John Tighe: Thoughts About Nxivm From Prison

In General

By John Tighe

[John Tighe is a writer who created and edited the blog Saratoga In Decline. He is currently a federal inmate in FMC Devens in Devens, MA.]

For those who wish for me to comment on my present circumstances: This is neither the time nor the forum as I am in the process of seeking early release – and don’t want to do anything that will interfere with that process.

But I can assure you that there will come a day when justice will be restored to my life.

Meantime, sitting in prison, reading about the horrors of Keith Raniere and his devotees, I’m struck by a level of depravity and cruelty I don’t witness even in here.

In prison, there are lots of guys who committed drug crimes and fiscal crimes. We have sex criminals and murderers along with mentally ill inmates.

I’ve learned a lot here about human decency and kindness.

One of the most striking things I’ve found in here is that many people who have done horrible things in life are capable of acts of kindness and compassion – after the mask of drug-fueled mental illness is taken away. Many truly regret the damage they inflicted on their families and their victims.

They feel remorse for not doing more with the life God gave them. Many accept the fact that they belong here and neither feel anger nor bitterness at their incarceration. In other words, they now see themselves with the clarity and lucidity that sobriety or mental health treatment afforded them.

They grew and matured as human beings in prison. Many now are able to live by the Golden Rule or make an effort to find God and forgiveness.

Most of these prisoners came from broken homes, child abuse, extreme poverty, and worse. Many got a raw deal on life since the day they were born. For many, this is the first time they’ve had access to medical treatment or three meals a day. Still, deep inside, most have an innate sense of human decency. I’m not saying their upbringing excuses their criminal behavior but it mitigates it. I’m not saying that there are no unrepentant, dangerous social and sexual deviants here. [I hope some inmates never see the light of day again, but those are exceptions, not the rule.]

This brings me to when self-help becomes de-evolution.

I think about the idle rich and bored who found Raniere and his teachings so exciting. Many of these were trust fund babies, the product of wealth without labor – who were seeking meaning in their lives.

These spoiled, self-entitled ones – the heart of Nxivm – the kind who profit off the backs of those who labor. The ones who search for the latest Hot Yoga studio or that newest lunch spot. The ones who speak of the “latest technology” to cure the disintegration of civilization. The ones who feast at the table of Ayn Rand – and who believe that greed is good and charity is for suckers.

In these empty shells of human existence, I don’t see an elevation of humankind but a de-evolution and a lack of empathy and lack of family ties. These individuals, acting in a group, de-evolved to a primitive state of self-interest. A form of devil worship from a group that was too sophisticated to ever admit they believed in God.

I mean people like the parents of Dani, Mariana and Cami who searched for meaning from one guru to another – eventually sacrificing their own daughters to Raniere. And let’s not forget Nancy Salzman who also cut the heart out of her own daughters and fed it to him – in the name of self-growth.

Then we have all those who profited off this cancer of NXIVM. The lawyers who aided and abetted an ongoing criminal enterprise. The politicians who looked the other way.  And law enforcement officials who acted as NXIVM’s private security force and supported Raniere’s efforts to put innocent people in prison.

Are you proud of yourselves? “To Protect and Serve”? Was the money worth it?

Remember, there may not always be justice in this life, but there certainly will be in the next life and the eyes of God are always on you.

One day soon, I will have far more to say about this. For now, I must wait patiently for justice to come. My day will be coming – for my freedom first – and then for the truth and for justice to shine for me and my family.

Truth, a righteous, crusading truth has already lit upon Keith Raniere and his gruesome family of Nxivm.

 

 

 

 

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59 commentsOn John Tighe: Thoughts About Nxivm From Prison

  • Former Nexian Omar W. Rosales

    Very well written. Thank you for sharing your thoughts John.

    You are not alone. You are not forgotten. Hang in there!

  • orangecountydreams - OCD

    John, your observations are extremely eloquent and right on point. Thank you.

  • I believe you are innocent and should not be where you are. Stay strong.

    • There are many people on this blog who “feel” that John was set up. This originally came from Mr. Parillo. Remember, John is a convicted Felon-just like some of These NXIVM people. He will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life when he gets out of prison. That’s because he had child porn on his computer. And just like Dani being a victim of Keith and NXIVM, John has contributing to children being sexually exploited.
      So, those who ” believe” John was “set up” What’s wrong with you. Do you simply believe everything you read?
      I think Mr. Parillo should publically ask John to take a lie detector test about this child porn stuff when he gets out so the results can be published on this blog ( or other blogs)
      That way, Mr. Parillo is showing that he has integrity and John will show that he has integrity. If they don’t do this, “what does that mean” about their integrity.
      John did mention in his writing from prison that he has become sorry for having child porn on his computer. So, has he improved his life? He only talked about the other prisioners. ( this is actually if he can actually publish anything from prison)
      So, are we goin g to have a “hero” that refused to take a lie detector about his having child porn coming out of prison.

