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Hi Crime House Community. It's Vanessa Richardson and if you love digging into the most gripping true crime stories, then you need to listen to another Crime House original Crimes of with Sabrina, Deanna Roga and Corinne Vien. Crimes of is a weekly series that explores a new theme each season from Crimes of Paranormal, unsolved murders, mysterious disappearances, and more. Sabrina and Corinne have been covering the true stories behind Hollywood's most iconic horror villains and and this month they'll be diving into the paranormal. Listen to Crimes of every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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This is crime house.
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Lots of people dream about making it big in Hollywood, but only a few really ever succeed. Just 5% of aspiring actors will ever land a single role. It's especially hard for women to break into the industry. According to a 2024 study, speaking roles for men outnumber those for women at a rate of about 3 to 1. And even when women do manage to land a big part, they typically only make a fraction of what their male co stars do. That's why a lot of aspiring actresses seek out support groups and networking opportunities. The problem is, some of these groups aren't what they appear to be. They advertise themselves as being about female empowerment and personal improvement, but in reality, they're a trap. A businessman named Keith Ranieri founded a group just like this in 1998. It was supposed to offer workshops to prepare people, especially women, for the corporate world and competitive industries like Hollywood. Instead, he took everything from his clients, including their money, their self esteem and their bodies. From UFO cults and mass suicides to secret CIA experiments, presidential assassinations, and murderous doctors, these aren't just theories, they're real stories that blur the line between fact and fiction. I'm Vanessa Richardson and this is Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes, a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Every Wednesday I'll explore the real people at the center of the world's most shocking events and nefarious organizations. These cases are wild and I want to hear what you think at the end of each episode. Lead a comment wherever you listen. Be sure to rate, review and follow so we can continue building this community together. And for early ad free access to every episode plus exclusive bonus content. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts Today I'm discussing one of the most infamous cults in recent history, Nixxiom. Founded by Keith Ranieri In 1998, this group offered self help seminars geared towards wealthy, well connected women looking to move forward in their careers over the course of 19 years, around 17,000 people bought into Keith's message. But only a select few knew the truth that nixxiom wasn't about empowering anyone. It was about Keith's wants and needs. And he didn't just want to make money, he wanted to find a group of women who were willing to do anything to keep him happy, even branding their bodies with his initials and and becoming his own personal sex slaves. All that and more coming up.
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In 1997, 43 year old Nancy Salzman seemed to have it all. A loving marriage, a thriving therapy practice in Albany, New York which she co ran with her husband, lots of money and a good group of friends. But by the end of that year, everything fell apart. First her husband came out as gay and filed for divorce. The courts granted him ownership of their shared business, meaning Nancy was suddenly unemployed. After that, her self esteem plummeted and she was diagnosed with depression. She felt hopeless, like she didn't know what to do with her life. Then a friend told her about a new company, one we now know as nixxiv. It hosted self help seminars and teaching classes and the CEO was looking to hire a hypnotherapist with Nancy's exact credentials to develop their curriculum. The friend encouraged Nancy to apply and almost right Away, the CEO reached out for an interview. That's how she met the head of Nixxiv, 37 year old Keith Ranieri. Keith didn't beat around the bush. He told Nancy he had big plans for his company. He didn't just want to offer self help seminars. He wanted to transform his clients lives. To do that, he'd need to dictate what they ate, where they worked, who their friends were. Everything. According to Keith, the people who followed his advice were guaranteed to become the best versions of themselves. After he described his methods, Keith told Nancy he wanted to offer her the job. But there were a few conditions. If Nancy agreed it, Keith wouldn't just be her boss, he'd be her spiritual and emotional teacher. He promised to transform her personality and her career and help her become the kind of person who'd never let any setback get in her way. Someone who'd accomplished things she'd once only dreamed of. In exchange, there could be no secrets between them. Nancy had to tell Keith about every fear or insecurity she'd ever felt. She had to attend his workshops and losing learn his coaching methods inside and out. And if she ever quit, she'd have to leave the mental health field forever. Nancy had never had a boss demand so much. But she was feeling so lost. And here Keith was offering to solve all of her problems. Besides, she figured he was just passionate. At the time, that seemed like a good thing. So Nancy pushed away any doubts and accepted the job. She