The Times Union, which ran an epic series of stories about the NXIVM/ESP cult back in 2012 entitled “Secrets of NXIVM”, is going to be conducting a panel discussion from 12:00 Noon to 2:00 PM on Monday, March 18th, about the upcoming trial in the case of U.S. v. Raniere.
The discussion, which will take place at the Hearst Media Center at 645 Albany-Shaker Road in Albany, NY, will be led by Brendon J. Lyons, the newspaper’s State & Investigations Editor, who has written numerous stories about the cult and its leaders.
The three panelists who will be speaking at the event – and their descriptions – are as follows:
Catherine Oxenberg: An actress best known for her starring role in the 1980s Dynasty television series, is the author of “Captive: A Mother’s Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult.” Oxenberg waged a high-profile battle to get her 27-year-old daughter, India, to leave NXIVM. Oxenberg had attended a NXIVM course in California with her daughter, who subsequently joined the organization and eventually broke off contact with her family. India Oxenberg is among a group of women who were branded with the initials of Raniere and Allison Mack, a co-defendant in the case.
Barbara Bouchey: A former girlfriend of Keith Raniere who grew up in Troy, was involved with NXIVM for nine years. She was a NXIVM board member and had been an investment advisor to Clare and Sara Bronfman, the liquor heiresses who have provided millions of dollars to support the organization. Raniere directed an avalanche of litigation at Bouchey after she resigned in 2009, including 13 lawsuits in four states and a computer-trespass criminal charge in Albany that was eventually dismissed. Bouchey spent more than $700,000 defending herself and provides a unique insider’s look at the pyramid-like organization that abruptly shut down in the wake of the indictments of its leaders.
Michael J. Grygiel: An Albany attorney who co-chairs Greenberg Traurig, LLP’s National Media and Entertainment Litigation Group. He focuses on media law, with an emphasis on defending news and entertainment organizations from newsgathering and publication-related claims, including defamation, copyright infringement and invasion of privacy matters. He has successfully represented NXIVM defectors as well as Suzanna Andrews, who wrote a 2,010 expose — The Heiresses and Their Cult — for Vanity Fair. Andrews and others were later sued by NXIVM for accusations that they had improperly accessed the organization’s database. The case was dismissed.
Anyone who wants more information about the event can contact Shannon Fromma at 518.454.5479 or sfromma@timesunion.com.
We reached out to the Times Union to find out if the event will be available via webcast and were informed that although it won’t be live-streamed, a transcript – or at least an abridged version of it – will be available at https://www.timesunion.com/nxivm/.
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[…] former Nxivm member, Bouchey is one of three people scheduled to speak at the Albany Times Union panel discussion on March 18, which, incidentally, is the same day Keith Raniere and company are due […]
[…] former Nxivm member, Bouchey is one of three people scheduled to speak at the Albany Times Union panel discussion on March 18, which incidentally is the same day Keith Raniere and company are due […]
[…] Maybe when this nightmare is over – and Raniere and his co-defendants have all been sentenced to lengthy terms in federal prison – the Times Union can sponsor another panel discussion […]
My reply was @ Anon re: “Ponzi Scheme.”
Hmm, pyramid-like organization. Maybe she means Nancy and Lauren’s noses? JK.
Stock photos: Get a load of those curly locks on Ms. Bouchey. Why do women think this look is attractive? It’s not. Catherine looks rather stylish and fresh. Then comes…the attorney’s turn. Hm?
Does anyone know if the following quote is true?
“Oxenberg was in the organization (years of participation in their seminars, recruiting family and friends, hosting events in her home, etc.)”. Jane Doe stated.
Thanks
” Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
This talk is shaping up as a marketing ploy for Oxenberg’s book and Bouchey’s heroine status. What bullshit! No point in going as dialogue is not part of the agenda.
I agree I think it stupid
Bouchey wasn’t even named as a defendant in the civil case involving the alleged computer trespassing. That underscores the fact that she went out of her way to become a “victim” in the criminal case.
She also claims she is the one who got the FBI involved in the case. But all she did is talk with the FBI in the Western District of New York which, just like their counterparts in the Northern District, did absolutely nothing.
The FBI from the Eastern District of New York became involved when they found out about DOS and the human sex trafficking. How could Bouchey even know about that stuff since she was 3,000 miles away when it was going on.
Even more bothersome than Bouchey’s attempt to be a heroine in this case is her abject refusal to take any responsibility for all the harm she did during her tenure as one of the top leaders of the cult. Suggestion for Barbara: How about you start off your talk next week by reading the names of all the people you enrolled in NXIVM and how much money each of them wasted on NXIVM courses.
Next, you should tell everyone how much your earned by being the Financial Planner for the Bronfman sisters and every other high-wealth member of the cult. And lastly, tell everyone how much you got paid by NXIVM over the years.
