Smallville and Wilfred actress Allison Mack received a reduced sentence for her role in the NXIVM cult. The cult, which engaged in sex trafficking, operated under the guise of a self-help multi-level marketing company.
Mack's role of "master" involved preying on women and luring them into joining a "female empowerment" program, which then exploited the women and forced them into sexual slavery, forced labor, starvation and even physical branding.
Mack and NXIVM leader, Keith Raniere, were both arrested and charged with sex trafficking in April of 2018. Mack has since pled guilty to racketeering charges in connection with her time at NXIVM.
At her court sentencing on June 30, 2021, Mack received a reduced sentence—from upwards 17 years in prison down to just three—in exchange for incriminating information she handed over to prosecutors.
This information has since led to Raniere's conviction and subsequent 120 year prison sentence.
The evidence Mack handed over?
A taped audio recording of Raniere and herself discussing a cult ritual to brand their "slaves" with their initials. Mack admitted in 2018 the branding ritual discussed by Raniere was originally her idea.
Before her June 30 hearing, Mack penned a letter to a New York judge expressing regret over her involvement in the NXIVM cult. She has since denounced Raniere.
Mack wrote:
"I threw myself into the teachings of Keith Raniere with everything I had."
"I believed, whole-heartedly, that his mentorship was leading me to a better, more enlightened version of myself..."
"This was the biggest mistake and regret of my life."
Mack's lawyers made a statement Wednesday that "The NXIVM saga and the story of Ms. Mack's descent have been a tragedy for all involved. But that need not, and should not, be the end of the story for Allison Mack."
The Twitter community, however, isn't buying it.
Several users took to the social media platform to express their outrage over Mack's reduced sentence.
I am so terribly sorry to all the victims of #AllisonMack \n\nYou deserved justice, not whatever this was.— Mellie (@Mellie) 1625083582
Others commented on how this case showed a need for justice reform.
Sex trafficking, kidnapping, and branding your initials on women you refer to as slaves apparently carries a lighter sentence than non violent drug charges. It\u2019s not anti-police or anti-America to realize we have a major need for reform in our justice system. #AllisonMack— Adrian Mathenia (@Adrian Mathenia) 1625084677
Three years for such heinous crimes. This is actually kind of proof that the American justice system works just fine. This is how it was meant to be. It protects only those it wants to protect.https://twitter.com/AP/status/1410278879789555720\u00a0\u2026— \ud835\ude4e\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude62\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5d \ud835\ude4e\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude6e \ud835\ude4e\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude62\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5d \ud835\ude4e\ud835\ude56 \u0633\u0645\u0627\u062d \u0641\u0636\u0644 (@\ud835\ude4e\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude62\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5d \ud835\ude4e\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude6e \ud835\ude4e\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude62\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5d \ud835\ude4e\ud835\ude56 \u0633\u0645\u0627\u062d \u0641\u0636\u0644) 1625084756
Wow. 3 years? People have been sitting in jail for much longer just for peddling weed. Justice is obviously for the lower classes huhhttps://twitter.com/AP/status/1410278879789555720\u00a0\u2026— Dominic Enii (@Dominic Enii) 1625073812
While Mack was granted a reduced sentence for cooperating with prosecutors to convict Raniere, her request to serve out her sentence under house arrest rather than serving jail time, was denied.
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram