Smallville actor sentenced to 3 years

Former Smallville actor Allison Mack was this week sentenced to three years in prison for her role in NXIVM, a New York-based sex cult.

Mack -who played Clark Kent’s confidant Chloe in Smallville– pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy, blackmailed two women as part of a cult in which women were branded with its leader’s initials and ordered to have sex with him.

Former NXIVM members testified at Reith Raniere’s trial that he established a secret sorority within the organisation in which “slaves” pledged total obedience to “masters”, with Raniere at the top as “grand master.”

Women were kept on starvation diets, while leaders were said to use nude photos and other compromising materials to keep lower-ranking members in line.

Before being sentenced, Mack tearfully apologised to her victims and her family, saying her actions while in the group were “abusive, abhorrent and illegal”.

“Coming out from under this delusion has been the most difficult experience of my life,” Mack said.

US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis said Mack had been an “essential accomplice” in Raniere’s “monstrous crimes”, but agreed with prosecutors that she deserved credit for cooperating against Raniere.

Mack is expected to begin serving her sentence on September 29.

Mack appeared in Smallville across 9 seasons. She also played played Amanda, the love interest of Elijah Wood’s character Ryan on the US adaptation of Wilfred.

NXIVM also featured in HBO documentary The Vow.

Source: ABC