Actress Allison Mack: From good girl to criminal – what happened?

Allison Mack, an American actress who fell from grace, is back in the spotlight thanks to the artist Mk10ART. Mk10ART made visual works based on Mack’s fall from grace due to involvement in a sex trafficking ring posing as a networking platform, NXIVM. She faces sentencing on June 23 for abusing and exploiting women in the organization. 

A year from actress Allison Mack’s guilty plea, we still don’t know why such a seemingly sweet girl would abuse and exploit other women. While Mk10ART’s work aims to explore and uncover why it happened, here’s what we know about the how.

American sweetheart

On Smallville, Allison Mack played Chloe Sullivan for several years. Close friends with Clark Kent (Tom Welling), Sullivan was a heart-filled American sweetheart that actress Allison Mack brought to life with warmth and charm. 

Allison Mack was also a sweetheart off-screen. Co-stars Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum who played young Lex Luthor were shocked to learn Mack could be involved with sex trafficking. Both expressed she was a nice, kind person who seemed incapable of abuse.

When NXIVM came calling

NXIVM, the group Allison Mack was involved with, was a supposed “female empowerment group” led by Keith Raniere. While the group seemed to be about uplifting women, really it was front for sex trafficking and exploitation. 

NXIVM targeted struggling, aspiring actresses. Members like Allison Mack recruited new members under the claim they would help them network for roles and make them famous. NXIVM required new members to put up “collateral” nudes or embarrassing stories NXIVM leaders could use to blackmail members who broke ranks.

Transfixed by leader Keith Raniere

Allison Mack claimed she was illusioned by Keith Raniere’s charm. In an apology to her victims when she pled guilty, she tearfully said “I believed Keith Raniere’s intentions were to help people, and I was wrong.” 

According to sources, Keith Raniere was a charismatic man who was adept at charming women into his organization like Allison Mack. With experience in multi-level marketing, Raniere organized NXIVM similarly, forcing women to recruit more women in a pyramid-scheme style.

Allison Mack wasn’t the only Smallville star in NXIVM

Reports allege that Kristen Kreuk, Smallville star who played Lana (Clark Kent’s love interest), recruited Allison Mack to NXIVM. In 2005, Kreuk took Mack to an NXIVM event. Mack became deeply involved, but we’re not sure whether Kreuk was involved enough to know about the abuse.

Blackmail and abuse

As a high-ranking member of NXIVM, Allison Mack kept members from speaking out against the organization. If any spoke out about abuse or sex trafficking, Mack would blackmail them financially and emotionally. Mack was also accused of holding down women while they were branded with NXIVM in their pubic area. 

An investigation revealed the extent of what NXIVM did to its members. Essentially, they found that NXIVM was a front for a sex trafficking ring. In 2018, both Keith Raniere and Allison Mack were charged with multiple counts of sex trafficking, conspiracy, and other financial and violent crimes against members.

Pleading guilty

On April 8, 2019, Allison Mack entered a guilty plea for racketeering charges. It was unprecedented, as reporters expected jury selection to occur that day. She previously pleaded not guilty – the plea change surprised journalists at the time. It was unclear if the actress pled guilty to help prosecutors convict Raniere and other NXIVM members.

Allison Mack’s sentencing and where she is now

Allison Mack’s sentencing was postponed until June 23. As we wait for the sentence to come down, we know she could face as much as forty years of federal time for the charges. She’s kept out of the spotlight since the case. Her net worth also dropped substantially. According to sources, it went from $7 million to $1 million tops. 

Keith Raniere’s sentencing is also set for June 23. He faces life imprisonment for multiple counts of sexual assault and sex trafficking.