Brooklyn prosecutors have fired back at attempts by upstate cult Nxivm to have its leaders’ sex trafficking charges dropped.
In documents filed in Brooklyn Federal Court Tuesday, prosecutors said they can and will prove women in Nxivm’s “slave-master” group DOS weren’t just sleeping with leader Keith Raniere for fun.
“The government has alleged and expects to prove at trial that members of DOS expected to receive and did receive things ‘of value’ for engaging in sexual activity with Raniere,” the prosecutors write.
Prosecutors allege Raniere and his sidekick, “Smallville” actress Allison Mack, duped DOS “slaves” into handing over compromising “collateral,” then ordered them to keep near-starvation diets, get the duo’s initials branded into their skin — and to sleep with Raniere.
But the defense last month asked Judge Nicholas Garaufis to dismiss the charges, arguing that Nxivm is a “wonderful humanitarian organization” — and that the sex was totally consensual and not done in exchange for money or favors.
In addition to sex trafficking, the Nxivm defendants — who also include Seagram heiress Clare Bronfman, Nxivm co-founder Nancy Salzman and her daughter Lauren Salzman — are variously charged with forced labor, money laundering, racketeering and other charges.
Garaufis has yet to rule on the motions to dismiss. Trial is scheduled for March 18.
Meanwhile, Garaufis continues to consider whether or not to release the jailed Raniere on bond pending trial.
After it was revealed that Bronfman was the primary donor to a defense trust paying for everyone’s lawyers — and possibly Raniere’s bond — the judge ordered a series of hearings.
On Wednesday, he also instructed the defense teams to turn over the names of “any and all contributors” to the defense fund.