03.08.10
Posted in Miscellaneous at 11:44 pm by Rick Ross | Link
By Joe Szimhart
Let us pretend that one day, say this day February 27, 2010, that a man was looking on line for something interesting to listen to. He finds a podcast interview on youtube.com with a psychologist, John Breeding, PhD, conducted by Stefan Molyneux (photo below), founder and director of a 
web enterprise at www.freedomainradio.com (FDR). The interview lasts nearly 54 minutes and its topic is “On the Myth of ADHD and antidepressants.” At first blush the man sees Molyneux, a balding man with close-cropped hair, a pleasant face and wearing a dark shirt fill the left side the screen. Molyneux is apparently parked in front of his computer attending to production by himself and sipping from a large cup now and then. On the right side of the screen is an image of Dr Breeding intermittently replaced by the FDR logo. So for over 50 minutes one sees Molyneux in his Canadian office location talking full face and taking sips from a mug whereas Breeding is on audio from Texas.
Breeding like Molyneux appears to promote a private agenda as an activist. Breeding is in the anti-psychiatry camp. Molyneux is known for his ‘anarcho-capitalist’ utopian views. Breeding argues and even preaches that there is “no incontrovertible scientific evidence” to support medications that treat so-called brain diseases like ADHD, schizophrenia or mood disorders. Breeding sees a “conspiracy” in the pharmaceutical industry aligned with psychiatrists to create treatments or cures for diseases that have no biological or scientific basis. Molyneux praises Breeding as one of those “voices in the wilderness” who we should heed if we are to become truly “moral” beings. Breeding runs his own maverick enterprises through www.wildestcolts.com where he promotes his ideas, services and books.
“Interesting,” says the man to himself. Now curious, he searches for more background on the two men featured on the podcast. Molyneux, he discovers, is a self-starter who runs an Internet business through freedomainradio.com that features podcasts, forums and call-in sessions for people interested in Molyneux’s libertarian views. The site also serves up a kind of therapy that Molyneux, supported by his social worker wife, offers. Many if not most podcasts feature the damaging influence of corrupt families and abusive parents. A core feature of Molyneux’s influence is to free oneself from abusive family and friends—in his way of thinking all parents were and are abusers. Molyneux calls breaking away a Defoo which is new-speak for Departing your Family Of Origin. It means ending all contact thus ending all alleged intellectual and emotional contamination.
As for Breeding (photo right), the man finds little if any significant support for the psychologist’s work in the scientific community. “Hmm,” he thinks. “The man talks big about science yet where is his science?” Of the many recommended links on Dr Breeding’s website the man finds at least two linked to the Church of Scientology that in turn endorses Breeding and his ‘anti-psychiatry’ ideas. “Aha!” he thinks, “Now we are getting somewhere. This picture is clearing up—no pun intended.” Looking further into anti-psychiatry, the man finds another site called antipsychiatry.org but that site explicitly states: “No Scientologists, please” or anyone associated with Scientology’s Citizens’ Commission on Human Rights need apply to volunteer to help The Antipsychiatry Coalition. “There appears to be dissention among anti-psychiatry groups,” he notes. Breeding calls CCHR ‘an awesome organization’ according to libertytothecaptives.net which calls Breeding’s organization Texans for Safe Education ‘a Scientology Front Group.’ But libertytothecaptives.net is one of those King James Bible, fundamentalist sites. “Consider the source,” he cautions. “Front group may be overdoing it.” The man finds articles by Dr Breeding featured on Scientology’s freedommag.org site. “Bedmates, for sure.”
On Breeding’s wildestcolts.com site the man finds an excerpt from The Necessity of Madness and Unproductivity: Psychiatric Oppression or Human Transformation (Breeding, 2007). It appears indicative of Breeding’s thought process: “We may have instituted child labor laws, but look at the modern alternative. Ritalin, a drug known to produce repetitive, stereotypical behavior in animals, is being foisted on millions of our school-age children with the hope of enforcing classroom docility, compliance and productivity.” He observes that both Breeding and Molyneux care about children.
Further down the page he finds this odd revelation from Breeding: “Unproductivity (sic) is necessary to step out of the rules of productivity and move into forgiveness. This reflects a more general principle about the nature of beliefs and 
human development. Carolyn Myss (photo left), medical intuitive and best-selling author, begins her tape series, ‘Energy Anatomy’, with the provocative assertion that madness is an absolutely essential stage in the attainment of spiritual maturity. The reason for this…is that we are all necessarily, inevitably and thoroughly initiated into the beliefs of our tribe, or culture, from the time of our conception onwards. These beliefs thoroughly impregnate our body and our psyche, largely at a non-verbal level. We are all tribal members, loyal to tribal law, way before we even begin to approach the idea, much less the experience, of becoming an individual.”
“Wow, what a mouthful! No wonder Molyneux likes Breeding. They both break out in an anti-establishment rash over the same things. A lot to chew on there,” says the man. “But do I have to get crazy before I can be free? And how crazy?”
Well, let me help with the chewing. Let’s work backwards. Carolyn Myss, a self-proclaimed ‘medical intuitive’ is basically a slick psychic practitioner operating under a quacky euphemism (myss.com). Myss’s books have sold well and she does appear as a speaker at New Age and comparable human potential conferences. Myss has created a veritable industry out of her quasi-astrology like Archetype Readings and her Carolyn Myss Educational Institute (CMED) that promotes various workshops called Sacred Contract, Defy Gravity and Entering the Castle. After two years training, one can become an Archetype Counselor under CMED. The counselors help “individuals to transform and empower their lives through the study of the wisdom and mystical traditions, through learning to navigate the vast resources of the archetypal realm, and through understanding the mysteries of healing and the nature of the soul” (myss.com).
Breeding promotes a world of irrational manipulation when he endorses Myss. Who in their right mind is going to believe that Myss truly understands “the mysteries of healing and the nature of the soul?” One wonders why Breeding so vehemently opposes mainstream psychiatry as “oppressive” and “unscientific.” If anything is unscientific it is Myss’s CMED and not Prozac or Ritalin or the application thereof by sensible, sensitive doctors. In my work as a “cult specialist” I have come to see a large red flag waving when idiosyncratic healers like Breeding preach against psychiatry as “unscientific.” I also work in a mental hospital and am amply aware of the shortcomings of treatment but that has a lot to do with the non-compliant behaviors of patients and complexities of diagnosis. The science behind medications like Ritalin is rigorous to say the least. Properly applied medication is evidently and at times miraculously effective.
So, why does Stefan Molyneux of FDR praise Breeding so? During the podcast Molyneux offered only compliments and no sharp, provocative criticisms of what stands at best to be speculative, reactionary psychology on Breeding’s part. Molyneux the atheist could hardly endorse the Myss-like spirituality favored by Breeding. Not unlike but more eloquent than Breeding, Molyneux talks wittily, spews fact, quotes quotable authors and spouts philosophy as well as any common preacher who can tap-dance through his scriptures. An unwary seeker may be mightily impressed with the smooth delivery of a man who wants to reform the world with his cry for emancipation from the oppressive masters of State, religion, establishment schools, and cultures of origin. Molyneux praises Breeding because he also diverts attention from glaring personal flaws by attacking paper dragons.
