The details of Keith Raniere's shadowy reign as the leader of NXIVM, which has for years withstood allegations that it was a cult-like criminal enterprise, are expected to be fully revealed at his federal criminal trial in May.

Raniere, long known to his followers as "Vanguard," has for more than two decades been a captivating figure after founding the Capital Region-based organization that amassed thousands of followers and pledged to help "humanity rise to its noble possibility."

But behind the programs that promised executive success and self-empowerment, Raniere's penchant for manipulating those who believed in him, especially the many women who would become his sexual partners, would lead to last year's collapse of NXIVM.

All these issues and more are covered by Times Union investigator editor Brendan Lyons for the first episode of the "NXIVM on Trial" podcast series.