Former president and co-founder of sex cult Nxivm was sentenced on Wednesday to 42 months in prison for her involvement in the group, according to the Justice Department.
Prosecutors said Nancy Salzman, who was known as a “prefect” by members, “agreed to illegally monitor … perceived enemies [of Nxivm] in an attempt to gain advantages over them and prevent them from criticizing the company ”.
Prosecutors also said he illegally examined video tapes that were being sought as evidence of a New Jersey federal lawsuit.
In 2019, he pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge, according to NBC News.
According to the New York Times, the sex cult Nxivm, which was initially defined as a self-help organization in the 1990s, became infamous for allegations of sexual abuse. According to The Associated Press, prosecutors alleged that the women had been forced to have sex and that they were marked.
U.S. prosecutors for New York’s eastern district said Wednesday in a statement that Salzman had also been ordered to pay a $ 150,000 fine and had to lose several assets, including property, a Steinway grand piano and more than 500,000. cash dollars. .
“In her mistaken loyalty and blind allegiance to Keith Raniere, the defendant participated in a cheating conspiracy designed to intimidate Nxivm’s detractors and cause harm to Nxivm members,” the lawyer said in a statement. Kasulis functions.
“Today’s sentence makes the accused responsible for his crimes and we hope that it will lead to some measure of imprisonment for vulnerable women who were victims and abused,” Kasulis added.
According to The Times, in a statement to court Wednesday, Salzman said, “I apologize to everyone I have hurt, intentionally and unintentionally.” “I don’t know if he can ever forgive me.”
Salzman claimed that he ignored any illicit actions and began to rationalize his actions because he was under the influence of Raniere, co-founder of the group.
Prior to the ruling, Salzman’s lawyers said he had assumed “responsibility for allowing the terrible crimes committed by Raniere, even when he had no knowledge of his commission or nature,” according to the newspaper. They had asked for a two-year internment sentence.
They also said incarceration hampered her ability to take her mother, who was in poor health.
The Hill has contacted Salzman’s lawyers to comment.