Many have taken up the FDR banner. Molyneux touts the anarcho-libertarian truths his mostly youthful followers want to hear but to live those truths they soon learn about cutting off the influences that purportedly fetter them (the Defoo process mentioned above). In the wake of Molyneux’s preaching against “abusive” families and all matter of societal norms as corrupt are parents and old friends who grieve the total loss of a relationship to FDR devotees they still cherish.
Some followers have moved in with one another while most interact through cyber cells. An FDR devotee today might be psychologically locked in a FDR collective as a “Philosopher-King.” To gain that rank he or she pays $50 a month or more to Molyneux for the podcast privilege of therapy-like interaction with their guru. The guru appears to be on a track to secure a private, radicalized human-development industry not unlike Myss has. This is not to say that Molyneux even knows who Myss is, much less agrees at all with the content of her preaching. This is not about content. This is about manipulated behavior within a certain context. Perhaps he’s seeking to create a crew of Philosopher-Kings who will function much like the Archetype Counselors who feed recruits and fees into the relatively lucrative Carolyn Myss enterprises. Anything is possible when freedom is the goal but the questions remain: Freedom from what? Freedom to do what?
I am reminded here of something Friedrich Nietzsche wrote:
Do you presume yourself to be free? If so, then I want you to tell me what is your ruling idea, and not that you have broken free of some fetter. Are you the kind of man who ought to be unfettered? For there are many who cast off their final value when they cast away their chains.—Thus Spoke Zarathustra
For more information see:
Stefan Molyneux Revealed
Molyneux Cult Watch
Ancaps Anachro-Capitalists Cult Watch
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02.01.10
Posted in Executive Success Programs (ESP), Miscellaneous at 10:21 pm by Rick Ross | Link
An Albany Times-Union front-page story featured the fantastic financial failures of Keith Raniere (photo left), leader of a purported “cult” near Albany, New York known as NXIVM (pronounced Nexium like the purple antacid pill).
It seems some of Raniere’s devotees became the bank for his business schemes, which culminated in fantastic losses.
Perhaps those investors may prefer the antacid pill now to further financial advice from NXIVM, also known as “Executive Success Programs.”
Raniere, a former multi-level marketing guru that saw his previous business Consumer Buyline go bust, has reportedly blown through about $100 million dollars of other people’s money.
That is, funds primarily provided by two heirs to the Bronfman/Seagram fortune, Sara and Clare Bronfman.
According to the Times-Union report Raniere lost “$65 million” through commodities speculation, “26 million” in failed California real estate deals and spent millions more in legal fees.
But Mr. Raniere, known as “Vanguard” to his faithful followers, apparently attempts to deflect any meaningful personal responsibility by blaming his failures on former business associates, the “negative thoughts” of others and “outside forces.”
NXIVM’s latest lawyer Robert D. Crockett of the Los Angeles law firm of Latham & Watkins, acknowledged Raniere’s “heavy losses,” but attempted to spin their significance.
“We’re talking about people [Sara and Clare Bronfman] who have hundreds of millions of dollars to invest in speculative and non-speculative ventures, ” Crockett said.
But isn’t it also reasonable to surmise that Raniere, who claims that “The Guinness Book of World Records” has listed him for his supposedly high IQ, is just plain stupid?
CultNews has been told that the Bronfman sisters may have another hundred million or so to blow before they go broke.
But how long will that hold out given the burn rate of Mr. Raniere?
Vanguard, who is described in the recent press article as both a “compulsive gambler” and “crazy,” seems to be repeating past mistakes.
Consumer Buyline, Raniere’s last major business enterprise, tanked after numerous lawsuits and substantial legal fees overwhelmed it.
Is history simply repeating itself?
It has been said that those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.
If the Bronfmans go broke they will likely be able to fall back upon forgiving family resources.
But at least one purported victim of Raniere’s financial schemes isn’t so forgiving.
Not an heiress Barbara Bouchey (photo right) worked for years to accumulate her assets. She then reportedly lost $1.7 million betting on Raniere.
Ms. Bouchey wants her money back.
Editor’s Note: Included in the millions of dollars Keith Raniere has wasted of other people’s money is what he has spent on hopeless lawsuits to harass his critics and perceived enemies. This includes years of extended litigation against the Ross Institute of New Jersey, sponsor of CultNews. Perhaps Raniere’s only significant achievement may be an effective expansion of the First Amendment through an appellate ruling in this litigation, i.e. regarding freedom of speech and fair use, versus the power of a confidentiality agreement. Hardly the result that Mr. Raniere wanted, but nevertheless significant. It seems as if lawyers are the most likely professionals to make money off Raniere. Meanwhile the Ross Institute is deeply grateful to the many attorneys that have provided pro bono legal assistance. This has included Douglas M. Brooks, Thomas F. Gleason and Public Citizen, who handled the litigation while it remained in New York and Peter Skolnik, Michael Norwick and Tom Dolan of the law firm of Lowenstein Sandler, along with assistance from the Berkman Center of Harvard University, which has handled the litigation since its transfer from New York to New Jersey federal court.
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12.14.09
Posted in Executive Success Programs (ESP), Miscellaneous at 9:41 pm by Rick Ross | Link
On November 30th NXIVM (pronounced nexium like the purple antacid pill), the brainchild of failed multi-level marketing guru Keith Raniere (photo right), experienced yet another legal defeat in its ongoing effort to end criticism of the company on the Internet.
In a federal court order handed down by New Jersey Judge Dennis Cavanaugh a motion filed by NXIVM to reinstate causes of action previously dismissed in June of 2007 has been denied. This included an effort to reinstate claims of “product disparagement” and “tortious interference” in a long-standing lawsuit filed against the Ross Institute of New Jersey (sponsor of CultNews).
Cavanaugh ruled that critical articles written by psychiatrist John Hochman and psychologist Paul Martin within the Ross Institute Internet Archives are “protected statements of opinion which cannot be the basis for legal claims of disparagement or tortious interference.”
Read the reports:
“A Forensic Psychiatrist Evaluates ESP”
“A Critical Analysis of Executive Success Programs Inc.”
“Robert Jay Lifton’s eight criteria of thought reform as applied to the Executive Success Programs”
NXIVM attempted to have a statement recently extracted from Hochman as part of a settlement considered “new evidence” in support of a hoped for reversal by Judge Cavanaugh of his previous ruling.
However, the judge said that the psychiatrist’s statement “does not contain any new evidence” nor “any new information.”
Cavanaugh pointed out that the “case was originally filed in August 2003; and resolution has been delayed by repeated changes in counsel and failures [by NXIVM] to provide discovery which have led to monetary sanctions” against the company.
Summing it up the New Jersey federal court ruled, “Granting leave to amend imposes undue delay and unfair prejudice on the non-moving party and permits amendment where the Court determined such claims are futile. Therefore, leave to amend to re-plead the…claim[s] is denied.”
This means that NXIVM and Raniere, known as “Vanguard” amongst his devoted followers, only have very tenuous copyright and trade secret claims left to litigate.
