Strange Country Ep. 129: NXIVM, Part 1

In a three-episode arc, Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly delve into NXIVM, a self-help seminar/cult set in Albany NY. Part I explores the history of NXIVM founder Keith Raniere, the self-proclaimed smartest, most ethical, best volleyballer, top Vanguard player in the whole, wide world. Dive deep with us dashhounds and get ready to transform your life and you can too! Send checks! Theme music: Big White Lie by A Cast of Thousands Cite your sources: "Abrams wants 'buying club' shut down." UPI Archive: Domestic News, 19 Apr. 1993. Gale OneFile: News, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A441989770/STND?u=nysl_sc_flls&sid=STND&xid=f0b0f545. Accessed 26 Jan. 2020. Aron, Nina Renata. "What Does Misogyny Look Like?" The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Mar. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/style/misogyny-women-history-photographs.html. Berman, Sarah. "How NXIVM Ripped Through This Group of Canadian Actors." Vice, 12 Sept. 2018, www.vice.com/en_us/article/a38dzj/how-nxivm-ripped-through-this-group-of-canadian-actors. Berman, Sarah. "The NXIVM 'Sex Cult' Story Keeps Getting More Disturbing." Vice, 20 May 2019, www.vice.com/en_ca/article/evyb5j/the-nxivm-sex-cult-story-keeps-getting-more-disturbing. Berman, Sarah. "What It's Like to Be Surveilled and Sued by NXIVM." Vice, 13 June 2019, www.vice.com/en_ca/article/j5wk88/what-its-like-to-be-surveilled-and-sued-by-nxivm. Bryant, Kenzie. "How NXIVM Used a Simple Tool to Build Its 'Sex Cult.'" Vanity Fair, Vanity Fair, 27 June 2018, www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/06/keith-raniere-nxivm-patents-luciferian. Dickson, EJ. "How NXIVM Was the Ultimate Wellness Scam." Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2019, www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/nxivm-keith-raniere-wellness-scam-sex-cult-848439/. Dickson, EJ. "Keith Raniere's Alleged Sex Cult Was Extreme -- But His Misogynistic Views Were Horrifyingly Normal." Rolling Stone, 10 May 2019, www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/keith-raniere-nxivm-misogyny-833427/. Edmondson, Sarah, and Kristine Gasbarre. Scarred: the True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life. Chronicle Prism, 2019. "Full-Text of Raniere Affidavit."  NXIVM Corporation vs The Ross Institute. United States District Court Northern District of NY. https://frankreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2003-full-text-of-_raniere-affidavit-ross-case_.pdf. Gavin, Robert. "NXIVM Founder Raniere Guilty on All Counts." Times Union, Times Union, 20 June 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-founder-Raniere-guilty-on-all-counts-14018002.php#photo-17476102. Gavin, Robert. "Messages Suggest Girl Was 15 When Raniere Relationship Began." Times Union, Times Union, 6 June 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Messages-suggest-Raniere-s-relationship-with-13939595.php. Gavin, Robert. "NXIVM's Neighborhood Shocked Anew by Trial Revelations." Times Union, Times Union, 5 June 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Knox-Woods-suburban-development-and-unofficial-13925699.php. Gavin, Robert. "NXIVM Trial: 'Complete Meltdown' for Ex-Lover." Times Union, Times Union, 18 May 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Purchase-of-bondage-devices-brought-up-at-NXIVM-13853726.php. Grigoriadis, Vanessa. "Inside Nxivm, the 'Sex Cult' That Preached Empowerment." The New York Times, The New York Times, 30 May 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/05/30/magazine/sex-cult-empowerment-nxivm-keith-raniere.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article. "Guinness Book IQ." Hmolpedia, www.eoht.info/page/Guinness Book IQ Hughes, Steve. "NXIVM President Nancy Salzman Pleads Guilty as Raniere Faces New Charges." Times Union, Times Union, 14 Mar. 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-President-Nancy-Salzman-pleads-guilty-in-13685799.php. Iannelli, Jerry. "State Closes Midtown Miami School Tied to NXIVM 'Sex Cult' Leader." Miami New Times, 4, 22 Feb. 2019, www.miaminewtimes.com/news/alejandro-sanzs-wifes-miami-school-closed-by-state-tied-to-nxivm-sex-cult-founder-10295903. Levine, Jon. "New TV Special Links Nxivm Leader Keith Raniere to Deaths of Four Women." New York Post, New York Post, 7 Dec. 2019, nypost.com/2019/12/07/new-tv-special-links-nxivm-leader-keith-raniere-to-deaths-of-four-women/. Lyons, Brendan J. "Lawsuit Targets Keith Raniere and NXIVM Associates." Times Union, Times Union, 29 Jan. 2020, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Federal-lawsuit-accuses-Raniere-and-his-NXIVM-15007930.php. MacIntosh, Jeane. "NXIVM'S VEXING EFFECT ON BELIEVERS." New York Post [New York, NY], 1 Oct. 2007, p. 09. SPN.SP01, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A169330334/SPN.SP01?u=nysl_sc_flls&sid=SPN.SP01&xid=0f5e0de2. Accessed 26 Jan. 2020. Meier, Barry. "Once Idolized, Guru of Nxivm 'Sex Cult' to Stand Trial Alone." The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/nyregion/nxivm-keith-raniere-trial.html. Moynihan, Colin, and Michael Gold. "Allison Mack of 'Smallville' Pleads Guilty in Case of Nxivm 'Sex Cult' Where Women Were Branded." The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Apr. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/04/08/nyregion/nxivm-allison-mack.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article. Moynihan, Colin. "Former Sex Cult Official Describes Its 'Evil' Inner Workings." The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial.html. Moynihan, Colin. "Life as a Nxivm 'Slave': Branding, Whippings and Cold Showers." The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial.html?searchResultPosition=5. Moynihan, Colin. "Nxivm Branding Was Scripted by Sex Cult Leader to Be 'Like a Sacrifice'." The New York Times, The New York Times, 26 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/26/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial-branding.html. Moynihan, Colin, and Emily Palmer. "Nxivm Trial: Allison Mack Lured Woman Into Sex Cult, She Says." The New York Times, The New York Times, 7 June 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/06/07/nyregion/nxivm-trial-keith-raniere.html. Moynihan, Colin. "Nxivm Trial: Sex Cult Was Like 'Horror Movie' Prosecutor Says." The New York Times, The New York Times, 17 June 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/06/17/nyregion/nxivm-trial-sex-cult-raniere.html?searchResultPosition=6. Moynihan, Colin. "Nxivm Trial: Sex Cult Leader Confined Woman in a Room for 2 Years in Jealous Rage." The New York Times, The New York Times, 30 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/30/nyregion/nxivm-sex-cult.html. Moynihan, Colin. "In Nxivm Trial, a Woman Lured Into Sex With Cult Leader Describes His Harem." The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial.html?searchResultPosition=10. Natalie, Toni, and Chet Hardin. The Program: inside the Mind of Keith Raniere and the Rise and Fall of NXIVM. Grand Central Publishing, 2019. "NXIVM." Cult Education Institute :: Group Information Archives, culteducation.com/group/907-nxivm.html. "NXIVM Judge Delays Sentencing of Seagram's Heiress Clare Bronfman." Times Union, Times Union, 19 Dec. 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-judge-delays-sentencing-of-Seagram-s-14919236.php. Odato, James M., and Jennifer Gish. "In Raniere's Shadows." Times Union, Times Union, 24 Apr. 2019, www.timesunion.com/local/article/In-Raniere-s-shadows-3341644.php. Oxenberg, Catherine, and Natasha Stoynoff. Captive: a Mothers Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult. Gallery Books, 2018. Reuters. "Seagram Heiress Clare Bronfman Pleads Guilty in Alleged Sex Cult Case." The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 19 Apr. 2019, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/19/nxivm-cult-seagram-heiress-clare-bronfman-pleads-guilty. Saul, Emily, and Lia Eustachewich. "'Slave Master' Recounts Horrifying Details of Relationship with Nxivm Leader." New York Post, New York Post, 17 May 2019, nypost.com/2019/05/17/slave-master-recounts-horrifying-details-of-relationship-with-nxivm-leader/. Solomon, Deborah. "The Science of Second-Guessing." The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Dec. 2004, www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/magazine/the-science-of-secondguessing.html. Voytko, Lisette. "Nxivm Leader's Text Messages With Sex 'Slave.'" Forbes, 6 June 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/06/06/nxivm-leaders-text-messages-with-sex-slave/#26c431f8b6b0. Yacowicz, Will. "When We Exposed Keith Raniere, The Leader Of The Nxivm 'Sex Cult.'" Forbes, 15 May 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/05/15/keith-raniere-the-leader-of-the-nxivm-sex-cult/#2268d70435a9. Yacowicz, Will. "Nxivm Trial Witness: We Hacked Billionaire Edgar Bronfman Sr.'s Email." Forbes, 29 May 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/05/29/nxivm-trial-witness-we-hacked-billionaire-edgar-bronfman-srs-email/#105aa469156e. Yusko, Dennis. "An Espian's Brief Life." Cult Education Institute, The Albany New Times, 1 Feb. 2004, www.culteducation.com/group/907-nxivm/6048-an-espians-brief-life-.html. Yusko, Dennis. "Lawsuit Claims Group Was Portrayed as a Cult." Cult Education Institute, The Albany New Times, 30 Aug. 2003, culteducation.com/group/907-nxivm/6025-lawsuit-claims-group-was-portrayed-as-a-cult-.html