became utterly committed to Keith. The problem was she didn't realize who he really was. Keith was born in Brooklyn on August 26, 1960 and raised in upstate New York. He had a pretty typical childhood, at least until he was about 13 or 14 years old. That's when he had an experience he'd later describe as a spiritual awakening. It's unclear what triggered the transformation, but around this time he reportedly came to a life changing realization. If he wanted to be happy and fulfilled, he had to seek out joy and avoid anything that didn't bring him pleasure. That was the only way he'd find peace and personal success. From that point onward, Keith's number one goal was to please himself. If he didn't want to finish his homework, he didn't. If he wanted to break curfew or go after the girls he liked, even if he was already in a relationship, well, that was his choice. All throughout middle and high school, he dated multiple girls at once without them knowing. However, his grades were another story. Keith had always been a solid C student, but after his Supposed epiphany, he stopped studying altogether. His grades plummeted even further, and after failing a few senior year science courses, he came close to flunking out entirely. Somehow, Keith managed to pull it together long enough to get his diploma. But according to Keith, none of that mattered anyway, because it all paid off spiritually. Now that he was living for himself, Keith claimed to gain a sort of spiritual power. He allegedly began recalling memories from past lives. And he realized he'd been reborn this time around to spread his message to the world that everyone could find joy and satisfaction as long as they let Keith teach them his ways. This hedonistic attitude wasn't just a phase. Keith was still completely focused on his own pleasure and enjoyment well into his 20s, even when that meant breaking the law. Although he was a legal adult, he continued to have romantic and sexual relationships with teenagers, some of whom were underage. Of course, Keith did everything he could to keep his indiscretions private. Publicly, he presented himself as a highly successful businessman and prodigy. And soon he began living a lifestyle that matched the image he'd crafted. On May 1, 1990, 30 year old Keith started his first company called Consumers Byline. It sold everyday items. Hygiene, cleaning and cooking products, even cars. In exchange for a small membership fee, customers could buy those objects at a deep discount. In no time at all, the company was making money hand over fist. Keith had reportedly netted tens of millions of dollars by 1992, although the exact number varies wildly depending on the source. Not only was he selling lots of products and memberships, but Keith also started traveling around the country to share how he'd turned Consumers Byline into a success. He sold tickets to these talks and used them to recruit more employees to sell his products, most of whom were young women. While Keith was still living in upstate New York, he had salespeople all across the United States. The problem was Keith wasn't being fully honest about his business model. In reality, Consumers Byline was a multi level marketing company, otherwise known as an MLM or a pyramid scheme. Each time a new potential salesperson said they were interested in joining the company, Keith encouraged them to buy a membership. They could either get an annual subscription for $39 or pay $15 a month, which came to $219 a year, which is, once they bought their membership, they were given a new task. In addition to selling Consumers Byline items, each salesperson was expected to recruit one to two new salespeople to work under them. That way, the pyramid kept growing and Keith was able to get rich on membership. Fees even if he never sold a single product. MLMs are considered predatory because the so called employees pay for the dubious opportunity to work rather than collecting a paycheck for their labor. And in the early 90s, there weren't many laws against these types of operations. But pretty soon that started to change. In February of 1992, the state of Arkansas's Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Consumers Byline. They argued that Keith and other executives had deceived their customers and their sellers. Over the next four years, 23 more suits were filed and while Keith publicly maintained that he hadn't broken any laws, he settled as many cases out of court as he could. All those legal fees added UP and by 1996, consumers byline was bankrupt and out of business. Even then, 36 year old Keith landed on his feet. His brief time as CEO taught him a lesson. As long as he spoke with confidence and projected an image of success, he could fool people into thinking he was a business expert. Some would even give him their money just for the opportunity to be mentored by him. Which is why in 1998 he founded his next business called the Executive Success Program, or esp. Unlike consumers, Byline ESP wasn't peddling toothpaste or shampoo and Keith was selling himself as a motivational speaker. He charged thousands of dollars for lectures and seminars pushing the same message he'd already subscribed to for years that it was possible for people to achieve all of their dreams as long as they embraced joy, refused to be defined by fear, and listened to everything Keith said. Tons of people, especially young and wealthy women, were flocked to esp, hoping this group could boost their careers, their self esteem, or their social standing. Instead, as time went on, they lost everything. Their money, their confidence, and even their sense of self.
