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Judge Denies Bail For NXIVM Founder

Picture of a judge's gavel
WikiMedia Commons

A federal judge has denied bail for the founder of a purported self-help group under investigation for alleged sex-trafficking.

Keith Raniere appeared Tuesday in a Brooklyn court, accused of forming a secret society within NXIVM, a group based in Clifton Park that over the years has attracted a following of celebrities and wealthy people.

Prosecutors allege the sub-group branded brainwashed victims with Raniere's initials during initiation ceremonies that turned them into his sex slaves.

The defense says the women were never abused.  Meantime, NXIVM announced on its website that it has temporarily suspended operations.

(C) 2018 AP

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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