NXIVM Ben Szemkus

Taken from Ben's GitHub post. Please don't die Ben:

As I am watching the recent news there is the arrests of Allison Mack and Keith Raniere Leaders of the NXIVM Group. A sense of intrigue prodded Me to look deeper into what is going on and how the alleged Sex Cult might have gotten to where it is now. Something which gave Me weird senses of Deja Vu looking at photographs of Raniere and Mack, saying to myself, "I have seen these people before." It wasn't any Exposé or Investigation Video that gave Me such a familiar dispostion with them it was something else.
I have been to Clubs in Vancouver, British Columbia and have seen the NXIVM Business Cards, black glossy cards with white letters 'NXIVM' thrown around club floors, tucked into bathroom stalls and moldings around the walls of the Clubs in the Gaslight District. Weird but nothing, too crazy I was told it was a cult to stay away from. One incident was when my 'at the time' Girlfriend and I were in B.C. visiting her friend O---. After a second of hanging at O---'s apartment We hit the bars around the area. O--- was excited for my Girlfriend and I to meet her best friend who was en route to meet up with us as We sat at a small table near the bars front door. Coming into the bar was a pretty blonde flanked by two other blondes all dressed in club attire 5 inch heels and all. O---'s friend gave a forced monologue about how she had found her calling and was with a group that understood her and that she must cut all ties with O--- for her to progress onward with her new life. She abruptly turns and leaves lockstep with the two side blondes. O--- stunned jumps up yelling , 'What the Fuck!' Runs out after her friend. After a moment O--- came back still stunned and a bit pale. My Girlfriend asked 'WTF?' O--- shrugged speechless. She eventually explained how in shock she was, that was her best buddy who, out of nowhere cut ties and was done with their friendship. O--- was visibly devastated. This was all very strange but never did I think much of it, it was just a weird out of nowhere experience..
Fast track to last week. In an Effort to Understand NXIVM I focused on the arrested Co-Leader of the Group, Allison Mack. The mainstay of her career as far as I knew was the TV Show 'Smallville' a teen steam show which was aired on the WB Network some years back. A former coworker whom I had a mega-crush once mentioned She thought 'Smallville' was 'just so .... ' I can't remember the word She used but it obviously had an inspiriting influence on her, she had such a tranquil look in her eyes giving her brief description of the show. These factors considered I torrented every season of the show to check out as more of an investigation than for entertainment (to be honest I had wished Mega-Crush was around to watch it with Me as I felt super lame sitting by Myself watching the show, but it is what it is, and I wanted to do some research).
Halfway into the 2nd Episode the Deja Vu kicks in. "I've seen this before!?" I
think to myself, "How the Fuck have I seen this before I would never have just watched this corndog teen steam. Then it hits me. Back in College (SCSU) I went to a weird party, that before the guests started showing up the Host put on 'Smallville' as a primer to the guests that were about to arrive. As I started remembering flashes of the night like a spell was lifted an 'OH SHIT' Moment occured.>>>>That was a Fucking NXIVM Mixer!!!! I call it a mixer because at the party I asked, 'when is this Party going to start?' The Host said, 'Oh this isn't a NXIVM Party, their parties are these epic events with DJs and Festivities.' She even mentioned the NXIVM crew had parties on Richard Bransons Island in the located among the British Virgin Islands. One Funny thing is that the girls at the Party were a bit miffed that Kristin Kreuk wasn't going to show up but Allison Mack (who I thought was the prettier of the two) would be showing up. The Host did mention a 'Special Guest' and said it was an Adult Film Star. I replied like a dick, 'You mean a pornstar?' They said, 'Don't call her that while She is here!!'