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Keith Raniere pivoted from running an MLM to heading an organization called esp. It hosted workshops and seminars on self confidence and executive coaching. Anyone could sign up for his classes, but his target audience consisted of young, financially well off women. These were people who believed they deserved more and were able to pay exorbitant amounts of money to make it happen. Keith charged his clients up to $5,000 per per class and $10,000 for longer training sessions. And he didn't just demand a financial commitment. Attendees were also making a huge time commitment. Introductory courses, called intensives, lasted anywhere from three to five days. Days began at 8am and went through the late evening, meaning students sometimes spent up to 12 or 14 hours learning. After completing an intro course, some members elected to continue their training with high level or advanced intensives. These lasted 10 to 16 days, with the programming broken up into smaller modules. Once clients finished these longer programs, most continued their studies through regular classes. Sometimes this looked like evening or weekend programming, but serious members were expected to attend some some sort of Nexium event every single day. It was a lot, but for many people it seemed worth it because Keith promised that with enough work and dedication to his teachings, anything was possible. If anyone ever complained they weren't getting much value from the lectures, Keith told them it was their fault. They needed to be more committed to the program, even if they had to go bankrupt to do it. Some customers couldn't afford all these workshops, so Keith offered a solution. He gave special discounts to those who recruited other students. This way everybody won. He got a steady stream of new clients and his students could keep learning from him. Although he ran ESP out of upstate New York, he traveled to other states and even other countries to host short term workshops. But Keith couldn't be everywhere at once. By 2003, five years after launching ESP, the business was doing so well that Keith hired other people to lead these classes. Most were former clients who'd mastered his ESP techniques. At this point, Keith also expanded his business, placing all of these ESP seminars under the umbrella of a larger parent corporation called nixium Keith has never actually confirmed where the name Nixium came from, but according to one former member, it was inspired by the term nexum, which was an ancient Roman form of debt bondage. It sounds pretty terrifying, but at the time, no one questioned Keith or his intentions. And while he had lots of employees by then, there was one who stood out from the others. Nancy Salzman had been with the company since before Keith even officially launched it. And in the six years since then, the 48 year old had drawn on her experience as a mental health professional to develop self help programs for Nixxiom's clients. Mostly, she and Keith focused on finding ways to get their students to let their guards down. For example, each executive coaching session featured rituals. Supposedly, they helped participants move beyond their day to day cares and focus fully on the lessons Keith had to teach. Students would start by removing their shoes, then putting on a sash, which was color coded according to how many classes they'd already taken. First time attendees wore white. If Keith or another teacher decided they'd shown personal growth, the client would graduate to a yellow sash, then an orange, and finally the highest rank of all, green. Once everyone had a proper colored sash on, they'd bow in unison as Keith entered the room and began his lecture. This was meant to symbolize the student's submission to his teachings and to honor his advanced knowledge. Keith frequently started his sessions by encouraging students to open up about their darkest fears or to to confess the worst thing they'd ever done. He claimed these exercises taught attendees how to be vulnerable. In reality, he kept careful records of everything his clients said in case he wanted to blackmail any of them later. He also taught his students that they couldn't control what happened to them. Sometimes life just deals you a bad hand. But they could control how they responded to the setbacks. And if they complained, became discouraged, or responded negatively, that was a problem naturally. He also said it was an issue if anyone disliked Nixxiv's curriculum or found that it didn't actually make their lives better. According to Keith, if someone found his teachings ineffective, this just proved they hadn't been committed enough. In essence, this shielded him from any and all criticism, because by definition, if anyone didn't agree with him, they were in the wrong. Okay, you might be wondering right now, why did Keith feel like he deserved this level of devotion from people? Well, he claimed he'd achieved a level of enlightenment that few people ever could. But he also said he had certain traits that made him naturally superior to others. Keith claimed he had an exceptionally high IQ. His score suggested he was smarter than 99.9999% of the population. Essentially, Keith was saying his scores were literally 1 in 10 million. Now, IQ tests have serious flaws, and they're not always effective measures of a person's intelligence. Those concerns aside, Keith had never even taken an IQ test. But. But that wasn't the only lie he told about his supposed intellect. When journalists profiled him and the classes he offered, the