Analysis of Glazer letter protecting victims of Bronfman-Raniere – and a list of Bronfman-Raniere lawsuits

Attorney Neil Glazer’s name came out in court filings recently thanks to a motion by Clare Bronfman’s attorneys. He is one of the true heroes of the anti-NXIVM case. Someday, I will tell you more about his valiant efforts.

For now, followers of this case can learn quite a bit by analyzing his letter to the court. He is an attorney in Philadelphia and has considerable experience in class action lawsuits. His letter, written to Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis, is meant to inform the judge that there are clients of his who deeply oppose Clare Bronfman being freed from home detention – as she has requested.

Excerpts from his letter and my comments in bold follow.

***

August 21, 2018
Honorable Nicholas G. Garaufis
United States District Judge
Eastern District of New York
225 Cadman Plaza East
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Re: United States v. Raniere, et al., 18-cr-204 (NGG)

Victim Statement Responding to Defendant Bronfman’s
Proposed Modification of Bail Conditions
Dear Judge Garaufis:

We write, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3771(a), on behalf of our clients, numerous individuals who were victims of and/or witnesses concerning crimes charged in the Superseding Indictment in the above-referenced criminal proceeding before this Court, as well as others who were – and in some instances still are – victims and/or witnesses to crimes not yet charged and other wrongdoing by members of the conspiracies described in filings by the United States in this matter.

FR: Neil here reveals: 1. He represents numerous clients who he claims are both “victims” and “witnesses” concerning crimes charged in the indictment. 2. He represents victims and/or witnesses to crimes not yet charged.  This implies his clients are cooperating with the Feds and that there will be another superseding indictment.

Glazer is a civil lawyer. This suggests that, in addition to his clients being witness/victims of crimes, which might make the world safe from Bronfman-Raniere, the victims have a champion who will help bring them recompense for the time and money they lost and the pain and suffering they endured. 

Specifically, we write to express the concerns of our clients regarding a proposed modification to Defendant Clare Bronfman’s bail conditions set forth in the August 20, 2018 letter to the Court submitted by Ms. Bronfman’s counsel, Susan Necheles and Kathleen Cassidy.

This proposed modification would eliminate the current restriction prohibiting Ms. Bronfman from having contact with current and former members and persons associated with NXIVM except her immediate family (her sister, Sara, and brother-in-law, Igtet Baset, are current members, and her mother has participated in NXIVM programs in the past). For the reasons set forth below, our clients strongly oppose any such modification.

FR: I can imagine these victims are terrified at the idea of Clare being able to make contact with all NXIVM members.  That’s quite a few, possibly a thousand. The lawyer for Clare wrote the court that, “The no-contact provision bars Ms. Bronfman from contacting a wide range of [NXIVM] individuals …   The likely number of covered individuals ranges from several hundred to over a thousand.”

First, our clients – which number in the dozens – are former NXIVM members and the proposed modification would enable Ms. Bronfman to contact these persons, directly or indirectly through other NXIVM-related persons.

FR: We get an idea of how many ex-NXIVM members have retained Glazer: “dozens.” This means at least 24 – and probably more. How many of these will be witnesses in the criminal case will be seen. Some of them are likely some of the Jane Does mentioned in the indictment. 

Our clients have lived in fear of Ms. Bronfman, indeed some have been traumatized directly by her actions. Several of our clients are currently facing completely baseless criminal charges in Mexico instigated by Ms. Bronfman and her co-defendant Raniere and persons acting on their behalf.

FR: Based on the above, we can guess who some victims are. Bronfman-Raniere, aided by Emiliano Salinas and Alejandro Betancourt, filed bogus criminal charges against a number of people who left NXIVM.

There can be no mistake that these charges are part of a concerted effort to intimidate and silence witnesses, because letters sent to our clients from Mexican attorneys representing NXIVM expressly demanded their silence.

FR: I have seen these letters. He is right – the whole purpose of the letters were to intimidate and silence. 