For those that have not followed the long story of NXIVM’s lawsuit filed against the Ross Institute, Keith Raniere has made copyright and trade secret claims similar to those frequently used by Scientology. That is, Raniere maintains that quoting his written teachings for the purpose of criticism is somehow a violation of copyright and trade secret protection.
However, The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York City previously handed down its definitive opinion some time ago (NXIVM Corp v. The Ross Institute — Docket No. 03-7952), regarding an injunction request made by NXIVM to remove the reports from the Internet based upon such copyright claims.
The court said, “We agree…that the website’s use of quotation from the manual to support their critical analyses of the seminars…[was used] for the purpose of ‘criticism, comment scholarship, or research.’
The court also noted that NXIVM’s claim that the doctors had unlawfully copied “‘the heart of their ’services’” within the reports was meaningless, because “such services…are not copyrightable expression.”
The decision read, “in order to do the research and analysis necessary to support their critical commentary, it was reasonably necessary for defendants to quote liberally from NXIVM’s manual.”
The court also said that use of a group’s material “might well harm, or even destroy, the market for the original,” but that this “is of no concern to us so long as the harm stems from the force of the criticism offered.”
Judge Dennis Jacobs summed it up succinctly, “Ross and his co-defendants quoted from NXIVM’s manual to show that it is the pretentious nonsense of a cult…Certainly, no critic should need an author’s permission to make such criticism…”
A NXIVM effort to appeal the Second Circuit decision to the United States Supreme Court also failed.
What will Keith Raniere (photo left) do now?
The situation does appear to be getting increasingly hopeless for the purported “cult” leader.
As the Second Circuit prophetically predicted years ago; “Plaintiffs are not likely to succeed.”
Nevertheless Keith Raniere through NXIVM has spent millions of dollars on legal bills hoping that his lawyers could somehow transform frivolous empty claims into substance.
Meanwhile the Ross Institute has been generously represented pro bono by attorneys and public advocacy groups dedicated to protecting freedom of speech as provided for by the First Amendment.
What Raniere foolishly chose to ignore is that included within the world of ideas and free expression is the implicit freedom to criticize what others create. Apparently, despite his vaunted “genius,” Vanguard couldn’t comprehend this simple truth.
Now other than a pitiful settlement from a beleaguered psychiatrist weary of the litigation, Raniere has little to show for his years spent in the courts. Instead, all his legal wrangling has actually achieved is to expose NXIVM to increased scrutiny, which has reportedly caused significant defections.
Sources have told CultNews that NXIVM keeps shrinking, as more and more of its devotees have decided to leave.
Today the company seems to depend largely on the continuing generosity of its few remaining wealthy patrons.
“Vanguard,” as it apparently turns out is hardly on the “cutting edge” of anything, other than fundraising.
Note: the Ross Institute is deeply grateful to the many attorneys that have provided pro bono legal assistance. This has included Douglas M. Brooks, Thomas F. Gleason and Public Citizen, who handled the litigation while it remained in New York and Peter Skolnik, Michael Norwick and Tom Dolan of the law firm of Lowenstein Sandler, along with assistance from the Berkman Center of Harvard University, which has handled the litigation since its transfer from New York to New Jersey federal court.
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08.27.09
Posted in Miscellaneous at 11:07 pm by Rick Ross | Link
Noted psychologist and cult expert Paul Martin, 63, passed away after an 8-month battle with leukemia on August 14, 2009.
Dr. Martin (photo right) was the founder and director of the Wellspring Retreat in Albany, Ohio; the only licensed mental health facility exclusively devoted to the rehabilitation of former cult members in the United States.
Since its inception in 1986 Wellspring has helped more than 1,000 clients through its residential treatment program and countless others through educational outreach.
Dr. Martin was the son of Rev. Paul and Esther Martin both now deceased who served churches in Athens, Ohio. He is survived by his wife, Barbara of 42 years and his son, Timothy Paul, now a senior at Ohio University in Athens. Also surviving are his siblings: Miriam, of Olathe Kansas, Lois of Crossville Tennessee, and Stephen of Albany.
Paul and Barbara Martin worked together tenaciously and selflessly often struggling to make Wellspring a reality and keep it going.
The Martins devotion and dogged determination came from the special understanding and commitment they shared as former “cult” members themselves. Paul and Barbara were once actively involved in the Great Commission International, led by Jim McCotter.
One of Dr. Martin’s last clients said, “I knew…he was not feeling well, but he never complained nor missed a session. I can honestly say that the two weeks I spent at Wellspring changed my life.”
An early client noted, “I was fortunate to work with Paul. The world is a better place because of his contributions to helping former cult members recover from their traumas. He was a kind, devoted, caring, wise man, and I will always be grateful for his help during my time of need.”
The mother of one cult survivor that Wellspring served last summer said, “I just will never understand why such a wonderful healing man as Dr. Martin should have to be taken from us.”
Paul Martin received his BA and MA in Experimental Psychology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (1968-1971.) He also obtained an MA in Humanities from Western Kentucky University in 1977 and his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh in Counseling in 1983.
Dr. Martin also did theology course-work at Princeton University and Nazarene Seminary.
Paul was the pastor at a campus church in Kansas City for 7 years. He was also instrumental in seeing that a freedom of religion case was pursued all the way to the Supreme Court, setting a legal precedent (Widmar vs. Vincent).
He worked as a college professor for 5 years at Geneva College in Pennsylvania. And also as a behavioral psychologist at Echoing Meadows in Athens for more than twenty years.
Paul Martin authored the book, “Cult-Proofing Your Kids,” published 15 scholarly articles, and presented over 60 workshops/seminars at a variety of professional conferences. He was often interviewed by local, national and international news media from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Kansas City Star and CBS “48 Hours” to Tokyo Broadcasting.
He served as an expert witness in 29 court cases, offering testimony regarding the role of coercive persuasion commonly called “brainwashing” as a cause of behavioral changes. This included such hi-profile cases as the Muhammad/Malvo the so-called “DC sniper” trial and the prosecution of terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui, where he testified about recruitment practices.
Dr. Martin was the recipient of the John G. Clark Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Cultic Studies in 1993. In 2006 he received the Herbert L. Rosedale Award “in recognition of leadership in the effort to preserve and protect individual freedom.” Both awards were from the American Family Foundation, now known as the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA).
Chinese scholars that benefited from Paul Martin’s expertise offered their condolences to ICSA, where he once served as a board member. “Dr. Martin’s death is not only an imponderable loss to Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center, but also to Cultic Studies in the world. We will miss his extraordinary knowledge and sagacity, his compassionate support of former cult members, and his warm contributions to the spiritual retrieval of human beings,” they said.
A client of Wellspring during its first five years remembered, “Paul was a 1-in-a-million kind of person. Totally himself all the time: honest, direct, intelligent and funny — but always with such never-ending compassion for cult survivors. I will forever reflect on him for the incredibly special contributions he made in his lifetime to this world. We are all so blessed to have known him. Rest in peace, Paul. We will always celebrate your life.”
