Official Statement to the FBI

Case 41-2018: RIGPA & Sogyal Rinpoche

Official Statement to the FBI

The International Buddhist Ethics Committee, on April 26, 2018, decides to communicate officially with the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) following the arrest of Keith Raniere and Allison Mack, who lead "Nxivm", a self-help cult linked to celebrities that is an international group accused of turning women into sexual slaves, carrying out crimes such as sex trafficking and forced labor, which are prohibited by the International Human Rights Law. In this sense, William Sweeney, director of the investigation for the FBI, said that Keith Raniere has made a disgusting abuse of power through the denigration and manipulation of women considered sex slaves, which would constitute horrifying and disconcerting crimes against humanity.

The International Buddhist Ethics Committee confirms that the crimes committed by Keith Raniere of the "Nxivm" cult are practically identical to the crimes committed during around 40 years by Sogyal Rinpoche of the "Rigpa" cult, who have been sentenced as Responsible for the serious crimes of Torture and Slavery, Fraud and Organized Crime, Violation of women's rights, Violation of Buddhist Law and Crimes against humanity. Therefore, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee requires the FBI to investigate with the same weight of law to both the "Nxivm" and "Rigpa" cults, which seem having been dedicated to swindle thousands of people to maintain a system of sex trafficking and forced labor in order to satisfy the lusts of Keith Raniere and Sogyal Rinpoche respectively. The International Buddhist Ethics Committee recalls that the "Rigpa" cult is based in the USA, so it is within the jurisdiction of the FBI. The fact that this cult has strong political ties does not merit that it can commit crimes against humanity with total impunity.

On the other hand, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee shares with the FBI the ethical conclusion reached during the "World Peace Prize Awarding Council Case": Wan Ko Yee, who calls himself "HH Dorje Chang Buddha III", would have bribed US congressmen and senators in order to receive awards and recognitions endorsed by the USA government. The International Buddhist Ethics Committee requests the FBI to investigate this fact of corruption in order to bring those responsible to justice.

Always with spirit of reconciliation (maitri),

Master Maitreya Samyaksambuddha

President and Spiritual Judge of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee & Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights