UPDATE 1-Ex-member of alleged New York sex cult felt 'shame' after forced encounter
Sylvie, a 32-year-old British woman who testified under her given name only, is the first alleged victim to appear as a witness at Raniere's trial in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn. "I felt shame," a tearful Sylvie said, telling jurors she did not want to engage in sexual acts with him but she said she felt she had no choice.
"Now you're part of the inner circle," she recounted Raniere telling her after the encounter. Raniere has pleaded not guilty to charges including sex trafficking and child pornography, and his lawyer has argued that he never forced any women to act against their will. He faces life in prison if convicted.
Sylvie told jurors how her involvement in Nxivm eventually led her to become a "slave" in a secret sorority within the group called DOS, submitting herself entirely to a "master," a woman named Monica. She recited a lifetime vow to obey her female master at a commitment ceremony and wore a necklace called a "dog collar."
As was expected of slaves, Sylvie recruited other women to join DOS. She now lives in England with her husband, also a former Nxivm member, and testified under an immunity agreement with prosecutors. "We were taught that women were self-absorbed, narcissistic," she said. "I feel like in some ways that was the worst part of it for me."
Nxivm, which started under another name in 1998 and is pronounced "Nexium," was based in Albany, New York, and operated numerous self-improvement centers across North and Central America. Prosecutors say Raniere established DOS in 2015, setting up a pyramid-like structure of female slaves and masters with himself alone at the top. Participants were forced to provide potential blackmail material, or "collateral," such as explicit videos or damaging information.
Raniere's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo told jurors the collateral was used to confirm the women's commitment but was never intended to be released. Raniere is standing trial alone after five co-defendants, including Seagram heiress Clare Bronfman and former "Smallville" star Allison Mack, pleaded guilty to related crimes. (Reporting by Joseph Ax; editing by Scott Malone and Jonathan Oatis)
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ALSO READ
ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Trophy Tour to start in Barbados
Thane woman falls victim to Rs 5 lakh electricity bill scam
HC sets aside order granting bail to rape case accused without hearing victim
PM Modi pays homage to Jallianwala Bagh massacre victims
Serbian runway honours shooting victim with Dior designs