Let me back up. As the memory chunks fell back into place my recollection of the night, experiences, who was there, who I was with and how I got there all slowly came back to Me over the course of a day of intense recall. In February 2007 I was attending SCSU living in the North Dormitories dating a pretty young lady named *** (considering the information I am about to give I am holding any names back for their safety). Now *** had a friend named A---, a pretty african american woman who was approached by a few blondes dressed fashionably as A--- was studying in the Yale Library. They said they liked A---'s style and wanted to know if She would like to go to a Womens Empowerment Group Meeting/Mixer.
A--- said she would, they told her to invite a friend if She could. A--- naturally invited ***, as in New Haven, Connecticut being the crazy place it can be, You don't go to a strange Party alone. New Haven is No Fucking Joke (should be the City Motto)...
Now the Party/Mixer was supposed to be an all girls event but *** being the badass that she is asked Me to come along because She wanted to hang out with Me and it was around My Birthday Week (My Birthdays were not a one day event back in those days). I thought okay, Yale kids, I can sell some weed, let's go.
Fast forward to showing up to the Party/Mixer, located off of Skiff Street in Hamden,Connecticut right behind the Hamden Plaza (not sure if it is even called that anymore) but it was right up the hill from the Popeyes Chicken (def not a product placement mention). 'Smallville' is playing then the door opens in comes Allison Mack. She is in a green wool overcoat with black leather boots. I am a 'calf' man and for whatever reason I noticed she had what my good buddy Matt and I refered to as 'Fatty Richgirl Ankles' and seemed a bit more gruff and 'plain Jane' in person than I imagined, specifically chubby mechanic hands. She surveys the room takes off her overcoat and was in a dark colored corset and a mini skirt
giving her the appearance of a sadistic warden from an 80's Womens Prison Movie. Mack was accompanied by a quiet man with a Tony Danza 'Who's the Boss' haircut and glasses. He introduced himself as Keith.
The crowd of females, about a dozen maybe a bakers dozen, were in attendance and as far as I could tell were all Yale Students but would not be surprised if some NHU students were also there. At first it was Me and a boyfriend of one of the Yale girls, were the only dudes at the party. *** caught a little shit for bringing me but *** covered maybe saying I was their ride so it was okay, plus *** really didn't care what a bunch of Yale Girls wanted anyhow. Throughout the night thus far I was making trips to the outside deck of the apartment to smoke cigarettes. I went out for another.
Smoking a cigarette I noticed through the sliding door blind more guests were arriving, I was loosely watching the guests come in and smoking bowls of weed in between pulls from a cigarette *** and I were splitting. The sliding door blinds shutter a bit and out comes a big black dude with a dainty blonde wearing a tight seude overcoat and boots. She introduced herself, 'My name is Stormy Daniels.' I introduced myself to the two and proceded smoking a cigarette. Stormy mentioned all the girls in the room and that she was real nervous, something I thought weird her being an adult film star and all but then again I believe there is a great deal of insecurities involved in being in such a trade so I figured I would offer her a bowl of weed. She said no thank you that it would make her eyes red and make her 'all goofy.' Her bodyguard said he would like to smoke but he was working so he couldn't. I told them a bunch of sick dead baby joke because cracking jokes was My thing.
I bummed Stormy another Smoke and Mack poked her head out of the sliding glass door to say, 'We're starting.' She was talking to Stormy. Stormy goes in maybe saying 'wish me luck.' Mack looked at the bodyguard and I, says 'This part is Girls only.' and shuts the sliding glass door walks inside yelling, 'Okay Bitches...' words to the effect that the meeting part of the program was startng. A few moments later the one other dude, the boyfriend of one of the attendees I mentioned before, comes out onto the deck and I believe I continued to tell some 'dead baby' jokes to the bodyguard and the boyfriend because why not.
Looking inside at the group in the living room, the Yale girls and A--- were all kneeling on the floor in front of Mack, she led a discussion on something. *** was sitting in a chair off to the side of the attentive Yale students with a look on her face that read, 'Fuck This.' They broke off after a few minutes of listening to Mack and Keith speak, some in the front room, the other went to the back bedrooms where there were some other computer consoles. I think this is the part were they watched a quick video one at a time as a skinny baldish white dude took notes on
a clipboard. The meeting ended after a short bit and Me, the Bodyguard and Boyfriend Man came back in. The Mixer was on.
