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Topics: True Crime, News, US News, World News, Crime, Celebrity
Madison Burgess
Topics: True Crime, News, US News, World News, Crime, Celebrity
Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.
Allison Mack has spoken out for the first time about her time in the 'sex cult' NXIVM since her release from prison.
For those who have no idea what we're talking about, the American Smallville actress, 43, was sentenced to three years in prison in June 2021 for her role in NXIVM, which was fronted as a self-help group but was actually a 'sex cult'.
NXIVM reportedly started in 1998 as a self-help programme, however, its leader was found guilty of overseeing a 'slave and master' system within the group, including forcing women to be his sexual 'slaves'.
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Mack was a high-ranking member of the cult and its subgroup 'DOS', where women were allegedly branded with founder Keith Raniere’s initials and forced to have sex with him.
She was among one of the 'masters' in the group and was tasked by Raniere with recruiting and coercing other women.
Mack pleaded guilty to crimes including racketeering and conspiracy charges, but was released from federal prison early in July 2023 after serving just two years of her sentence.
Meanwhile, the organisation’s founder, Raniere, was sentenced to 120 years behind bars for sex trafficking and other crimes.
And now, after remaining silent for years, the former actress has now decided to reveal exactly what happened in a new podcast series - Allison after NXIVM from Uncover by CBC True Crime.
The series is described as 'tracing her astonishing path from Smallville fame to NXIVM's inner circle - and her effort to rebuild a life in the wreckage'.
"Through raw interviews and revealing conversations with those who knew her before, during, and after NXIVM, this season dives deep into the grey zones of influence, accountability and redemption," it reads.
The seven-episode series details exactly how Mack became involved in the shocking scandal and how she feels about it now.
She said in an early episode: "I don’t see myself as innocent," and recalled how she used her fame and success as an actress as 'a power tool ... to get people to do what I wanted'.
Mack said she was 'very effective in moving Keith’s vision forward'.
In a later episode, she admitted: "I was not kind and I was aggressive and I was abusive. I was harsh and I was callous and I was aggressive and forceful in ways that were painful for people. I did make people feel like they had no choice and was incredibly abusive to people, traumatic for people."
Speaking about her role 'helping' Raniere, she said: "100 percent all those allegations are true," but also added she is 'someone who cares deeply and wanted very much to grow and wanted very much for everybody that I was involved with to grow'.
Mack noted: "Both of those things are true about me."
She continued: "I definitely recognise and admit that I was abusing my power. But I also can’t negate the fact that there was a part of me that was altruistic and was desperate to help people. I wanted to be better, and I was willing to do anything to be better in myself and to help other people be better."
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.