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Keith Raniere, the founder of NXIVM, has been sentenced to 120 years in prison. Raniere, 60, was convicted last year on seven charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and forced labor conspiracy.
According to the New York Times, Raniere’s hourslong sentencing on Tuesday followed “wrenching” testimony of sexual abuse from 15 of Raniere’s victims, including India Oxenberg, the former NXIVM member whose ordeal is the subject of two recent documentaries about the group. “You are a sexual predator, and you raped me,” said Oxenberg at the sentencing.
Raniere maintains his innocence, as does a loyal cohort of his followers. More than 50 NXIVM members wrote letters to the court praising Raniere’s intelligence and the success of the organization’s self-help curriculum. According to court filings, Raniere aims to overturn his conviction and is setting up a contest to find holes in his prosecution—with a $25,000 cash prize.
