This is a timeline of Keith Raniere, the founder of NXIVM who was sentenced to 120 years in prison after numerous crimes.
Childhood and education
- 1955 – James Raniere, a New York City advertiser marries Vera Oschypko, a ballroom dancing instructor.
- August 26, 1960 - Keith Raniere born
- 1965-6 - Ranieres move from Brooklyn to Suffern.
- "Late 60s to early 70s" - Keith attends Waldorf School
- 1968-9 - Raniere's parents separated.
- Early 70s - Keith left Waldorf school for public jr high
- "Age twelve" (1972-73) - Inspired by Asimov's "Second Foundation" (per adult autobiographical statments)
- "Age thirteen" (1973-1974) - Vera Raniere undergoes open heart surgey.
- "Ninth grade" - Raniere attends Suffern High School for ninth grade
- "Tenth grade and eleventh grade" - Transfers to Rockland Country Day School in Congers, NY.
- June 1978 - Raniere graduates from Rockland Country Day School, does not attend ceremony.
- August 1977 - Raniere enters Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- December 3, 1978 - Mother Vera Raniere dies
- 1982 - Raniere graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with a 2.26 GPA "having failed or barely passed many of the upper-level math and science classes he bragged about taking."
Early adulthood
- 1980s- Begins job as programmer at New York State’s Division of Parole
- 1984- 24 year old Raniere has sexual relationships with Gina Melita and Gina Hutchinson, both 15.
- 1980s - Participation in Amway
- June 1988 - Times Union profiles Raniere for MEGA test
- 1989 - Raniere listed as one of three highest scoring MEGA Society members in the 1989 Australian edition of the Guinness Book of Records
- 1989 - Leaves programmer job at Division of Parole
- 1990 - Raniere starts Consumer's Buyline Incorporated
- 1990 - Raniere begins sexual relationship with 12-year-old "Jane Doe X"
- 1993 - "Jane Doe X" reports abuse to police
- 1993 - CBI shut down as a pyramid scheme
- 1994 - Raniere starts National Health Network, selling vitamins
- 1996 - Raniere signed a consent order permanently barring him from "promoting, offering or granting participation in a chain distribution scheme" and ordering him to pay a $40,000 fine.
Executive coaching
- 1998 - Nancy Salzmann meets Toni Natalie
- 1998 - Salzmann and Raniere found ESP/NXIVM
- 1999 - National Health Network fails
- 1999 - Natalie defection
- 2002 - Bronfman recruitment
- August 2002 - Gina Hutchinson resumes contact with Raniere and begins participanting in NXIVM.
- October 11, 2002 - Gina Hutchinson found dead of gunshot.
- February 6, 2003 - Kristin Snyder disappears, last seen leaving NXIVM session, ejected after claiming to be pregnant with Raniere's child.
Cult accusations and aftermath
- October 1, 2003 - Forbes magazine included a quote from billionaire Edgar Bronfman accusing the organization of being a cult.
- 2005 - Vicente recruitment
- August 2005 - Bronfman sisters begin covering Raniere's purported losses in the commodities market
- Sept 2005 - Raniere begins sexual relationship with 15-year-old Camila.
- October 2006 - Kristin Keeffe gives birth to a Raniere's son. (The parentage is obscured and the child is presented as an orphan)
- May 6, 2009 - The Dalai Lama travels to Albany to give a talk, and on-stage presents Raniere with a white sash.
- 2009 - NXIVM Nine break with Raniere, who's filmed saying "I’ve had people killed... because of my beliefs and their beliefs."
- March 2010 to April 2012 - Raniere learned Daniela, a minor, had kissed another man. Raniere initiall locked himself in a bathroom. Thereafter, he ordered that Daniela be confined to a room with only a mattress and video cameras.
- February 2014 - Keefe flees with her and Raniere's child, goes into hiding
- September 3, 2014 - Barbara Jeske dies of cancer
- 2014 - Pam Cafritz diagnosed with cancer
- 2015 - Raniere sues AT&T
- November 7, 2016 - Alleged death of Pam Cafritz
- November 28, 2016 - Cafritz's death announced.
- January 2017 - Bonnie Piesse defection
- 2017 - Mark Vicente defection
- 2017 - Sarah Edmondon and Nippy defection
- May 26, 2017 - Vicente contacts the FBI
Downfall and arrest
- June 5, 2017 - Parlato breaks branding story
- Oct 17, 2017 - New York Times publishes story on branding
- January 18, 2018 - Search warrant issued for Raniere's email account
- February 14, 2018 - Agent of the FBI files criminal complaint against Raniere with the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York .
