Claviger: Various Thoughts on Recent Developments on Raniere, Bronfman and Allison Mack

Clare Bronfman with Keith Raniere

By K.R. Claviger

A Question for Law Enforcement in Albany

Why would the Albany, NY-based IRS agents and FBI agents refuse to investigate all the tax fraud and money laundering they were informed about — and given evidence about — back in 2005?

And why did they never undertake any such investigations in the intervening 16 years between then and now?

Allison Spoke Well

Allison Mack leaving court

Allison did speak at her sentencing — and actually made what I consider to be a very cogent and effective statement

Keith’s New Attorneys

My recollection is that there were some reporting requirements and some restrictions put on Clare’s funds but since those were part of her bail requirements, they would no longer be applicable (When she was remanded into custody, her bail was automatically terminated). So, as long as Keith is willing to waive any potential conflict-of-interest, I see no reason why Clare can’t pay for his legal fees. Keith’s new attorneys, Jeff Lichtman and Marc Fernich, likely have appeared before Judge Garaufis before. If so, then they’ll know that he doesn’t react well when people try to bullshit him. If not, they better quickly figure that out.

We’ll get an early read when we see how they handle the upcoming restitution hearing scheduled for July 20.

Other than the fact that he doesn’t like being told what to do, I have no idea why Keith is fighting so hard over the various claims that are being asserted with regard to the restitution claims (It’s unlikely he’s ever going to be paying anything himself). So, it will be interesting to see how hard they argue on his behalf – especially since he won’t be there in person.

Keith will appear by video conferencing technology from USP Tucson.

Clare Paying for Keith’s Attorneys

My recollection is that there were some reporting requirements and some restrictions put on Clare’s funds but since those were part of her bail requirements, they would no longer be applicable (When she was remanded into custody, her bail was automatically terminated). So, as long as Keith is willing to waive any potential conflict-of-interest, I see no reason why Clare can’t pay for his legal fees.

By the way, the prosecution is just being super cautious – and, at the same time, using their filing as an opportunity to get it on the record that Clare is paying for Keith’s attorneys.

Clare can talk with her attorneys – and her attorneys can talk to Keith’s attorneys. So, it’s really not hard for her and Keith to exchange information.

A New Appeal?

The new attorneys will not be allowed to file a new direct appeal. The best they can do is buttress the arguments that Jennifer Bonjean made when they file a reply to the prosecution’s response brief but even then, they’ll be limited to the “legal issues” that Bonjean raised in her appellant brief.

The new attorneys will likely follow through on Bonjean’s plan to file a Rule 33 motion – but, unless they have truly come up with new evidence that was not available at the time of Keith’s trial – and unless that evidence warrants the overturning of one or more of Keith’s convictions – they’ll just be making money rather than getting Keith a new trial.

I would not be surprised if Keith directs the new attorneys to file one or more appeals based on “ineffective counsel”. Whether they will want to take on well-established attorneys like Marc Agnifilo and Jennifer Bonjean may determine how long Keith sticks with this group.

Mack and Clyne

Nicki Clyne and Allison Mack were wed in Feb. 2017. Frank believes it was a legit marriage.

Frank has his own opinion about the Allison/Nicki marriage – and, as he’s explained, that opinion is based, in large part, on his discussions and interactions with Nicki.

I’ve never had any discussions with Allison or Nicki about their marriage but my opinion – based on the other sham marriages that took place in NXIVM – was that it was probably not legit. Notwithstanding my own opinion, I respect the fact that Frank has a different opinion – especially since he’s had discussions and interactions with Nicki that I haven’t had.

Allison Mack

A commenter, “L” who knew Raniere personally wrote, “Maybe because paying restitution connotes Raniere did something wrong that requires redress. He does not like to be told he did something wrong – perhaps this is just his legal version of an enormous temper tantrum. That is, after all, his usual response if you cross him or imply he is anything less than perfect. Hair-trigger ego that one…”

Nancy Salzman

A commenter, comparing Clare Bronfman and Nancy Salzman wrote, “Clare was not likable and expressed a minimum of contrition, thus she got three times the suggested sentence. Nancy is likable and will likely be very contrite, so despite her leading role in Nxivm, she may get very little time (1 to 3 years).”

Claviger: I’m curious… What part of Nancy do you find likable?

Avenatti Cried Like a Baby

Nice Guy suggested that I never claimed I was a Michael Avenatti.

The hotshot hot air blowing attorney “openly wept” in court as he spoke, CNN reported. “I and I alone have destroyed my career, my relationships, my life, and there is no doubt that I deserve to pay, have paid, and will pay a further price for what I have done,” Avenatti said. He told the judge, “I’ve learned that all the fame, notoriety and money in the world is meaningless. TV and Twitter, your honor, mean nothing.” What does not mean nothing is that he allegedly stole millions from his clients.

Avenatti, 50, the lawyer who once represented Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against President Donald Trump, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for trying to extort up to $25 million from Nike by threatening the company with bad publicity.

Avenatti still faces trials on two additional criminal indictments, one in New York over allegations he defrauded Daniels, his former client, out of $300,000 from her book advance, and another in California, for allegedly defrauding millions of dollars from other clients of his law firm.

Claviger: Why in hell would I want to be Michael Avenatti?

Philadelphia Freedom

Given that Clare is still in Keith’s thrall, it’s hard for me to believe that she’ll come out of it by the time she gets out. Her scheduled release date is June 29, 2026. She will be 48.

Most first-time inmates stop bullshitting themselves after six months or so. Although it’s hard to believe, Clare has been imprisoned now for almost 10 months. And she’s spent all that time in a place that is a lot like MDC — albeit without the power outages and freezing.

So, I think Clare will most likely come out as Keith’s avenging angel — and, as soon as she is somewhere she can’t be extradited, she’ll, once again, be doing Keith’s bidding.

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K.R. Claviger

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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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