DOCSLIB.ORG

FBI Should Investigate Bronfmans and Cult Leader Keith Raniere

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
FBI Should Investigate Bronfmans and Cult Leader Keith Raniere FREE NOV 19 - NOV 25, 2015 VOL. 16, NO. 44 FREE FBI Should Investigate Bronfmans and Cult Leader Keith Raniere 2 NIAGARA FALLS REPORTER NOV 19 - NOV 25, 2015 FBI Should Investigate Bronfmans and Cult Leader Keith Raniere: Part I The Hairy Raniere Gina Melita Rhiannon Followers, mostly female, have described headquartered near Albany that promised lu- invited her and her husband to his Albany area Frank Parlato him as a “soft-spoken, humble genius” and crative commissions to old customers for re- headquarters. some of these consider him to be like a Christ cruiting new ones. By the end of 1993 Raniere According to her interview in Metroland, lare and Sara Bronfman, heirs to the or Buddha born to save humanity. claimed he sold $1 billion in goods and ser- Natalie said, “Before I knew it, he had me con- Seagram’s liquor fortune, and pur- Raniere has a penchant for attractive, af- vices, employed 80 people and had a 250,000 vinced that my husband was cheating on me Cported cult members, filed a complaint fluent women and apparently teen and pre-teen members paying $15 a month for the right to and was having an affair with my nanny. It was against me with the FBI claiming I defrauded girls. sell his goods. He claimed he was worth $50 all a lie . the next thing I knew, I was divorced them out of $1 million. In 1984, Raniere, 24, took 15-year-old million. and living in Albany”. The federal government is actively investi- Gina Melita’s “virginity in a dark room, her T- One of his saleswomen had a 12-year- Natalie soon became Raniere’s girlfriend gating whether the Bronfmans are my victims. shirt left flecked with blood,” as reported in the old daughter, named Rhianna. When Raniere but she became disturbed when she discovered But they are the ones who should be investi- Albany Times Union, based on interviews with offered free tutoring to the girl, her mother he had sex with many women he kept around gated since there are many victims – including Melita. Raniere also dated 15-year old, Gina jumped at the chance since she thought Raniere him. myself – of the Bronfman sisters and the man Hutchinson who he convinced to drop out of was “an Einstein.” Raniere counseled her that a “threesome” who leads them, Keith Raniere. school and be tutored by him. “He was supposed to teach her Latin and would heal her issues. He also encouraged her Raniere - who made the 1989 “The Guin- Her older sister, Heidi, told the Times algebra,” The Albany Times Union wrote, after to give up custody of her son while promising ness Book of World Records” for his high IQ Union that she caught Raniere sneaking out of interviewing Rhianna and her mother, 22 years that she would bear his (Raniere’s) child and – estimated to be between 188 and 194 - was her sister’s bedroom and Raniere explained that later. “Instead, she said, he told her she hugged that this child would save the world. born in Brooklyn in 1960, claimed to speak Gina’s “soul was much older than her biologi- like a child, her arms wrapped around him but This disturbed Natalie since doctors had full sentences at age one, taught himself high- cal age” and she was actually a Buddhist god- her hips pushed away. He taught her to hug the told that she was unable to have children, she school math in 19 hours when he was 12 and dess who came to earth to be with him. way adults do, pelvis-to-pelvis.” says, “So I tried to break it off with him.” completed three years of college math and After Raniere convinced her that she de- Rhianna recalled that Raniere had sex with Unhappily for Raniere, at the same time, computer-language classes by the age of 13. stroyed her spiritual path by not maintaining her in his townhouse, in empty offices, in an Consumer’s Buy Line declined, debt mush- He graduated from Rensselaer Polytech- sexual fidelity to him, Gina committed suicide elevator, and a broom closet. After about 60 roomed, and customers complained. Regulators nic Institute, in Troy, New York, in 1982, hav- on park grounds adjoining the Karma Triyana encounters, she ran away from home. in more than a 15 states began to investigate. ing majored in physics, math, and biology, and Dharmachakra Buddhist monastery in Wood- “He took my innocence,” she said. ‘I can In 1993, New York Attorney General Rob- later worked as a computer programmer and stock, NY when she shot herself in the head. never get that back.’” ert Abrams filed a civil suit alleging Consum- consultant. Aside from his spiritual and intellectual Raniere also lavished attention on married ers’ Buyline was similar to an illegal pyramid He says he considers himself to be an en- accomplishments, Raniere has a knack for women as well. scheme. lightened spiritual being on par with such as the business. Toni Natalie, a top salesman for Consum- By 1996, Raniere closed the company Dalai Lama, achieving what he calls “Unifica- In the 1990s, Raniere launched Consum- ers Buy Line, and living in Rochester, was mar- and signed an order agreeing to pay fines, and tion”. ers’ Buyline, a members-only buying club ried and raising an adopted son when Raniere never participate in an illegal chain distribution HAVE YOU OR A LOVED ONE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH NIAGARA FALLS REPORTER y MESOTHELIOMA.... R kport R Hyde d Loc d . Lockport Rd. Bear t Rd. P Lockpor ark Blvd. Gill Rd. Niagara Falls Creek Packard Int'l Airport Bergholz Porter Rd. Po because you were exposed to asbestos- r ter R e Rd. Creek d. NIAGARA FALLS ara Rd. Niag Walmor F alls Rd. Ward Ave. Blv Milit d. containing materials while 62 “The Truth is Always Fair” . ls St. 3rd Ave. ary Rd. 425 ve. 190 Black Sawyer Lasalle Creek oses Pkwy Expressway illiams Rd Creek 62 W Nash Rd. working at one of Western New York’s Fa 429 ll s B iagara lv Riv d. Cayuga er Rd. Island North Grand River Bridge Witmer Rd. Ruie Island Rd. industrial plants? Niagara Ward Rd. Ward CHAIRMAN & EDITOR IN CHIEF Shawnee Rd. River Navy E ast Pay Riv O ve. Huth Rd. e ne Av Island r Rd. liver St. 62 Long Rd. Nash Rd. 190 Erie A Woods e. N WE REPRESENT WORKERS FROM: Frank Parlato Y Walck Ave. S Creek Gun Nort T h Ransom Rd. r Creek Bedell Rd. u Woods Tonawa w a y Creek E. Robinson St. Base Line Rd. D N i . v • Ashland Oil • Bethlehem Steel • Carborundum ia ERIE i y g s w a i k r o P a Spicer n r e S S . v Whitehaven Rd. e t t i c Whitehaven Rd. Creek . S R t H ey t io en a e s n Sw e r R v e W d Little Sixmile y . • Carbide Graphite • Durez Plastics 324 St . er Creek tch Fle Tonawanda Stony Point Rd. Point Stony . Staley Rd. T d R Managing Editor Senior Editor w 384 Ellico Creek tt o m Grand i . l d e 425 • Donner Hanna Coke • Dunlop-Goodyear • Dupont R C Island y r 265 Love Rd. a e k . 290 v w i y R a k R morial w an Me High e. r d gm a t oun 6 . Y s P Dr. Chitra Selvaraj Tony Farina a h E Brighton Rd. t 266 Del u W lvin Av E Alt Rd. o gge e o Base Line Rd. • GM Central Foundry • Hanna Furnace s Fix Rd. S awar t R C r iv t Rd. er P e Av kw ve. 324 y. Bush Rd. r A 324 e e. wy e. Sa Ke En Ferry Rd. n Elmwood Ave. g Quee m le • Hooker Chemical • Kimberly Clark o w re lvin Av o itary Rd. o n E A o d ve C A l . Mil v iza Niagara e. be Kenmore th W Strawberry River t. Kenmore Ave. arkhurst Blvd. Niagra Falls Blvd. ay Beaver Island P • Niagara Mohawk • Olin Mathieson Island ntario S O 265 384 ve. tel A 5 190 Her • Semet-Solvay (Tonawanda Coke) • Simonds Saw & Steel herst St. phone: (716) 284-5595 Am Amherst 198 Scajaquada t. Ex p gt re Kensin ss Main S Forest Ave. wa y 3 • Spaulding Fibre • Union Carbide Squaw . e v St t W. Delavan Ave. Av Island A E avan . l Ave. De n e. a d d v PO Box 3083, Niagara Falls, NY 14304 LIPSITZ & PONTERIO, LLC email: [email protected] Attorneys at Law www.niagarafallsreporter.com Committed to Asbestos Justice ™ Call Us Today: 716-849-0701 All contents copyright ©2015 Niagara Falls Reporter Inc. www.lipsitzponterio.com 135 Delaware Avenue • 5th Floor • Buffalo, New York 14202 • Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. NIAGARA FALLS REPORTER NOV 19 - NOV 25, 2015 3 Tax evasion, pyramid schemes, statutory rape, part of Raniere’s recipe scheme again. Raniere then changed his plans. He studied Scientology, Ericksonian hypnosis, and Neurolinguistic programing. He shed his business suits, and donned sweat pants, tee shirts and sandals, grew his hair and beard long, and formed a company which he later called NXIVM (pronounced like the pat- ented drug NEXIUM) – a self -help coaching organization - putting a female follower, Nancy Salzman, a registered nurse and master hypno- tist as president. Raniere’s nickname for Salzman was “Mesmer.” While still living with Natalie and later in a townhouse north of Albany with several female followers, Raniere started modeling himself as a guru in line with Hindu religious leaders such as Swami Muktananda.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 18-Cr-204(Ngg)