No wonder Barb didn’t want to go on the record on my radio show about a year ago. I couldn’t figure it out, now it makes sense. She has LOTS to hide.
Schlock I can not ever imagine why Barbara Bouchey did not agree to appear on your very important and highly rated radio show.
LMAO
Me, neither. But Frank came on, and he appears to be the only sane person connected with/commenting on NXIVM who has been on, even though several others were invited.
Schlock I cannot dream of why Barbara Bouchey did not want to appear on your highly rated and important radio program.
LMAO
It’s somewhat understandable when a blog puts out information that may not always be based on facts – Sorry Frank no disrespect – but shouldn’t The Albany Times Union vet all the bios of the people on the panel? If what by The Truth Will Set You Free But Bullshit Won’t, and Was There, Saw That, is true, why would the Times Union give her a platform? Wasn’t she part of the problem for years? I looked up some old post on Barbara Bouchey, it seems the people that knew Barb during the old days don’t have many good things to say about her. I hope the lunch is good and they open the floor for questions; this should be fun.
If the “talk” is actually held and they were thinking of opening it up to questions, they won’t now. Unless they screen the questions, of course. No wonder there are no plans to record it.
Reservations are necessary to attend: call the TU at (518) 454-5694, select option newsroom, and then events.
Questions are permitted only on the registration form; otherwise, there is no question and answer dialogue permitted.
Audio and video recording are not permitted unless by prior permission which may require verified press credentials.
Doesn’t the Times Union consider themselves to have verified press credentials?
“Barbara Bouchey……provides a unique insider’s look at the pyramid-like organization that abruptly shut down…”
What the hell is a “pyramid-like organization?”
NXIVM is the only MLM I’ve come across that appears to NOT be an illegal pyramid. But they have practically every other problem known to man.
How would you know Scott, have you seen their payout plan?
Ponzi scheme?
No, a Ponzi scheme is different than an illegal pyramid.
That’s what I thought! Least she didn’t use the C word that makes Clare nuts ……Cult!
Everything was being run by one man with layer upon layer below. Read the telephone manuscript between the two high up ranking women. There is a point where it is said something along the lines of no one knew what the others were doing (my take – likely because they were ALL only taking instructions from above).
There are also the sashes and that is the pyramid / MLM part. To move up you have to invest more and more but the return is being told you will become more successful only to end up in more and more debt. Oh and then there was the collateral. That was also an “asset” to the top so you didn’t have to just give money.
Were those on the striped path required to hand over collateral? If so, what kind?
No collateral for the stripe path, that was DOS. The inner circle did attempt to get those on the stripe path to do illegal things such as not pay taxes or pony cash across the Mexico border.
It’s how they weeded out those they could control and those who had a backbone.
Control = promotion
Backbone = you were defiant, suppressive and or had an ethical breach to heal with VanTurd, Prefect or some high up inner circle jerk off.
Soon those who broke the law will be wearing a different brand of stripes.
Can you guess what percentage of those on the striped path did do illegal things? Also, for every person who did do something illegal, there would be others who didn’t necessarily do anything illegal but who knew about it and didn’t care.
What about the US-Canada border? Canadians were going to the Tacoma branch and John Tigue of Saratoga In Decline said Siohaban Hotaling was a mule taking money from Canada to the US.
Those last two sentences should have been on a new paragraph as it was an afterthought. Some, not all, were also required to give collateral my point being it wasn’t just money that was handed over in this organization depending on who you were.
Bouchey says she’s been victimized by all these NXIVM lawsuits. What she fails to share is that she volunteered to be a witness against NXIVM in several cases and was only deposed in other cases.
In reality, there were only a few cases in which Bouchey was actually a named defendant:
Bronfmans vs. Bouchey: This case started in California and moved to NY after it was closed due to Bouchey’s filing for bankruptcy in NY State (Her bankruptcy case was ultimately dismissed because she didn’t meet the applicable requirements). This case was eventually closed due to no action for three years.
NXIVM vs. Bouchey: This case was eventually closed due to no action for over three years.
People v. O’Hara Et Al (Computer Trespass Case): Bouchey ended up in this case because she went on NXIVM’s website using someone else’s password AFTER she knew the State Police had charged Toni Natalie, Joe O’Hara and John Tighe for the same thing. She also knew the State Police had already picked up their computers before she decided to use someone’s password to go onto NXIVM’s website. How fucking dumb is that? Bouchey also says she was arrested on Christmas Eve in this case. Well, she was but that’s actually date she chose to turn herself in. Bouchey no longer lived in New York State at the time and this was a New York State case, not a federal case. Bouchey had to volunteer to come to New York to be arrested and picked the date she would do that. If she didn’t come to New York and simply waited for the case to be resolved, she would have very likely never have been arrested in the case.