Another Wellspring client simply said, “What he has left, those he has helped directly and indirectly will honor his name for a very long time.”
Despite all his accomplishments Paul was a humble man. His greatest love remained his wife and son.
Note: CultNews (Rick Ross) had a long-standing professional relationship with Paul and Barbara Martin that stretched back to the early beginnings of Wellspring. Paul had an infectious smile and a twinkle in his eye when he joked. He never had a bad thing to say about anyone, with the exception of cult leaders that hurt people.
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07.14.09
Posted in Miscellaneous at 11:33 pm by Rick Ross | Link
Computer programmer Bruce Raisley waged a one-man-war against his perceived enemies on the Internet, but ultimately was forced to surrender to the FBI as reported by the New Jersey Star-Ledger.
“His actions were alarming in that he chose to attack third party websites when he didn’t like their content,” says Assistant U.S. Attorney Erez Liebermann. “It’s one thing for him to be unhappy with a website. It’s another thing for him to attack third parties that have not done anything, which causes damage on the side of the victim companies and on the side of any affected computer” quoted Wired News.
Raisley, whom Liebermann says works for HSBC in Pennsylvania, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond and is restricted to using his home computer for work purposes only. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 20.
Raisley 47, specifically attacked both Rolling Stone and Radar magazines, Carnegie Mellon University, the Ross Institute of New Jersey (sponsor of CultNews) and reportedly at least six other targets.
The Ross Institute was first attacked during April of 2007 and the attacks continued almost daily for approximately one year. Raisley’s mode of offense was what is called a Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack.
A DDOS attack is an ongoing effort to sabotage a Web site server by saturating it with so many requests for information that it cannot effectively respond to normal traffic. The objective is to either crash the server completely or slow it down to the point of being barely functional.
DDOS attackers rely upon malicious software to construct and control a “botnet,” which is made up of computers infected with a virus that causes them to respond like robots to commands as part of a network.
Raisley controlled just such a botnet that included thousands of infected computers, largely located in Eastern Europe.
Why was Bruce Raisley willing to spend so much of his time and energy to criminally attack Web site servers?
Because each Web site he attacked contained embarrassing information about a sting that caught the computer programmer by surprise.
As reported first by Radar Magazine in an article titled “Strange Bedfellows” by John Cook and later by Rolling Stone in its report “‘To Catch a Predator’: The New American Witch Hunt for Dangerous Pedophiles,” Bruce Raisley was first a supporter and then became an outspoken critic of an Internet vigilante group known as “Perverted Justice” (PJ).
PJ is most known as the catalyst behind the controversial TV show “To Catch A Predator” presented through NBC Dateline.
Phillip John Eide (photo left), who now goes by the name “Xavier Von Erck,” runs PJ.
Raisley threatened to harass and expose PJ members.
But Von Erck decided to get Raisley first. He then employed essentially the same entrapment methods he has used to expose Internet sexual predators, to go after Bruce Raisley.
Von Erck pretended to be a girl named “Holly.”
Through the Internet Von Erck posing as Holly and Raisley began and continued a romantic relationship, which included having cybersex twice.
Raisley was apparently ready to divorce his wife and break up his family for Holly, expecting his Internet lover to move in with him.
The computer programmer came to an airport ready to finally meet his cyberspace sweetheart in person.
But instead of finding Holly, Raisley was confronted by a Von Erck operative who snapped his picture.
After that every sordid detail was posted online by PJ with this warning:
“[W]hen you attempt to threaten members of Perverted-Justice.com… this can happen to you. Tonight, Bruce Raisley stood around at an airport, flowers in hand, waiting for a woman that turned out to be a man. He’s not in love. He has destroyed his relationship with his wife, he has denigrated her, and he has betrayed all those around him. He has no one. He has no more secrets. We at Perverted-Justice.com will only tolerate so much in the way of threats and attacks upon us.”
Later Von Erck said that the whole “head game that was played with [Raisley] was only done in order to ‘knock him out’ so to speak.”
Bruce Raisley may have been down, but he was not out.
As the news of his humiliation traveled through the Internet and reports were archived and/or cited at various sites including the Ross Institute, Bruce Raisley evolved into his own brand of Internet vigilante. But his crusade would be a selfish one exclusively focused upon protecting his name.
The computer programmer turned his skill to attacking Web sites that included any mention of the PJ sting.
For a time Raisley’s strategy worked.
Radar removed its article from the Web rather than endure the costs incurred through endless DDOS attacks. And some smaller sites were simply shut down by their Internet Service Providers (ISP) that discontinued service rather than deal with the inconvenience and disruption that Raisley caused.
The Ross Institute’s ISP Tera-Byte in Canada abruptly pulled the plug without warning. Subsequently, a more secure location was found for the server at PRQ in Sweden.
PRQ is an ISP that has a history of standing firm against legal threats and/or DDOS attacks from would-be Internet censors.
The Ross Institute also greatly benefited from the expertise and tireless energy of system administrator Zenon Panoussis (photo right).
Panoussis is known for his strong stand against Scientology efforts to censor the Web and stifle Internet free speech.
Panoussis devised a series of carefully constructed and ingenious defenses against Raisley’s DDOS attacks, which effectively neutralized them and successfully protected the Ross Institute Web sites.
Meanwhile, he also notified any ISP that included infected and attacking computers. This led to an ongoing cooperation with the Academic and Research Network of Slovenia, which is the base for Slovenia’s Computer Emergency Response Team.
The Slovenians were able to unravel the software virus used by Raisley, which in turn led to identifying him as the perpetrator.
The Ross Institute reported the DDOS attacks to the FBI in New Jersey and Special Agent Susan Secco was assigned to investigate.
Zenon Panoussis provided Agent Secco with documentation.
The Ross Institute notified Radar; Rolling Stone, Carnegie Mellon and others attacked by Raisley.
Through this ongoing network of cooperation more evidence of the DDOS attacks was made available to the FBI.
The net result was a raid at Raisley’s home in March 2008. The FBI found a memory stick and hard drive, which Raisley allegedly admitted contained the software he wrote to conduct DDOS attacks.
Bruce Raisley arguably was a sad victim of Von Erck’s entrapment.
Ironically, if the computer programmer had approached the Ross Institute with concerns about his name appearing within articles at the database, something probably could have been worked out.
Raisley never did that.
Zenon Panoussis warned the computer programmer of the possible consequences of his actions in a phone call months before the FBI raid.
But Raisley’s response was arrogant, indifferent and his attacks continued.
Whatever grievances Bruce Raisley may have had concerning Von Erck’s behavior, that didn’t give him the right to resort to what Weysan Dun, head of the FBI’s Newark office called “cyber-bullying…as a way to try to silence our media and deny them of their constitutional rights to the freedom of press.”
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05.09.09
Posted in Executive Success Programs (ESP) at 1:17 am by Rick Ross | Link
The on and off and then on again NXIVM-linked Dalai Lama of Tibet (photo right) lecture in Albany, New York finally took place this week, but the sponsors of the event said they lost $142,000, reported the Albany Times-Union.
His Holiness usually sells out at virtually any venue, but this time he failed to fill the relatively humble 2,500 seat downtown Albany Palace Theatre, which had 200 seats left empty.
