Allison Mack

Allison Mack (born July 29, 1982) is an American actress. She played Chloe Sullivan on the superhero series Smallville (2001–2011) and had a recurring role on the comedy series Wilfred (2012–2014).

Mack was a member of NXIVM, a sex-trafficking cult and multi-level marketing company.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018 she was arrested by federal authorities on charges of sex trafficking, sex-trafficking conspiracy, and forced labor conspiracy related to her involvement in NXIVM and its subgroup, DOS. Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges and in 2021 was sentenced to three years in prison. She served 21 months in Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin, California and was released in July 2023.

Early life

Mack was born on July 29, 1982, in Preetz, West Germany, to American parents Jonathan Mack, an opera singer, and Mindy Mack, a schoolteacher and bookkeeper.<ref name=Fandango>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=TVGuide>Template:Cite web</ref> She has an older brother.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>. Her parents were in West Germany at the time of her birth because Jonathan was performing there; they lived in West Germany for two years before moving to the United States.<ref name=SciFiAndTvTalk>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Early work

Mack's first job was for a German chocolate company in a series of print ads and commercials.<ref name=SciFiAndTvTalk/> She went into modeling for a short period<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and studied at the Young Actors Space in Los Angeles at age seven.<ref name=Fandango/>

Mack's first major television role was in an episode of the WB/CW series 7th Heaven, in which she gained attention playing a teenager who cut herself. In 2000 she co-starred in the short-lived series Opposite Sex. Her film credits include roles in My Horrible Year! (Eric Stoltz's directorial debut), Camp Nowhere, and in the Disney film Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves.

Smallville

File:Allison Mack at ComicCon 2009 NN.jpg

Mack at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con

In October 2001, Mack began starring as Chloe Sullivan (an original character created for the show), one of Clark Kent's best friends in the WB/CW television series Smallville. Mack earned several awards and nominations for her portrayal of Chloe, including the Teen Choice Award for Best Sidekick in 2006 and 2007.<ref name=TeenChoice2006>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=TeenChoice2007>Template:Cite web</ref> She appeared as a series regular for nine seasons and returned as an intermittent main cast member in the tenth and final season, including the two-part series finale. From 2003 to 2006, Mack's character appeared in her own miniseries Smallville: Chloe Chronicles and Smallville: Vengeance Chronicles. In 2008, Mack made her directorial debut in Smallville season 8 episode "Power".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2002, Mack made a couple of appearances along with her Smallville castmate Sam Jones III in R. L. Stine's miniseries The Nightmare Room. In 2006 she voiced Clea, a museum curator, in an episode of The Batman. Adding to her DC Comics resume, she lent her voice for Power Girl in the animated feature Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mack was also listed as a member of the Iris Theatre Company.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

After Smallville

In March 2012, Mack was cast in a recurring role in the second season of the FX sitcom Wilfred. She played Amanda, the love interest of Elijah Wood's lead character Ryan. Mack returned to Wilfred for one episode of the fourth and final season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2014, Mack guest-starred as a policewoman named Hilary in an episode of the Fox thriller The Following. On March 21, 2015, she tweeted that she would be appearing in American Odyssey as Julia, who befriends Suzanne, the daughter of Anna Friel's lead character Sgt. Odelle Ballard.<ref>Webb Mitovich, Matt (March 23, 2015). "Smallville Alum Allison Mack Gets Pulled Into NBC's American Odyssey" Template:Webarchive. TVLine.</ref>

Involvement with NXIVM and fallout

Mack was a member of NXIVM, an organization founded by Keith Raniere and headquartered in Albany, New York. Throughout its existence, advocates of NXIVM characterized it as a benign multi-level marketing company selling professional and personal development courses, while critics described it as a cult.<ref name="Nxivm">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