    Case 1:18-cr-00204-NGG-VMS Document 138 Filed 09/18/18 Page 1 of 4 PageID #: <pageID> UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK X UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, MEMORANDUM & ORDER -against- 18-CR-204(NGG) KEITH RANIERE, ALLISON MACK,CLARE BRONFMAN,KATHY RUSSELL,LAUREN SALZMAN, AND NANCY SALZMAN, Defendants. X NICHOLAS G. GARAUFIS, United States District Judge. Defendants Keith Raniere, Allison Mack, Clare Bronfman, Kathy Russell, Lauren Salzman, and Nancy Salzman have been indicted on charges arising from their participation in Nxivm, an organization that was allegedly a criminal enterprise. (Superseding Indictment(Dkt. 50) 1-40.) At a status conference on September 13, 2018, the Government moved to designate this case as complex pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(B)(ii). tSee Tr. of Sept. 13, 2018, Hr'g ("Hr'g Tr.")(Dkt. Number Pending)4:24; Sept. 11,2018, Gov't Letter (Dkt. 129) at 3-4.) All Defendants oppose the Government's motion. (See Sept. 12, 2018, Defs. Letter (Dkt. 131) at 1.) For the following reasons, the court GRANTS the Government's motion and designates this case as complex. I. DISCUSSION "The Speedy Trial Act requires that a defendant be tried within seventy days of the unsealing ofthe indictment or his initial appearance before a judicial officer, whichever occurs later." United States v. Naseer. 38 F. Supp. 3d 269,275 (E.D.N.Y. 2014)(citing 18 U.S.C. § 3161(c)(1)). This seventy-day period is flexible. Id Courts may, for various reasons, exclude certain periods of time from the calculation of the speedy trial period.
    [Show full text]
  • (ESP) Archives – Cult News
    12/7/2015 Cult NewsExecutive Success Programs (ESP) Archives ­ Cult News Cult News Sponsored by the Cult Education Institute Home Getting HelpContactAboutWhat's NewHeadlinesLinksBooksHelp UsFAQ2012 Nov 16 Is Keith Raniere trying to re­brand his business with a new name? DaAdmin Executive Success Programs (ESP), Miscellaneous Add you comment It appears that purported Albany, New York “cult” leader Keith Raniere (photo below), known to his followers as “Vanguard”, may be re­branding his business again. Raniere, a failed multi­level marketing guru, now runs a large group awareness training (LGAT) company. First his business was called Executive Success Programs (ESP), then NXIVM (pronounced nexium) and now it seems the latest name being used is “Ethilogia“. The Ethilogia Web site claims it’s “the path of the ethicist” and teaches “value based decision making”. However, in a 2003 article titled “Cult of Personality” Forbes Magazine described Keith Raniere as the “world’s strangest executive coach” and quoted one of his former clients who labeled his company a “cult”. This year reporter James Odato of the Albany Times­Union won an Associated Press award for his investigative series “Secrets of NXIVM” exposing the seamy side http://www.cultnews.com/category/executivesuccessprogramsesp/ 1/32 12/7/2015 Cult NewsExecutive Success Programs (ESP) Archives ­ Cult News of Raniere’s life and business. The Ehtilogia Web site states, “At the core of this course of study is a patent­pending technology called Rational Inquiry”. This “technology” is described as a process of “emotional training” that affects “decision making” accomplished through “inner breakthroughs”, which are “like working out in an “emotional” gym.” The site says, “Achievements are possible because the very foundation of a person’s human experience”one’s belief system”will be completed and integrated.” Interestingly, what the new Ethilogia Web site doesn’t mention is Keith Raniere, despite the fact that he is the creator of Rational Inquiry.
