ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) — The doctor who lost her medical license for branding women in the NXIVM sex cult had her appeal denied by the State Supreme Court on Thursday. Danielle Roberts filed a motion of appeal with the high court after losing her license in 2020.
When she first lost her license, Roberts claimed she was trained in performing the branding procedure. A hearing committee within the state Department of Health disagreed, after watching a video of the disturbing ritual.
The branding was part of an initiation ceremony, where the NVIXM founder’s initials were branded onto prospective members’ pelvic regions. Once the ceremony was completed, membership was granted into an umbrella of NXIVM known as Dominus Obsequious Soroium (DOS).
“Here, we find that substantial evidence supports the Committee’s determination to sustain the specifications of professional misconduct related to the ritual branding of members of DOS,” the supreme court wrote in its ruling. “Although petitioner contends that her ritualistic branding of DOS members was for nonmedical reasons and lacked a sufficient nexus with the practice of medicine, it is apparent that petitioner used her medical knowledge and training to create a specific physical condition – a permanent scar – on the enrollees.”
They unanimously denied Roberts’ appeal, saying she committed more than 40 acts of professional misconduct. She will not be eligible for another license.