NXIVM and DOS

Mack joined NXIVM in 2006 after attending a two-day introduction to "Jness", a women's group within NXIVM, eventually becoming a high-ranking member of the organization.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mack was co-creator of "The Source", a NXIVM program that recruited actors.<ref name="United States Department of Justice" /><ref name="Oprah"/> She was also a member of "Simply Human", an a cappella NXIVM singing group,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the emcee of "A Capella Innovations", a multi-day festival. Hosted by NXIVM in 2007 and 2008, the events were billed as a university singing showcase and were alleged to be "a front to draw impressionable undergrads into NXIVM."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="Oprah">Template:Cite web</ref>

File:US v. Raniere Prosecution exhibit - Diagram of DOS 'first-line slaves'.png

United States v. Keith Raniere prosecution exhibit depicting DOS first-line masters

In 2015, Raniere created a secret subgroup within NXIVM called "Dominus Obsequious Sororium" (DOS), of which Mack was allegedly second-in-command.<ref name="ET">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name= "elle">Template:Cite news</ref> DOS was structured as a pyramid group with Raniere at the top (and the only man in DOS) with subordinates including Mack and others as Raniere's first-line DOS masters.<ref name="United States Department of Justice" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> DOS was ostensibly built around female empowerment but mainly provided a means to traffic women for Raniere's gratification.<ref name="Oprah"/> According to prosecutors, Mack and others recruited women by telling them they were joining a women-only organization that would empower them, with Raniere's status as the leader of DOS concealed from new recruits. As a pre-condition for joining DOS, women were required to provide "collateral", which included nude photographs, damaging information about family and friends, and rights to their assets. Recruits were told their collateral could be released if they left DOS or told anyone about DOS's existence.<ref name="United States Department of Justice">Template:Cite webTemplate:PD-notice</ref> Recruits were also controlled in several other ways, including requirements to seek permission, physical isolation, forced participation in "readiness drills", sleep deprivation, extremely restrictive diets, and being subject to corporal punishment.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Mack reportedly recruited four women into DOS, including India Oxenberg, daughter of actress Catherine Oxenberg.<ref name="Oprah"/> As directed by Raniere, Mack and others required their recruits to be branded with a symbol representing Raniere's initials, with the branding ritual following a script created by Raniere.<ref name="NYT Mack">Template:Cite news</ref> Mack's recruits were unaware that the brand was composed of Raniere's initials, and said that Mack had told them that the brand was a symbol of the elements: air, earth, fire, and water.<ref name="Hollywood Reporter">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Rolling Stone 1">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Former NXIVM member Sarah Edmondson stated in a 2017 New York Times exposé and a 2018 A&E special on cults details about DOS that she had been branded in an initiation ceremony at Mack's house.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a New York Times interview, Mack claimed that the human branding was her idea.<ref name= NYT>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ET"/>

Arrest and conviction

File:Nxivm-Indictment-S-1.pdf

The indictment of Mack and other NXIVM members

On April 20, 2018, Mack was arrested by the FBI in Brooklyn on charges of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy, and forced labor conspiracy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The federal indictment accused Mack of "recruiting women to join what was purported to be a female mentorship group that was, in fact, created and led by Keith Raniere."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="United States Department of Justice" /> Mack was one of the "top members of a highly organized scheme which was designed to provide sex to [Raniere]."<ref name="The Guardian">Template:Cite news</ref> Prosecutors accused Mack of concealing Raniere's status as the leader of DOS as she coaxed recruits to provide highly damaging personal information, nude photos, and rights to personal assets.<ref name="United States Department of Justice" /> After Mack recruited women to join DOS, "under the guise of female empowerment, she starved women until they fit [Raniere's] sexual feminine ideal."<ref name="The Guardian"/> Mack directly or implicitly required her recruits to engage in sexual activity with Raniere.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In exchange, Mack received financial and other benefits from Raniere.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="United States Department of Justice" />

On April 24, 2018, Mack was released from Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn on a $5Template:Nbspmillion bond and held under house arrest under the custody of her parents in California.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During Mack's arraignment proceedings, prosecutors also accused her of entering a sham marriage with Nicki Clyne to help Clyne circumvent US immigration laws.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="people"/>