Why not “standing room only” for a Nobel Prize Winner, who is regularly a huge draw around the world?
Well, this might be because an organization with ties to a purported “cult” was the sponsor of the event, which may have left potential ticket buyers less than enthusiastic.
This same consideration seems to have previously put off three prominent bastions of higher education.
First Skidmore College and then RPI refused to host the Dalai Lama event. Then the University of Albany agreed to rent space, but only if certain preconditions were met, regarding any potential proselytizing by NXIVM of its students.
It seems the schools admired the Dalai Lama, but they had problems with NXIVM, a controversial large group awareness training (LGAT) company, that sells its philosophy, through seminars called “intensives,” which may last as long as two weeks.
Some say NXIVM/Executive Success Programs (ESP) uses “thought reform” (commonly called “brainwashing”) on its customers.
Many students called “Espians” have moved to Albany and become a “community,” closely wound around the company’s founders Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman.
Raniere is a former failed multi-level marketing guru and Salzman is a nurse who has spent years-studying neuro-linguistic programming.
Raniere, known to his disciples as “Vanguard” is the “conceptual” founder of the so-called “World Ethical Foundation Consortium” (WEFC), which sponsored the Dalai Lama’s pilgrimage to the capital city of New York.
The money to back the event apparently came from NXIVM devotees, which includes Clare and Sara Bronfman, heirs to the Seagram fortune.
But only the Bronfmans, Albany’s Mayor and Catholic bishop managed to get seats on stage with His Holiness, there somehow wasn’t enough room Mr. Raniere or Ms. Salzman.
Raniere did come on stage briefly at the end to receive a khata (Tibetan scarf) from the Dalai Lama.
But only after the mayor got his (photo above) first.
The scarf wasn’t all Mr. Raniere walked away with from the event.
CultNews has learned that as Vanguard entered the venue he was served with papers regarding a lawsuit.
This wasn’t the recognition he wanted, but Raniere has been sued quite a few times and seems to almost enjoy litigation.
This most recent lawsuit is about failed real estate deals in California, which involve the Bronfmans and others.
When the representative of the Dalai Lama to the Americas explained the decision to cancel his cancellation and go ahead with the lecture in Albany he wrote, “A delegation from the [WEFC}…met with His Holiness…” And “they took the opportunity to clarify the background to the allegations that had been made against them…”
CultNews has heard persistent rumors that before the Albany event the Dalai Lama and/or his charities received a very large donation from someone with ties to NXIVM.
If the rumors were true this wouldn’t be the first time that His Holiness took money from a less than holy “cult.”
He reportedly accepted more than a $1 million dollars from convicted murderer Shoko Asahara, the leader of Aum. But of course this was before the Japanese cult leader ordered his followers to gas the Tokyo subway system.
Asahara (photo right) milked his meeting with the Dalai Lama; there was a photo op, claims of a mentoring relationship, etc.
Perhaps many Japanese later joined Aum based upon the appearance of respectability that meeting seemingly conferred.
Photos of Raniere and the Buddhist leader will likely pop up soon at some Web site tied to NXIVM.
The Albany Times-Unions reported that “a documentary film crew was already on hand to capture the Dalai Lama’s visit,” probably with ties to Raniere and/or NXIVM.
The Dalai Lama’s spokesperson said His Holiness “suggested that if the allegations against [NXIVM] are unfounded, as they claim, they should exert themselves to clear their names. Otherwise, they should admit their mistakes and undertake not to repeat them in future.” And added, “His Holiness emphasized the necessity of acting truthfully and transparently in whatever you do.”
Well, Keith Raniere (photo left) has been repeatedly involved in one controvrsy after another and never publicly acknowledged mistakes, for example concerning the meltdown of his multi-level marketing company Consumer Buyline, despite being investigated by 25 state attorney generals and the focus of a class action lawsuit.
Instead, Vanguard keeps paying lawyers to sue almost anyone that criticizes him.
“Transparency “?
NXIVM/ESP requires its paying participants to sign a confidentiality agreement, precluding that they might tell what goes on within its programs.
And Raniere is now suing over what he calls “trade secret” violations, regarding critiques of ESP programs written by two mental health professionals.
Sara Bronfman appeared defensive when she talked to the press this week. “I know what I am doing is good and the truth will come out in the end,” she said.
But given the history of Keith Raniere over the years this seems doubtful.
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04.16.09
Posted in Executive Success Programs (ESP) at 9:00 pm by Rick Ross | Link
It’s official, the Dalai Lama of Tibet (photo left) is coming to Albany, New York for a one-night appearance on May 6th, sponsored by an organization with ties to failed multi-level marketing guru Keith Raniere, a purported “cult” leader.
CultNews previously reported that his Holiness had backed out of a series of commitments made to the so-called “World Ethical Humanitarian Foundations Consortium” (WEHFC), which is the “conceptual” creation of Raniere, known to NXIVM devotees as “Vanguard.”
According to the Albany Times-Union the last communication received from His Holiness stated that all the “negative publicity connected to the sponsoring organization” concerned him, and for that reason he had decided to dump the plans previously made with Mr. Raniere’s followers.
Never mind.
Now, despite all the bad press and controversy surrounding Keith Raniere, the Dalai Lama has changed his mind again. And this time he has officially recognized the sponsoring organization by linking to it from his online official calendar.
Raniere recently gushed in an email that he is “thankful for the support of His Holiness” and added “details [would soon] be available.”
Those details remain a bit sketchy, but it appears that the Dalai Lama event has been moved from the Albany Times-Union Center to the much smaller Albany Palace Theater.
No panel discussions or other related events have been announced, just a one-night solo appearance by the Dalai Lama.
Will Raniere somehow manage to share the stage with the respected religious leader?
Or will His Holiness be introduced by Clare and/or Sara Bronfman, heirs to the Seagram fortune?
Both Bronfmans are event organizing committee members.
Will there be private meetings outside of the lecture with the Dalai Lama, that include photo opportunities?
Lama Tenzin Dhonden, who is both on the event organizing committee and the “Personal Emissary for Peace to His Holiness the Dalai Lama” has reportedly said, “The ethical tools developed by Keith Raniere” are a portion of “the essential ingredients to transform our society.”
Those “tools” are for sale through NXIVM training seminars. No doubt the Dalai Lama’s seeming endorsement will be good for business.
However, Keith Raniere’s (photo right) training techniques have been seriously questioned, as can be seen from the reports done by two well-respected doctors, who have critiqued NXIVM training.
See the following:
“A Forensic Psychiatrist Evaluates ESP”
“A Critical Analysis of Executive Success Programs Inc.”
“Robert Jay Lifton’s eight criteria of thought reform as applied to the Executive Success Programs”
Some former NXIVM students have sought psychiatric treatment, one was hospitalized, another walked out of an “intensive” in Alaska and committed suicide.
Never mind.
According to Clare Bronfman the Dalai Lama already knows about all this.
Ms. Bronfman told the Albany Times-Union that His Holiness and his people had “spent an entire year vetting” those responsible for sponsoring the coming event.
