This is a guest view by one of the reporters at the Precision [Bronfman] v Plyam trial in 2011. Since I publish articles critical of me, I see no reason not to publish one that praises.
By A Reporter at the Los Angeles Trial
Hats off to Frank for exposing this attempted fraud against the justice system!
It’s apparent Frank may have made a personal sacrifice for the NXIVM victims in doing — if one looks into the details. I was a reporter covering the 2011 “Bronfman v. Plyam” trial so I know the details:
After being retained to help manage NXIVM’s bad press in 2008, starting with their bad business practices, Frank found the Bronfman’s were being ripped off on these LA real estate and other Vanfraud ventures. He investigated, retained counsel in LA and put the lis pendens on the properties that were ultimately recovered through the litigation —using the results of Frank’s investigation and excellent counsel he’d retained for them, Latham & Watkins.
Bronfman’s promised Frank a percentage commission for this effort that amounted to $1 million after he recovered the properties plus another $11 million in damages for the Bronfmans. This was the first and ONLY legal victory ever won for the Bronfman’s in all their ensuing years with NXIVM. But Vanfraud couldn’t bear to share the victory or its fruits and convinced the Bronfmans to punish Frank after his commission was paid out. Using their political clout and other corrupt NXIVM methods, including perjury, they had Frank indicted and he was forced to surrender the million he’d well earned to the Feds in NY state’s infamously corrupt Western District. It nearly ruined his life but Frank fought back with the mighty power of the pen!
Now, after spending thousands of hours literally writing for his life and hundreds of thousands on his defense, Frank stands to perhaps finally recoup that money he was wrongly accused of stealing. Meanwhile, as Frank consistently uncovers new details about NXIVM, the Eastern NY district prosecutors seem dedicated to stopping this scourge on society and the justice system seem to be finally paying attention!
NXIVM even [unsuccessfully] attempted to have Frank’s 92-year old father, a respected attorney, disbarred!
Pray that the Parlato family’s personal sacrifices will at least be rewarded with the restoration of their good name.
The pen is mightier than the sword, after all!
Frank Parlato 
Janine Morrison 
J.J. O'Hara 
Richard Luthmann 
Marie White 
Paul Serran
Please leave a comment: Your opinion is important to us!
This is an excerpt from CBC’s interviews with Sarah Edmondson (Frank linked the podcast streaming since yesterday in a prior post.)
I find it interesting that so many who leave NXIVM with any “inner circle” knowledge such as regarding Sarah had re: DOS, find themselves under police investigation by their local law enforcement on up to the FBI — such as Frank and others I know were.
From the Podcast;
“Secretive group
After leaving the group in June, Edmondson says she was shunned and faced police questions.
She believes another highly-placed ESP leader told police she committed fraud and theft.
Vancouver police confirm its financial crime unit is investigating, but can’t confirm who is under investigation.”
Oh please… If this is a journalist then he or she is probably unemployed. This is not the writing of a seasoned journalist nor is it factually correct. I too attended the trial in Los Angeles. I know what took place and I know what Parlato and his cohorts did. He was complicit in helping the Bronfmans and Raniere perpetrate a con. While he talks about recovering properties, the truth is the properties were already in the name of the venture and those that were not were always disclosed to the Bronfmans and were placed in the name of the partner who qualified and individually guaranteed the construction loans. At the end of the day what started with a litany of charges, which included claims of fraud, embezzlement and conversion, ended with a single claim of breach of fiduciary duty based on insufficient accounting practices (all the others were voluntarily dismissed by the Bronfmans and their counsel because they could not support them with any competent evidence and were at risk of being sued for malicious prosecution if they lost on those claims). Parlato was, from the outset, offered the opportunity to examine the books and records of the venture but instead resorted to using threats and intimidation to scare the Bronfmans’ partners. He represented to the partners that he was a potential lender and that he handled all the Bronfmans’ real estate both nationally and internationally (a falsehood), at another point in time he also claimed he was sent by Edgar Bronfman (another falsehood). He threatened the partners with criminal prosecution, which in fact the Bronfmans’ attempted. He also agreed to execute a perjured declaration so that the Bronfmans could get a preliminary injunction and gain control over the entity. Parlato is not a man that should be lauded or praised. Had he done the right thing years ago and declined his own ill gotten payday (1 million dollars), he would likely not be in the position he is today (an indicted man) and would not be facing the prospect of prison time.
