The Vow: The real story behind HBO’s documentary about Nxvium and its convicted founder Keith Raniere

Raniere was convicted last year of racketeering, sex trafficking, and more

The Vow, a new documentary coming to HBO, takes a closer look at Nxvium, a “purported self-help organisation” founded and led by Keith Raniere.

Raniere, 59, was convicted last year on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and more.

The Vow will consist of nine parts airing on HBO and HBO Max starting on 23 August, with more episodes coming each Sunday afterwards.

HBO has described it as a “deep, nuanced look at the experiences of many of the group’s participants, spotlighting their universal desire for personal growth and their internal conflicts over events as they unfold”, bolstered by “remarkable access to insiders and former members”.

Allegations against Nxvium were first bolstered in the mainstream by an October 2017 report published in The New York Times.

Keith Raniere (center) in a courtroom artist's sketch during his trial on 18 June 2019 in Brooklyn, New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)

Titled “Inside a Secretive Group Where Women Are Branded”, the piece described Nxvium as being based out of Albany, with chapters “across the country, Canada and Mexico”.

It also brought to light allegations – later echoed by the US Department of Justice – that women were branded with a cauterizing pen as part of their involvement in the organisation.

Raniere was arrested in March 2018 in Mexico. Richard P Donoghue, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said at the time: “As alleged in the complaint, Keith Raniere created a secret society of women whom he had sex with and branded with his initials, coercing them with the threat of releasing their highly personal information and taking their assets.”

According to the complaint, Raniere created a “secret society” within Nxvium, sometimes referred to as “The Vow” or “DOS”, the Department of Justice noted at the time.

“DOS operated with levels of women ‘slaves’ headed by ‘masters,’” the release reads. ”Slaves were expected to recruit slaves of their own (thus becoming masters themselves), who in turn owed service not only to their own masters but also to masters above them in the DOS pyramid. Raniere stood alone at the top of the pyramid. Other than [Raniere], all members of DOS were women.”

The following month, former Smallville actor Allison Mack was arrested on charges that she helped recruit other women into the organisation.

Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges and is currently awaiting sentencing. Several co-defendants have also entered guilty pleas in the case.

Raniere’s trial began in May 2019 in Brooklyn. He was found guilty the following months on charges including racketeering, sex trafficking, forced labour conspiracy, and wire fraud conspiracy. According to the Department of Justice, the racketeering offence included predicate acts of extortion, identity theft, and production and possession of child pornography.

Raniere is now scheduled for sentencing on 27 October 2020.