disagreeing with others for fear of losing support or approval.
*Inability to start projects or tasks because of a lack of self-confidence.
*Difficulty being alone.
*Willingness to tolerate mistreatment and abuse from others.
*Placing the needs of their caregivers above their own.
*Tendency to be naïve and to fantasize.
Obviously, not all apply to all.
But clearly, some apply to some.
Looks like Raniere could serve much less than 120 years: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/28/2.2 LOL
The statute that you’ve cited has been superseded. Federal parole is now limited to persons convicted under federal law before November 1, 1987, persons convicted under District of Columbia law, “transfer treaty” inmates, persons who violated military law who are in federal civilian prisons, and persons who are defendants in state cases and who are under the U.S. Marshals Service Witness Protection Program. So, unless he is successful in his attempt to win a new trial – or to have his sentence reduced – Keith Raniere’s 120-year sentence will stand.
As usual, you failed to provide a link to your opinion. LOL
Here’s mine, which indicates the law is current: https://ecfr.federalregister.gov/current/title-28/chapter-I/part-2/subpart-A/section-2.2 LOL
What is the source of all of your fancy words, or are we just supposed to believe whatever you say because you said it? LOL
Scott,
Facts are not opinions.
It is a fact that the statute you originally cited has been superseded. It is also a fact that the regulation that you cited only applies to federal prisoners who (a) were convicted under federal law before November 1, 1987; (b) were convicted under District of Columbia law; (c) are “transfer treaty” inmates; (d) violated military law and who are now in federal civilian prisons; and (e) are defendants in state cases and who are under the U.S. Marshals Service Witness Protection Program.
Although you apparently think that knowing how to do a Google search is the equivalent of going to law school, that is not the case. So, rather than demanding that I provide you with citations whenever I point out one of your totally incorrect claims, I suggest you stop lecturing people on things you know nothing about. That will save us both time – and limit the amount of misinformation that Frank Report readers have to sort through.
As for this particular issue, try reading what the U.S. Department of Justice has to say on the topic: https://www.justice.gov/uspc/how-parole-works.
Claviger-
I am paraphrasing you here:
“Scott has the free Bronze membership, not the Platinum Premium Membership.”
Claviger, you shouldn’t be answering his questions for free.
You are spending your time on someone, who by my perspective, does not appreciate your efforts.
I look forward to your next article.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Between this response and Frank’s ‘Could you win a fight against Vanguard” article, I’m in tears of laughter.
I feel really sorry that guilt and regret will be felt for the rest of their lives. They are free from Keith but the impact of making certain choices, particularly when it has harmed loved ones, is not something that will easily go away unless heads are buried in sand which brings a whole new set of problems. The damage is not easily fixed and my comment doesn’t go into the brainwashing. Guilt and regret are damaging but common issues most people have. I really feel for these victims and how extra complicated their lives are when the whole family was involved and brainwashed. It’s so fucked up. Keith Reniere is evil.
Great points, Natashka.
Thanks, Mexican Lady. I have finally got round to watching The Vow (I am always late to the party!) and that just made me feel incredibly sad. A group of people can be so corrupt and heartless that they capitalize on people wanting to do good/help themselves or, worse still, people who clearly had emotional issues in the first place. I really hope they have good support systems and therapy because this damage at the hands of these monsters is not easily undone. I am outraged all over again and I haven’t even started on Seduced yet!
You won’t like Mark Vicente after you watch Seduced.
After I watched Seduced, I wished for a seagull to drop a big white turd on his head.
Ha ha. That’s not strong dislike, you could have said a piano.
Vicente wasn’t criticized nearly as much as Salzman and Mack were, the strongest comment was that Vicente was doing his job, being a salesman promoting his wares. LOL
Great letter! I love how spiritual the mom is. She is right that Keith was surrounded with love he never touched. Cami, Dani, AND Even Mariana are good souls.
I feel their positive outlook on life will empower them to survive and be successful. Maybe this was exactly what their souls needed to grow. Keith was a teacher for them to learn to grow. All of them seem much stronger now. Not taking bullshit. But still being very spiritual.
Keep going, familia!
Adriana is a writer and her family was really “damaged” by Keith, and she makes this “simple” statement?! I really don’t think she feels any remorse for what she did. She was the person responsible for her underage children when she left them in Albany with Keith. She was supposed to provide and protect them. Where was she when Daniela was sent back to Mexico with no money? When Camila was abused? It’s impossible to not judge her!
It is in another language. Please try writing a letter in another language and then share your thoughts. Do we really need to judge and criticize the mom? She is trying.
I believe all we do on here is judge.
That judgement happened until she spoke out against him and woke up. If she did finally see and continues to see, then anything a stranger has to say pales in comparison to the self flagellation of a mother that has failed her children. Look at the wreckage of her family.
She’s out, now the long road of healing has started. That family deserves a chance at reconciliation with accountability without interference from the outside world.
I’ve said them, and now I withhold them. It serves no one.
What’s the point of getting out if there aren’t paths forward? If family disowns you?
Did the 120 years sentence come with a sweetener like “with Hard Labour”? Just curious.
No, it did not come with hard labor – but there is a real question about what prison he will wind up in – and that means he could be in solitary for a long time.
I wonder whether the 120 years sentence had a sweetener, like “Hard Labour”? Otherwise, his long incarceration at the expense of taxpayers would not be fair. Society should get a little bit back, however small, for feeding him for the rest of his life.
If he gets assigned to a max security prison and is placed in general population, he will get the opportunity, if he lives, to do some work for the taxpayers.
They don’t do that anymore.
Sometimes reading these statements, even watching and listening to protagonists such as India Oxemberg, or Mark Vicente, or Sarah Edomson, I feel as if they’re all characters whose script players at some point had been replaced.
As if the story they’d been performing until a certain moment suddenly had stopped being remunerative, whatever would have been the currency effective until that point (joy, prestige, sense of belonging, etc.).
I find it inappropriate to depict their process by saying that they’ve “woken up”; it’s more like they have switched their dream until the next time, when they’ll switch it again. Reading Catherine Oxenberg book, I found out that she kept going once and again to different NXIVM “curriculums”, even after finding out a woman had been doing a “penance” by sleeping on the floor because of a “breach” she had committed against her husband; even when Lauren and Nancy Salzman threatened her because a post she had made in her website supposedly infringed on Nxivms’s non-disclosure agreement; even when she considered that the contents of the classes were misogynistic; even then she continued flying to Albany, to Mexico, to Canada once and again.
If I understood correctly, she stopped showing up at the classes when she felt some women were trying to seduce her husband. And then, after many years, she decided it was time to save her daughter. So according to this narrative, they all woke up because DOS trespassed a certain threshold that was inherently “too much”? I find that narrative at least defective.
For me, it makes sense. Sometimes you need to see physical violence to wake up. The psychological violence is hard for people to grasp so they tolerate it. It was until it was a very visible thing that Keith was stopped. The branding was a very visible thing. However, the psychological damage Keith did before was just as bad or worse.
I think the physical violence made it all more tangible
Maybe you’re right. However, I still don’t know… Sarah Edmonsond didn’t “wake up” when she got branded and neither did India Oxenberg and, as far as I know, Mark Vicente wasn’t branded nor was his wife and yet they seem to have “waken up” anyways, so… Those facts seem to indicate that the trigger wasn’t “physical”. I’ll keep thinking about it though.
From the point of view of the law, physical violence was the most important moment. However, there is no one who does not perceive the psychic, unless you empathize and enjoy.
What I’m trying to think is that there are certain mechanisms we can find in cults that might be very close with the way normality works. It’s kind of dreadful find out the similarities and the blurr between some practices considered acceptable in society, like marketing, and some practices of indoctrination within cults.
https://www.ltaspod.com/27
This is a recent podcast that discusses two cults, The Welcomed Consensus and how One Taste borrowed much from it. The techniques and personalities will be familiar to former members of NXIVM and DOS.
Thanks Cilantro, I much appreciate.
Whenever I finish reading a victim impact statement, like the one above, from Keith Raniere’s sentencing, I always think, “This shit-bird got what’s coming to him.”
How many lives did he ruin, and how many lives would he ruin if released?
Best for Keith to live out the remainder of his life in prison.
She sounds as if she has been very hurt by it. She does not write like the clever business women who were also victims and she certainly writes in a way which screams – potentially a very good cult target so I am not surprised she was hooked in.. I hope her husband and the daughter gets out. I hope she gets a chance to be a grandmother to the child, spawn of KR.
