In 2010, Mack was reported to have been recruited to the Vancouver chapter of the multi-level marketing organization NXIVM, along with her Smallville co-star Kristin Kreuk.[22] In a 2003 article from Forbes, advocates of NXIVM portrayed it as an organization focused on inspirational executive coaching, "like a practical MBA", while detractors accused the founder Keith Raniere of running "a cult-like program aimed at breaking down his subjects psychologically".[attribution needed][23] The group had a practice of branding their victims, which was first created by Mack.[24] Former NXIVM member Sarah Edmondson stated in a 2017 New York Times expos and a 2018 A&E special on cults that Mack recruited her into an enclave within NXIVM, "Dominus Obsequious Sororium" (DOS), and that she had been branded in an initiation ceremony at Mack's house, under Mack's supervision.[25][26] In an interview with The New York Times, Mack took responsibility for having introduced the branding ritual to the DOS group. Some women had been branded with Mack's initials (AM) in addition to Raniere's initials (KR).[24] Mack was arrested in Brooklyn by the FBI on April 20, 2018, on charges of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy.[27][28] During her arraignment proceedings, prosecutors also accused her of entering a sham marriage with Nicki Clyne to help Clyne circumvent US immigration laws.[17][15][29][30] According to prosecutors, after she recruited women to join the organization, she used tactics such as blackmail to force them into engaging in sexual activity with Raniere against their wishes and enslaved them to do menial tasks, for which Raniere allegedly paid Mack. Mack is said to be second-in-command of NXIVM after Raniere.[31][32][33] On April 24, 2018, Mack was released on a $5 million bond and held under house arrest under the custody of her parents in California.[34] She was charged with recruiting women into "DOS" or "The Vow", a sex cult propagated by NXIVM that presented itself as a women's self-help group.[35][36][37][38] If convicted of all charges, Mack and Raniere faced imprisonment for a minimum of 15 years.[39][40][41] In March 2019, it was revealed in court that Mack and the other defendants in the case were in "active plea negotiations" as Raniere appeared in court to plead not guilty to child pornography charges related to the case.[42] On April 8, 2019, Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and racketeering charges, and was scheduled for sentencing in September 2019.[43][44] The sentencing was postponed by the court to grant sufficient time to conduct pre-sentencing investigations.[18] In 2019, Catherine Oxenberg produced the Lifetime television film Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother's Fight to Save Her Daughter with actress Sara Fletcher as Mack.[45] On October 27, 2020, Raniere was sentenced to 120 years in prison.[46] On May 21, 2021, it was announced that Mack's sentencing trial will take place on June 30, 2021. If convicted, Mack faces a minimum of 15 years to life in prison.[1]