Whoa! …I most certainly am a highly accredited journalist and columnist and I’d wager a guess that YOU are speaking on behalf of Yuri Plyam — Keith Raniere’s broker who pocketed $9 million in commissions against Keith’s $65 million loss of “borrowed” Bronfman bucks in commodities trades?
Question: Did your client (or husband), Yuri, help Keith delude Clare Bronfman that Keith’s enormous losses were due to the market machinations of her billionaire father against Keith’s strategies — in order to force Clare and Sara out of the “cult” by personally destroying Keith’s reputation of infallible genius?
I’ve also always wondered whether the Precision properties real estate scam — that further soaked the brainwashed Bronfman’s — was principally Yuri’s or Keith’s idea?
And, please, could you tell us what role did Barbara Bouchey, Nancy Salzman, James Del Negro and other ex-NXIVM’s play?
Bouchey’s admitted her role, assigned by Keith and Nancy under hypnosis, was that of “Dagny” — one of Ayn Rand’s protagonists in her utopic fictions where all the world’s wealth lies in the hands of it’s most ethical.
First, you would lose your wager as I am not speaking on anyone’s behalf but my own. I am simply an advocate of the truth, something which Parlato is incapable of speaking and apparently so are you. Your every sentence is tainted with innuendo of wrongdoing by people you never met and who were never criminally charged with any crime, notwithstanding Clare’s multiple attempts to have the Plyams arrested. All commodities brokers earn commissions on trades executed by their clients. Commodities brokers are simply facilitators. They have no independent control over their clients’ accounts. Had you done your research you would have already known this and dispensed with the implication of wrongdoing. As for you labeling the venture as a “scam”, this too is simply the same rhetoric espoused by Raniere, the Bronfmans and their minions which included Mr. Parlato. The venture could have been a very lucrative one for all involved but Raniere needed to divert the Brofmans’ attention away from his staggering commodities losses and he needed a scapegoat to blame in the process. So he fed the Plyams to the lions so to speak and convinced feeble minded Clare that Mr. Plyam was working in conjunction with her father to manipulate the commodities market. Parlato was paid 1 million to intimidate and threaten the Plyams into giving up control of the venture. The Plyams turned over control of the venture without a fight because they had always intended for the Bronfmans to have a controlling interest in the venture and had been attempting to memorialize their partnership with the Bronfmans in writing since the inception of the venture. Having accomplished his goal, Parlato was named President of Precision Development. Shortly thereafter, the Bronfmans removed Parlato as President and implanted Jim Del Negro in his place. According to the Bronfmans, Parlato was removed because he wasn’t providing receipts for his expenditures in Los Angeles. The truth is he got played, although I don’t feel the least bit sorry for him. Fast forward to the present, Raniere is in jail, Clare has been indicted and is facing criminal charges and potential incarceration, Parlato has also been indicted and is facing criminal charges and potential incarceration and the Bronfmans’ former partners, the people you continue to paint as the wrongdoers, were never criminally charged with a thing. So who exactly who are the criminals here?
Thanks for the reply!
Can you please be more specific as to what you believe Mr. Parlato has been untruthful about? Was he, say, untruthful about the facts he presented following his investigation on the Precision properties and the company’s disposition which, albeit, negatively reflected on the Plyams — in fact, proved the civil case against them, recouped the properties for the Bronfman’s and won them $11 million in damages to boot!