Guilty plea and sentencing

Under the original indictment, Mack faced a minimum of 15 years to life in prison if found guilty.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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 additional child pornography charges related to the case.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

According to a filing by the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Mack sat down for proffer sessions to assist the government in the prosecution of Raniere starting in April 2019. Mack detailed the inner workings of DOS. "Mack also provided details regarding crimes committed by other first-line DOS masters, including assignments to seduce Raniere and efforts to find Raniere a virgin successor. Mack detailed Raniere's role in devising assignments for Mack's slaves, including, among other things, Raniere's repeated requests for nude photographs from Mack's DOS slaves; Raniere's instructions regarding the seduction assignment; and Raniere's encouragement of the use of demeaning and derogatory language, including racial slurs, to humiliate DOS slaves." Mack provided information to the government about Clare Bronfman's attempts to harass and threaten DOS victims. Mack also provided a recording in which Raniere detailed how he wanted the branding ceremony conducted.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On April 8, 2019, Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy and admitted to state law extortion and forced labor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In June 2019, Raniere was found guilty on all charges and was sentenced to 120 years in October 2020.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States delayed court proceedings, including the sentencings of Mack and other NXIVM defendants. In 2021, prosecutors began the process of sentencing Mack. Under advisory sentencing guidelines, Mack faced 14 to 17.5 years behind bars.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The U.S. Attorney credited Mack with providing "detailed and highly corroborated information" and advocated for favourable sentencing for Mack.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Days before the sentencing, Mack released a statement in which she repudiated Raniere, saying that her involvement with NXIVM was "the biggest mistake and greatest regret of [her] life" and expressed remorse in regard to those affected. In addition to the letter, her attorneys asked for no jail time in consideration for Mack's remorse and her cooperation with Raniere's prosecution.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On June 30, 2021, Mack was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of probation, 1,000 hours of community service, and a fine of $20,000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On September 13, 2021, Mack reported to Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin, in Dublin, California to begin her prison sentence.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She was released early on July 3, 2023, after serving 1 year, 9 months, and 20 days of a 3-year sentence.<ref name=AP7.5.23>Template:Cite news</ref>

Civil lawsuit

In January 2020, Mack, Raniere, Clyne, and other NXIVM individuals were named as defendants in a civil lawsuit filed in federal court by 80 former NXIVM members. The lawsuit details allegations of fraud and abuse and charges of being a pyramid scheme; as well as exploitation of its recruits, conducting illegal human experiments, and making it "physically and psychologically difficult, and in some cases impossible, to leave the coercive community."<ref name="Nxivm" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Fictional portrayal

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Mack had a long-term relationship with Canadian actor Chad Krowchuk during the 2000s<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> when she was residing in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Smallville was produced.

In February 2017, Mack married Canadian actress Nicki Clyne, a fellow NXIVM member.<ref name="eonline">Template:Cite web</ref> The marriage was alleged to have been a sham to get Clyne around U.S. immigration laws.<ref name="people">Template:Cite web</ref> India Oxenberg, a witness at Mack and Clyne's wedding ceremony, later confirmed that the marriage was fake and orchestrated by Raniere to keep Clyne in the United States.<ref name= "ET Online 1"/> In December 2020, Mack filed for divorce from Clyne.<ref name= "ET Online 1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mack and Clyne were both sexual partners with NXIVM founder Keith Raniere.<ref name= "vice 1">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2025, Mack married Frank Meeink.<ref name=Craighead2025111>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

