According to the Albany Times Union – a federal appeals court in Washington, DC has upheld the order of another federal court in Texas that requires NXIVM founder Keith Raniere to pay more than $444,000 in attorneys’ fees to AT&T and Microsoft.
Raniere had claimed the companies stole his invention – teleconferencing – and violated the patents regarding the underlying technology.
A federal judge threw out the case last year, calling Raniere a liar – and ordered Raniere to pay the companies’ legal fees. Raniere could not prove he owned the patents and lied like a Bronfman on the witness stand. The judge in that case said that Raniere’s testimony was “wholly incredible and untruthful.”
The new appellate decision was handed down as Raniere remains in the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons in an unrelated criminal case in which he is charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit forced labor.
So, how doe Raniere pay off his debt to AT&T and Microsoft? Will he be able to use the money he had stashed in Pam Caftritz’s name?
Although Pam died in 2016, Raniere continued to access her bank account, which had $8 million in it at the time of his arrest (He also had a credit card that was apparently linked to that account). He also obtained funds from the bank accounts of Mariana Fernandez and Rosa Laura Junco.
It’s likely that Pam’s account has been suspended. It is not known if the Feds have moved to seize the money.
Meantime, it appears he still has the notorious perjurer Clare Bronfman backing him. Whether she will pay the $444,000 fine remains to be seen. The fact is there is not much the courts can do if he doesn’t pay it and frankly he has bigger issues than a money judgment being filed against him.
Chances are AT&T and Microsoft can survive without the money.
If you find it implausible that Raniere invented teleconferencing and then mislaid the patent, you’re not alone. That’s evidently what the judge thought too.
[…] Keith gets hit with $444,000 fine for his bogus AT&T/Microsoft lawsuit […]
Rubens’s documents showed the GTI shareholders’ consent to a transfer of shares from Raniere’s ex-girlfriend — who owned 75% of GTI’s shares — to Raniere. The documents Raniere proffered did not indicate that any such transfer was ever completed, however, and did not establish that Raniere owned the patents at issue.
Only goes to show what a truly idiot this guy is. I can’t believe anyone who has left would have the balls to call him brilliant. What is Bouchey thinking calling him that?
Another way to get worldwide publicity? By starting a David vs Goliath I.P. claim and getting some interest as an evil corporation’s victim… As it already happened, I think the guy just wanted to surf on that trend…
Stupid ? Not really. But the fact he was ridiculed for this shows that there is still some intuition in this world.
I do not understand this man. Why would you appear in a court room and claim to be the patent owner of something when it is so easy to disprove your point? This was just a waste of everyone’s time and money. This guy needs to stop taking drugs. Or he needs to take them. I do not know.
Right, but for one that is prone to believe : –
-that earth is flat and/or hollow
-that Apollo 11 is a fake
-that reptilians are amongst us
-etc.
Raniere would be the victim of a corrupt system, isn’t it ?
It is not impossible that the system is corrupt after all. Sometimes the officials just have to show they are active. This remains me of London smog when the London officials handed out cotton masks due to the fact that 3000 people were dying per week. They new there was nothing they can do, but cotton masks kept the masses calmish.
And let us be honest. I deeply believe that the justice system is somehow corrupt as it took them so many years to get him behind bars. They should have taken him in when he created the second pyramid scheme as he was not allowed to build a new MLM company after consumer’s buyline went out of business.
Yeee ! I’m born/raised/living in Switzerland, I know what it’s like…
We are constantly voting … for the less worse of the plagues we are submitted to : (
Can you believe our officials all have financial interests in mandatory health insurances ?
The less corrupt country in the world ? Of course : When a crooked guy’s left hand gives to the right one ?!?!
Well, sorry for being off topic : X
Instead of smartest man in the world, Keith is revealed as the most stupid…
Judo Champion – check
100 yard dash champion – check
Mega Test high scorer – check
Invented teleconferencing – check
Invented the Internet – check
Invented Warp Drive – double check
Value of being revealed as a total fraudster… PRICELESS
Is there no heir to the Caftritz’s money? As far as I know, they were not married and if the account had been made in her name, they should at least try to claim it. They will use the money in a more ethical way anyway.
Isn’t her mother still alive?
Right on FDC. It would be distributed in accordance with laws of intestacy in New York state. Typically, it would go to parents if alive. If not, then to siblings.
Everyone should have a will now folks.
her mother and brother are alive.
Suing Microsoft and AT&T, the smartest man in the world, who learned college level math at 12 and is one of the world top 3 problem solvers, couldn’t calculate the odds of going against two multi-national, multi-billion dollar businesses?
That’s why VanTurd had a 2.26 GPA. The professors were teaching calculus wrong at Rensselaer. But Vanguard developed a faster and more accurate type of calculus. Dontcha know?
Ha ha! and don’t forget his groundbreaking revision of Aristotle’s Logic, Ethics and Politics!
Right when Keith has no access — and never will again — to his illegally-gotten millions. Evidently karma’s very thorough. Go karma!
Yes! the sheer precision of it – breathtaking!
on if it is really true that he put a large chunk of Clare’s $ into bitcoins, and what computer / device is storing that wallet.