Former Smallville actress Kristin Kreuk broke her silence on Thursday, March 29, about her involvement in Nxivm, a women-only group in upstate New York.
Nxivm, pronounced Nexium, was started by Keith Raniere, who was arrested in Mexico on Monday, March 25, on sex trafficking charges. According to a criminal complaint obtained by the Associated Press, Raniere, 57, is accused of turning his followers into brainwashed “slaves.” They were branded with his initials in their pelvic area and forced into having sex, authorities alleged.
— Kristin Kreuk (@MsKristinKreuk) March 29, 2018
Kreuk, 35, revealed in a tweet on Thursday, March 29, that she joined the group when she was 23. The former CW star explained that she thought it was a “self-help/personal growth course that helped me handle my previous shyness, which is why I continued with the program.” But since leaving five years ago, Kreuk says she has had “minimal contact” with current members.
“The accusations that I was in the ‘inner circle’ or recruited women as ‘sex slaves’ are blatantly false,” she continued. “During my time, I never experienced any illegal or nefarious activity. I am horrified and disgusted by what has come out about DOS.” (DOS refers to Dominant Over Submissive, a secret sect within Nxivm.)
“I am deeply disturbed and embarrassed to have been associated with NXIVM,” Kreuk wrote. “I hope that the investigation leads to justice for all those affected.”
Fellow Smallville actress Allison Mack, 35, was allegedly with Raniere when he was arrested on Monday, TMZ reported on Thursday. Per the site, she is believed to be second-in-command to Raniere.
Raniere had a penchant for extremely thin women, per investigators, so they were required to follow low-calorie diets and write down everything they ate. If they didn’t follow the rules, they were “forced to wear fake cow udders over their breasts while people called them derogatory names,” according to the criminal complaint.
The New York Times published a report on Nxivm in October with testimonies from former members and Dynasty actress Catherine Oxenberg. Oxenberg’s daughter India, 26, joined the group in 2011. “They are the victims of human trafficking, which is slavery,” she told USA Today in a statement on March 27. “For months, I have worked to expose Keith Raniere and NXIVM and today’s arrest vindicates my efforts. I want my daughter to know i love her and that I want her back in my life.”
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