Allison Mack was arrested on Friday for an alleged connection to a sex trafficking scheme.
The Smallville star, 35, was arrested in Brooklyn, New York, on charges of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy. Keith Raniere, the purported leader of the controversial self-help group, Nxivm, which is under investigation by the FBI, was arrested in Mexico late last month for allegedly turning "female followers into brainwashed slaves," CBS News reports.
According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of New York, Mack and Raniere allegedly branded their victims and forced them to participate in sex acts through the various self-help programs that Raniere established within his umbrella organization, Nxivm. The statement also says that the organization maintains features of a pyramid scheme, is based in Albany, New York, and has operated centers in the United States, Mexico, Canada and South America.
"As alleged in the indictment, Allison Mack recruited women to join what was purported to be a female mentorship group that was, in fact, created and led by Keith Raniere," United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue said in the statement. "The victims were then exploited, both sexually and for their labor, to the defendants' benefit. This Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to prosecuting predators who victimize others through sex trafficking and forced labor."
Added FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr., "Today we announce an additional arrest, and an indictment, in a case that brought to light an inconceivable crime. As this pyramid scheme continues to unravel, we ask anyone who might have been a victim to reach out to us with information that may further our investigation."
Mack will be arraigned on Friday before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak, while Raniere's arraignment is to be determined. If convicted, Mack and Raniere could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to life imprisonment.
ET last spoke with Mack in August 2017, where she explained how, nearly two decades later, Smallville was still shaping her career. You can read that interview HERE.
