The charges against sex cult NXIVM's Keith Raniere, Allison Mack and Clare Bronfman, explained

Jon Campbell | Albany Bureau

Show Caption Hide Caption Alleged cult NXIVM with 'smartest man in the world' drags her in Toni Natalie speaks about her experience when introduced to Keith Raniere, the founder of the alleged cult NXIVM. Video by Carlos Ortiz.

ALBANY — Sex trafficking. Money laundering. Forced labor. Identity theft.

High-ranking members of NXIVM, the secretive Albany-area group whose former members have accused of being a cult, have been accused of all that and more by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn.

The organization grew to have thousands of members who paid big money to take classes based on the teachings of Keith Raniere, who claimed to be one of the smartest people in the world and boasted a devoted following.

More: Judge sets Oct. 1 trial date for 'Smallville' actress Allison Mack and sex-cult leader

Among those charged are the actress Allison Mack and Clare Bronfman, an heiress to the Seagram's liquor fortune and a longtime bankroller of Raniere's pursuits.

Raniere was first charged in March and Mack in April. Bronfman and two others were indicted this week.

Here's a rundown of the defendants and what they're accused of:

Keith Raniere

Who: Mastermind of NXIVM (pronounced nex-EE-um). Raniere, who went to high school in Suffern, Rockland County, built up a cult-like following of NXIVM members who paid thousands of dollars to attend classes that utilized his self-help "technology." Led years-long battles against his foes, including Toni Natalie of the Rochester area, his former girlfriend.

What he's charged with: Racketeering conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit identity theft.

What he's accused of: Raniere is accused of overseeing a widespread criminal enterprise, including secretly creating and leading a sorority named DOS, whose female members were branded on their pubic region with a logo containing his initials.

More: Leader of alleged cult, sex-slave network called NXIVM, arraigned in federal court

Some members were groomed for unwanted sex with Raniere and forced to give up blackmail material like naked photos and secrets about family members in order to ensure they wouldn't leave the sorority, according to prosecutors.

The sorority encouraged master-slave relationships among different tiers of members, with Raniere secretly held as the top master.

Raniere is also accused of using a dead woman's credit card and bank account to cover his personal expenses, including chiropractor costs, in a bid to evade taxes.

Status: In federal custody; denied bail; awaiting trial. Pleaded not guilty.

Clare Bronfman

Who: A longtime bankroller of Raniere's pursuits, Bronfman is an heiress to the Seagram's liquor fortune and a longtime, high-ranking member of NXIVM and Raniere's inner circle.

What she's charged with: Racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit identity theft

What she's accused of: Prosecutors say Bronfman was a key member of the alleged criminal enterprise, engaging in identity theft, money laundering and setting up an illegal entry into the country.

More: Clare Bronfman, Seagram's liquor heiress, arrested in sex trafficking case

In a court filing Tuesday, prosecutors accused Bronfman of scheming to obtain usernames and passwords of some of NXIVM's enemies so Raniere and others could monitor them.

They also accused her of making international wire transfers to make it look like the immigrant had money for an investor visa, as well as using the credit card of a late NXIVM member to cover some of Raniere's personal expenses in a bid to evade taxes.

Status: Released on $100 million bond; under home confinement; awaiting trial. Pleaded not guilty.

Allison Mack

Who: An actress best known for her role as Chloe Sullivan in the CW's Smallville. A longtime NXIVM member and Raniere follower, she was known for trying to recruit people into the organization.

What she's charged with: Racketeering conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking

What she's accused of: Mack is accused of being a "first-line" master in DOS, directly reporting to Raniere and assisting in recruiting members and grooming some of them for him.

More: 'Smallville' actress Allison Mack charged with sex trafficking for role in NXIVM cult

Prosecutors say she told prospective members they were joining a female mentorship group only to be exploited sexually and for forced labor. She's alleged to have coerced them into being branded on their pubic region, in part by having them give up damaging collateral like nude photos before they were allowed to enter the group.

Status: Released on $5 million bond to her parents' custody; awaiting trial. Pleaded not guilty.

Nancy Salzman

Who: Raniere's longtime business partner and second-in-command. NXIVM's co-founder and president, she developed NXIVM's "Explorations of Meaning," therapy-like sessions that prosecutors say were "used in coercive ways to manipulate NXIVM students."

What she's charged with: Racketeering conspiracy

What she's accused of: Salzman is accused of conspiring to steal the email usernames and passwords of NXIVM enemies to monitor their activities.

She is also accused of altering tapes of herself teaching NXVIM courses before turning them over for use in a lawsuit against Rick Ross, a cult "deprogrammer" who has long been a NXIVM critic, and claiming they were unedited.

Status: Released on $5 million bond; under home confinement; awaiting trial. Expected to plead not guilty.

Lauren Salzman

Who: A high-ranking NXIVM member. Daughter of Nancy Salzman.

What she's charged with: Racketeering conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy

What she's accused of: Lauren Salzman is accused of being a "first-line" master in DOS along with Allison Mack.

Prosecutors say she helped confine a woman who was in the country illegally to a single room in suburban Albany as punishment for developing feelings for someone other than Raniere.

The woman was allegedly held in the room for nearly two years before she was driven to Mexico and dropped off without any identification. When the woman contacted her family for help, Salzman told them not to provide her documents, according to prosecutors.

Salzman is also accused of collecting collateral from DOS slaves, including nude photographs and family secrets, through extortion.

Status: Released on $5 million bond; under home confinement; awaiting trial. Expected to plead not guilty.

More: R. Kelly's 19-minute track 'I Admit' angers and amuses social media

Kathy Russell

Who: NXIVM's longtime bookkeeper and high-ranking member.

What she's charged with: Racketeering conspiracy

What she's accused of: Russell is alleged to have been part of the plan to steal email usernames and passwords from NXIVM enemies.

She also is accused of giving an identification document to a NXIVM member who was denied entry to the United States through Canada. The member then used the card, which contained the name and information of a person who recently died, to enter the country.

Status: A magistrate judge granted Russell bail on $25,000 bond, but Russell has been unable to pay it and remained in custody as of Wednesday. Expected to plead not guilty.

Follow Jon Campbell on Twitter: @JonCampbellGAN