- March 27, 2018 - Keith Raniere arrested
- April 20, 2018 - Allison Mack was arrested on charges of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy.
- July 24, 2018 - Clare Bronfman, Nancy Salzman, Lauren Salzman, and Kathy Russell arrested
- March 13, 2019 - Nancy Salzman pleads guilty
- March 14, 2019 - Raniere charged with child pornography
- April 2, 2019 - Lauren Salzman pleads guilty
- April 8, 2019 - Allison Mack pleads guilty
- May 7, 2019 - Trial begins.
- June 19, 2019 - Raniere convicted on all counts
- October 27, 2020 - Raneiere sentenced to 120 years
References
- https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.416187/gov.uscourts.nyed.416187.925.0.pdf
- Bloch, Josh; Goldhar, Kathleen; Elash, Anita; Pizer, Dave (September 12, 2018). "Escaping NXIVM: Inside the secretive world of leader Keith Raniere". newsinteractives.cbc.ca.
- Tkacik, Maureen (August 10, 2010). "Poor Little Rich Girls: The Ballad of Sara and Clare Bronfman". The New York Observer.
- Barcella, Laura (March 28, 2018). "NXIVM: What We Know About Alleged Sex Trafficking, Forced Labor". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- https://rcbizjournal.com/2020/10/27/rockland-raised-sex-cult-leader-keith-raniere-sentenced-to-life-in-brooklyn-court/
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Delving Into the Childhood of NXIVM's Leader". www.theepochtimes.com. May 28, 2018.
- Parlato, Frank (July 13, 2018). "Univision's timeline of Keith Raniere's life". FrankReport.com.
- "It was at the age of 12, I read “The Second Foundation” by Isaac Asimov and was inspired by the concepts on optimal human communication to start to develop the theory and practice of Rational Inquiry"Raniere statement in NXIVM v Rick Ross
- " He realized at twelve years old that the desire and ability to change reality for the better - in a sense, being a hero - was a matter of character, choices and practice. By developing and exhibiting this character, he could stand up to the reality that was pressing in on him. He started this discipline by committing himself to not harming animals or eating meat and to avoid being materialistic." Defendant's Sentencing memo
- https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/26/nyregion/keith-raniere-nxivm.html
- https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/2020/10/27/nxivm-founder-keith-raniere-childhood/6047275002/
- https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/2020/10/27/nxivm-founder-keith-raniere-childhood/6047275002/
- The Journal News (White Plains, New York) 29 Jun 1978, Thu Page 26
- https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Raniere-stands-alone-13795442.php
- The Journal News (White Plains, New York) 15 Dec 1978, Fri Page 17
- Meier, Barry (May 1, 2019). "Once Idolized, Guru of Nxivm 'Sex Cult' to Stand Trial Alone". Retrieved June 20, 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/05/15/keith-raniere-the-leader-of-the-nxivm-sex-cult/?sh=5f33ee6f35a9
- https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/In-Raniere-s-shadows-3341644.php
- https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/the-making-of-the-vanguard
- https://frankreport.com/2017/07/02/blast-from-the-past-complete-text-from-1988-tu-article-about-raniere-take-home-iq-test/
- https://frankreport.com/2017/12/09/raniere-proved-his-highest-iq-by-conducting-his-own-study
- https://nevalalee.wordpress.com/2018/03/28/the-axioms-of-behavior/
- ^ Andrews, Suzanna (October 13, 2010). "The Heiresses and the Cult". Vanity Fair.
- https://tonyortega.org/2019/04/23/nxivm-prosecutors-will-paint-picture-of-keith-ranieres-interest-in-young-girls/
- https://tonyortega.org/2019/04/23/nxivm-prosecutors-will-paint-picture-of-keith-ranieres-interest-in-young-girls/
- Freedman, Michael (2003). "Cult of Personality". Forbes.
- https://www.thecinemaholic.com/where-is-keith-raniere-now/
- Lyons, Brendan J. (November 12, 2017). "Law enforcement has fielded NXIVM complaints for years". Times Union.