    [Show full text]
  • Keith Raniere Complaint
    Case 1:18-mj-00132-LB Document 1 Filed 02/14/18 Page 1 of 22 PageID #: 25 AL:MKP/TH F. #2017R00588 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ---------------------------X TO BE FILED UNDER SEAL UNITED STATES OF AMERICA COMPLAINT AND AFFIDAVIT IN - against - SUPPORT OF ARREST WARRANT KEITH RANIERE, also known as "The Vanguard," (18 U.S.C. §§ 1589(a)(2), 1589(a)(4), 1591(a)(l), 1594 (b), 1594(c), 2 and 3551 Defendant. et seq.) ---------------------------X EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, SS: MICHAEL LEVER, being duly sworn, deposes and states that he is a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, duly appointed according to law and acting as such. In or about and between February 2016 and June 2017, both dates being approximate and inclusjve, within the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere, the defendant KEITH RANIERE, together with others, did knowingly and intentionally conspire to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, maintain, patronize and solicit persons, to wit: Jane Does 1 and 2, individuals whose identities are known to the undersigned, in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, knowing that means of force, threats of force, fraud and coercion, as described in Title 18, United States Code, Section 159l(e)(2), and one or more combinations of such means, would be used to cause such persons to engage in Case 1:18-mj-00132-LB Document 1 Filed 02/14/18 Page 2 of 22 PageID #: 26 2 one or more commercial sex acts, contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591 (a)(l ).
    [Show full text]
  • CLARE BRONFMAN, Defendant. NICHOLAS G. GARAUF
    Case 1:18-cr-00204-NGG-VMS Document 936 Filed 09/30/20 Page 1 of 27 PageID #: <pageID> UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK UNITED STATES, SENTENCING -against- MEMORANDUM CLARE BRONFMAN, 18-CR-204 (S-3) (NGG) Defendant. NICHOLAS G. GARAUFIS, United States District Judge. This sentencing statement concerns Defendant Clare Bronfman, who entered a plea of guilty to a superseding information, pursuant to a plea agreement, on April 19, 2019 to one count of Conspiracy to Con- ceal and Harbor Aliens for Financial Gain, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324(a)(1)(A)(v)(I) and 1324(a)(1)(B)(i) and one count of Fraudulent Use of Identification, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1028(a)(7), 1028(b)(1)(D), and 1028(c)(3)(A). CALCULATION OF OFFENSE LEVEL & GUIDELINES RANGE The Probation Department recommends that I calculate the Total Of- fense Level for Ms. Bronfman’s sentence as 17. (Presentence Investigation Report (“PSR”) ¶ 141.) Ms. Bronfman challenges two as- pects of the Probation Department’s suggested calculation. First, she argues that a three-level increase pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 2L1.1(b)(2)(A) is not warranted because the offense of conviction on Count One did not “involve[] the smuggling, transporting or harboring of six or more unlawful aliens.” (See Def. Sentencing Mem. (“Def. Mem.”) (Dkt. 915) at 26-33.) Second, she argues that a two-level increase pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1(c) is not warranted because her role in the offense of conviction on Count One was not as “an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor in criminal activity.” (See id.
    [Show full text]
  • NXIVM Sex Cult!
