International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation ■ Vol. 2, 2021 41
Narcissistic Sexual Predation: Keith Raniere’s Grooming Strategies in NXIVM
By Susan Raine
Department of Sociology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Abstract1
The 2019 trial of NXIVM founder and leader,
Keith Raniere, detailed various forms and aspects
of his exploitative practices, including those of a
sexual nature. In this article I address a
particular component of the sexual abuse
process: the grooming of women for sexual
exploitation. Many of Raniere’s teachings and
behaviors prepared—or groomed—female
members of NXIVM for his increasingly coercive
and humiliating sexual demands. In addition to
forms of grooming directed through group
teachings, Raniere also established personal
relationships with numerous women, during
which he groomed them on an individual basis.
Using Grant Sinnamon’s (2017) research on the
grooming of adults for sexual abuse, in
conjunction with Janja Lalich’s (1997) work on
the psychosexual exploitation of women in cults,
I analyze the many ways that Raniere groomed
women in NXIVM. Furthermore, I integrate
Sinnamon’s (2017) specific observations
regarding narcissistic sexual predators to
explore Raniere’s probable narcissism and how
this manifested in his grooming practices.
The 2019 trial2 of Keith Raniere revealed the
range of his abusive practices and the extent
to which he victimized many of his
1 The author would like to thank Ashley McLean MSc., without
whose generosity, this article would not have been the same. By
providing me with copies of the court transcripts of Keith Raniere’s
trial, she allowed me to engage in more nuanced and detailed
discussions and analyses. I would like also to thank Dr. Stephen
Kent for providing feedback on my draft copy. I continue to benefit
from his wealth of experience and his eye for detail.
2 Raniere was convicted of “racketeering and racketeering
conspiracy sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking and sex
trafficking conspiracy forced labor conspiracy and wire fraud
conspiracy” (United States Department of Justice, 2019). NXIVM
cofounder and president, Nancy Salzman, pleaded guilty to
“racketeering conspiracy.” Her daughter, Lauren Salzman, and actor
Allison Mack (both first-line slave masters in DOS), pleaded guilty
to which he victimized many of his
followers—especially those who were most
dedicated to him. Raniere’s catalogue of
exploitations, abuses, and crimes are wide-
ranging, and it is evident both from court
documents and from other sources that
Raniere’s proclivity for abusive and criminal
behaviors extended beyond NXIVM,
characterizing many of his prior interpersonal
and business relationships.3 In this article, I
focus on a particular facet of Raniere’s
manipulative practices—the grooming of
women for sexual exploitation and abuse.
Many of Raniere’s teachings and behaviors
prepared—or groomed—women for his
increasingly coercive and humiliating sexual
demands. Moreover, in addition to forms of
grooming directed through teachings, he also
formed personal relationships with numerous
women during which he groomed them on an
individual basis.
Raniere employed multiple grooming
strategies. From his outdated assertions about
sex and gender, he proceeded to progressively
offer more extreme teachings, using the
curriculum in Executive Success Programs
(ESP), Jness/Jness Tracks, the Society of
Protectors (SOP), and Dominus
to “racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.” Seagram Liquor
heiress, patron, and high-ranking member, Clare Bronfman, pleaded
guilty to conspiracy to “conceal and harbor aliens for financial
gain,” and also to “fraudulent use of identification documents” and
NXIVM’s bookkeeper, Kathy Russell, pleaded guilty to “visa fraud”
(United States Department of Justice, 2019). On October 27, 2020,
Judge Nicholas Garaufis sentenced Raniere to 120 years in prison
(Hong &Piccoli, 2020). In September 2020, Clare Bronfman was
sentenced to 81 months in prison (Hong, 2020).
3 Other sources include investigative journalism (for example, see
Freedman, 2003 Grigoriadis, 2018 and Meier, 2017) and former-
member accounts (Edmondson &Gasbarre, 2019 Natalie &Hardin,
2019 and Oxenberg &Stoynoff, 2019).
