Actress Allison Mack was released from prison after serving time for two years for her involvement in the NXIVM cult. The actress was detained in a prison near San Francisco, California, and was released early due to her cooperation with authorities. The cult, run by Keith Raniere, sold personal development seminars in a multi-level marketing scheme, all as a front for sex trafficking. Mack was involved in the recruitment of young women. Raniere was convicted of his crimes and is currently serving a 120 year prison sentence.
Mack previously starred in the hit television series “Smallville.” She entered the cult in 2006, and went on to become one of the highest ranking members within the organization. Throughout her time in the cult, she founded several subgroups. She notably served as the head of Dominus Obsequious Sororium, a women’s only group that presented itself as a feminine empowerment organization.
In reality, the organization recruited women to provide sexual favors to Raniere, who secretly reviewed applications. Members were required to submit nude photographs, allow access to their financial assets, and provide intimate details about their personal lives. Recruits then faced corporal punishment, sleep deprivation, restrictive diets, physical isolation, and branding with Raniere’s initials. Among the recruits were Clare Bronfman, the Seagram’s liquor heiress, and actress India Oxenberg, who is a relative of several European royal families.
Mack was arrested in 2018 by the FBI on charges of sex trafficking. She was sentenced to three years in prison and three years probation in 2021. Since the fallout of Raniere’s cult, a New York Times exposé detailing the abuse of the cult, a Lifetime film produced by a cult survivor, and an A&E documentary were all made regarding the horrors of the organization.
Public Reaction To Mack’s Release
Many onlookers continue to denounce Mack’s early release from prison. Some felt that the organization was protected for so long due to Mack’s celebrity identity, and feared that the actress was released early.
https://twitter.com/The8BitIdiot/status/1676639915684274176?s=20
Others allege that affiliates of the cult continue to walk free, and that comprehensive action ought to take place to prevent the cult from reactivating.
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Well since Allison Mack is in the news community quick dig…I’ll start
Richard Branson where you at ? -kappy pic.twitter.com/Ji4c6WM3ZG
— NiQole (@NiQole1776) July 5, 2023
Others suspect that Mack will make her return to acting soon. The situation is sparking commentary on the unprecedented scenario’s impacts on ethics in the entertainment industry.
She will probably be back on a show next year.https://t.co/0E2E2V0iP0
— Rosie Memos (@almostjingo) July 5, 2023
Many are drawing comparisons to Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime girlfriend of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in prison after being accused of child sex trafficking and rape. Maxwell was also convicted on sex trafficking charges in 2021. Mack’s early release is spurring negative reactions to the American judicial system’s handling of sex assault cases in wealthy circles.
She's no better than Ghislaine Maxwell. Our justice system is a giant joke
— ????♡???? ⁷ (@btsbongs) July 5, 2023
Mack is yet to issue an official statement regarding her early release.
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