Keith Raniere was not only denied bail, but Clare Bronfman was brought up in yesterday’s court hearing for the cult leader and co-conspirator Allison Mack.

The Frank Report says Bronfman may have fled to Fiji by way of France, so we can only hope she’s not beyond extradition and will be sitting in a courtroom sometime soon herself.

I had planned to attend yesterday’s hearing and meet up with Toni Natalie (Keith’s ex girlfriend whose life he made a living hell for many years). Unfortunately, family business and a series of necessary appointments got in the way.

Regardless, I think the coup of the day (at least in the eyes of NXIVM’s defectors and the victims of the ridiculously overly litigious Raniere and Bronfman) was that Bronfman’s name was finally brought up and it’s now clear that Clare is in the hot seat – well, not physically yet if she’s in Fiji, but it’s official: There’ zero doubt she’s on the radar screen of federal agents.

Despite Raniere’s lawyers’ pleas for his release on bail, the judge presiding over the case is no pushover. The defendant’s motion included a promise of having security watch him 24/7 to guarantee he’s no flight risk, but the gravity of his crimes certainly don’t warrant special allowances. For now (and hopefully for a VERY long time) he’s restricted to prison life, still able to consume more calories and be far better nourished than the women he allegedly forced to starve for sexual slavery.

The other news out of NXIVM is that all its operations have closed down. It’s actually quite astonishing that it took this long. The following report is from News10.com:

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – NXIVM announced it is suspending all operations until further notice.

The Capital Region cult says it will be in touch with more information for anyone currently enrolled in upcoming events and programs.

“While we are disappointed by the interruption of our operations, we believe it is warranted by the extraordinary circumstances facing the company at this time.  We continue to believe in the value and importance of our work and look forward to resuming our efforts when these allegations are resolved.”

Actress Allison Mack, 35, of Brooklyn, N.Y., is facing trafficking charges for her involvement in NXIVM.

Keith Raniere, 57, of Waterford, N.Y., is the leader of the cult that masquerades as a self-group, was arraigned on similar charges.

According to NXIVM, the company’s mission is to “raise human awareness, foster an ethical humanitarian civilization, and celebrate what it means to be human.”