    Cold Open: The NXIVM Sex Cult! Founded by Keith “Creepy Ass Super Punchable Face” Raniere [ruh near ee] in 1998 - at its height, this NXIVM had NOTHING to do with acid reflux medication and counted thousands of members, including celebrities, heirs and heiresses who all paid thousands, and sometimes MILLIONS of dollars to attend a never-ending series of classes at various NVIXM training centers. Lying at the intersection of a multi-level marketing scheme, a self-help group, and occasionally a summer camp, NXIVM was a true cult. For a few die hards… it kind of still is. People started publicly worrying about how dangerous this cult might be all the way back in 2003. But it wouldn’t be until 2017, when the New York Times published an article about one of its former members being literally BRANDED like cattle as a part of an initiation into a secret sex cult within NXIVM, that the group’s true and terrible practices would be brought into the light and exposed. We’ll meet some people - seemingly ordinary people - that so desperately wanted someone to lead them to enlightenment that they allowed themselves to be slowly manipulated into paying to participate in weirder and weirder “exercises” until they finally agreed to be actual slaves. And part of, basically, a harem. We’ll meet Keith Raniere [ruh near ee], the devious and perverted mastermind at the center of all of this, who used his experience at Amway - a Michigan-based multi-level marketing company - and then borrowed a lot from Scientology, to make people think that he was some kind of once-in-a-lifetime guru spiritual Jedi who had the answer to all of your - and all of the WORLD’S - problems.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Not for Publication United States District Court
    Case 2:06-cv-01051-KSH-CLW Document 642 Filed 12/30/16 Page 1 of 21 PageID: <pageID> NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY NXIVM CORPORATION, f/k/a/ EXECUTIVE SUCCESS PROGRAMS, INC., and FIRST PRINCIPLES, INC., Civil No. 2:06-1051 (KSH) (MF) Plaintiffs, v. ESTATE OF MORRIS SUTTON, ESTATE OF ROCHELLE SUTTON, THE ROSS INSTITUTE, RCK ROSS a/k/a/ “RICKY ROSS,” STEPHANIE FRANCO, PAUL MARTIN, PH.D., and OPINION WELLSPRING RETREAT, INC., Counterclaim-Defendants. RICK ROSS., Counterclaim-Plaintiff, v. KEITH RANIERE, NANCY SALZMAN, KRISTIN KEEFFE, INTERFOR, INC., JUVAL AVIV, JANE DOE, and JOHN DOES 1-10, Counterclaim-Defendants. 1 Case 2:06-cv-01051-KSH-CLW Document 642 Filed 12/30/16 Page 2 of 21 PageID: <pageID> INTERFOR, INC. and JUVAL AVIV, Crossclaimants, v. NXIVM CORPORATION., KEITH RANIERE, NANCY Counterclaim-Defendants. Katharine S. Hayden, U.S.D.J. These matters come before the court by way of summary judgment motions by defendants and counterclaim defendants arising from a set of related events and facts. This case has a long history in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere, and has been the subject of failed mediations and numerous judicial rulings. Not surprisingly, the docket reflects a host of filings. This Court has carefully reviewed the docket and this opinion addresses all open dispositive motions. For ease of reference, the Court has compiled a chart, immediately below. See Figure 1 and Figure 2. The take-away from an exhaustive review of interlocking personal feuds undertaken by the undersigned and other judicial officers, is that those issues suitable for trial that are identified in this opinion will be promptly tried.