former C student made bold claims about his youth. He said he'd taught himself advanced physics and computer programming when he was just four years old. He also suggested he began taking college classes when he was 16 because high school wasn't challenging enough. While it's easy to spot the lies now, these tactics were incredibly effective for potential clients who didn't know the truth about Keith's background. After all, who didn't want to learn from someone who was smart, successful, and accomplished. All of which Keith seemed to be. And then there was the philosophy itself, that the only thing that mattered was seeking out joy and pleasure. It was certainly appealing, and Keith used this same line of reasoning to further his own desires. Desires that hadn't changed much in the last two decades. Keith pressured many of his students to be intimate with him. He actually told some of them that if they slept together, he could help them achieve enlightenment. Supposedly, he'd be able to change their mental energies and heal their emotional wounds while they were in bed. This was a claim Keith made frequently because he used Nexium classes to identify women who were emotionally vulnerable. He'd offer one on one lessons in the name of helping them grow, while in reality, he was grooming them. Some of the victims he targeted were as young as 15 years old, 55 year old. Keith made this grooming process formal in 2015 when he founded a secret group called DOS under the NXIVM umbrella. DOS, spelled DOS, stood for Dominus Obsequious Sororium. It's a Latin phrase that translates to Lord and master of the obedient Female companions. That name probably tells you everything you need to know about dos. The female members were internally referred to as slaves, which, while Keith was their master, they were expected to serve Keith and anyone else who held a higher rank within dos. Every single member was a wealthy woman who'd already been indoctrinated through other NXIVM programs. But when they were invited into dos, it was presented as a very high honor. All the members functioned as Keith's eyes, ears, and hands in his absence. They enforced his strict rules and groomed other female members to serve him even when he wasn't around. And it wasn't just psychological manipulation. DOS members had to hand over money whenever Keith asked for it. They had to share dark secrets or nude photos with Keith so he could blackmail them if they ever threatened to leave. And each recruit was required to be monogamous to him, even though he he frequently had between 15 and 20 sexual partners at a time. He also told DOS members that it was selfish for them to expect sexual pleasure from him. Instead, they were required to focus on catering to his wants. As shocking as this was, the truth about Doss wasn't public knowledge. The group was very secret. Only the inner circle knew it existed and who was involved. Many people outside the inner circle still saw Keith as a typical motivational speaker and executive coach. And really, they had no reason to believe he'd need or want to prey on women. He was making plenty of money without Doss. His top clients included a pair of heiresses who were sisters. They alone gave him more than $150 million. And as far as anyone knows, they had nothing to do with Doss. When the general public attended his straightforward self help seminars, they saw Keith as harmless. And many found his methods incredibly appealing. In the early 2000s, this included an actress in her early 20s who was starting to make a name for herself on the hit CW show Smallville. Her name was Kristen Kruke. She played Clark Kensington, childhood sweetheart Lana Lang. But Kristen longed for a real life Superman. When she took her first class with Keith Ranieri, she started to believe she'd finally found him. After attending a number of sessions, Kristen raved to all of her friends about just how transformative Nixxiom could be. Then, at one point in the fall or winter of 2006, she convinced her 24 year old friend and co star star Allison Mack to join her on a weekend retreat. On the very first day, Allison felt like royalty. The truth was, Nixxiom's leaders, including both Keith and Nancy Salzman, were intentionally trying to recruit women with Hollywood connections. They hoped this would help them expand their reach on the west coast. And since Allison was becoming a major star thanks to her role on Smallville, they went to great lengths to make her feel welcomed and appreciated. Nancy's daughter, who was close to Allison's age, befriended her immediately on the first day of the getaway. By day two, Allison accepted an invitation to fly to New York in Keith's private jet and meet him personally. From there, it was like nixxivm made every one of Alison's dreams come true. True, she was a child star who'd never received a formal education, which she'd always been insecure about. Her teachers and other higher ups assured her that the lessons she was learning in Nixxiom's workshops were as worthwhile as any college level course. When she and her long term boyfriend broke up, Nixxiom leadership encouraged her to move in with other members so she wouldn't have to be alone while grieving the split. And and more importantly, they could all work toward enlightenment and empowerment together, free from the distractions of the outside world. Eventually, Allison's roommates encouraged her to take her dedication to Nixxiom one step further. They wanted her to join doss. This marked her transition into being a formal member of Keith's inner circle. And she clearly