The Plyam’s are lucky they were not criminally indicted, IMHO, however, an indictment for “a “white collar” crime is very rare here in LA-LA land, where lying scum movie producers have a better chance of being charged with shoplifting, especially if they’re Hispanic or African-American.
Btw, QUESTION: Whose idea was it to use a Los Angeles broker? How’d Barbara Bouchey, was it, really?, come up with Yuri Plyam?
I’m well-aware that brokers are permitted to charge commissions on even obscene trades, but my question was whether Yuri went along with his newfound friend, Keith Raniere’s, deep deception to Clare and Sara, that Edgar Bronfman Sr. was to blame for Keith’s tragic market losses?
Maybe Yuri, too, was hypnotized or lured with Keith’s promises of virgin conquests, world domination, IDK, seems he “played” everyone somehow. …Did Yuri have a past life to atone for? Or was that $9 million in trade commissions, alone, enough bait for Yuri to dive right in to the Precision real estate venture?
There’s one point you make we agree on. Frank, you say, was “played.” Can you elaborate on that, please? How would you know if you were not, as well?
First, you obviously are not aware of the facts. The 9 million in commissions you seem so focused on were not earned until long after the Precision venture began. Second, Mr. Plyam was a successful business man long before he met Raniere or the Bronfmans. He did not approach or seek them out, rather they tried to ride his coat tails because they are incapable of having an original idea of their own or the ability to make any money on their own. Third, if you indeed attended the trial as you claim, you would already have the answers to the questions you posed as you would have seen the evidence presented in court. Now for my questions. Why do you harbor such hostility toward people you never met? Why is it that you can believe Parlato is an innocent man but are incapable of believing that others were also the victims of Raniere and Bronfmans’ deceit? If Parlato is such an upstanding guy, why would he get involved with and do the bidding of such dishonorable people in the first place? If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that you are a personal friend of Parlato and not a journalist who approaches this topic impartially and without bias. Finally, to set your mind at ease, I wasn’t played by anyone because I choose my friends and associates carefully.
Hey dimwit I do not post on this blog. Just to make it clear for you. I do not need to defend myself as we have done nothing wrong.
Obviously my comment meant for so called reporter.
FIGI islands where the new day begins was on my t shirt
Anyone with specific information about the Clare part of FIGI please post I am curious as to what my FIGI travelers find. It’s amazing what wealthy people can find. Nxivm s did you know that?
Relatives of mine just returned from FIGI, they are going back and willing to check out the renovations on Clares property, not snooping just always looking for new places to visit!
Oops, I confused the good Feds of the East with the bad Feds of the West in my comment. Cannot edit, so perhaps Frank can. Most sincere apologies to the DOJ/FBI investigators of the NY Eastern district who are, actually, the true heroines and heroes of this story! Along with Judge Garaufis.
(Also, misspoke “Raniere” not “remarry” — added “harried mom” to my reporter byline, these days, please edit.)
I am the author of the guest view posted above. I want to clarify that I was originally responding in the comment section to Frank’s August 21 posts exposing the fact that the precision properties owned by Clare Bronfman in Los Angeles we’re omitted from the list of her assets reported to the court in the bail proceedings.
My point is that I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone like Frank — who stands to collect his confiscated commission on those properties now that the charges against him regarding those properties are dropped — who, instead of staying mum, publically revealed that those exist to be used by the DOJ in the prosecution of their case and any remuneration for other NXIVM victims apart from himself.
This was a very selfless act on Frank’s part. I commend him for it and know it cannot have been an easy decision after what the Eastern District Feds have and continue, apparently, to put him through.
Since then — with the latest motion in Raniere’s bail matter claiming that Frank Parlato is some kind of dangerous criminal Raniere and his secret, bail posting “friends” require protection from, and asking the court to lay waste to the 1st Amendment to protect them from Frank’s blog here — it has become apparent Raniere and Bronfman have another motive for indicting, say “criminalizing,” Frank.