    [Show full text]
  • SCANLON, M.J. COI.JNT ONE (Sex Trafficking - Jane Does 1 and 2)
    MKM:MKP/TH F. #2017R01840 ZBIBAPR l9 Pl{ tr: 19 T]NITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK x LTNITED STATES OF AMERICA INDI CTMENT - agalnst - Cr 04 (r. .c., s 5 axl), KEITHRANIERE, 1s91(a)(2), 15el(bxl), 1 594(a), also known as "Vanguard," and 1594(b), 1s94(c), 1s94(d),2 and 3551 ALLISONMACK, et geq.; T. 21, U.S.C., $ 853(p)) Defendants GARAUEIS, x J. THE GRAND JURY CI{ARGES: SCANLON, M.J. COI.JNT ONE (Sex Trafficking - Jane Does 1 and 2) l. In or about and between February 2016 and June 2017, both dates being approximate and inclusive, within the Eastem District of New York and elsewhere, the defendants KEITH RANIERE, alsO known as "Vanguard," and AILISON MACI! together with others, did knowingly and intentionally: (1) recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, advertise, maintain, patronize and solicit one or more persons, to wit: Jane Does 1 and 2, individuals whose identities are known to the Grand Jury, in and affecting interstate and foreip commerce, and attempt to do the same; and (2) benefit, and attempt to benefit, financially and by receiving a thing of value,.from participation in a venture which had engaged in such acts, knowing that means of force, threats of force, fraud and coercion, and a 2 combination ofsuch means, would be used to cause such persons to engage in one or more commercial sex acts. (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1), 1591(a)(2),1591(bX1), 1594(a), 2 and 3551 et sgq.) COIINT TWO (Sex Traffi cking Conspiracy) 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Barbara Bouchey and Kristin Keeffe March 24, 2015
    Barbara Bouchey and Kristin Keeffe March 24, 2015 Kristin: I don’t have a lot of time so I want us to talk about your case. We can catch up about other things after we get this squared away because you have your hearing tomorrow. So what do you want to tell me? What’s going on, what’s the hearing for tomorrow? I have all kinds of ideas and things that I want to share with you, but you want to just catch me up? Barbara: The email’s pretty straightforward. I decided to just voluntarily hand myself in. Kristin: Right, that part I understand. Barbara: So, the thing is that when I was on the phone with Roger and he asked me if I logged on, I admitted that I did once in January, and I looked at the social and workshop calendar, and the testimonials. And, that’s all I did. And, he confirmed that, in fact, he had activity logs in front of him and that that is all that I did, and that I didn’t look at anything proprietary. And, apparently, they had gotten an affidavit from Svetlana, and Svetlana got scared when they called her. She was led to believe she couldn’t give out her name and password. So, she told them that she has never logged on to the best of her recollection and doesn’t remember things. And so, of course that’s not true. The other thing is that the audiotape—I was a resident of Washington and Roger at the beginning of the call mentioned that he knew that I had moved out of New York State.
    [Show full text]
  • 20200922-12 CB Sentencing Response
    UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, - v. - No. 18-cr-204 (NGG) (VMS) CLARE BRONFMAN, Defendant. CLARE BRONFMAN’S RESPONSE TO THE GOVERNMENT’S SENTENCING MEMORANDUM Ronald S. Sullivan, Jr., Esq. Ronald Sullivan Law, PLLC 1300 I Street, N.W. Suite 400 E Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 935-4347 Duncan Levin, Esq. Tucker Levin, PLLC 230 Park Avenue, Suite 440 New York, New York 10169 (212) 330-7626 Attorneys for Defendant Clare Bronfman TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................1 CLARE IS CONTRITE, REMORSEFUL, AND DEEPLY SORRY FOR HER OFFENSE CONDUCT .....................................................................................................................................3 CLARE DID NOT FUND OR PROMOTE ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY BY KEITH RANIERE OR ANYONE ELSE: CLARE DID NOT FUND A SEX CULT ...........................4 OFFENSE CONDUCT ................................................................................................................16 A. The government is attempting to enlarge the criminal activity by alleging more than one victim and more than six aliens .............................................................................16 B. The government misstates a key fact related to the parole and omitted key facts ..............................................................................................................................17 C. The government incorrectly
    [Show full text]
  • Brooklvnofbce F
    Case 1:18-cr-00204-NGG Document 50 Filed 07/23/18 Page 1 of 24 PageID #: 322 23 20® ^ ★ iUL MKM:MKP/TH/KKO brooklvnofbce F. #2017R01840 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK X UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT - against - Cr. No. 18-204(NGG) (S-1) KEITH RANIERE, (T.18,U.S.C., §§ 981(a)(1)(C), also known as "Vanguard," 982(a)(2)(B), 982(b)(1), 1028(b)(5), CLARE BRONFMAN, 1028(f), 1349,1591(a)(1), 1591(a)(2), ALLISON MACK, 1591(b)(1), 1594(a), 1594(c), 1594(d), KATHY RUSSELL, 1962(d), 1963,2 and 3551 Mm;T. LAUREN SALZMAN and 21, U.S.C., § 853(p); T. 28, U.S.C., NANCY SALZMAN, § 2461(c)) also known as "Prefect," Defendants. X THE GRAND JURY CHARGES: INTRODUCTION At all times relevant to this Superseding Indictment (the "Indictment"), unless otherwise indicated: The Enterprise 1. The defendant KEITH RANIERE, also known as "Vanguard," was the founder of several pyramid-structured organizations ("the Pyramid Organizations"), including, but not limited to,(1) Nxivm, Executive Success Programs, Inc., Ultima and other related entities (collectively,"Nxivm"); and (2) an organization referred to as "DOS," the "Vow" and "the sorority"(collectively, "DOS"). In leading the Pyramid Organizations, RANIERE relied on certain individuals, sometimes referred to as his "inner circle," who Case 1:18-cr-00204-NGG Document 50 Filed 07/23/18 Page 2 of 24 PageID #: 323 were accorded special positions of trust and privilege with RANIERE and who carried out his directives. 2. Members of RANIERE's inner circle also held high positions in one or more ofthe Pyramid Organizations, including serving as executives, directors and officers of Nxivm.