Why would the Dalai Lama of Tibet go along with Keith Raniere, after having done the alleged “research”?
Was the religious leader impressed by Mr. Raniere’s online bio, which states that he is a “scientist, mathematician, philosopher, entrepreneur, educator, inventor and author” who “from early childhood…demonstrated astounding gifts”?
Raniere’s bio then goes on to boast a long list of supposed accomplishments, from becoming a “judo champion at age of 11″ to somehow managing to be recorded as the “highest IQ.”
Maybe His Holiness believes that Raniere is the reincarnation of Leonardo Da Vinci or Einstein?
Did the Dalai Lama ever take the time to read the editorial run by the Schenectady Gazette? It said, “Keith Raniere has been involved in controversy for the last 20 years. He has been the subject of lawsuits and investigations…He is hardly a poster boy for humanitarianism, peace and ethics…”
Perhaps His Holiness was impressed when he learned that two of the most well-known schools in upstate New York, Skidmore and RPI, refused to provide space on campus for an event connected to Mr. Raniere? And when a third school, the University of Albany, did agree to rent space out, it was only with certain preconditions regarding any potential NXIVM related recruiting activities.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement from the ranks of higher education for either Keith Raniere, NXIVM or the WEHFC.
Never mind.
Maybe what matters most, per an earlier news report, is that after all the costs of the coming event are paid “anything extra the Dalai Lama can donate to the charity of his choice.”
Tickets were priced at “$52, $82 and $112″ at the Albany Times-Union Center (photo left), and with a maximum seating capacity of 17,500, that could have potentially pulled in more than a million dollars if the venue sold out.
But now the one-night lecture will take place in the much smaller Albany Palace Theater (photo below right), where a full-house only adds up to 2,800.
Is money what the Dalai Lama is meditating about?
Is it possible thats His Holiness actually believes that Keith Raniere is the genuine “vanguard” of some important new movement or revelation?
Is he the reincarnation of an ancient prophet?
Or could it be that the wealthy Bronfmans and/or other rich NXIVM devotees have passed the hat for a big contribution to profit “the charity of his choice”?
If so, it wouldn’t be the first time that the Dalai Lama has received a large gift from a purported “cult.”
Chizuo Matsumoto known to his followers as “Shoko Asahara” founder of Aum, the Japanese cult responsible for gassing the Tokyo subway system in 1995, reportedly donated $1.2 million dollars to His Holiness and subsequently seemed to be rewarded through several high-level meetings and photo opportunities (see photo left) with the Dalai Lama.
And according to a biography of Asahara, after the Japanese guru was arrested for the terrorist attack that sent thousands of Tokyo citizens to hospitals killing 12, the Dalai Lama referred to Asahara as his “friend, albeit an imperfect one.”
Later His Holiness distanced himself from the imprisoned criminal.
Asahara is currently sentenced to death for murder and awaiting execution.
The Schenectady Gazette editorial noted, “In 2003, Keith Raniere roped actress Goldie Hawn into speaking at Vanguard Week, an annual NXIVM event. When Hawn learned about the controversies surrounding Raniere, NXIVM and ESP, she canceled her appearance…If Goldie Hawn has the sense not to appear at an event sponsored by Keith Raniere, then cancellation by the Dalai Lama…should be a no-brainer.”
Celebrities like Goldie Hawn routinely receive $25,000, $50,00 or more for such a single paid appearance.
Has the Dalai Lama of Tibet sold out at the Albany Palace Theater?
Postscript: The Albany Times-Union has reported that NXIVM devotees traveled to India, in an effort to convince the exiled Dalai Lama of Tibet that he should change his mind again about coming to Albany as their “honored guest.” A spokesperson for His Holiness says that because of the Dalai Lama’s commitment “to supporting the expression of worthy ideals….he has agreed to visit Albany on May 6th.” When questioned about any financial incentive connected to the visit the spokesperson said that whatever money was received would be “used for charitable and other purposes as per His Holiness’ guidance.”
Endnote: Tickets on sale for the Dalai Lama lecture cost $55 to $85 per person. If the 2,800 seat theater sells out His Holiness could potentially walk away with more than $100,00 for his one-night appearance.
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04.08.09
Posted in Executive Success Programs (ESP) at 5:19 pm by Rick Ross | Link
What a difference a week makes.
NXIVM devotee and would be event planner Clare Bronfman told the Albany Student Press a little more than a week ago that the Dalai Lama of Tibet had “spent an entire year vetting” her organization, the so-called “World Ethical Humanitarian Foundations Consortium” (WEHFC) and given all “the research” he had done was “still coming” to Albany for a series of events sponsored by the group despite growing controversy.
However, only days later it was reported that the Dalai Lama (photo right) had changed his mind and dumped the planned program altogether. A date for the event strangely never appeared on his official online calendar of scheduled appearances.
According to the Albany Times-Union His Holiness didn’t appreciate all the “negative publicity connected to the sponsoring organization.”
The WEHFC seems to be little more than a thinly veiled front group for Keith Raniere; a failed multi-level marketing guru named “Vanguard” by NXIVM devotees.
Raniere is the “conceptual founder” of both WEHFC and NXIVM, which is a for-profit enterprise, largely devoted to selling training seminars called “intensives.”
Critics have called the business a “cult” and noted mental health experts have critiqued its trainings, comparing the underlying methodology to “thought reform,” commonly called “brainwashing.”
A scathing editorial that appeared in the Schenectady Gazette read, “Keith Raniere has been involved in controversy for the last 20 years. He has been the subject of lawsuits and investigations…He is hardly a poster boy for humanitarianism, peace and ethics; and his invitation to the Dalai Lama to speak at the inaugural event of The World Ethical Foundations Consortium, which Raniere recently founded, makes one question the motive of the invitation.”
The same editorial also noted, “In 2003, Keith Raniere roped actress Goldie Hawn into speaking at Vanguard Week, an annual NXIVM event. When Hawn learned about the controversies surrounding Raniere, NXIVM and ESP, she canceled her appearance.”
The Schenectady Gazette editorial then concluded, “If Goldie Hawn has the sense not to appear at an event sponsored by Keith Raniere, then cancellation by the Dalai Lama…should be a no-brainer.”
Well, it may have taken some time for His Holiness to sort through the “research,” but ultimately the Dalai Lama did decide not to appear in Albany with and/or associated tangentially to Keith Raniere.
His Holiness sadly found himself in an increasingly awkward and embarrassing situation.
The Dalai Lama of Tibet, who is frequently featured as an honored speaker at some of the most prestigious universities across the United States and around the world, was not being officially hosted by any school in the Albany area for the WEHFC events.
The Albany Times-Union reported that despite the stature of the religious leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, no school in the area was willing to put its name on the line as an official host for any event associated with WEHFC/Raniere.
Skidmore College and RPI both rejected bids by WEHFC to provide a venue.
An RPI spokesperson explained, “While we have the highest respect for the Dalai Lama and his teachings, we chose not to accept the invitation based on a variety of considerations.”
“Considerations”?