I don’t think she sounds at all less strong than the business women. She sounds like she is spiritual, which I see as a good thing. This does not make her weaker or easy cult pray.
Sorry, but this woman sounds like a total flake. Between her and the idiot father, no wonder the kids were easy prey for Raniere. So sad.
Ben-
-Woman sounds like a total flake
Little Known Fact:
This swell mom left Nxivm, abandoned her family, and joined another cult. Now she is, of course, back.
Mom’s impact statement makes me feel even worse for the daughters. [redacted]
This reads like a junior high school dramatic writing assignment – very little in the way of facts, mostly drama. LOL
You let Scott Johnson continuously, gratuitously, now ‘anonymously’ insult NXIVM victims — whether they agreed to let you use their court statements or not —and wonder why many of them do not support your site or your personal plight for justice.
Scolding him publicly or letting him insult you, too, doesn’t mitigate it either, Frank.
Scott (also formerly “Tex2 on Twitter) is BANNED from other internet sites, save maybe “Parler.” Good idea to send him over there where he can mix it up with the other racist, sexist bullies and get the ass whooping he’s begging for.
But, as you know, “guilt by association” prevails and ‘guilt by publication,’ as I hope you know, will be the law come January. Blogs and sites will be liable for libelous and “hate” comments posted by others.
Parler welcomes you, Schlock.
Heidi – the topics and people reported on in posts are fair game to be criticized. That’s extremely important. I am asking commenters to stop bullying each other.
If someone makes a statement in court, that is public and no one needs permission to publish court statements. They should be published regardless if the parties who stated them want them published or not. This is how we keep our court systems transparent.
I do not wonder if anyone supports or does not support my site. Those who want it will visit it. As for supporting my fight for justice, I need no one’s help, I fight my own fights and would not want it any other way.
I wish Scott and you would try to be a little more diplomatic with each other it might lead to healthy debate.
Hutchinson, what is your reference point for “Blogs and sites will be liable [starting in January] for libelous and “hate” comments posted by others?” LOL
Scott by my count you have been banned from two web forums and Twitter has kicked you three times for vulgar-profane-aggressively language…..
And then most recently Ivy blocked you.
Heidi. I saw you at The Lost Women of NXIVM, where I learned about Gina’s story. I thought it was upsetting and outrageous, just like the events that happened to the other victims. This is the film that started me here, this blog, where I “met” Frank, an honest, clean man and writer. What I don’t know is what, why, to whom, how, for what purpose (I mean comments), but I know for sure that he does what he does for good reason. I think we’ll find out later. I’m sure he wants the best, too.
At the same time, everyone has the right to express opinions, of course, within a moderate framework.
But I haven’t read anything here that’s so disturbing. Or did I see it wrong? Can you tell me what’s going on so I can understand? I’m with good intentions, I don’t want to bully you, I just want to see it clearly.
Nomin – Over the years, Scott Johnson has posted things on Frank Report that are unforgivable. Not that he cares to be forgiven – he has never once apologized and doubles down on everything he’s ever typed.
Now that Frank is often censoring him, you only see his comments as often sniping, instigating, sometimes obnoxious, and nearly 100% disrespectful. This is only a one or two out of 10 when it comes to what we were accustomed to in the past with the viciousness of his posts.
Scott has run off many people from Frank Report and is the single biggest reason that the comment section of FR doesn’t always have the best reputation. Heidi and others have wanted Frank to stop Scott’s behavior, and are not happy in how long it took to mitigate it. For years, many have wanted Scott completely booted from FR. Even now, when you see people like Susan Dones comment, they do it with boxing gloves on, because they remember the past attacks.
The above comment, Nomin, is mainly true. I will reply in a separate post to explain it fully.
NutJob-
Fact:
The first comment I ever made, over two years ago, on the Frank Report was in defense of Heidi Hutchinson because Scott and Bangkok were attacking Heidi-unmercifully.
Yeah. People who haven’t stepped up in defense of somebody he was attacking, are missing a ball.
Hi Scott-
I almost agree, but not quite.
*****
Here is a middle school limerick just for you:
******************
“Dr. Daniela Mengele”
There was a woman named Daniela,
whacky cunt was worse than rubella
she made women scream
And their flesh steam
Bitch thinks Dr. Mengele is a hell-of-a-fella
*************************
I never would have thought writing silly limericks would be so much fun. Oddly it’s like writing computer code. Never would’ve crossed my mind.