    [Show full text]
  • Chilton Avenue Residents Want to Know
    FREE JAN 21 - JAN 29, 2016 VOL. 17, NO. 03 FREE Chilton Avenue Residents Want To Know 2 NIAGARA FALLS REPORTER JAN 21 - JAN 29, 2016 Sensible Business Or Sweetheart Deal? Chilton Avenue Residents Want To Know Mike Hudson Niagara Falls – A city-owned Chilton Avenue apartment house set to be sold to a volunteer member of the Dyster administra- tion for $500 was never advertised as being for sale, and no sign was ever posted on the front lawn describing it was such. Instead, Community Development Di- rector Seth Piccirillo placed a small legal notice in the classified section of the Niagara Gazette asking for a Request For Proposals (RFP) to develop the property. Why? The move all but ensured that the building would be purchased by a develop- er rather than a private individual, who may have lived in it while doing renovations. The RFP notice contained no minimum bid amount, and may have been seen by just The Chilton Ave. small apartment house has been in disrepair for some time. one person, Karen Mock of Keller Williams Karen Mock Realty in North Buffalo and a member of values ranging from a low of $21,000 to a borhood better and making this city better be- Dyster’s Healthy Community Committee. high of $60,000. cause I live here,” Mock said. She submitted the lone bid of $500. The city Planning Board approved the Buffalo developer Mark Hamister made Mock’s partners in Develop Niagara The 3,160 square foot brick building, at deal last week similar statements back in 2013 about those have not been publicly identified, nor have 631 Chilton Ave., has an assessed value of City resident Diane Tattersall told the questioning his proposal to build a downtown the addresses of the other properties owned $37,261, according to records at City Hall.
    [Show full text]
  • Case 1:18-Cr-00204-NGG-VMS Document 925 Filed 09/18/20 Page 1 of 86 Pageid #: 16118
    Case 1:18-cr-00204-NGG-VMS Document 925 Filed 09/18/20 Page 1 of 86 PageID #: 16118 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK 18-cr-204 (NGG) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA -against- KEITH RANIERE, Defendant. SENTENCING MEMORANDUM ON BEHALF OF KEITH RANIERE BRAFMAN & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Attorney for Defendant Keith Raniere 767 Third Avenue New York, NY 10017 Tel: (212) 750-7800 Fax: (212) 750-3906 MARC A. AGNIFILO Of Counsel DEROHANNESIAN & DEROHANNESIAN 677 Broadway – Ste. 707 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: (518) 465-6420 Fax: (518) 427-0614 PAUL DEROHANNESIAN II Of Counsel Case 1:18-cr-00204-NGG-VMS Document 925 Filed 09/18/20 Page 2 of 86 PageID #: 16119 1. Introduction Keith Raniere continues to assert his complete innocence to these charges. He does, of course, recognize that a jury convicted him of very serious crimes, ironically crimes that he and others in NXIVM have been seeking to prevent others from committing for many years. The jury’s verdict, however, did not reflect the quality of the evidence, but rather was a product of a media campaign involving witnesses who were motivated to testify falsely, a heavy-handed prosecution that threatened potential defense witnesses and, most respectfully, an unfair trial where, we believe, the Court was not provided with full, candid information from the prosecution. Therefore, Mr. Raniere objects to this Court moving this matter on to sentencing because of these significant violations of his due process rights, as well as perjury by critical witnesses1 and threatening actions taken by the Government toward potential defense witnesses,2 events that individually and in combination defeated his right to a fair trial.
    [Show full text]