These letters are only the most recent example of Ms. Bronfman’s efforts to abuse the legal system in order to intimidate and silence witnesses and/or punish persons who have spoken out against NXIVM and Raniere. In or around June 2017, Ms. Bronfman made false statements to the Vancouver, Canada police department in order to initiate a criminal investigation of two of our clients who had been severely traumatized by horrific acts by NXIVM on them in Albany, NY.

FR: It was reported on Frank Report, August 2017, that Bronfman personally traveled to Vancouver and filed criminal complaints against Sarah Edmondson, Jen Kobelt and, I am told, at least one other woman.  This was Bronfman trying to use her influence and wealth to convert victims into criminals, largely because they left NXIVM and spoke to NXIVM members about DOS and human fright experiments. This was before the NY Times story came out – and I was the only one reporting the branding and blackmail stories. 

In earlier episodes, Ms. Bronfman has (among other things) (i) perjured herself in a civil proceeding; (ii) made false statements to local law enforcement and/or directed the falsification of evidence in order to instigate a baseless criminal investigation; (iii) directed the falsification or destruction of evidence in another civil proceeding; and (iv) directed, participated and financed the prosecution of numerous completely meritless legal proceedings aimed at punishing critics and silencing witnesses, going to extreme lengths such as interfering in bankruptcy proceedings to attempt to prevent the discharge of persons who would not have filed for bankruptcy but for the fact that defending against Bronfman and Raniere’s reign of vexatious litigation terror had
impoverished them.

FR: This is Bronfman’s MO for the last nine years. She lied in the computer trespass case about the date she discovered the alleged trespass to cheat the statute of limitations. She was caught lying and the judge dismissed the case. {She gave a one year earlier date in her criminal complaint and thus she was caught.] 

I know for a fact she made false statements to law enforcement and the grand jury in my case. In the criminal computer trespass case against Barbara Bouchey, Toni Natalie, and Joseph O’Hara, her lies led to them being indicted.   

In short, she directed the falsification of evidence in order to instigate this baseless criminal investigation – for which she has yet to be charged for perjury. She ordered the moving of NXIVM computer servers from their longtime location in Saratoga County to Albany County – then perjured herself about the location, saying the servers were in Albany County at the time of the alleged trespass in order to indict four people. In this, Bronfman worked with her lawyers, a state trooper, a DA and his former employee who became the Special Prosecutor in the case. How much they knew about her perjury is hard to say.

I believe Ben Meyers – Nancy Salzman’s son-in-law – and Steve Ose – had a hand in the deception and could be charged. When the defense revealed they knew that the servers had been moved, and the judge would be informed, the prosecution agreed to dismiss the case.

As of now, It is my impression that Perjuring-Ben Meyers is a liaison for NXIVM’s indicted leaders and remaining followers.

I believe NXIVM communications operations now work like this: indicted Nancy and Lauren Salzman are prohibited from speaking with NXIVM members, except Ben and wife, Michelle Salzman-Meyers.

Ben – who has not yet been indicted – is free to speak to all other NXIVM members – so he can deliver Nancy’s and Lauren’s messages to members.

As of now, Clare is permitted to speak with her sister, Sara Bronfman-Igtet. Sara – who is not yet indicted – and is one of the highest ranking members, can deliver Clare’s orders to Ben and he can relate these to Nancy and Lauren.

From a simple perjurer and computer hacker, Ben may have risen in a matter of a few months to become an important cog in the NXIVM wheel. [Viva Executive Success!]. It is not known if he is intimidating members by delivering messages from Clare. But it is clear, if Clare can speak directly to members, it will be a lot easier to intimidate and keep them in line.  

Clare also directed the falsification and destruction of evidence in the Rick Ross case.  Videos were altered to deceive the court. Books and records were purged from computers by the able criminal coconspirator Karen Unterreiner. 

Clare also financed the prosecution of about 30 legal proceedings which punished critics and silenced witnesses. It had an intimidating effect even on those she did not sue. It was well known that if you stepped out of line, Clare would sue you. And she could use the legal system – based as it is on wealth having the advantage in court – to ruin you – even if the charges were meritless.

