A witness likened Nxivm guru Keith Raniere to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard Wednesday during the accused sex cult leader’s Brooklyn federal court trial.
Cult Education Institute executive director Rick Ross testified that Nxivm was “a personality-driven group” that he found “eerily reminiscent of Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard.”
He was particularly troubled, he said, after learning that Raniere was referred to as “Vanguard” and that his birthday was commemorated annually with a 10-day ceremony known as “Vanguard Week.”
“What they’re selling is Keith Raniere,” Ross testified, saying Nxivm followers were aiming to become “clones” of the leader.
Prosecutors claim Raniere wielded the wealth of follower and Seagram heiress Clare Bronfman in order to silence and intimidate critics through prolonged litigation.
Raniere faces sex trafficking and other charges for allegedly heading a secret master-slave group in which women were starved, branded with his initials and forced to have sex with him.