How Smallville's Allison Mack became one of the most 'depraved' members of a sex cult.

You may remember Allison Mack from the early noughties Superman series Smallville. She played Clark Kent’s smart and quirky best friend, Chloe Sullivan.

But, off-screen, Mack played another prominent role. One that led to her arrest in 2018.

In April 2019, the actress pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges related to her efforts to recruit women into a sex cult called NXIVM (pronounced “nexium”).

Mack, 43, was charged alongside the cult's leader, Keith Raniere, 65.

“As alleged in the indictment, Allison Mack recruited women to join what was purported to be a female mentorship group that was, in fact, created and led by Keith Raniere,” United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue said in a statement at the time.

“The victims were then exploited, both sexually and for their labour, to the defendants’ benefit.”

Mack was sentenced to three years behind bars, but was released early in July 2023.

Watch: Christa B. Allen on escaping a cult. Post continues after video.

Now, in her first interview since leaving prison, Mack has spoken to CBC's Uncover podcast, for a series called Allison after NXIVM.

Across seven episodes, Allison after NXIVM traces the actress' journey from Smallville, to the sex cult, to prison, to now.

In the inaugural episode, Mack recounted the moment her Smallville co-star Kristin Kreuk introduced her to NXIVM.

"It was all she could talk about," Mack said on the podcast. "Kristin was like, 'There is an organisation Keith's created. It's just for women. They're doing a weekend… and I think you'd really like it.'"

Mack was convinced.

In 2006, she attended her first NXIVM meeting in a hotel conference room in Vancouver, Canada.

Slowly but surely, Mack embraced the group, led by Keith Raniere, eventually giving up her career to move to NXIVM's headquarters in Albany, New York.

She joined a harem of women who serviced Raniere's every need, having coercive sex with him daily.

Over time, Mack became Raniere's "top student", and her role within the group escalated. The actress began recruiting women for a subgroup known as DOS [Dominus Obsequious Sororium or "master over slave"].

In this group, women were described as

Mack. pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges. Image: Getty

According to The New York Times, the women were instructed to undress and lie on a massage table. They would then have their legs and shoulders restrained.

After saying: "Master, please brand me, it would be an honour," a female doctor would sear a two-inch square symbol featuring his initials onto the skin just below their hip.

The painful procedure took between 20 to 30 minutes to complete.

"For hours, muffled screams and the smell of burning tissue filled the room," wrote The New York Times.

During the CBC podcast, Mack admitted she was "very effective in moving Keith's vision forward".

"I think that I capitalised on the things I had," she said. "And so the success I had as an actor, I think I did capitalise on that, yeah. And it was a power tool that I had to get people to do what I wanted."

The former actress described herself as "aggressive" and "abusive".

"I was harsh and I was callous and I was aggressive and forceful in ways that were painful for people," she said, but insisted there was a part of her that was "altruistic and was desperate to help people."

In 2017, the horrors of the cult came to light when whistleblower Sarah Edmondson spoke to the New York Times about her experience in the DOS.

After an investigation, Raniere and Mack were arrested in 2018.

That same year, Mack's Smallville co-star Kreuk released a statement alleging that she distanced herself from the organisation in 2013.

Allison's former co-star Kristin Kreuk released a statement about the cult in 2018. Image: Getty

"The accusations that I was in the 'inner circle' or recruited women as 'sex slaves' are blatantly false," she said. "During my time, I never experienced any illegal or nefarious activity. I am horrified and disgusted by what has come out about DOS.

"I am deeply disturbed and embarrassed to have been associated with NXIVM, hope that the investigation leads to justice for all those affected."

Mack was sentenced in 2021. Initially, she was facing up to 17 years in prison but saw it reduced to three years after providing evidence against Raniere. She was released after two years.

Raniere, meanwhile, was sentenced to 120 years in prison.

Speaking on the podcast, Mack recalled her time in court.

"Oh, my God, my poor brother behind me, having to hear this about his sister," Mack said. "My poor mom [sic]!! I'm so sorry, you guys. I can take it, but like f**k, you guys, I'm so sorry. I don't see myself as innocent, and they were."

During the trial, the former actress also tearfully apologised to her victims, saying her actions were "abusive, abhorrent and illegal".

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

Today, the 43-year-old is married and pursuing a master's degree in social work. While she's trying to move on with her life, Mack knows she can't escape her past.

"No matter what happens, no matter where I go, I can change my name, I can change my profession, and I can change the direction in my life, but I can't change my face," she said on the podcast.

"It's a weird thing to start to ease my way out into the world because I don't want to hurt anybody again… So there's a part of me that's like if I just keep everything small, then no one will get hurt.

"But I don't want to live in a box for the rest of my life, so just rebuilding that trust in myself, I think, is sort of this next phase."

Feature Image: Getty

This article was originally published in April 2018 and has since been updated.