Lights went low and some party music came on. I walked around talking to Keith and Baldish Guy, I had no intention of speaking to any of the Yale Girls unless they wanted to buy some weed (I never sold any weed that night). A salt and pepper haired man with dark circles around his eyes came in (almost like a Pakistani or Eastern Indian mans eyes can be sometimes, I hope that doesn't sound racist but that's what I thought). He scans the room of girls prancing about, sees me, makes a B-Line over and introduces himself. His name was Eric Schneiderman, he spoke with a NYC accent and mentioned the activity in the room. Half sarcastic I said, 'Yeah it's great' he mentioned the movement that they were building and asked if I had spoke with Keith, who just before I was talking 'teleology' with. He wore a sweater and some jeans. Keith mentioned a plan of child caregivers that spoke seven or so different languages to train the children they were looking after. Keith was real interested in himself I could tell by his lofty mannerisms, he seemed needy for positive response. I thought'ugh' and broke off to talk with Schneiderman who was then just walking over. Schneiderman was dressed business casual with a 3 button silky short sleeved golf shirt and slacks with leather dress shoes maybe loafers (nice leather I could tell they were probably $300 dollar shoes maybe more). I asked Schneiderman if he wanted to go smoke some weed and he declined saying, 'I don't think My constituents would be happy with that' but thanked Me for the offer. I said, 'Oh You're a Politician?' 'I'm a NY State Senator.' He Replied. I said, 'Wow a Senator?!' He said, 'No a State Senator, that's something different.' Me, not being into politics had no clue nor care, I was an economics major and Political Science seemed dumb to Me, so I went to go have a cigarette.
Coming back in there were a few more arrivals. A petite arabian woman with a far away stare came in with a few pretty women and then a fast sweaty man entered wearing a white dress shirt no tie. The Arabian was a bit ticked off Sweaty Man was running late but he snapped something back about 95 traffic then started working the room introducing himself. The Arab Woman had a look of Mystique and locked eyes with Me from across the room almost trance-like. I spoke to White Dress Shirt Sweaty Man he introduced himself as Anthony Weiner. He points at Arab woman saying, 'That's My Wife Huma.' *** at this point was coming in from having a smoke and talking to A--, I could tell she wanted to go. I said to Anthony, 'Hey I think we're gonna take off.' He stirred and turned to Huma said, 'Hey Huma, have We got the info on everyone here?' She goes around the room starting with Me, takes down my info (she asked for my student ID clipped it on the board and copied the info NAME/SCHOOL ATTENDED), and then moves on to *** and A--- getting their info before we left. *** gave Me the car keys which meant I was driving back to SCSU North Campus. One the way back to the dorms
A--- seemed sad and felt let down saying she thought it would be a cool Womens Movement but it was just a bunch of Sorority Wanna-Be's. I think I even said it seemed like a Cult. Fortunately *** did not join (I'm pretty sure A--- did not but who knows).
Getting back to the dorm making Jokes about "Special Guest Stormy Daniels" because Who the Fuck is Stormy Daniels (this was 11 years ago mind You). I asked what they were watching and they described to me what was later to be known as the infamous 'Snuff Video' *** said it all looked fake but she was used to gore stuff like, because once again, she's a little badass. A--- was a bit put off by the man dressed as a Nazi killing a Black Guy but other than that We didn't think much else of it except it was a room full of weirdos and it was a goofy Yale Girl Party. Little did I know We were basically in the Belly of the Beast.
This is most of My recollection of that night.. I know it sounds like I am jumping the Shark but it is what it is.
I am willing to take a lie detector test and I am more than willing to answer any questions anyone might have.
Sincerely, Benjamin Szemkus