The direct victims of all of the above are our clients, and the in terrorism effect of this possibly unprecedented systematic abuse of the legal system on virtually everyone who has left NXIVM over the years, including our clients, cannot be understated.

FR: He says it right – this destructive litigation may be unprecedented. They won few to none but were able to bankrupt most of their adversaries and ruin their lives and in the world of Bronfman-Raniere that was winning.

Just to help you get an idea of their litigious nature, here is a list of some 50 legal actions Bronfman-Raniere were involved in. The list is not complete:

1. New York State v. Consumers’ Buyline, Inc.  – This lawsuit shut-down Raniere’s Ponzi scheme.
2. Helen Rhodes Et Al v Consumers’ Buyline, Inc. – This was a class-action lawsuit by consumers who got stiffed when they became members of Raniere’s Ponzi scheme.
3. Arkansas v Consumers’ Buyline, Inc.
4. Virginia v Consumers’ Buyline, Inc.
5. RPI v Consumers’ Buyline, Inc. [unpaid printing bill]
6. Keith Raniere v James Raniere [Keith’s father].
7. ‘Jane Doe’ [sexual harassment] v Raniere [Raniere settled for $10,000]
8. Raniere v. Natalie – Intervention in Toni’s bankruptcy case. Judge Robert Littlefield sized up Raniere’s litigation against Miss Natalie as follows: “The individual challenging the Debtor’s discharge is her former boyfriend; this matter smacks of a jilted fellow’s attempt at revenge or retaliation against his former girlfriend, with many attempts at tripping her up along the way.”
9. Salzman v. Natalie – Intervention in the same bankruptcy case
10. Natalie secured a restraining order against Barbara Jeske, a longtime member of Raniere’s inner circle after she’d videotaped Jeske tampering with her mail.
11. NXIVM v. Rick Ross – Dismissed after 14 years of litigation, millions in legal fees and some illegal activities – like destroying evidence and more.
12. NXIVM v Morris Sutton, Rochelle Sutton, Stephanie Franco – A spin-off from the Rick Ross case
13. NXIVM v Paul Martin, PhD., and Wellspring Retreat, Inc.  – Another spin-off from the Rick Ross case.
14. NXIVM v John Hochman M.D. – Another spin-off from the Rick Ross case.
15. NXIVM v. Interfor  – Another spin-off from the Rick Ross case.
16. NXIVM Et Al v. O’Hara, Rutnik, and Polit
17. NXIVM v Douglas Rudnick
18. Bronfman v. O’Hara – Intervention in bankruptcy case
19. NXIVM v. Metroland – Dismissed
20. People v. O’Hara – Albany County Criminal Case [NXIVM/ESP sought to have O’Hara indicted in Albany County (NY). NXIVM made arrangements for its in-house Legal Liaison to be placed in the Office of the Albany County District Attorney as an unpaid Legal Intern. The indictment was dismissed on June 19, 2007 by Albany County Court Judge Thomas Breslin who noted that the instructions that were given to the Grand Jury by the District Attorney’s Office were “…so brief as to fail to provide appropriate legal instruction – and “…inadequate to comply with…Criminal procedure Law”.
21. Sitrick and Company Inc. v. NXIVM Corporation – Unpaid bill.
22. Salzman v. Continental Airlines – [Nancy Salzman alleged Continental lost her laptop; she sued for $700,000 for the data on her lost computer.] Case dismissed.
23. Bronfman v. O’Hara – Intervention in bankruptcy case
24. Precision v. Plyam Et Al
25. Bronfman v. Yuri Plyam – Intervention in bankruptcy case
26. NXIVM v. Dones – Intervention in bankruptcy case. Judge Brian D. Lynch said, “NXIVM’s claims and litigation tactics were disproportionate and largely lacking in merit,” in dismissing nearly all the claims against Dones.
27. NXIVM v. Woolhouse – Intervention in bankruptcy case [Judge Lynch chastised NXIVM. He wrote: “Her ‘sin’ was to attempt to walk away after discovering that NXIVM was not what she thought or hoped. In return, she was labeled as ‘suppressive,’ a term that NXIVM applies to former associates who leave the company or whom NXIVM perceives to be its enemies, and subjected to protracted litigation from two large law firms and a phalanx of attorneys.”
28. NXIVM v. Bouchey – Intervention in bankruptcy case
29. NXIVM v. Bouchey – NYS Supreme Court – Dismissed
30. Bronfman v. Bouchey – NYS Supreme Court – Dismissed
31. NXIVM v. Bouchey – California SLAM case – Dismissed
32. Bronfman filed a complaint against Bouchey with FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) – Dismissed.
33. Bronfman filed a complaint against Bouchey with Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. – Dismissed
34.  Bronfmans pressed for criminal investigation by the district attorney of Saratoga County to charge Bouchey with extortion – Declined.