The proof is this:
First, Raniere initially claimed that the whole branding story was the “product of CRIMINAL minds.” Then, Raniere claimed that he had to flee to Mexico due to alleged threats being made by CRIMINALS on his life. And now, remarry is asking the court to keep the names of his friends sealed because those same hardened criminals led by Frank are out to get him.
I shudder to think what is next. If one of the hitmen or henchmen Raniere has gunning for Frank shoot Frank “in self-defense,” will his alleged “tax fraud” be used to justify murder?
Long as the Eastern District Feds get to keep Frank’s hard-earned million to stop dangerous tax evaders like Frank and protect decent citizens like Raniere and Bronfman and their bail posting friends, I suppose all the resources they’ve put toward Frank’s indictment will be well worth it.
Meantime, curious we haven’t heard a word from the court about those omitted LA properties and assets. Oh, and we in the media will be researching these new tax evasion charges against Frank.
Unless, of course, the Eastern District Feds and Raniere/Bronfman defense team can come up with something better after 8 years of investing him. God knows they’ve tried.
Guest View, thank you so much for both post and comment!
FrankReport is such a valuable resource, and imho almost as important as the man himself, is the community that he has fostered here.
(and I wish I was as an Unharried Mom as you!)
So are these charges as reported in the Niagara Gazette not true:
“The government’s criminal complaint also claims that Parlato failed to disclose the $1 million in income on a 2008 federal income tax return. In 2013, after the federal grand jury investigation was underway, Parlato filed a 2008 income tax return, but claimed the $1 million payment from the Bronfmans was a “loan.”
That indictment, and the new indictment, charge Parlato and Selvaraj with orchestrating a scheme to defraud the IRS through the use of a dizzying array of limited liability corporations and partnerships. The indictment catalogs the use of more than 15 so-called shell companies, 50 bank accounts and multiple attorney trust accounts in perpetrating the scheme.”
And even before NXiVM went after you, weren’t you in trouble for failing to pay taxes on One Niagara:Also from the Gazette: “The company’s lawsuit alleges that Parlato’s management has placed the building in jeopardy of foreclosure. Records indicate that $1.57 million in outstanding city and county taxes are currently owed at the site.”
Anonymous [too bad you don’t give your name, that might be revealing] — But Anonymous – You ask are these charges not true? They are untrue, or stated out of context or are lies by omission, something that Raniere-Bronfman and an out of control, malicious and possibly corrupt AUSA Anthony Bruce, were expert at. That some in the media report allegations without being able to investigate the truth of these, aids prosecutors in making wildly inaccurate allegations [that could never be proven at trial] and wear the typical defendant down into a plea bargain.
We shall soon see who is telling the truth here – since I won’t take a plea bargain. In a later post, I plan to do a deep dive into the falsity [by lie, half truth, lie by omission etc.] of the selective quotes you made above. In the meantime, consider – Anonymous – that Bronfman-Raniere started this – and Bruce supported it – already some of the charges have been dropped. The rest of them will either be dropped or we will go to trial and then we will get at the truth. What could be fairer than that, Anonymous? Foor my own part, I am a defendant who writes about his own case – I am transparent. You on the other hand write anonymously. The government was so worried about me writing about my own case, they actually sought a gag order to silence me. it failed because the judge noted I have a First Amendment right. So do you. But I would have a lot more respect for you if you signed your name — like I do.
Wow, everything you wrote is like it came from NXIVM playbook. Didn’t Frank put the 1 mil the cult owed/ payed get placed in an account until this Nxivm fraud case was resolved , starting 10 years ago and it still sits there. Tax evasion are a specialty of the cult and I know from personal experience trying to fight an unfair tax bill or being unable to pay a tax bill can be called evasion. I’m sure I’m not 100% here but you people have spent years and millions ruining peoples lives so it’s hard to trust even if by some chance you are right for a change. Peter and the wolf. Just because you say something doesn’t mean it’s true.
As we’ve learned from The New York Times just because they print it doesn’t make it true.