From NXIVM's founding to Raniere's 2018 arrest, the trial in Brooklyn and the court rulings since his conviction.
According to federal prosecutors, Raniere founded NXIVM in 2003 as a self-help organization based in Albany, New York, with centers elsewhere in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Its Executive Success Programs charged participants thousands of dollars for classes based on his teachings.
Prosecutors describe DOS as a secret society within NXIVM in which women recruited as "slaves" provided "collateral" to "masters" who answered to Raniere.
A complaint unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charges Raniere with sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy. Mexican authorities had found him the day before outside Puerto Vallarta and deported him.
An indictment unsealed in Brooklyn charges Raniere and actor Allison Mack with sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy. Mack is arrested that morning.
A superseding indictment charges Raniere, Clare Bronfman, Allison Mack, Kathy Russell, Lauren Salzman and Nancy Salzman with racketeering conspiracy. Bronfman, Russell and the Salzmans are arrested that morning.
Nancy Salzman pleads guilty on March 12, Lauren Salzman on March 25 and Allison Mack on April 8. Clare Bronfman and Kathy Russell plead guilty on April 19. Raniere goes to trial alone.
After preliminary instructions, the prosecution and the defense open, and the government calls its first witness, Sylvie.
Judge Garaufis denies the defense motion for acquittal. Raniere confirms on the record that he will not testify, and the defense rests without presenting a case.
Moira Kim Penza closes for the prosecution and Marc Agnifilo for the defense. Mark Lesko delivers the government's rebuttal, and the court instructs the jury.
The jury convicts Raniere of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking of Nicole and attempted sex trafficking of Jay. It finds all eleven racketeering acts proved.
After hearing victim impact statements from 15 people, Judge Garaufis imposes a 120-year prison sentence and a $1.75 million fine. Raniere tells the court he believes he is innocent of the charges.
The court affirms Raniere's conviction and sentence. Its published opinion rejects his central argument, holding that a "thing of value" under the federal sex trafficking statute need not be monetary and that the exploitation need not be for profit.
The Supreme Court denies Raniere's petition for a writ of certiorari from the Second Circuit's decision.
Raniere argued that newly discovered evidence undermined two of the eleven racketeering acts. Judge Garaufis rules that the evidence is not newly discovered and would not likely produce an acquittal, and denies an evidentiary hearing.
In a summary order, a Second Circuit panel affirms the district court's April 29, 2024 orders. The court later denies rehearing on December 16, 2025.
The Supreme Court declines to review the Second Circuit's October 2025 order.