‘Smallville’ Star Allison Mack to Be Sentenced in Nxivm Sex Cult Case
Former Smallville star Allison Mack is set to be sentenced this week for her participation in the Nxivm sex cult.
Content warning below // sexual assault, coercion
The actress currently faces anywhere from 15 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to one count of racketeering and one count of racketeering conspiracy last year for her role in helping procure young women as sex slaves for Nxivm founder and cult leader Keith Raniere.
Ahead of her sentencing, Mack issued a contrite statement along with a letter from her defense team containing their sentencing guideline recommendations in an effort to avoid any time behind bars.
"It is now of paramount importance for me to say, from the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry," Mack's letter read. "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. I devoted my loyalty, my resources, and, ultimately, my life to him. This was the biggest mistake and regret of my life.
"I am sorry to those of you that I brought into Nxivm," she continued, directly addressing victims of the cult. "I am sorry I ever exposed you to the nefarious and emotionally abusive schemes of a twisted man. I am sorry that I encouraged you to use your resources to participate in something that was ultimately so ugly. 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."
In their sentencing recommendation, Mack's attorneys are asking she spend no time in prison since she has "committed grievous wrongs and that she has earned her punishment" and "publicly denounced Raniere (and her own prior association with Raniere) in the strongest possible terms."
For his part in the years-long cult of abuse, Raniere was sentenced to 120 years in prison on federal charges of sex trafficking, extortion, racketeering and obstruction of justice.
Mack's sentence is expected to be handed down on Wednesday (June 30).