saw Keith as much as more than a mentor or a teacher. He was her spiritual guide, her professional coach and her sexual master. Because when she was initiated into dos, she also swore to be his slave. Ironically, after taking countless classes on self confidence and empowerment, Allison's friends who weren't in Nixium thought she seemed emotionally fragile. She was constantly afraid that Keith might reject her. So she did everything she could to be appealing to him. And that included extreme dieting. Allison believed Keith would find her more attractive if she were as skinny as possible. And she was right to think that Keith required DOS members to follow starvation diets where they were only allowed to consume 500 calories a day. As if this wasn't bad enough, Alison worked out excessively. But beyond all of that, Alison learned the one way to make Keith truly happy was to bring in a steady stream of young, beautiful new recruits. So as she rose through the ranks, she continued to aggressively encourage other women to join nixxiv, DOSS and other groups that would lure them into the same vows of slavery. At first, it seemed like 28 year old Sarah Edmondson was going to fall into the same trap. Like Allison and Nancy, Sarah was feeling lost and unmoored in her life. Before she joined Nexium, she was an aspiring actress who'd never landed a major role. Now she was running low on money and motivation. Then in the spring of 2005, she went to a Nixium sponsored workshop in Vancouver. She met a lot of long term NXIVM customers who loved the sessions. But the curriculum struck Sarah as a bit too New Agey. It was hard for her to accept the things her teacher said about seeking pleasure and moving past fear. They came across more like meaningless buzzwords than useful advice. Sarah was so bothered that as soon as she got home, she fired up her computer and did something she hadn't thought to do previously. She Googled new Onixium. And she found hit after hit. Some were articles filled with glowing praise for Keith and his methods. Others were paid advertisements. But she also found posts from former members. People who'd had bad experiences with Nexium. They were now taking to the Internet to warn people not to join. The more Sarah read, the more she got a sinking feeling in her gut. Feeling that without realizing it, she'd gotten involved with a cult. So good, so good, so good.
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Everyone ready their cart? Amazing Black Friday deals are about to start online and in the app. Such great deals to explore. Everything you love from tech, toys and more. The days to save and the ones to remember. It's only the 25th to the 30th of November. Set your alarms. Don't miss out. These deals are epic. Without a doubt, the who's are all ready. But are you? Walmart Black Friday deals await. Who knew?
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A new true crime podcast from Tenderfoot tv In the city of Mons in Belgium, women began to go missing. It was only after their dismembered remains began turning up in various places that residents realized a sadistic serial killer was lurking among them. The murders have never been solved. Three decades later, we've unearthed new evidence. Le Monstre Season 2 is available now. Listen for free on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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In 2005, 28 year old aspiring actress Sarah Edmondson signed up for courses with Nixxiv. She believed the workshops were about female power and self confidence. But after going to a few classes, something about them just seemed off. A quick Google search confirmed her fears. Based on the testimony she saw online, Sarah now believed Nixxiom was a cult. Right away, she called a new friend she'd met at the lectures. A man who'd been studying under Keith for several months. But he explained away all of the negative press. He reminded her that you can't trust everything you read online. After he talked her down, Sarah decided to give Nixxiv another shot. And it didn't take long for Keith to completely win her over. It took less than a week for Sarah's doubts to disappear. In fact, she now believed that Nixxiv was a truly transformative organization. It was good that she'd looked past the red flags, because according to Sarah's teachers, her former reluctance had just been her mind playing tricks on her. After the workshop ended, Sarah signed up for another one. And another after that. She went into each session eager to learn more, and eventually her teachers realized she was willing to accept anything they said. At that point, they encouraged her to take the more exclusive and expensive courses. Before long, Sarah found herself climbing the ranks and recruiting her own friends to join. Every time she brought in someone new, she made a commission. Sarah was so good at it that she was asked to start a chapter in her hometown of Vancouver. And Nixxiom wasn't the only place where Sarah was finding success. By the early 2010s, she was getting cast in a little lot of acting roles. In Sarah's mind, this was all thanks to Keith's advice. None of these parts were major enough to make her a star, but between her Nixium income and the occasional acting gig, she was doing pretty well for herself. By 2017, her life had completely transformed. The now 40 year old had no doubts about her choices. That's when her best friend told her it was time to take the nap. Next step. That friend was none other than Keith's right hand woman, Nancy Salzman. In January of 2017, Nancy