New York Daily News

Seize cult’s land

Feds target upstate site owned by ‘sex slave ring’

- BYANDREW KESHNER

BROOKLYN federal prosecutor­s are going after upstate properties they say were the scene of sex traffickin­g crimes as their case against alleged sex cult leader Keith Raniere and actress Allison Mack deepens.

Prosecutor­s have their eyes on two properties in Halfmoon in Saratoga County owned by entities associated with Raniere, according to the civil forfeiture bid filed Wednesday — and the court papers describe the creepy misery one unidentifi­ed woman endured at the two locations.

Raniere and Mack, a co-star on TV’s “Smallville,” are charged with sex traffickin­g and forced labor conspiracy.

Prosecutor­s say that within Raniere’s supposed self-help organizati­on NXIVM was a secret society of sex slaves forced into devoting themselves to “masters” — with the 57-year-old Raniere at the top of the heap, according to authoritie­s.

Mack, they say, helped recruit women into the alleged cult.

The forfeiture bid gave an example of Mack, 35, enlisting one unidentifi­ed Brooklyn actress in her early 30s and ordering her to travel to Halfmoon, about 30 minutes north of Albany, just about every week starting in early 2016.

The woman stayed with Mack at one of the two sites. In one instance, Mack woke her in the middle of the night saying she had to meet Raniere.

Raniere made her strip naked, blindfolde­d her and led her to a shack after a circuitous car ride.

The woman was tied to a table as someone performed a sex act on her against her will while R

 ??  ?? Keith Raniere (left) and “Smallville” actress Allison Mack (right) are accused of sex traffickin­g as part of NXIVM cult.
Keith Raniere (left) and “Smallville” actress Allison Mack (right) are accused of sex traffickin­g as part of NXIVM cult.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States