Who Is Keith Raniere? Age, Biography and Wiki
Keith Raniere, born on August 26, 1960, is a controversial American figure, best known as the founder of the NXIVM cult. Raniere gained notoriety for running a purported self-help organization that was later revealed to have operated as a sex cult with illicit activities and human trafficking. Despite his conviction and imprisonment, Raniere's life continues to be a focal point of public interest and scrutiny. In 2025, he remains a topic of discussion within the realms of true crime and cult phenomena.
| Occupation | Motivational Speaker |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | August 26, 1960 |
| Age | 64 Years |
| Birth Place | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Virgo |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
Keith Raniere's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
As of 2025, Keith Raniere stands at approximately 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall. His weight has fluctuated over the years, particularly during his incarceration, but he generally maintains a healthy appearance. Specific measurements regarding his body stats, such as waist and chest size, are not publicly disclosed, partly due to his controversial status.
Keith Allen Raniere (born August 26, 1960) is an American cult leader who was convicted of a pattern of racketeering activity, including human trafficking, sex offenses and fraud. Raniere co-founded NXIVM, a purported self-help multi-level marketing company offering personal development seminars and headquartered in Albany, New York.
Operating from 1998 to 2018, NXIVM had 700 members at its height, including celebrities and the wealthy. Within NXIVM, Raniere was referred to as "Vanguard".
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Throughout his life, Raniere has been linked to various individuals, notably those within NXIVM. However, as of 2025, he remains single, focusing on his legal appeals and personal endeavors. His relationships have often been scrutinized due to the dynamics of power and control that characterized his earlier partnerships within the cult environment.
Describing a conversation with Raniere's father, his former partner, Barbara Bouchey, recalled, "[James] said ... [they] told Keith about how gifted and how intelligent he was. And he said it was almost like a switch went off. And suddenly, overnight, [Raniere] turned into ... Jesus Christ ...
[thinking] he was superior and better than everybody, like he was a deity. [James] said it was that [snaps] dramatic and that profound; he said it went right to [Raniere's] head." According to Bouchey, Raniere's mother also reported hearing "dozens of young girls ... calling the house, and [that Raniere] ...
was telling every single girl the same thing: 'I love you. You're the special one. You're important. You are the only one in my life, and I love you.' And Vera says, 'He's saying this to all these girls. He's clearly lying 'cause all of them are not special!'"
Net Worth and Salary
Despite his criminal conviction, Keith Raniere's net worth has been subject to speculation. In 2025, it is estimated that Raniere’s net worth stands around $500,000, primarily accrued from his earlier business ventures and the establishment of NXIVM. His earnings, however, might be considerably hindered by legal fees and restitution efforts following his conviction.
In 1993, CBI began to decline, and regulators in twenty states launched investigations into the entity. New York State filed a lawsuit alleging that CBI was a pyramid scheme. In 1994, Raniere created National Health Network, a multi-level seller of vitamins; that business failed three years later.
In 1996, Raniere signed a consent order with New York State resolving the case against CBI; without admitting wrongdoing, he agreed to pay a $40,000 fine. He ultimately only paid $9,000 to the state; despite having claimed a multimillion-dollar net worth, he said he was unable to pay the remainder.
The consent order also permanently barred Raniere from "promoting, offering or granting participation in a chain distribution scheme".
Career, Business and Investments
Before his legal troubles, Keith Raniere was a successful entrepreneur and self-help guru. He co-founded NXIVM in the early 1990s, which he claimed was an organization focused on personal development and ethics. Under Raniere's guidance, NXIVM expanded its reach, attracting members with promises of self-improvement. However, following investigations, it was exposed that the organization operated under questionable practices, including manipulation and abuse. As of 2025, Raniere’s career is primarily marked by his criminal activities, and he remains largely inactive within business circles due to ongoing legal issues.
Raniere attended Suffern High School for ninth grade before transferring to Rockland Country Day School. He graduated in June 1978, two months prior to his eighteenth birthday. As an adult, Raniere reported that he read Isaac Asimov's mind control-themed work Second Foundation at age 12 and credited the novel with inspiring his work in NXIVM.
In 1982, Raniere graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a 2.26 GPA, barely passing and failing many classes. He was employed as a computer programmer for the New York State Division of Parole.
Social Network
Keith Raniere has limited presence on social media platforms, especially given his current legal troubles and the nature of his past. The discussions surrounding him are primarily conducted through third-party commentary, documentaries, and articles reflecting on his life and crimes. His official communications are mostly filtered through legal representatives as he navigates various appeals.
In October 2003, Raniere was featured, cloaked in shadows, on the cover of Forbes magazine, accompanied by the appellation "The World's Strangest Executive Coach". The "devastating" cover story, penned by Michael Freedman and entitled "Cult of Personality", was later described as "a gold mine of previously unpublished information".
It discussed Raniere's title of "Vanguard"; detailed the failure of CBI; and included a quote from Edgar Bronfman accusing the organization of being a cult.
Education
Raniere attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and obtained a degree in physics, mathematics, and psychology. His educational background, combined with his early interests in human behavior, played a crucial role in shaping his philosophy and the ideologies later propagated through NXIVM.
In June 1988, the Albany Times Union profiled Raniere, reporting on his membership in the Mega Society after he achieved a high score on the MEGA test, an unsupervised, 48-question test published in the April 1985 issue of Omni magazine.
Although the MEGA test has been widely criticized as not having been properly validated, the 1989 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records (the last edition to include a category for highest IQ) described the Mega Society as "the most exclusive ultrahigh IQ society", and the 1989 Australian edition identified Raniere, Marilyn vos Savant and Er
ic Hart as the highest-scoring members of the group.
