Leader of Nxivm sex cult ordered to pay $3.4 million to victims

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The leader of a secret sex cult has been ordered to pay victims $3.4m in damages, according to court documents. To join, the women said, “Master, please brand me, it would be an honour”, before someone else would burn Raniere’s initials onto their skin. “Virtually all low-ranking members of DOS were victims of a conspiracy,” said Judge Nicholas G Garaufis at a federal court in Brooklyn on 20 July. Building on this, court documents show that lower ranking members of DOS were referred to as “slaves” and they were forced to give their “masters” sensitive personal material, which was referred to as “collateral”.