told Sarah she knew just the thing to make her life feel complete. Sarah needed to join Doss and become a part of Keith's inner circle. Sarah had never heard of Doss, but she trusted Nancy's judgment. So without knowing what it was, Sarah agreed. Even after Nancy told her something odd. According to Nancy, Sarah had to prove she was committed to the group. And the only way for her to do that was to tell Nancy her deepest, darkest secret. Something so shameful that she'd never betrayed Doss out of fear that it might get out. Sarah struggled with that request, but not for the reasons you might expect. She trusted Nancy more than anyone else. She knew she wasn't worried about confiding in her. The problem was, Sarah hadn't done anything that bad in her life. She told Nancy about some drunken shenanigans she'd gotten up to in her 20s. But Nancy said her confession wasn't incriminating enough. Instead, she suggested Sarah share nude photographs of herself. Sarah wasn't willing to do that, so she dug deeper, and eventually she came up with a new secret. We don't know what she told Nancy, but apparently it was so bad that Nancy agreed to induct Sarah into the group. That's when she revealed that Doss was a secret society. A group as powerful as the Freemasons or the Illuminati, but for women only. And to be a part of it, Sarah had to make a lifelong commitment. Commitment to be Nancy's slave. Sarah was appalled. She didn't want to be anyone's slave. But Nancy tried to reassure her, explaining that Sarah wasn't committing to literal slavery. It was just a word that symbolized Sarah's willingness to humble herself before her teacher. That still felt like a red flag to Sarah, but she wanted to be a good friend and take advantage of the opportunity Nancy was presenting to her. And so Sarah reluctantly agreed to take the vow during a formal ceremony that was scheduled for two months later in March. Except nobody told Sarah what the ceremony involved. To her shock, she and four other women gathered together and recited their oaths. Then they were instructed to strip naked. The next step was by far the worst part. The women were told that a doctor affiliated with NIXIVM was going to burn a sacred symbol onto their flesh near their groins. At that point, one of the women refused. Sarah's stomach turned as Nancy ordered the other four, including Sarah, to hold her down while the doctor scarred her without her consent. Sarah did as Nancy said. But when it came time for her to be branded, she couldn't go through with it. She told Nancy this was wrong, and she believed that should have been enough, that her best friend had to respect this boundary. Instead, Nancy used their friendship against her. She complained that this was just like Sarah. She was always looking for the easy way out, always quitting when the going got tough. When she'd invited Sarah to Doss, she'd hoped this time would be done different. But instead, Sarah was self sabotaging, just like she always had. The words filled Sarah with shame. And even though her instincts told her to run away, Sarah resolved that this time she wouldn't be a quitter. She went through with the branding process. When the doctor pressed the cauterizer against Sarah's skin, the pain was intense. The only way she could get through it was by reminding herself of other excruciating experiences she'd had in the past, including giving birth. Once the branding was finished, Sarah looked at the odd geometric symbol that was now burned into her flesh. It was hard to tell, but the brand seemed to be made Of a K, an R, an A, and an M for Keith Raniere and Allison Mac. And now that she was marked, Sarah didn't feel accomplished or enlightened. Instead, all she could think was, what did I just get myself into? For the first time in over a decade, Sarah realized Nixxiom wasn't the uplifting, empowering organization she'd thought it was. It was hard to admit that she'd been deceived for so long. But after Sarah took the time to reflect on her experiences, she came to the same realization that had struck her when she'd first joined. Nixium was a cult. After coming to terms with the truth, Sarah made a few calls. And since she was wealthy and connected, she got the referrals she needed. Soon, she found herself in a meeting with agents from the FBI. She told them everything. And she had proof to back up her allegations in the form of the brand on her body. She actually pulled her pants down to show the agents the scar that proved Nixxiom was controlling and exploitative. It was hard to dismiss such graphic evidence. And in 2018, federal investigators collaborated with police to investigate Keith and other Nixxiv leaders. On March 27th of that year, they searched Nancy Salzman's house and learned the cult had gone much further than Sarah even knew. Law enforcement officers found evidence that Nancy and Keith were surveilling current and former members, various journalists, judges and whistleblowers. They'd hacked people's bank accounts and stolen their identities. There was also evidence that Keith's associates had stalked and intimidated those who'd threatened to expose him. And finally, they found hard drives full of nude photos of Keith's sex slaves, some of whom were underage. There was more than enough evidence to build a case against Nixxiom. Later that year, 60 year old Keith Ranieri was arrested and charged with with a litany of crimes including racketeering and racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy. His second in command, 66 year old Nancy Salzman, faced counts