I would love to have a compiled book of your limericks [redacted] LOL
Nice Guy, Scott seems to want to have a paper version of your works. Perhaps you could arrange that for him and potentially appear on his podcast to discuss your art.
Frank-
I’d love to send Scott a copy of my Anthology.
[redacted]
Anon LOL,
Isn’t it exactly what you expected, though? So easy to make fun of the woo-woo Nxivm pseudo-intellectual speak attempts to say, “You lying, predatory bastard.”
I am much more interested in how the MexNx ppl who have supposedly renounced Vanguard are supporting her.
“Dr. Daniela Mengele”
There was a woman named Daniela,
whacky chick was worse than rubella
She made women scream
and their flesh steam
Witch thinks Dr.Mengele is a hell-of-a-fella
Thanks for another version of your [redcted] limerick, NiceGuy 666. LOL
Great LMAO!
I didn’t see you posted the other limericks…
😉
That sounds like she’s at the beginning of a long tough process, that is hopefully being guided by a very experienced family therapist. That family is going to have to tear down their version of reality and put it back together, with love. But the years it will take will be worth it.
I say this not to insult or presume, but don’t look for guidance in an older misogynistic pedophile sex cult run by men. It will lead to the same practice of denial of bodily autonomy and second class view of women. Don’t replace one cult with another. Tear it all down and build your own house of peace, autonomy and intuition.
The age of consent is 12 in Vatican City for a reason. End the cycle.
I think it is vital to understand that some (not all) in Mexican culture revere teachers. Also coaches. It is a very different level of trust and respect than afforded in America. Yes, that can set children up for abuse. Remember, women and men, that this family deeply trusted and respected others who assured them repeatedly that this man was safe. A genius. A spiritual teacher. And very specifically, ” ethical”. Living as a celibate monk or priest. Would I make her choices? No way. But I think more is gained by seeking to understand than judging. So no future children are put in this kind of harm’s way. It makes you wonder if this super predator targeted the Mexican community because of this cultural difference?
If Adriana had been present as “just” a regular woman, I’d be looking at her as a victim. But she was a mother. The most beautiful expression of motherhood in our country is “sweet mother.” That can’t be said of her, because she threw her daughters at this satire out of love. I need her testimony, because the more witnesses there are, the better, but a mother should be able to override her own love or affection for the sake of her children because they come first. A real mother renounces her own (such) interests, trying to show them decency and set an example. I can’t take it as an excuse that you admired and respected Raniere.
Quite right. A parent’s first responsibility in life is to their child. Everything and everyone else is of lesser importance; whether that be a spouse, other family, or anyone else. Children are not meant to be an afterthought.
Kids come first. There’s no excuse for that. I only have one dog, but I see it as a child. That means I’m responsible for it. For what you feel and think, my interest means overriding my own needs, my interests, and then I’m “just” talking about a dog. But a kid who’s your own you feel, what to expect in the future…
So true.
@Nomin Jerabek
—a mother should be able to override her own love or affection for the sake of her children because they come first.
It’s my impression that Adriana was convinced that she was doing the right thing for her children by having them involved in Nxivm. From all I’ve read, the young women involved with KR all kept it secret from everyone else, so I don’t think Adriana was aware of what was going on. Keith and others, like Lauren, convinced the sister Daniela’s family that Daniela was in danger of becoming a criminal, so the family thought they were displaying tough love with her for her own eventual benefit. Kind of like if you have an adult child who is a drug addict, you have to stop supporting them no matter how much it pains you, otherwise you could be enabling their own self-destruction.
It’s an option, yes. The underlying meaning of Adriana’s words would be nice to know so that the picture is complete.
Apparently she thought she was doing good for all of her children but was being being lied to. LOL
Parents get dragged into sex and cults all the time. However, I am not sure you can always blame the parent.
You absolutely should blame the parent. That is their first and last responsibility; legally, ethically and morally.
Uhm, I beg to differ.
There are only 4 unforgivable crimes:
1.Murder
2.Rape
3. Child molestation
4. Being a shitty parent
“No-fault” and “No-blame” are terms for auto insurance, not parenthood. Ask your local Allstate rep.
I’m really biased. It’s not about the subject, it’s about the role of parents.
Me too.