Girl Scout Cookies? Get’m while they’re HOT!!!
I think this dumb i live this I was Alison Mack neighbor I could rights book plus keith approached me last march he shoveling for my dog he said some scary thing to me he was so sweet to me not good
What’s interesting is that Bouchey knew for years that KAR was a liar and wasn’t the noble man she professed he was. But she still sold that phony version of Raniere to thousands of people. Bouchey was in the inner circle of NXIVM and was one of KAR’s punishers if people asked too many questions about her lover’s integrity. The problem with Bouchey is she didn’t come forward with the truth until she decided to leave in 2009 and never fully disclosed the full truth even then.
Bouchey didn’t tell her clients, the Bronfman sisters, that Raniere’s mathematical formula for the commodities market didn’t work (She knew because she supposedly lost $2 million from that same formula). As a result, Clare and Sara lost 68 million dollars.
Bouchey still claims that Raniere and NXIVM owe her over $2 million because of the commodities losses. But she always fails to share the fact that she claimed those losses on her IRS returns, thereby substantially reducing her loses.
Bouchey was funneled every rich student that came to NXIVM and became their financial planner. Her minimum portfolio requirement was $1 million. Bouchey made bank off of being a member of KAR’s inner circle. Upon her leaving, all her NXIVM clients replaced her – and she lost over 2/3 of her business within a week. How much did she make off them before that happened?
do not forget the lies of Catherine Oxenberg
Anonymous,
What lies did Oxenberg tell besides covering up the fact that her daughter was a branded member of DOS? I do not think anyone can fault a mother for lieing in relation to something so awful.
If I am missing something could you please explain?
The whole truth should come out; it is the genesis of the Frankreport.
Thanks
Catherine Oxenberg claims she was recruited into NXIVM by a female friend in 2011.
However, her ex-husband, the cuck actor Casper Van Dien, was in the cult by then and during spring 2010, was on Necker Island for the secret NXIVM meeting that Kristin Kreuk and Allison Mack were on.
It was vany huber Who told her about it.Where is the lies?Concerning her pseudo husband, it s been for some years that he was living his life Nike a bachelor lol….
What lies?
Explain your comment about Oxenberg’s lies.
I will gladly address them given the chance on the 18th.
Are you going to challenge her at the “talk?” The “talk” should at least be audio, if not video, recorded. After all, it’s 2019.
Was There Saw That. Saw that too. She was as cruel and punishing as the rest of the harem as long as she was in the pack.
I guess Barbara’s starlight was coming to a close and she went out with a bang!
Barbara you were a righteous bitch that deserved everything that was slapped back at you. There you have it YA!
And, so it goes. And, so it goes. …. .
Everyone has got their story of victimization and abuse at the hands of others, and everyone has their story of being the abuser and victimizer…..
“Was there, saw that”,
Regarding the “2 million dollar” capital loss that you claim Barbara can now write off as loss on her taxes….
Barbara will be writing that of at a rate of not greater than $3000 dollars a year. If she manages to live a hundreds years she will be able to take full advantage.
I am not trying to discredit everything you are saying just the taxes. Barbara will not be able to make up the 2 million loss; by writing it off over the course of her natural life.
Below is the exact rule.
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“If you don’t have capital gains to offset the capital loss, you can use a capital loss as an offset to ordinary income, up to $3,000 per year. (If you have more than $3,000, it will be carried forward to future tax years.)” ….
So the commentor “was there, saw that”,
should take solace that Barbara had a large loss for life and the write off will never come close to making up for the 2 million dollar loss.
3000 is the max. I bet Barbara probably claims the max. every year.
Most financial planners churn (constantly trade) their own accounts because they end up believing they understand the market. I had my series 7 years ago. I would love to hear Barbara claim otherwise.
She would have been much better off claiming it as a one-time “fraud” loss – and using it as an offset for her million-dollar-a-year income.
CPA,
I wish I had you as an accountant in 2007-2008.
LOL
Real reporters, Thank God!
People that understand journalism: how to write a story and conduct expose!
These “real reporters” didn’t accomplish squat.
Tex2,
No shit!!!!
You are an observant one Tex2.
LOL
And you missed my point, as usual. LOL
Thanks for making my point. LOL
They documented the abuses in systematic fashion!
They kept the flame of hope alive for victims!
They set a path for others to follow and build on!
Without Odato, Frank’s report of DOS abuses is flatly disregarded!
Unfortunately, due to the fears Nx had impregnated in the Albany area law enforcement and legal community 1 report in the TU was not enough. It took the NYT to bring to the attention of EDNY DOJ.
[…] Maybe when this nightmare is over – and Raniere and his co-defendants have all been sentenced to lengthy terms in federal prison – the Times Union can sponsor another panel discussion […]