35. NXIVM/Raniere attempted to get Toni Natalie indicted on bank fraud with US Attorney Western District – Declined
36. Raniere et al filed a complaint against Toni Natalie with the New York State Liquor Authority/Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control – Dismissed
37. The Bronfman sisters filed complaints against Yuri Plyam with the National Futures Association (NFA) – and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Both complaints were denied because the Bronfman sisters never had any trading accounts with Plyam. It should be noted that the Bronfman sisters “loaned” approximately $65 million to First Principles, Inc. in order to cover Raniere’s purported losses in the commodities account that had been established in that entity’s name.
38. Representatives of NXIVM/ESP reportedly met with the then-California Attorney General Jerry Brown – and the then-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa – to discuss alleged financial improprieties on the part of The Rick Ross Foundation, a not-for-profit entity – and to offer donations to these men. No indictments resulted from these meetings.
39. Clare Bronfman v. Parlato – NYS Supreme Court Civil case. Bronfman alleged there was no written contract covering a $1 million loan/advance she had paid to Parlato.
40. Clare Bronfman filed a criminal complaint against Parlato in Western District of New York. Contradicting her sworn affidavit in the civil case, Clare told the Grand Jury there was a written contract covering the same $1 million loan/advance she had paid to Parlato. She perjured herself in the grand jury.  No charges were filed against her. The charges against Parlato concerning the Bronfmans were dropped in May 2018.
41. NXIVM v. Canaprobe – Montreal, Canada: Clare Bronfman alleges that after she hired and paid Canaprobe about $1 million to spy on several U.S. federal judges and others and obtain their bank records and other personal information, the company provided her with fake records. She sued them for $1 million.
42. NXIVM v. Toni Natalie, Vanity Fair, Albany Times Union, Joseph O’Hara, and others – Civil Computer Trespass Case [Clare Bronfman’s perjury caused the judge to dismiss the case].
43. People v. Natalie Et Al – Criminal Computer Trespass Case [Case dismissed] [Bronfman’s perjury caused the prosecutor to agree to have the charges dismissed] However Natalie, O’Hara, and Bouchey suffered indictments on these false charges.
44. Raniere child custody suit. Raniere denied he was the father of a male child and created an elaborate story about the child being an orphan. The mother and child fled. Raniere sued claiming he was the father. He had Clare Bronfman spend $1 million on private detectives to hunt down the mother and child – but instead of serving her with custody suit papers – as the detectives had been told, Bronfman fired the detectives and hired people to befriend the mother and, in reality, may have plotted to kill her. The mother escaped and went into hiding. Bronfman continued to try to find her right up until the time of Raniere’s arrest.
45. Raniere v. Microsoft & AT&T [US Court Northern District of Texas] – Raniere claimed he invented technology these companies use. Bronfman funded the litigation. Raniere was unable to prove ownership of patents – and created a fictitious document transferring ownership from the true patent holder to him. Was caught. Case dismissed. Raniere was admonished by the judge for lying and sanctioned $1.2 million.
46. Raniere v Global Technologies. Raniere sued Toni Natalie in Washington State Court to prove he owned patents that are not in his name. He had no written contract or documentary proof. He alleged he made a verbal agreement more than 20 years ago. The patents are the same ones he was admonished for lying about in federal court in Texas. His arrest on March 26, 2018, interrupted the case and because he was in jail he could not proceed and the case was dismissed.
47. NXIVM [Mexico] v. Toni Zarattini, [Toni Natalie, Joseph O’Hara, Barbara Bouchey, Susan Dones, and others] alleging criminal extortion. Zarattini’s offense’ was quitting ESP and allegedly telling others about their secret practice of branding women etc.. Case dismissed.
48. NXIVM v Catherine Oxenberg in Mexico on bogus charges of extortion.
49. NXIVM v Parlato in Mexico on bogus charges of extortion and computer hacking.
50. NXIVM/Clare Bronfman attempted to bring criminal charges in Vancouver against Sarah Edmondson, Jen Kobelt and another. Edmondson’s real “offense” was quitting NXIVM and telling others about their secret practices of branding women etc..