      • The name is Parlato. I think you meant to say Tighe did NOT mention being sorry for having child porn on his computer. Ben knows a good lie detector guy.

      • A lie detector test?!?! I can’t believe how many gullible people believe such a thing exists, when people tell blatant lies and pass it, and others telling obvious truths fail it. It’s one of the great myths of our time, believed in by countless millions and manipulated by liars who know all they have to do to be declared innocent is claim their willingness to take a polygraph test. Say you’ll take one and everyone believes you’re innocent, refuse and everyone condemns your guilt. And a polygraph is like every other test: the longer and harder you study, the better you’ll do. And passing is like a rich person being sentenced in court: it all depends on who’s paying for the test, what influence you have, and how much the authorities need you to appear guilty. For example, during the notorious $2.3 million “best investigation money could buy”, Albany Roman Catholic Bishop Howard Hubbard took a polygraph test in which he said he hadn’t gone to Albany’s Washington Park at night. However, years before I had heard him directly saying to a group of priests how much he used to enjoy meeting people at night in Washington Park and how sad it was that with increased crime it was too dangerous to go anymore (yes, I told this to an investigator and quite predictably he didn’t seem to care).

  • Bravo, JT. I think you’ve made it clear that you are far too mindful, intelligent and sensitive a soul to be spending your days on kiddie porn. Besides, you were probably working on your blog, researching or writing or “stalking” at the same moment any porn was allegedly being downloaded.

    Say, whatever happened to those “friends” of yours you and your wife introduced me to at that coffee shop?

    Weren’t they donating a computer to the cause? In support of your beliefs or theirs?

    Perhaps the “proper” authorities should learn more about your political affiliations in support of that baby soft babe they’d like to see running the Country next — with a little “tweaking,” perchance?

  • Light at the end of the Tunnel

    Thank you, John, for this great piece. I do hope that you find justice, soon. I read your blog regularly, and when you were arrested I was firstly shocked, but almost immediately thought set-up. Obviously I am not the only one who has that theory. In any case, hopefully the truth will come out soon enough. Thank you for your past work in revealing the plague of NXIVM.

  • Actually, the parents of Cami, Dani and Mariana were hard-working business owners. They earned their money through hard graft and if you heard Dani speak of her father, in his business dealings her father was a profoundly honourable and decent man. She speaks highly of how she was raised to have integrity and seek it in others. Dani was always working or looking for jobs to support herself, she doesn’t appear to have expected others to support her. The trust fund babies are Rosa Laura Junco, Emiliano Salinas, the Boone family, the Bronfmans. I think Dani’s family were naive, and allowed themselves to be profoundly misled They already had a life rich with family love and closeness, financial security and intellectual curiosity and they trusted Nxivm to provide them with tools they needed for further enlightenment and advancement.

  • John, your story has always haunted me. Ever since I first read about it here on FR years ago. I always hoped for justice in your case. Thank you for that enlightened and classy point of view.
    Hats off to you.

    • Agree with Mary. John – I knew all about your work. When I first heard about them “finding” the child porn on your computer, I can still remember the chills down my spine. I 100% knew it was a set-up. That’s how Keith operates.

    • I’ve had a hard time believing John wasn’t guilty as charged. At first, I knew at the bottom of my soul he was innocent. That was my first instinct and I panicked in fear over it. But Jim Odato, who must have been in his own hell, never responded to my email asking if the confiscated computers I read about in the TU belonged to anyone I knew.

      I swear, I even closed down my art studio and moved and let my son pluck the rest of the keys off it before finally just tossing it into the sea with a ceremonial sprinkling of Gina’s ashes to hold it down good and tight.

      There were signs that NX and God knows who or what else was already after my ass, along with Toni’s, especially. A reporter or cruise ship hostess or some NX bs from Mexico was plaguing us all and NX was suing Javel and Ross and Skolniik and little Gaelen was a trapped rat experiment but Toni was working with Roger Ramjet to save the world from Vanguard’s rule.

      Andrews was up in some Adirondack shack hideaway, VanityFair USA didn’t care, neither did the LA Times but the Albany TU was already long on the case despite the swamp backlash.

