Members were recruited by DOS on the condition that they would give up personal, often embarrassing, information about themselves, including compromising images or videos, as “collateral.” Once inside, members were regularly required to provide additional collateral to ensure that they kept the group’s activities secret. Many of the DOS slaves were branded with a cauterizing pen while naked and being filmed.
A number of alleged former “slaves” were also in court on June 17, including actress India Oxenberg, who is the granddaughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, and the daughter of actress Catherine Oxenberg. India Oxenberg didn’t testify at the trial.
Raniere faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of all seven criminal counts, including sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, and racketeering.
Penza also brought up added child pornography charges against Raniere, who had photos stored on a hard drive.
“The evidence is overwhelming that [the girl] was under 18 when the naked pictures were taken,” Penza told the court.
“The defendant did not create DOS to be a sisterhood,” Penza said. “Can there really be any doubt that DOS was just a way for the defendant to get what he wanted and for sex?
“These women had the best of intentions. They wanted good in the world and that was what was used against them.”
Raniere, meanwhile, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, has argued that everything was consensual and that NXIVM’s members needed to take more responsibility for their own actions.
The jury could begin deliberating Raniere’s verdict sometime this week, after the prosecution and the defense conclude their closing arguments. The trial is currently in its seventh week.NXIVM presented itself to the public as a company with noble goals: offering self-help courses to those seeking to improve their lives both personally and professionally. At least 17,000 people had enrolled.
Mark Vicente, a former member of NXIVM, testified previously that Raniere had sexual relationships with more than 20 women.
The content of the group’s classes, all transcribed from Raniere’s speeches, was presented as the core of the NXIVM’s curriculum. A 12-point “mission statement” penned by him shaped much of the philosophy behind the organization. It contained guidelines students were told to recite, such as “I will not choose to be a victim,” as well as the directive to keep information related to the organization confidential.