It has been widely reported  that Ms. Bronfman spent millions, likely tens of millions, pursuing, harassing, intimidating and punishing her perceived enemies in what her counsel characterizes as someone merely exercising her right to seek recourse from “adverse parties” in legitimate litigation.

Joe O’Hara estimates that the Bronfmans have spent some $50 million on lawyers suing Raniere’s enemies.

None of these persons were “adverse parties” until Ms. Bronfman, Mr. Raniere and NXIVM by unleashing a stream of vexatious litigation and baseless criminal complaints – and in these several dozen proceedings, not a single court found a single claim asserted by NXIVM or its associates to have any merit whatsoever. Nor were Ms. Bronfman and Mr. Raniere acting alone in these efforts. Current and former members of the NXIVM community assisted Ms. Bronfman and Mr. Raniere, perjuring themselves, falsifying and destroying evidence, maintaining “enemies” lists, directing private investigators who, at times, crossed ethical and perhaps legal boundaries, attempting to unlawfully procure the financial and banking records of federal judges, and orchestrating campaigns to utterly terrorize witnesses in order to drive them deep into hiding and to stay
underground.

FR: Clare’s lawyer wrote that “Ms. Bronfman compiled information on NXIVM adversaries … pursued litigation against them. … took action against adverse parties through lawyers …. collect[ed] information about witnesses.” 

Ms. Bronfman stands accused of crimes including acts intended to advance NXIVM’s goal of persecuting its perceived “enemies.” But everyone who takes issue with NXIVM and Raniere is, to Ms. Bronfman, an enemy, and they are legion. Ms. Bronfman financially sponsored human medical experiments conducted on well over one-hundred people, many of whom were severely traumatized, some of whom are among our clients.

FR: This is interesting: more than 100 people were subjected to human fright experiments of Dr. Brandon Porter – financed by Bronfman – and said to be similar to fright experiments of Mexican Drug Cartels. Indeed, they may have been sponsored by Emiliano Salinas on behalf of the Mexican Drug Cartels.

Ms. Bronfman is not to be trusted.

FR: No truer statement was ever made. She will lie for Raniere and the cult. Perjury means nothing to her. Lying is second nature. People outside NXIVM cannot understand how NXIVM members lie. They have been trained that lying is ethical for the mission. Anything she says means nothing. There is no moral suasion. Clare will sacrifice anything and anyone, and say anything for Raniere. If this means lying to the court – so what? The court is like the Nazis trying to find out if there are Jews in the basement. Any lie told to the judge to protect the Jews [Raniere, Nancy etc.] is ethical.     

We have no doubt her counsel are sincere, but we believe them to be poorly informed. Even Ms. Bronfman’s representations concerning her assets appear to us to be potentially deficient. For years Ms. Bronfman has had a substantial interest in a number of California properties and, although ownership appears to have been shuffled around amongst a number of LLCs, we believe based upon information we have recently received that Ms. Bronfman is still a principal owner of these properties, which likely are worth millions of dollars.