It was reported in 2020 that Mack had attended classes at UC Berkeley.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2025, after making no public statements about her life in NXIVM for over two years since her release, Mack allowed Natalie Robehmed to interview her for seven episodes of CBC/Radio's podcast Uncover. Mack spoke of her childhood, how her relationship with Raniere developed, and about her time in prison.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1989	Police Academy 6: City Under Siege	Little Girl
1993	Night Eyes 3	Natalie
1994	Camp Nowhere	Heather
1995	No Dessert, Dad, till You Mow the Lawn	Monica Cochran
1997	Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves	Jenny Szalinski
2006	The Ant Bully	Tiffany Nickle	Voice<ref name="btva">Template:Cite web A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
2008	Alice & Huck	Alice	Short film
2009	You	Quincey
	Superman/Batman: Public Enemies	Power Girl	Voice, direct-to-video<ref name="btva" />
2010	Frog	Her	Short film
	Purgatory	Woman	Short film
2011	Marilyn	Marilyn
	Blink	Producer	Short film

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1989	I Know My First Name Is Steven	Nettie	Television film
1990	Shangri-La Plaza	Jenny	Episode: "Pilot"
	Empty Nest	Gloria	Episode: "There's No Accounting"
1991	Switched at Birth	Normia Twigg	Television film
	Living a Lie	Stella	Television film
1992	Template:Sortname	Little Stephanie	Television film
	A Private Matter	Terri Finkbine	Television film
	A Message from Holly	Ida	Television film
1993	Evening Shade	Julia	2 episodes
	A Mother's Revenge	Wendy Sanders	Television film
1995	Dad, the Angel & Me	Andrea	Television film
	Sweet Justice	Jessica	Episode: "Broken Ties"
1996	Stolen Memories: Secrets from the Rose Garden	Katie	Television film
	Template:Sortname	Bess Townsend	Television film
	Unlikely Angel	Sarah Bartilson	Television film
1997	Hiller and Diller	Brooke	TV series
1998	7th Heaven	Nicole Jacob	Episode: "Cutters"
1999	Providence	Alicia	Episode: "Good Fellows"
2000	Opposite Sex	Kate Jacobs	8 episodes
2001	Kate Brasher	Georgia	Episode: "Georgia"
	My Horrible Year!	Nicola 'Nik' Faulkner	Television film
2001–2011	Smallville	Chloe Sullivan	Series regular, 204 episodes
2002	Template:Sortname	Charlotte Scott	Episode: "Camp Nowhere"
2006	Template:Sortname	Clea	Voice, episode: "The Everywhere Man"<ref name="btva" />
2012, 2014	Wilfred	Amanda	Recurring role
2015	The Following	Hilary	Guest role
	American Odyssey	Julia	Guest role
2016	Lost in Oz	Evelyn	Voice (season 1)<ref name="btva" />

Web series

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2003–2004	Smallville: Chloe Chronicles	Chloe Sullivan	8 episodes
2006	Smallville: Vengeance Chronicles		6 episodes
2010	Riese	Marlise	3 episodes
	Dirty Little Secret	Lauren Belle	Voice

Director

Year	Title	Episodes	Notes
2009–2010	Smallville	Template:Plainlist	2 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
2002	Teen Choice Award	Best Sidekick in a TV Series	Smallville	Template:Nom
2003	Teen Choice Award	Best Sidekick in a TV Series	Smallville	Template:Nom
2004	Teen Choice Award	Best Sidekick in a TV Series	Smallville	Template:Nom
2005	Saturn Award	Best Supporting Actress on Television	Smallville	Template:Nom
2005	Teen Choice Award	Best Sidekick in a TV Series	Smallville	Template:Nom
2006	Teen Choice Award	Best Sidekick in a TV Series	Smallville	Template:Won<ref name=TeenChoice2006/>
2006	Saturn Award	Best Supporting Actress on Television	Smallville	Template:Nom
2007	Teen Choice Award	Best Sidekick in a TV Series	Smallville	Template:Won<ref name=TeenChoice2007/>
2008	SyFy Genre Award	Best Supporting Actress	Smallville	Template:Won<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2009	Teen Choice Award	Best Sidekick in a TV Series	Smallville	Template:Nom

External links

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