      Only the Brits picked-up the Vanity Fair story so as not to disturb NYC society pages — with all due respect to the now deceased, Edgar Bronfman, RIP who, heroically, never surrendered but expressed his unconditional love to his daughters despite their insistence he confess his sins against the guru — their new daddy, KAR, and mummy “prefect” Nancy — they adorned and utterly worshipped by then.

      I figured if they had JT’s, Toni’s and Joe’s and maybe Odato’s and Andrew’s computers, I was, most definitely, “fucked beyond imagination” with the FBI, who’ve been following our genius, bi-polar, honarably Navy discharged brother for decades ever since he managed to rip-off some pissed-off Arabs while working for E.F. Hutton at the age of 15 in the commodities market. Another story.

      I believe John may be innocent, at first and again now. Further Investigation in view of the new facts is most certainly called for.

      ❤️

  • orangecountydreams - OCD

    “…the kind who profit off the backs of those who labor. …” That is Keith himself at his very essence.

  • Off-topic for this story, but Russell is a lightweight: https://goingconcern.com/accountants-behaving-badly-fun-with-fridge-magnets-college-admissions-scam-thats-no-man-baby/ I always thought accounting would drive me crazy, all of that detail. I guess I’m not the only one!

    • KAR was always very trendy. Always had a lot of “trending” props even before the internet term “now trending” came about.

      If you recognize this word salad “trend” and you were a witness in the day, please call EDNY DOJ. Talk to Kevin Trowel.

      Interesting history: Native Spanish-speaking “elites” all speak with a slight lisp on the s. They use a “th” sound. It became a trend bc some historic Hispanic King had a lisp.

      Remember, “Uncle Gene” used to talk about it to explain why both our brothers lisped? And how we had mixed blood with the Italians from the Hispanic, pioneer blood on his side? He feels so guilty even now about letting Gina quit school and let loose in Clifton Park and Cohoes, NY to come under KAR’s and KAR-en’s tutelage. ❤️

    • Actually, that’s totally on-topic, Scott. Thanks!

  • Amazing you will all look the other way or find conspiracy theories for all of the criminals on this blog. Such hipocrites! This guy had child porn photos everywhere. Kudos for immediately pleading guilty but now you will worship him? You are all becoming your only cult of brainwashed fools.

    • Agree. If he wants to bring evidence forward regarding his innocence after he gets out of prison, fine.

    • He watched child porn. He fought sex slavery and human trafficking. I think that has repaid society. It made an actual difference.

    • It seems like you’re a little worried about the planted porn. I’m sure John will reveal his side of the story as soon as he’s released. By that time, VanFake may be in jail serving his life sentence.

    • Please remember Keith’s first cover-up strategy was to claim the branding concept was “the product of criminal minds.” It struck me hard at the time bc I was being falsely accused of everything from “hypnotizing” a caregiver who faked a fall in the back of our van into not putting on her seatbelt while I was driving. She ripped off an old scab on her knee. I took before and after pics bc I suspected these caregivers of trying to make a false workman’s comp claim over other things too.

      Even after I fired them they started working for our neighbors (some were growing cannabis) as maids and gardeners. But the neighbors themselves were in on the harassment. They even subborned a really, I’m sorry, just stupid guy whose been after me forever and allegedly wrote a script — there was a script with “Heidi Roberts” in the lead role. He brought it over for Frank to read was Frank was visiting. But he never asked me to show it to Jeff, oddly enough.

      In the opening scene of “his” script, Heidi Roberts gets fucked like a rabbit. I never even read past that scene but Frank did. At the same time Kevin Beals and a few other men were hitting on me. I haven’t been hit on that much I swear since I was maybe 25. i’m in my 50s for crying out loud.

  • His eloquent brevity was missed.

  • “The ones who feast at the table of Ayn Rand – and who believe that greed is good…” So true. I noticed that of the 12 guiding principles of this corrupt scam that is Nxivm, 8 were about “success”. Despite the window dressing on making the world better, it was all about the individual getting ahead, gaining an advantage, a world of sharp elbows, beggar thy neighbor, and the means justified by the end. Said end being more power, more money, more members, more influence.

    • Double Anonymous

      Acteon,
      Sir, you appear to be correct.
      And, what would have us do instead? Becoming loving Christians? Sing Kumba Ya and take care of each other? Open our hearts to those at our borders?

      • How about starting with not f*cking everything that walks?

