American whisky heiress Clare Bronfman has pleaded guilty to her role in the secretive "sex cult" Nxivm which allegedly trafficked women.

Bronfman, the 40-year-old heir to the Seagram alcohol fortune, was accused of using her wealth to fund the suspected sex cult to the tune of more than $100 million (£77m).

She had been due to stand trial on May 7, but on Friday she pleaded guilty to two counts - conspiracy to conceal and harbour illegal immigrants for financial gain and fraudulent use of identification.

The suspected cult leader, Keith Raniere, now stands alone as a defendant in the case on charges of sex trafficking and forced labour conspiracy.

The 58-year-old founded Nxivm, which offered “executive success programmes” and self-help therapies, wielded immense power over the estimated 16,000 people who flocked to his seminars.