The University of Albany finally agreed to rent out some space, but only with the explicit understanding and precondition that “NXIVM and the organization [WEHFC] were not going to have any part with dealing with…students, or advertising or recruiting…on campus,” according to UAlbany’s vice president for development.
It seems that Keith Raniere (photo left) hoped that somehow through the Dalai Lama’s visit to Albany he would be able to establish his significance, that is outside of his devotees within NXIVM.
Raniere, who is a physically small man, appears to posses an oversized ego, which includes a penchant for grandiose claims.
Mr. Raniere states through his online bio that he is a “scientist, mathematician, philosopher, entrepreneur, educator, inventor and author” who “from early childhood…demonstrated astounding gifts.” The bio then boasts a long list of alleged accomplishments, from becoming a “judo champion at age of 11″ to somehow managing to be recorded as the “highest IQ.”
Well, now Keith Raniere can add the dubious distinction of being dumped by the Dalai Lama of Tibet to his list of proclaimed accomplishments.
Some in Albany must be deeply embarrassed by this turn of events, including Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings, who appeared at a news conference with Clare Bronfman to endorse the planned program personally, declaring it a “historic event.”
Maybe the mayor could use some Nexium, not the training provided by the purported “cult” group, but rather the advertised purple antacid pill.
According to the WEHFC Web site there may be more than enough embarrassment to go around. The group touts the support of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Sir Richard Branson, along with Mayor Jennings.
Most embarrassed must be Lama Tenzin Dhonden, who is the “Personal Emissary for Peace to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.” He apparently was instrumental in setting up the now canceled visit to Albany.
The lama is quoted to have said, “The ethical tools developed by Keith Raniere” are a portion of “the essential ingredients to transform our society.”
Look for this lama to be reassigned soon.
At this juncture it seems that Keith Raniere’s primary remaining and significant claim to fame may just be that he has convinced two heirs to the Seagram fortune, Clare and Sara Bronfman, to support him. And given their substantial resources he can manage to at least soldier on financially, maybe not on the world stage, but as NXIVM’s vaunted “Vanguard” starring in his own self-contained and “conceptualized” productions.
However, if the Bronfmans ever decide to follow the Dalai Lama’s example and dump him, it may be curtain time for Mr. Raniere.
Postscript: Chet Hardin of Metroland recently reported that NXIVM leader Keith Raniere (aka “Vanguard”) now claims that the Dalai Lama will visit Albany on “May 6, 2009.” Raniere also wrote Hardin April 13th in an email that he is “thankful for the support of His Holiness” and concluded, “additional details will be available in the next few days.” However, nothing about an Albany visit appears on the Dalai Lama’s official calendar. His Holiness does have a public talk scheduled in New York City on May 3rd and a teaching on the 4th, but no announcement appears about any trip being planned to Albany. Is this just another example of Vanguard’s “conceptualizing,” or what some might label wishful thinking?
Endnote: Two days after Keith Raniere’s email to Chet Hardin about a May visit in Albany by the Dalai Lama of Tibet, an addition appeared on His Holiness’ Web site calendar. It reads that he will give “a public talk on The Need for Spirituality in the 21st Century at the Albany Palace Theater.” However, unlike other public events announced on his Web site, no sponsoring organization and/or contact link is offered or even mentioned. The Albany Palace Theater doesn’t have the event listed on its calender yet, but apparently there is an opening May 6th at the venue, between the showings of classic films (”The Sound of Music” and “Shane”) and a performance by the Albany Symphony Orchestra.
Final Note: The Albany Times-Union has also confirmed that the Dalai Lama will visit Albany on May 6th, but reports that an emailed announcement from the Dalai Lama’s representative “did not mention by name the World Ethical Foundations Consortium, which is an initiative of the Ethical Humanitarian Foundation,” the previous sponsoring organization with ties to Keith Raniere. The newspaper also reported that NXIVM devotee Clare Bronfman “asked Times Union Center general manager Bob Belber if the arena was available May 6, without specifying for what…Belber informed her the arena was booked that night (by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus) and suggested she contact Palace Theatre general manager Chris Gould.”
Update: It’s official, the Dalai Lama of Tibet has openly acknowledged the connection between himself and Keith Raniere’s so-called “World Ethical Foundations Consortium.” At the Dalai Lama’s official Web site there is now a link to the NXIVM leader’s group, for “contact” information regarding his scheduled public speaking event in Albany.
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03.13.09
Posted in Miscellaneous at 9:55 pm by Rick Ross | Link
It seems despite his global reputation and a Nobel Peace Prize, His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet is having a hard time finding a school sponsor for an event in upstate New York.
However, apparently it isn’t the Dalai Lama whose unwanted, but rather the company he has been keeping lately.
Specifically, it’s a private for-profit company named NXIVM (pronounced Nexium, like the “purple pill for acid indigestion), that has been touting an Albany area series of events featuring the Dalai Lama as its “honored guest.”
NXIVM is the brainchild of failed multi-level marketing guru Keith Raniere, who has been called a “cult” leader.
According to the Albany Times-Union despite Raniere’s (photo left) undergraduate alumni status at Renselier Polytechnic Institute (RPI), that school was unwilling to sponsor a Dalai Lama event.
Likewise, Skidmore College turned down what appears to be a front group developed by Raniere known as the “World Ethical Foundations Consortium” (WEFC).
Longtime NXIVM supporter and “event organizer” Clare Bronfman, daughter of billionaire Edgar Bronfman Sr., told the Albany Times-Union that she thinks “Skidmore and RPI rebuffed organizers’ attempts to bring the Dalai Lama to their campuses because of negative publicity about NXIVM.”
“I’ve had many doors shut in my face,” Ms. Bronfman said.
Skidmore spokesman Dan Forbush explained that the college had “scheduling difficulties.”
RPI spokesman Jason Gorss advised in a written statement, “While we have the highest respect for the Dalai Lama and his teachings…we chose not to accept the invitation based on a variety of considerations.”
Considerations?
There is consideration being given by the University of Albany to host the Dalai Lama April 20-22, but this is “not finalized,” according to the Albany Times-Union.
What is reportedly at the “heart” of the whole WEFC program “is a unique scientific process, developed by Mr. Raniere and imparted by NXIVM, which is designed to facilitate bringing compassionate ethics to the forefront of humanity.”
It appears that this may also be at the heart of why two prominent schools rebuffed His Holiness as packaged by the WEFC.
It seems that Mr. Raniere may be using both this upcoming event and the Dalai Lama (photo right) to promote his “process” sold through NXIVM training, which a noted psychologist and leading cult expert compared to “thought reform,” commonly called “brainwashing.”
The Albany Times-Union reported that according to Bronfman “a representative of the Dalai Lama went through NXIVM’s training.”
Perhaps the school administrators rebuffed the WEFC program because they recognize the distinctions between thought reform and education, and education is the process they prefer.
After all, many colleges have historically expressed concerns about allowing “cult-like” groups easy access to their students, and it seems this also includes a group that may have somehow convinced the Dalai Lama to come along.
