Actress Allison Mack, who previously starred in the hit TV series Smallville, was released from prison today (via Deadline) after serving three years for her participation in the notorious NXIVM cult and its subsequent sex trafficking charges.
What was Allison Mack charged with?
Mack had been serving a 36-month sentence that was originally given to her in 2021 after she was found guilty of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges relating to her role in NXIVM. Prosecutors alleged that Mack had been recruiting and grooming women to be used as sexual partners by NXIVM leader Keith Raniere, who himself was found of guilty of a litany of charges, including racketeering for a pattern of crimes, the sexual exploitation of a child, sex trafficking of women, and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Raniere was sentenced to 120 years’ incarceration for his actions.
NXIVM was described as a self-improvement company that would later be described as a cult and a pyramid scheme. Mack’s involvement with the group came as a high-ranking leader within the group, where prosecutors say she helped recruit women on Raniere’s behalf and coerced them into performing sexual acts as part of an all-women’s subgroup — named DOS — within NXIVM.
The actress originally pleaded guilty in 2019, and was given a surprisingly short prison sentence due to her cooperation with the case against Raniere. In a letter before her sentencing in 2021, Mack apologized to the many that were harmed by her and said that her involvement with NXIVM was “the biggest mistake and greatest regret of my life.”
“I do not take lightly the responsibility I have in the lives of those I love and I feel a heavy weight of guilt for having misused your trust, leading you down a negative path,” Mack’s letter read (via The Washington Post).
Prior to her involvement with NXIVM, Mack was best known for her work in the acting world, having starred as Chloe Sullivan in The CW series Smallville, as well as having had a recurring role on the FX series Wilfred.