FR: I reported this in a recent post. https://frankreport.com/2018/08/21/financial-disclosure-did-clare-bronfman-neglect-to-tell-court-about-these-la-properties/

Our point is simple: there are a significant number of persons, including victims of the charged crimes and other crimes perpetrated by the defendants in this proceeding, and witnesses thereto, who do not feel safe with even the prospect that Ms. Bronfman will be able to freely communicate with NXIVM-affiliated persons. And there is no reasonable restriction that can alleviate this completely rational fear. Unfortunate as it is that Ms. Bronfman is cut off from her only friends, it was her choice to cut herself off from her larger family and the world at large, and for the time being, it is entirely appropriate to keep safeguards in place that, while perhaps imposing upon her a finite period of solitude, protect a large number of people to whom she is a very real threat.

FR: I suspect Clare is funding and directing the cult through Sara and Ben. This is hard on her. The only way she can keep remaining members from becoming witnesses against Raniere and herself is for Clare to be able to contact them. Sara and Ben can’t do it by themselves.

It is important that Clare speak directly to such as Nicki Clyne and several other DOS women who the defense is depending on to testify that DOS was all consensual and that it was Allison Mack’s idea – and not Keith’s.

They need these witnesses to rebut the Jane Does who will testify that they were coerced and Keith knew all about it. [In this, Lauren is a key witness. She must be held in place and must perjure herself in court that Keith knew little to nothing about DOS. It helps that Clare [and Salinas?] are likely paying Lauren’s legal fees. However, this strategy will only backfire on Lauren when her text messages all come out and she will recklessly and needlessly sacrifice herself to a much longer prison sentence and not save Raniere. [“Lauren is a moron” is my new slogan for this poor deluded woman – who has been waiting some 16 years for Raniere to impregnate her like he promised.]

But we are talking about Clare and this selfish and sadistic heiress needs to round up and hold witnesses. Bribery is best – but Clare is cheap and so, if need be, she will intimidate and silence potential witnesses that might turn.

She will try to somewhat subtly try to bribe them first. But before you can bribe someone, you have to have contact.

She has to be able to communicate with all NXIVM/DOS members. She will not likely directly contact the witnesses represented by Glazer, but if allowed to contact all NXIVM members, she can at least contact NXIVM friends of the victims and deliver messages that will weigh heavily on them. It would be her hope that she can get the Jane Does to see the light of her way of thinking. Hundreds of millions of dollars can do a lot of damage over the years. 

It is my opinion that behind this motion for Clare to be able to speak with all NXIVM members is the hand of Keith Raniere. He’s the one likely pushing to get her lawyers to make a motion for her to fight to have contact with NXIVM members. He may have even written parts of it. Through his lawyers, or possibly visitors, he has been able to get this to Clare or her lawyers. I am not suggesting the lawyers are complicit in anything sinister. They might believe Clare. But just as I have no doubt Raniere is lying to his lawyers, Clare is lying to hers.

But her sudden, deep desire to contact her intimate NXIVM member friends [in her purported loneliness] may be more about holding present witnesses for the defense in place, than having “expressive” and “intimate” associations, as her lawyer wrote the judge.

Her attorneys may not understand this. They may honestly think she is lonely and misses her friends [who she abused for years and treated like peons]. I think Raniere wants Clare to hold witnesses and specifically prevent others from telling the truth – by bribery or intimidation [or ethical love for their Vanguard]. The sex trafficking case may depend on Bronfman being able [or not able] to influence certain witnesses to lie and to help lead Allison and Lauren into taking the fall for Keith. 

The financial and racketeering aspect will require Clare to organize defense witnesses to testify/perjure that Keith had no hand in any of the crimes. This was all done by Nancy, Lauren, Kathy Russell, Jim Del Negro, Karen Unterreiner, Karen Abney, etc. Keith had his name on nothing, He knew nothing. He is innocent of all charges.    

Clare wants the judge to allow her to speak with 100s or maybe a 1000 NXIVM members. She can use her wealth and lies to try to get Raniere off. That’s the goal here.

We thus respectfully request that the Court reject Ms. Bronfman’s proposed modification of this aspect of her bail conditions.
Very truly yours,
Neil L. Glazer

FR: Amen

Frank Parlato