Cult Survivors: NXIVM ft. Sarah Edmondson and Nippy

Continuing with cult month, today we are diving into the world of NXIVM where we welcome two survivors turned whistleblowers of a very famous cult masked as an MLM company. NXIVM became widely known during their high profile RICO case involving celebrities, billionaire heiresses, and the FBI. This week on Almost Adulting, Violet speaks with Sarah Edmondson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames, hosts of A Little Bit Culty podcast and former members of NXIVM. Founded by Keith Raniere, NXIVM posed themselves as a self-improvement group, only to later be exposed as a “sex cult” by extorting, sex trafficking, and implementing force labor upon its members. Sarah and Nippy open up about the details of how they were lured into NXIVM, what it was like on the inside, and the horrifying secrets they discovered after Sarah was forcibly branded. Sarah and Nippy tell the story of how they were integral to the downfall of NXIVM and the arrest of its leaders. The couple is also recently featured in HBO’s The Vow, a documentary diving into the world of NXIVM, and Sarah is also the author of Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life.TW: sexual abuseCOME TO MY SHOW AT THE HOLLYWOOD IMPROV ON OCT. 24! BUY TICKETS HERE: https://improv.com/comic/violet+benson/ THIS WEEK’S PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:Dave: Download the Dave app to get the financial relief they need with ExtraCash.Athletic Greens: http://www.athleticgreens.com/VIOLETBENSONAdvertise with Almost Adulting at Gumball.fm What to Listen For:00:00 Introduction01:06 What is NXIVM?02:24 All cults have a mission of ‘saving the world’07:54 “That will not happen to me.”10:28 Why is it important for cults to isolate themselves?12:38 NXIVM is a personality cult17:22 How did it become an MLM cult?23:39 Ranking within the cult27:56 Feeling guilty for recruiting people33:04 The women sub-group: DOS42:12 When women take advantage of other women45:11 Triggering the downfall of the cult48:10 Removing the branding49:56 Are there any people right now that should be in jail? Connect with Sarah and Nippy on:A Little Bit CultyScarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My LifeSarah EdmondsonAnthony AmesGet more content on:@almostadulting on Instagram@violetbenson on Instagram@daddyissues_ on InstagramYouTubeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.