From Prison to I Do: Allison Mack’s Shocking New Chapter
Okay, so let me tell you—this is WILD! Allison Mack, the Smallville alum who was embroiled in the NXIVM sex trafficking scandal, has tied the knot just two years after her prison release! I mean, can you even process that? The 42-year-old actress, who played reporter Chloe Sullivan on the WB series Smallville for 10 seasons, married a man named Frank in an intimate Los Angeles ceremony last week. And let me tell you, she looked stunning in an ivory wedding dress featuring a halter neckline and ballgown skirt, with her hair styled in an updo with fresh flowers.
But before we get to the happy part, let’s take a step back and revisit the not-so-happy past. Mack pled guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges in 2019, admitting to blackmailing two women into performing services for NXIVM, a purported self-help organization founded by Keith Raniere that has since been characterized as a sex cult by former members. Authorities said Mack was a high-ranking member of NXIVM and recruited women to join the group under the guise of female mentorship. The victims were then exploited, both sexually and for their labor, according to United States Attorney Richard Donoghue.
Raniere, 64, is currently serving a 120-year prison sentence after being found guilty of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy, attempted sex trafficking, racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and forced labor conspiracy in 2019. Mack divorced her wife of three years, Nicki Clyne, amid her legal ordeal. She was ultimately sentenced to three years in prison in July 2021 but received an early release in July 2023.
In her own sentencing letter in 2021, Mack wrote, “I have experienced overwhelming shame as I have worked to accept and understand all that went on and all that I chose.” She added, “There were times I was not sure I would make it through this alive, the pain was so crippling.” But it seems like she’s moving on and finding happiness. “That said, I know that coming out the other side, I am a better, kinder woman because of this.”
The NXIVM case is a complex and disturbing one. The co-founder was found guilty of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, racketeering conspiracy, and exploitation of a child in 2019. The charges against him alleged that Raniere maintained a secret sorority called DOS, for which Mack recruited other women for the purpose of having sex with him. As part of their initiation, the women would turn over compromising photos or other items and information that could be used against them if they disobeyed, and were branded on their pelvis with an abstract symbol that incorporated Raniere and Mack’s initials.
It’s a lot to take in, but I’m glad to see Mack moving forward and finding love. I swear, I could talk about this all day, but I think I’ve covered the basics. Whew! That was a LOT to process!
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, TMZ, People Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
