NEWARK, N.J. (CN) – A federal judge ordered the now-defunct sex cult NXIVM to foot $1.3 million in legal bills incurred by private investigators that it hired to follow an anti-cult specialist.

Billing itself for years as a self-help group, NXIVM shut down in 2018 after its leaders, including “Smallville” actress Allison Mack were arrested as part of a sweeping racketeering and sexual slavery case. The group’s founder, Keith Raniere, was convicted of sex trafficking, forced labor and wire fraud earlier this year. 

The secretive and bizarre group had a history of investigating critics, including allegedly trying to hack into computer of billionaire Edgar Bronfman Sr., the former chairman of the Seagram beverage company who spoke out against NXIVM as two of his daughters became increasingly involved as members.