      • Thomas G, to make a killing, you don’t have to make it killing. If you can so appreciate the godliness of JT’s wisdom and humility, why a few comments down do you show contempt for these things by reducing faith to ‘singing Kumba Ya(sic)’

        I hope you someday earn a heart as open as JT’s and also find some love free from sophistry and cynicism.

  • Have always believe in your innocence. Thanking you for sharing your thoughts, and wishing you well.

  • –I think about the idle rich and bored who found Raniere and his teachings so exciting. Many of these were trust fund babies, the product of wealth without labor – who were seeking meaning in their lives.

    These spoiled, self-entitled ones – the heart of Nxivm – the kind who profit off the backs of those who labor. The ones who search for the latest Hot Yoga studio or that newest lunch spot. The ones who speak of the “latest technology” to cure the disintegration of civilization. The ones who feast at the table of Ayn Rand – and who believe that greed is good and charity is for suckers.

    In these empty shells of human existence, I don’t see an elevation of humankind but a de-evolution and a lack of empathy and lack of family ties. These individuals, acting in a group, de-evolved to a primitive state of self-interest. A form of devil worship from a group that was too sophisticated to ever admit they believed in God.

    Harsh but I don’t think truer words couldn’t be said.

    Masked with the name of humanitarianism with self-interest the be all and end all, this group merely taught a person how to become another little KAR.

  • John, I’ll be praying for you and your ultimate vindication.

  • KOMO had been the last of the city’s locally owned stations until Sinclair announced its intentions to buy the station from the now-defunct Seattle-based Fisher Communications in April 2013. Maryland-based Sinclair own or operates 193 stations across more than 100 U.S. markets.Apr 3, 2018
    https://m.seattlepi.com › article › KOMO-…
    KOMO attacks ‘biased and false news’ in Sinclair-written promos …

    Now, IDK if this is “fake news” or what, maybe Shadow can look into it, but there’s something up with this Sinclair media group. In my more dyslexic moments while being barraged with “redirects” and what not, I’ve read it as Clare’s sin and KOMO is clearly Cuomo in my books.

    So, given my busy schedule with my son “D” with the heat following me, inexplicably, except for all the investigations going on among various agencies across two counties now, if someone could please tell me if I’m being irrational or what…?

    • MAGA conspiracy nuts fear the imaginary deep state, when the real and more effective danger to American democracy is conservative controlled media in your local markets, by Sinclair…and most people who watch it won’t realize their news isn’t “local” anymore, but part of a right wing national organization.
      Gotta hand it to the conservatives—they really know how to manage propaganda–just like the Communists.

      • Keep politics out of this blog.

      • diane chinastein and her husband BLUM controll all media at 4:oo am everyone is given THEIR talking points if you dont know this better educate yourself ….

      • You should watch The Peoples Temple. Jim Jones told the same story you and the media are telling. Racism, oppression, government is coming for all the different labels.
        Yeah conservatives don’t care about labels we care about people. Progressive movement is always dividing and stirring up outrage and fear.

        Life and Death of People’s Temple
        It’s shocking watching and hearing the exact same things that are heard daily on CNN or The View or read in opinion pieces. You won’t watch though

      • You are one ignorant twat.

    • Heidi,
      Sinclair Media tried to buy the Chicago based Tribune Media in a giant merger giving it access to 72% of America’s households.
      This deal fell through with opposition from both the Democratic and Republican parties.
      Sinclair does own Seattle’s KOMO, the ABC affiliate for Seattle and Puget Sound.
      Because Seattle is a very liberal area Sinclair runs their more conservative programming in odd or unusual time slots where fewer people would see it.

      Some Sinclair stations in liberal-leaning markets, such as ABC affiliate KOMO-TV in Seattle, have opted to put the commentary and Terrorism Alert Desk segments in lower-profile time slots or immediately preceding or following commercial breaks to blend in with commercial spots.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_acquisition_of_Tribune_Media_by_Sinclair_Broadcast_Group

      In my opinion it is bad news for either political party to dominate or control all news programming in a market.
      When one corporation owns two TV stations in the same market that is called a duopoly.
      Before 1999 that was illegal in America.
      In that year the FCC changed the rules to allow such duopolies.

      On August 5, 1999, the Federal Communications Commission voted 4-1 to allow common ownership of two television stations within a single market by one company,[3] so long as eight unique station owners remain in the market once the duopoly is formed,
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duopoly_(broadcasting)

      Through marketing agreements Sinclair manages TV stations it does not own. in so called Virtual Duopolies.

