“We are going to trial,” said Keith Raniere’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, outside of court on Friday, following the guilty plea deals of Clare Bronfman and Kathy Russell.
“We don’t believe Ms. Russell and Ms. Bronfman should have been charged, and we are happy they’re out of the case,” Agnifilo said, speaking for both himself and his client Keith Alan Raniere.
As far as is known, Agnifilo did not say the same of Lauren Salzman, Nancy Salzman or Allison Mack when they pleaded guilty earlier this year.
In the past, Agnifilo said Raniere’s sexual encounters with women were all consensual, and denied the child pornography allegations.
He said of one of the predicate acts included in the recent second superseding indictment – the allegation of Raniere possessing child porn and his sexual exploitation of a minor – that they “serve only to taint the jury pool. If the charges were legitimate, they would have brought them a year ago” when Raniere was first indicted.
Prosecutors found sexually explicit images of a Mexican girl they allege was 15 years old at the time Raniere allegedly took the photographs. The images were found on a hard drive seized by the FBI from Raniere’s sex lair at 8 Hale Dr. in Clifton Park.
In previous filings, Agnifilo dismissed prosecutors’ accusations of Raniere engaging in relationships with underage girls as “hearsay.”
In recent filings, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said they intend to introduce the images of the 15 year-old girl as evidence at trial.
Agnifilo has repeatedly said, “everything was consensual” and that branding women near their vaginas is not anything to be overly critical of.
“There are well-known groups of men who brand themselves,” he said to NBC News some months ago. “A group of women do that and suddenly they’re victims.”
When pressed further about the branding allegations, he replied, “I’m not qualified to say what is normal.”
How Agnifilo intends to rebut allegations of Raniere both possessing and posing the girl in sexually explicit poses which he allegedly photographed with his camera, raises some interesting questions.
Raniere is not charged with child porn or sexual exploitation of a minor in the present case [though he may be charged for that later in the Northern District].
The prosecution is intending to show the jury the pictures to prove a pattern of racketeering – which pattern includes his slaves and harem women finding other women and girls for him to fuck.
If Agnfilo can cast doubt on the then-15 year old girl’s images – – if he can suggest she was older than she was – that the photos were allegedly taken in 2005 – he may be able to nullify the impact on the jury.
The then 15 year old girl – who is now 29 and in Mexico, reportedly still loyal to Raniere – is not expected to testify for the prosecution.
If Raniere can arrange for her to testify via closed circuit TV [a motion is pending] she may testify for Raniere. Indeed she may tell the jury she was older than the age of consent when the picutres were taken, The age of consent is 17 in New York.
Who knows she might even say [ethically] it is not her in the pictures.
According to our Mexican sources, the woman – referenced as Jane Doe #2 in the second superseding indictment – has been served with a subpoena by the US DOJ.
It is believed she has been advised by Nxivm leaders Jack Levy [who is her Nxivm ruler] and Nxivm leaders Omar and Edgar Boone, that the subpoena has no force of law in Mexico.
She is living in Guadalajara under Levy’s control and works for Rainbow Cultural Garden and Nxivm.
One of Jane Doe’s sisters is also a steadfast loyalist to Raniere and both sisters are part of Raniere’s harem – though it remains unclear when, if ever, he will have the chance to be with them again.
In any event, the jury cannot charge Raniere, and are not asked to charge him, for possessing or taking the photos of the girl. It remains only a predicate act to help establish the kind of criminal enterprise Raniere allegedly operated.
Agnifilo’s statement that he is glad that Bronfman and Russell are out of the case, suggest that neither are going to be called as witnesses against him.
And while Nancy Salzman, Lauren Salzman and Allison Mack will not be sentenced until September, both Russell and Bronfman will be sentenced in late July, which is probably shortly after the trial will be concluded.
This does not necessarily mean that Bronfman and Russell still stand behind their Vanguard.
It could mean that the prosecution does not need them, having more than ample evidence and witnesses ready to testify.
As far as we know, neither Bronfman nor Russell mentioned Raniere during their allocutions.
This is in sharp contrast to Allison Mack who repeatedly blamed Raniere for her crimes.
And it was in sharp contrast to Lauren and Nancy Salzman who both admitted that Nxivm – which Raniere ran – was a racketeering enterprise.
Neither Russell nor Bronfman pleaded guilty to racketeering and face the lightest sentences of the defendants.
This may be fair in the case of hapless Kathy Russell – who was a low level minion of Bronfman and Raniere, but seems a travesty in the case of the wealthy Clare Bronfman – who was director of operations and was in charge of most of the criminal operations of the enterprise.
It is unclear why the prosecution agreed to drop the racketeering charges against her.
Meantime, it now appears that Keith Raniere will stand trial – as the sole defendant and it should be quite a shit show.
We’ll be there covering it for readers.
I think it is fair to say that nothing has changed since the Middle Ages when it comes to justice……
There is one law for the common man and another law for the nobility.
Not as much has changed 800 years when it comes to the principle of justice for all.
Get ready for Raniere to walk. All parties will get a stern talking to. Nothing more and nobody will serve a day. The victims will be asked for court costs. Welcome to American justice.
Came across this…
https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2019/04/20/twisted-nxivm-doctor-borrowed-60k-from-friends-to-survive/amp/
Well that’s good news.
My main hope is that NXIVM is gone bust, or at least reduced to a pathetic crippled shadow of its former self. I can see some of the true zealots hanging on, desperately, to the remnants. But I have to think they’re going to have a hell of a time gaining new recruits.