Narcissistic Sexual Predation: Keith Raniere’s Grooming Strategies in NXIVM
By Susan Raine
Department of Sociology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Abstract1
The 2019 trial of NXIVM founder and leader,
Keith Raniere, detailed various forms and aspects
of his exploitative practices, including those of a
sexual nature. In this article I address a
particular component of the sexual abuse
process: the grooming of women for sexual
exploitation. Many of Raniere’s teachings and
behaviors prepared—or groomed—female
members of NXIVM for his increasingly coercive
and humiliating sexual demands. In addition to
forms of grooming directed through group
teachings, Raniere also established personal
relationships with numerous women, during
which he groomed them on an individual basis.
Using Grant Sinnamon’s (2017) research on the
grooming of adults for sexual abuse, in
conjunction with Janja Lalich’s (1997) work on
the psychosexual exploitation of women in cults,
I analyze the many ways that Raniere groomed
women in NXIVM. Furthermore, I integrate
Sinnamon’s (2017) specific observations
regarding narcissistic sexual predators to
explore Raniere’s probable narcissism and how
this manifested in his grooming practices.
The 2019 trial2 of Keith Raniere revealed the
range of his abusive practices and the extent
to which he victimized many of his
1 The author would like to thank Ashley McLean MSc., without
whose generosity, this article would not have been the same. By
providing me with copies of the court transcripts of Keith Raniere’s
trial, she allowed me to engage in more nuanced and detailed
discussions and analyses. I would like also to thank Dr. Stephen
Kent for providing feedback on my draft copy. I continue to benefit
from his wealth of experience and his eye for detail.
2 Raniere was convicted of “racketeering and racketeering
conspiracy sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking and sex
trafficking conspiracy forced labor conspiracy and wire fraud
conspiracy” (United States Department of Justice, 2019). NXIVM
cofounder and president, Nancy Salzman, pleaded guilty to
“racketeering conspiracy.” Her daughter, Lauren Salzman, and actor
Allison Mack (both first-line slave masters in DOS), pleaded guilty
to which he victimized many of his
followers—especially those who were most
dedicated to him. Raniere’s catalogue of
exploitations, abuses, and crimes are wide-
ranging, and it is evident both from court
documents and from other sources that
Raniere’s proclivity for abusive and criminal
behaviors extended beyond NXIVM,
characterizing many of his prior interpersonal
and business relationships.3 In this article, I
focus on a particular facet of Raniere’s
manipulative practices—the grooming of
women for sexual exploitation and abuse.
Many of Raniere’s teachings and behaviors
prepared—or groomed—women for his
increasingly coercive and humiliating sexual
demands. Moreover, in addition to forms of
grooming directed through teachings, he also
formed personal relationships with numerous
women during which he groomed them on an
individual basis.
Raniere employed multiple grooming
strategies. From his outdated assertions about
sex and gender, he proceeded to progressively
offer more extreme teachings, using the
curriculum in Executive Success Programs
(ESP), Jness/Jness Tracks, the Society of
Protectors (SOP), and Dominus
to “racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.” Seagram Liquor
heiress, patron, and high-ranking member, Clare Bronfman, pleaded
guilty to conspiracy to “conceal and harbor aliens for financial
gain,” and also to “fraudulent use of identification documents” and
NXIVM’s bookkeeper, Kathy Russell, pleaded guilty to “visa fraud”
(United States Department of Justice, 2019). On October 27, 2020,
Judge Nicholas Garaufis sentenced Raniere to 120 years in prison
(Hong &Piccoli, 2020). In September 2020, Clare Bronfman was
sentenced to 81 months in prison (Hong, 2020).
3 Other sources include investigative journalism (for example, see
Freedman, 2003 Grigoriadis, 2018 and Meier, 2017) and former-
member accounts (Edmondson &Gasbarre, 2019 Natalie &Hardin,
2019 and Oxenberg &Stoynoff, 2019).