- https://books.google.com/books?id=84yLDwAAQBAJ
- https://books.google.com/books?id=84yLDwAAQBAJ
- https://www.thecinemaholic.com/where-is-keith-raniere-now/
- https://books.google.com/books?id=84yLDwAAQBAJ
- https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2006/0724/044a.htm
- ^ Parlato, Frank (August 25, 2019). "Gina Hutchinson: The Untold Story". Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-insiders-speak-in-upcoming-special-14871030.php
- https://wnyt.com/wnytimages/Keith-Raniere-sentencing-memorandum.pdf
- https://frankreport.com/2020/09/24/ranieres-lawyers-to-judge-poor-keith-lost-the-closest-women-in-his-life-over-a-short-period/
- Parlato, Frank (January 27, 2018). "Dalai Lama Secretary denies $1 million paid to speak for Raniere; Yet Dalai Lama Trust founded 10 days after Albany speech with $2 million in donations". Artvoice.
- Dickson, E. J.; Dickson, E. J. (May 30, 2019). "NXIVM Trial: Former Keith Raniere Girlfriend Says She Was Imprisoned for 2 Years". Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- "Dani: Jealous Keith Locked Himself in Bathroom When He Learned About Her Affair With Ben Myers". Frank Report - Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato. May 29, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- https://meaww.com/the-vow-episode-5-kristin-keeffe-nxivm-whistleblower-keith-raniere-child
- https://frankreport.com/2017/10/08/photos-of-the-late-barb-jeske-old-harem-woman/
- Lost Women of NXIVM
- https://frankreport.com/2017/03/04/a-history-of-perjury-raniere-sues-microsoftatt-claims-he-invented-teleconferencing-judge-calls-him-a-liar/
- https://frankreport.com/2019/08/18/where-is-pam-cafritzs-body/
- https://frankreport.com/2019/08/18/where-is-pam-cafritzs-body/
- https://decider.com/2020/08/24/the-vow-bonnie-piesse-mark-vicente/
- https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/a33810530/the-vow-mark-vicente-bonnie-piesse-nxivm-now/
- https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.416187/gov.uscourts.nyed.416187.925.0.pdf
- https://frankreport.com/2017/06/05/part-1-branded-slaves-and-master-raniere-sources-human-branding-part-of-raniere-inspired-womens-group/
- https://www.thecut.com/2019/04/nxivm-sex-cult-case-a-complete-timeline-of-events.html
- "Complaint and Affidavit in Support of Arrest Warrant". United States Department of Justice. February 14, 2018.
- "Complaint and Affidavit in Support of Arrest Warrant". United States Department of Justice. February 14, 2018.
- Krauze, León (May 23, 2019). "How the NXIVM Cult Infiltrated the Mexican Elite". Slate. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- Ottaway, Amanda (March 26, 2018). "NXIVM Founder Keith Raniere Arrested on Sex-Slave Charges". Courthouse News. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- O'Reilly, Andrew (May 4, 2018). "Trial set for 'Smallville' actress Allison Mack, alleged sex cult leader Keith Raniere". Fox News. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
- Siemaszko, Corky (May 4, 2018). "Self-help guru denies enslaving, branding women in Nxivm sex cult". NBC News. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
- "Clare Bronfman, Seagram's heiress, arrested in Nxivm sex-trafficking case". globalnews.ca. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
- Proctor, Jason (July 24, 2018). "Seagram's heiress Clare Bronfman charged in connection with alleged sex cult NXIVM Bronfman and five others accused of racketeering related to operations of a cult-like pyramid group". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
- Brendan, Pierson (March 13, 2019). "Self-help guru Raniere faces U.S. child porn charges; associate pleads guilty". Reuters. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- https://www.insider.com/what-is-nxivm-keith-raniere-explainer-2019-4
- Lyons, Brendan J.; Goodwin, Mike (March 29, 2019). "Daughter of NXIVM leader pleads guilty". Times Union.
- "Smallville star Allison Mack pleads guilty to racketeering in Nxivm case". The Guardian. April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
- "NXIVM trial prosecution's opening statements lasted ninety minutes". News 10 ABC.
- Moynihan, Colin (June 19, 2019). "Nxivm Trial: Leader Convicted After Trial Exposed Sex Cult's Sordid Inner Workings". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
On Wednesday, jurors in Federal District Court in Brooklyn sided with prosecutors. They found Keith Raniere, the leader of the cultlike group near Albany known as Nxivm, guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking, ending a six-week trial that exposed the sordid inner workings of the organization.
- Hong, Nicole; Piccoli, Sean (October 27, 2020). "Keith Raniere, Leader of Nxivm Sex Cult, Is Sentenced to Life in Prison". The New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2020.