of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit identity theft and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Even DOS members like Alison Mack didn't get away unscathed because she'd used her status to recruit new members and pressure them to submit to Keith. The 36 year old was charged with racketeering and racketeering conspiracy. Ultimately, everyone except Keith accepted plea bargains. On April 8, 2019, Alison Mack pleaded guilty in exchange for a three year sentence. However, she was released after two. A short while Later, Nancy Salzman pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy charges and received 42 months in prison. However, she was granted a compassionate release in September 2023, less than 20 months into her three and a half year sentence for a breast cancer scare and inadequate medical care in prison. Prison But Keith seemed to think he could beat all the charges. So when his trial began In May of 2019, he took his chances with a not guilty plea. The hearing lasted for six weeks and featured testimony from former members, some of whom testified anonymously to protect their privacy. They shared harrowing stories of the sexual abuse and coercion they'd seen suffered at Keith's hands. Keith claimed he had nothing to do with Nexium's predatory practices. Instead, he argued that all of his sexual encounters were completely consensual. If anyone was accusing him of sexual assault, they were lying, according to Keith. As for the intimidation, the blackmailing, and the underage girls nude photos, Keith said that Nancy Salsman must have been abusing him, his clients, without his knowledge. He also argued that women are more predisposed than men to play the victim and that if Nancy had taken his workshops more seriously, she'd have learned how to take responsibility for her own actions. Ultimately, the jury only needed to deliberate for half a day to decide who they believed. On June 19, 2019, they found Keith and guilty of all of the charges. He was sentenced to 120 years in prison. With Keith's conviction, Nixxiom ceased operations. And to make sure that nobody else could pick up where he'd left off, the federal government seized all of the cult's assets. It was the end of a very dark chapter. But it's worth reflecting on why Keith was able to operate for so long. A lot of it had to do with the people he targeted. Unlike other cults we've covered on this show, Nixxiom didn't prey on the poor or the powerless. Keith sought out women with social and financial capital who were dealing with professional setbacks or gender discrimination. I'd love to know if any of you have ever fallen into a trap like this, either with Nixxiv specifically or another cult or group. Tell us in the comments. Because the sad truth is, even though Nixxiv is gone, there are still plenty of other groups preying on people with big dreams and the resources to chase them on Cult Watch. This week, I'm highlighting the isha Foundation. In 1992, Guru Jaggi Vasudev established the group in India. Like Keith Ranieri, Jaggy claimed his foundation was harmless. It offered a series of workshops to help clients reach their full potential. He even incorporated it as a non profit. But on October 17, 2024, two former members came forward claiming the organization was exploitative and a cult. These whistleblowers identities are still confidential, but their accusations are unforgettable. They claim the Isha foundation forces new recruits to work for free. They frame it as a volunteering opportunity, but there's nothing voluntary about it. Reportedly, these so called volunteers report to Isha foundation offices to teach, maintain the gardens and grounds, or clean, but instead they're held prisoner. They can't leave until they've provided free labor for years. Even more alarmingly, female recruits, some of whom are underage, are forced to do their tasks nude or topless. And according to the whistleblowers, they're also routinely sexually assaulted. As of this time, Jaggy and the Isha foundation deny all of the accusations. No charges have been filed in spite of many calls from the public for a police investigation. But the allegations go to show that anyone can claim to offer helpful advice and encouragement just to lure people into their grasp. These predators promise success, achievement and emotional growth. In reality, the only transformation these followers undergo is from being free to being oppressed. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Vanessa Richardson and this is Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes. Come back next week. We'll decode the episode together and hear another story about the real people at the center of the world's most notorious cults, conspiracies and criminal acts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media, rimehouse on TikTok and Instagram. Don't forget to rate, review and follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes Wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference and to enhance your Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode ad free plus exciting bonus content. We'll be back next Wednesday. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is hosted by me, Vanessa Richardson, and is a Crime House original. Powered by Pave Studios, this episode was brought to life by the Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertzovsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Camp, Angela Jorgensen and Michael Langsner. Thank you for listening. And Doug, Here we have the Limu.
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