Bronfman/Raniere: Computer trespass perjury? #1

The founder of NXIVM, Keith Raniere, has spent, I would estimate, about $2 million to sue and criminally prosecute two of his ex-lovers and a former consultant for trespassing on a password protected NXIVM website.

It is not clear what harm was done by the alleged crimes.

The case is in the pre-trial stage and may soon be dismissed because of lack of jurisdiction.

Mr. Raniere has access to substantial money since he is funded by heiresses of the Seagrams liquor fortune, Clare and Sara Bronfman.

It was Clare Bronfman, as a NXIVM officer, who lodged the criminal complaints.

The computer that allegedly was ‘trespassed’ by Barbara Bouchey, Toni Natalie and Joseph O’Hara was said to located (the server) in Albany County.

Jurisdiction is needed by the Albany County Special Prosecutor, Holly Trexler, in order to proceed with the case.

This appears to be problematic for Raniere and evidence has recently come to light that suggests that some of Raniere’s followers may have lied to the prosecutor about the actual trespass and the location of the server.

The New York State law that the Special Prosecutor/Grand Jury charged the defendants of having violated is:

S 156.10 Computer trespass. A person is guilty of computer trespass when he or she knowingly uses, causes to be used, or accesses a computer, computer service, or computer network without authorization and: 1. he or she does so with an intent to commit or attempt to commit or further the commission of any felony; or 2. he or she thereby knowingly gains access to computer material. Computer trespass is a class E felony.

Instead of a felony, they might have been charged with a misdemeanor:

S 156.05 Unauthorized use of a computer. A person is guilty of unauthorized use of a computer when he or she knowingly uses, causes to be used, or accesses a computer, computer service, or computer network without authorization. Unauthorized use of a computer is a class A misdemeanor.

Based on the notes of the State Police Investigator Rodger Kirsopp, it seems clear that Raniere’s attorneys pushed for arrest and incarceration and court records show that significant attention was given to squeaking up to felony charges.

Mr. Raniere, who calls himself a philosopher on his bio,  has been quoted by one of his disciples, “He who has the most joy wins!”

If there is a competition for joy, are there losers?

The two longest relationships with a primary lover (Mr. Raniere is a polygamist) was with Barbara Bouchey and Toni Natalie.

The two women who were closest to him in his life have been indicted through his efforts and at great cost. They have led joyless lives since he has started his million dollar hunt of them.

That hunt has been pursued through literally more than 20 civil lawsuits and an alleged attempt to lure them to Mexico to have them indicted and held without bail in a Mexican prison. This sounds fantastic of course, but there is an eyewitness and an electronic trail.

He (not she) who has the most joy wins.

 

About the author

Frank Parlato

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About the Author

Frank Parlato is an investigative journalist.

His work has been cited in hundreds of news outlets, like The New York Times, The Daily Mail, VICE News, CBS News, Fox News, New York Post, New York Daily News, Oxygen, Rolling Stone, People Magazine, The Sun, The Times of London, CBS Inside Edition, among many others in all five continents.

His work to expose and take down NXIVM is featured in books like “Captive” by Catherine Oxenberg, “Scarred” by Sarah Edmonson, “The Program” by Toni Natalie, and “NXIVM. La Secta Que Sedujo al Poder en México” by Juan Alberto Vasquez.

Parlato has been prominently featured on HBO’s docuseries “The Vow” and was the lead investigator and coordinating producer for Investigation Discovery’s “The Lost Women of NXIVM.” Parlato was also credited in the Starz docuseries "Seduced" for saving 'slave' women from being branded and escaping the sex-slave cult known as DOS.

Additionally, Parlato’s coverage of the group OneTaste, starting in 2018, helped spark an FBI investigation, which led to indictments of two of its leaders in 2023.

Parlato appeared on the Nancy Grace Show, Beyond the Headlines with Gretchen Carlson, Dr. Oz, American Greed, Dateline NBC, and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, where Parlato conducted the first-ever interview with Keith Raniere after his arrest. This was ironic, as many credit Parlato as one of the primary architects of his arrest and the cratering of the cult he founded.

Parlato is a consulting producer and appears in TNT's The Heiress and the Sex Cult, which premiered on May 22, 2022. Most recently, he consulted and appeared on Tubi's "Branded and Brainwashed: Inside NXIVM," which aired January, 2023.

IMDb — Frank Parlato

Contact Frank with tips or for help.
Phone / Text: (305) 783-7083
Email: frankparlato@gmail.com

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