Allison Mack's Journey: From Smallville to NXIVM and Beyond

Allison Mack, known for her role as Chloe Sullivan in Smallville, has a story that took a dark turn. She spent nearly two years in prison for her involvement in the NXIVM cult. Now, she's sharing her experiences in a podcast called "Allison After NXIVM. " The cult, led by Keith Raniere, was supposed to be about self-improvement. But it turned out to be something much worse. Mack was one of Raniere's top recruiters, bringing in women who were then sexually exploited. In the podcast, Mack admits she ignored the red flags. She says, "I purposely kept myself from hearing things that would’ve been uncomfortable for me. " Mack realized Raniere was manipulating her and others. She says, "If I recognised that Keith was manipulating all of us, and that this was a strategy for his own perversion, I had to acknowledge what I had chosen and that I had hurt people. " When it came out that Raniere was exploiting underage girls, Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering charges and turned against him. Mack talks about how Raniere trapped, manipulated, and gaslit her. She also reveals she experienced sexual exploitation as a child, both on and off set. When she told Raniere, he allegedly offered to help by being "physically intimate" with her. Despite her insights, Mack admits she hurt other women. She describes herself as "emotionally aggressive" and "callous. " She says, "I was the go-between between him and this person. It was my job to relay what to do with him for her growth. The coercion started, and the pressure and the pressure and the pressure. And then it was like rape. " Mack also talks about the power she felt. She says, "Yes, I was excited by the power that I felt having these young, beautiful women look to me and listen to me. And yes, the sexuality of it was exciting. " Since her release, Mack has been studying for a master's in social work. She's also married Frank Meeink, a former neo-Nazi who now speaks out against radicalization.