Kristin Kreuk is doing a panel with other Smallville actors at a nerd event. The moderators warn the audience not to ask them anything about NXIVM and Allison Mack, otherwise the event gets cancelled (oh noooo!)
https://mobile.twitter.com/KreukWelling/status/1119643138652614657/photo/1
Why is Kristin Kreuk being shielded from questions like she is not cut from the NXIVM cloth? Why is it only Allison Mack being ostracised and the one whose name they dare not speak? The branding story has overshadowed all other NXIVM activities so people seem only interested in that. DOS only lasted two years and was a cult long before that. It’s arrogance to hide in plain site.
Somebody should go, ask about NXIVM/Mack and get it shut down. At every public appearance Kristin Crook makes.
No the real show begins. Kathy and Clare proved their worth. They did not betray him.
So funny the three beasts who betrayed him will pay in prison and the two who stood tall will see no prison time.
#KathyStandsTall
#LegatusReturnsToUs
#VanguardPrevails
I wouldn’t bet on no prison time.
“Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I’m fucked.”
Donald J. Trump
Even Trump was smart enough to understand that an investigation into his actions would prove him guilty, but yet the smartest man in the world hasn’t figured this out?
Don’t you ever get tired of being a left wing demonic half witted lying troll. Your silly schtick gets old. The fucking Mueller report was a big pile of democrap shit. Trump is rolling on and justice is going to be served lame brain. FISA declass coming. Horowitz IG report coming. Huber investigation wrapping up. You filthy democrap shitstains and your evil goddess Hillary Clunton and Hussein Obama are now in the crosshairs, not that the phony Mueller blockade is finished.
Eat it dimwit
John Huber is investigating Uranium one and everything Clinton; This has been going on for over 1 year
Michael Horowitz is investigating everything that went down triggering the Russia investigation. This has been going on for nearly 2 years. This report is to be released in the coming weeks.
Lindsey Graham reopened the Clinton email scandal investigations.
WIlliam Barr acknowledges spying into the Trump campaign and is investigating
Devin Nunes criminally referred individuals from the Obama administration
Andrew McCabe was criminally referred by the OIG and is under investigation
Obama’s White House Counsel was indicted as a result of the Mueller investigation.
Michael Cohen was criminally referred for lying to congress
Forensic financial investigators testify under-oath that the Clinton foundation is operating as an illegal slush fund
The Clinton Foundation is under investigation by the FBI
The Clinton Foundation was raided by the FBI/DOJ
Lol!!
The only news we are hearing about is how Trump is royally fucked. I guess it’s just fake news, right?
Manafort and Stone will get more jail time than Clare will….and they should. They are probably 1000X more “demonic” than she is.
It’s hilarious how you all whine about Clare not getting a severe enough punishment, but yet think Roger “dirty trickster ” Stone is being falsely accused.
What a pack of morons.
Absolutely agree that Bronfman and Russell should never have been charged. I don’t believe the women knew they were operating criminally.
I hope the judge goes easy on them.
In a cult, the people exist in an insulated world, where they are trying to perfect themselves or achieve some benefit through a system of self-discipline and structured behaviors, purportedly created by their leader.
Whether the Nxivm system is original or not is questionable. (The phraseology from his texts ie. “body sexual” or “emphasis on Joy” is common in one of the major occult works of the century.)
If the women accept he’s one of “the smartest men in the world” while trying to work his system and he tells them it’s alright to do something, they’ll just trust he knows what he’s doing and act as suggested.
It’s frustrating to watch the consequences of their devotion.
I’m not saying that all the women are completely innocent. But I definitely believe Bronfman, Russell and Mack were “well intentioned” and trusting enough to be easily taken advantage of.
I have to disagree with you on Bronfman. It made me sick to see the emails between her and Raniere, in which his was drafting threatening intimidation letters to be sent to his (defectors?) through attorneys in Mexico.
She gleefully filed lawsuits galore at his request and knew she was destroying people’s lives.
Totally disagree. All of them knew what they were doing, or should have known. As they say, ignorance of the law is no excuse, and these weren’t obscure crimes.
Im so sick of evil people and all their nasty wealthy friends. Theres always “street justice”. Since their all getting off so easy does this mean Keith will also?
If Bronfman and Russell never should have been charged, then they never should have plead guilty.
On a reddit post about the HBO doc, someone wrote this about Sarah Edmundson on the CBC NXIVM podcast:
During episode 2, at 47 minutes and 25 seconds they discuss Sarah becoming a master of three “slaves” and what she would make them do. The host questions her a bit and briefly notes her hypocrisy.
WTF………..
Never thought she was innocent from day 1
I never heard the podcast so I ask those who did: Did Sarah actually say she had slaves and ordered them around?
I don’t recall reading anything on the FR about her having slaves…but the reddit comment is very specific and checkable, so is it a mistake or not?
The podcasts are free, and in Episode 2 at 40 minutes Sarah relates how she was brought into DOS, gave collateral to become Lauren’s slave, did readiness drills and ordered her own three slaves to do the same. This went on for a month before she was branded.
A lot of new stuff for me…..
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/uncover-the-village/s1-e2-escaping-nxivm-the-BHQU1NGpm_i/#edit
Thank you for all your work covering this. it is very motivating to see how far you have gone and how hard you fought. I would buy your book.
Didn’t Pea predict that Keith will be freed on April 20?
That would be Saturday…one day before Jesus is “freed.”
That was before one of the trial delays.
What are the odds Keith Raniere will go to trial?
I say 50-50
Not surprised at “we’re going to trial” via Agnifilo. It appears that three have been spurned and two are clung to like barnacles. Follow the money. What other choice does the limp dick have?
While I agree with you, I believe he still does have choices. He could run his face into other inmates fist, Or lie down and let his head be used as a door mat, or volunteer to be shlocked to death.