Smallville actor Allison Mack provided federal prosecutors with an audio tape that helped convict sex cult leader Keith Raniere.
According to Variety, prosecutors shared a pre-sentencing memo on Monday (June 21) which detailed how Mack, who is best known for her role as Clark Kent’s friend Chloe Sullivan in Smallville, had turned in a recording of her having a discussion with Raniere about branding his “slaves”.
In 2019, the actor pleaded guilty in court to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges relating to the NXIVM cult and its sub sect, DOS. She was also charged with a number of offences relating to sex trafficking and is said to have recruited “sex slaves” for Raniere, NXIVM’s former leader. Mack, who faces 14-17 1/2 years behind bars, is due to be sentenced on June 30.
In the sentencing memo, federal prosecutors asked U.S. District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis to give Mack a reduced sentence, citing the substantial cooperation she provided in prosecuting Raniere.
“Although Mack could have provided even more substantial assistance had she made the decision to cooperate earlier, Mack provided significant, detailed and highly corroborated information which assisted the government in its prosecution,” prosecutors said in the memo (per Variety).
Raniere was convicted last year of racketeering, sex trafficking, child pornography possession and other crimes. He was sentenced to 120 years in prison. Mack did not testify at Raniere’s trial, and her cooperation was not publicly announced.
Part of Mack’s cooperation included her providing the tape on which Raniere discussed a branding ritual, in which his “slaves” were to be tattooed with his initials. Raniere had denied involvement in such a ritual.
A transcript of the tape, which was included in the court filing, appeared to show Raniere and Mack discussing the branding ceremony.
“Do you think the person who’s being branded should be completely nude and sort of held to the table like a, sort of almost like a sacrifice?” Raniere asked Mack according to the transcript.
Raniere then went on to describe how the women being branded should be in a “vulnerable position”.
“Laying on the back, legs slightly, or legs spread straight like, like feet, feet being held to the side of the table, hands probably above the head being held, almost like being tied down, like sacrificial, whatever,” he said.
He continued: “The person should ask to be branded. Should say, please brand me it would be an honour, or something like that. An honour I want to wear for the rest of my life, I don’t know.
“And they should probably say that before they’re held down, so it doesn’t seem like they are being coerced.”
The memo also detailed Mack’s conduct as a “master” in the cult, stating that she recruited several women into the group, and encouraged them to provide nude photos and to have sex with Raniere.
After pleading guilty in 2019, Mack told the court: “I’m here to plead guilty before your honour. I must take full responsibility for my conduct. I am very sorry for my role in this case.”
She continued: “I am very sorry to my family and to the good people I hurt through my misguided adherence to Keith Raniere’s teachings.”
NXIVM publicly portrayed itself as a self-help organisation, self-described as “a community guided by humanitarian principles that seek to empower people and answer important questions about what it means to be human.”
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
The post ‘Smallville’ actor Allison Mack helps convict sex cult leader Keith Raniere appeared first on NME.