Update: The Albany Times Union has provided further details regarding the upcoming visit of the Dalai Lama as the “honored guest” of a “consortium” founded by NXIVM leader Keith Raniere. Sara and Clare Bronfman stated at a press conference that “world leaders, royalty, scientists, academics and dignitaries are expected in Albany for the Dalai Lama’s appearances…” What about NXIVM’s history of bad press and controversy? Clare Bronfman responded, “There are many people who have a great amount of resources to look into NXIVM who want to come and have put a lot of time and resources into doing a lot of factual checking. They’re still coming.” Her sister Sara proclaimed that this event will “change the face of Albany” and “put Albany on the map.”
Endnote: Chet Hardin, a reporter for Metroland an upstate New York weekly, is questioning the way the Albany Times-Union has historically covered NXIVM. Hardin seems to think that the newspaper has largely caved in to pressure from NXIVM, curtailing and tailoring its coverage to avoid threatened litigation.
Final note: In the end according to the Albany Times-Union “The Dalai Lama…canceled his scheduled April appearances in Albany, apparently because of negative publicity connected to the sponsoring organization.”
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03.03.09
Posted in Executive Success Programs (ESP) at 11:05 pm by Rick Ross | Link
CultNews has been reporting for some time about a “human potential” large group awareness training (LGAT) company called NXIVM (pronounced Nexium) also known as “Executive Success Programs” (ESP) located in Albany, New York.
NXIVM/ESP devotees often call themselves “Espians.” A failed multi-level marketing guru Keith Raniere (photo left), who goes by the title “Vanguard,” leads them.
NXIVM has been called a “cult” and described as “extremely dangerous” by its critics.
Raniere historically has the dubious distinction of being featured on the cover of Forbes magazine in 2003 as the “world’s strangest executive coach.”
The Forbes article titled “Cult of Personality“ reported, “people see a darker and more manipulative side to Keith Raniere. Detractors say he runs a cult-like program aimed at breaking down his subjects psychologically, separating them from their families and inducting them into a bizarre world of messianic pretensions, idiosyncratic language and ritualistic practices.”
One of those families affected by the influence of the self-proclaimed “Vanguard” is the Bronfmans, specifically the two daughters of billionaire Edgar Bronfman Sr., of the Seagrams fortune.
Clare and Sara Bronfman are major backers/supporters of various Raniere enterprises, one, which apparently and surprisingly includes His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the “guest of honor.”
Acting through what seems to be little more than a thinly veiled front group called the “World Ethical Foundations Consortium (WEFC)” founded by Raniere, the Bronfmans have somehow managed to convince the Dalai Lama to become involved in an upcoming group event on April 19th to be held in Albany, New York.
According to the WEFC the “Event Organizing Committee” is comprised of Sara Bronfman as the “Event Chair,” her sister Clare as “Event Organizer,” another active Espian named Edgar Boone as its “spokesperson” and an official representative of the Dalai Lama.
Both of the Bronfmans are also “co-founders” of WEFC.
The so-called “Inaugural Event” of the WEFC will feature the Dalai Lama who will “participate,” according to the WEFC Web site.
Lama Tenzin Dhonden, “Personal Emissary for Peace to His Holiness the Dalai Lama” gushes, “With the ethical tools developed by Keith Raniere, and the presence, wisdom and guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, we have the essential ingredients to transform our society.”
But isn’t this an odd tag team for world transformation?
The Dalai Lama is certainly a heavyweight, he is after all an international figure with a Nobel Peace Prize.
But Keith Raniere hardly ranks as even a featherweight on the world stage. His only claim to fame seems to be the notoriety he achieved during the 1990s through his failed multilevel marketing scheme known as Consumers Buyline Inc., which was toppled under the weight of 25 separate investigations by state attorneys general.
Of course Raniere sees himself quite differently as visitors to the WEFC Web site can read. His rather strange bio posted there claims that he is a “scientist, mathematician, philosopher, entrepreneur, educator, inventor and author” who “from early childhood…demonstrated astounding gifts.” The bio also boasts a long list of alleged accomplishments, from becoming a “judo champion at age of 11″ to somehow managing to be recorded as the “highest IQ.”
Modesty, it appears, is not one of Vanguard’s virtues.
Ironically, Edgar Bronfman Sr., who once told Forbes that NXIVM is a “cult” now apparently has allowed his name to be used endorsing Raniere’s latest enterprise.
Bronfman Sr. is quoted to have more recently said, “Convening this group of leaders in Albany for the World Ethical Foundations Consortium is a noble effort.”
Not to be outdone British tycoon Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, extols the coming event as “extraordinary and potentially world changing!”
Gerald Jennings, Mayor of Albany says the Dalai Lama’s planned visit is a “historic event.”
Well, a father’s love cannot be discounted, Sir Richard Branson has always been a bit of an eccentric and any mayor is happy when someone important drops by to give his or her city some added recognition.
But what explains the Dalai Lama (photo right) lending his name to this purported “cult” effort?
According to the Albany Times-Union tickets for the event “will cost $52, $82 and $112″ and the “proceeds go to cover the cost of the event. Anything extra the Dalai Lama can donate to the charity of his choice.”
The venue for this is the Times-Union Center, which unless the fee has generously been waived, would be part of “the cost of the event.”
Fund raising can often make strange bedfellows.
But maybe His Holiness or one of his charities also expects to be the happy recipient of a hefty donation from one and/or both of the Bronfman sisters too?
If so, this wouldn’t be the first time the Clare and Sara Bronfman have doled out cash acting as seeming surrogates for Raniere. Previously, their generous contributions appeared to be focused on garnering NXIVM some political clout, as reported by the New York Post.
Maybe the Bronfmans have shifted gears to get Vanguard some pull within religious circles?
The Dalai Lama should seriously consider the negative consequences that NXIVM programs have reportedly produced.
Past participants in Raniere’s trainings have subsequently sought psychiatric treatment, one was hospitalized and another tragically committed suicide.
CultNews strongly suggests that someone in a position to advise His Holiness read the reports produced by two well-respected doctors that reviewed Keith Raniere’s training programs.
See the following:
“A Forensic Psychiatrist Evaluates ESP”
“A Critical Analysis of Executive Success Programs Inc.”
“Robert Jay Lifton’s eight criteria of thought reform as applied to the Executive Success Programs”
So before the Dalai Lama packs for a trip to Albany perhaps he should meditate upon the last written words of Kristin Marie Snyder, who took her own life after walking out of a NXIVM intensive in Alaska.
“I was brainwashed and my emotional center of the brain was killed/turned off. I still have feeling in my external skin, but my internal organs are rotting. Please contact my parents … if you find me or this note. I am sorry life, I didn’t know I was already dead. May we persist into the future…No need to search for my body.”
Is this what the Dalai Lama really considers the “essential ingredients to transform our society”?
Note: The Ross Institute (sponsor of CultNews) is engaged in litigation with NXIVM. Keith Raniere has unsuccessfully attempted to use the courts as a means to purge information that he doesn’t like, such as the above cited doctor’s reports, from the Internet.
Final note: In the end according to the Albany Times-Union “The Dalai Lama…canceled his scheduled April appearances in Albany, apparently because of negative publicity connected to the sponsoring organization.”
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