      People think they have 200 or so TV channels via cable TV but it turns out that only four or five giant corporations own multiple broadcast and cable TV outlets.
      Media companies are rapidly consolidating.
      In the next year or so CBS and Viacom-Paramount will probably merge.
      Both companies are effectively owned and operated by Shari Redstone.
      The smaller movie studios — Sony (Columbia), MGM and Lionsgate — will probably be bought up by larger media companies.
      Rupert Murdoch has been slowly selling off his empire.
      The Fox studio has been sold to Disney.
      The media companies are all afraid of Netflix and streaming so they are building up their content libraries to compete and setting up their own Streaming services.
      Disney now owns Hulu and is establishing Disney Plus.
      The saying is, “Content Is King.”

      In a few years there will only be three or four major media companies controlling all of America’s TV programming.

    • I had a look at this as you mentioned it before in a comment. I think it is worrying. We should be used to the implications of unwieldy media corporations by now. Murdoch’s beast did a lot of damage in the last century and interestingly, in the piece on Sinclair I read, I’ll find the link and print it later, but it mentioned that even Murdoch was wary of Sinclair! – Not irrational, H, but clearly, a very stressful time for you. I wish you all the best, you and your son. much love and courage. X

      • Someone has to go up against the MSM fake news.

      • Ok, well, may as well spill it all. My ex has subborned some of his wife’s BFF’s at the MJCS (Dylan’s program) who are trying to get my goat big time.

        Of course, if I try to tell them they’re being played and need to stop it before JEFF himself gets hurt (if they don’t care about me or Dylan in this.)

        Last week, a woman at the dog park started swearing a blue streak at Dylan’s group of disabled friends. She looked a little like Sarah Edmondson. It was obvious they were trying to get me “in frame” yelling back at her. I didn’t even leave the van it was so over the top obvious she was a BAD ACTOR maybe doing a promo for the movie, the scene where Sarah screams in the supermarket, maybe.

        I’m sorry the kids were subjected to that by this amateur actress but I really was not involved. Whatever Jeff and Kym are up to. It’s a more dangerous game than they realize.

        • Everything is a movie to Heidi.

        • H. you must not rise to the suborning. if you are being incited to behave erratically, it is vital you remain polite at all times. Soft answers turneth away wrath and put a spanner in the works of this type of gaslighting, which in order to burn fiercely requires your pain anguish despair. withhold these, its a game – don’t engage. Witness, keep records, go about your business with dignity. Let nothing undermine you or deter you from making sense of your situation. You should start writing a book, don’t discuss it with anyone, just start. On a level, it’s a real practical way of taking control of your narrative.

      • The Marxist Tuner’s beast has done soo much damage in the last century and into this century. It is now being deballed and will be headed for the ash heap of history.

  • Thank you John Tighe. May the road rise with you, fella – and the good lord to keep you safe and bring justice for you and yours. X

  • Yes, it’s the hardest thing for parents who have been successful to achieve – keeping their children as sensible, down to earth, hard working human beings. I would say it was similar with the sannyasins (years ago – the Baghwan etc) and even the Beatles after they made their money here in the UK – some of them went into Indian meditation, hare krishna and all sorts. Scientology probably attracted similar types too. Whereas those of us just working each day to ensure the children are fed don’t have time for this kind of stuff.

    Indeed Jesus Christ told people to leave families and follow him which was not a great message for family togetherness and looking after your family given how rare it is that loaves and fishes just appear out of thin air.

  • Thomas Gargiulo

    John

    Your lucidity is much appreciated. As painful and eye opening as prison is, you have used the experience to your benefit. It is refreshing to hear your words of wisdom and taste your humility. You have compassion for your brothers in prison, for their damaged lives which they are coming to terms with, for their suffering and the suffering they have caused.

    Everyone needs to assess and come to terms with their lives. Everyone needs to move beyond the pain and find love in their life. Thanks again.

  • Yes, John, you should not post about your case…but maybe you can elaborate on your Necker Island story. Lots of hints and teases and things left unsaid. And maybe more pics.

    • While he’s at it, Tighe can explain why he took down his website. Was it part of the plea deal? Is it going to be put back up when he gets out of prison?

      • Whey they raided his residence, the New York State Police – led by Senior Investigator Rodger Kirsopp – seized all of John’s computers (They were never returned). Because he had no way to keep operating the blog, John chose to shut it down. As far as I know, he has not yet decided whether to resurrect it when he gets out.

    • John Tighe said he had 300 photographs of the event.

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