Manhattan Showdown: HBO Gears Up to Dismiss NXIVM Follower, Marc Elliot’s Suit

October 24, 2024
Marc Elliot
Marc Elliot

Marc Elliot’s Defamation Lawsuit Against STARZ

Marc Elliot, a loyalist of NXIVM who claims his Tourette’s Syndrome disappeared due to the teachings of Keith Alan Raniere, filed a $12 million defamation lawsuit against STARZ in 2021. The lawsuit was related to his portrayal in the documentary series “Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult.”

Elliot’s case was dismissed based on SLAPP and the judge ordered him to pay Starz’s attorney’s fees based on the lawsuit having no merit,  The STARZ film inters-spliced videos to misrepresent Elliot’s reactions to various teachings and words of Elliot’s glorious leader Keith Alan Raniere, and added an applause track after a recording of Raniere speaking to misrepresent the enthusiasm of his audience.

The result though falsely presented tended to show a somewhat truthful view of Elliot as a follower more than usually dedicated to a man that most of the rational world would find deplorable, despicable, criminal and perverted, not to mention entirely preposterously unappealing.

In short, STARZ made Elliot look the fool. He sued and it cost him.

New Lawsuit Against HBO for The Vow

Then in 2022, he sued HBO for its show The Vow’s portrayal of him in St. Louis.

HBO’s St. Louis law firm, Lewis Rice, with 192 lawyers, got the case transferred to Manhattan federal court, where HBO and its New York lawyers, the 600-lawyer firm of Ballard Spahr, will seek to get the case dismissed and probably seek the judge to order Elliot to pay HBO’s legal fees.

Elliot has no attorney and represents himself pro se.

Elliot’s Legal Strategy: A Familiar Influence?

Although some believe Elliot stands little chance against nearly 800 lawyers from two firms, others know better.

Those in the know understand Elliot is not alone. The same genius who helped Elliot overcome his Tourette’s Syndrome is guiding him in his legal strategy.

Keith Alan Raniere, supported by his enabler Clare Bronfman, has a reputation for using the legal system to make his points in a dramatic and punishing way. To date the former Vanguard of NXIVM has lost nearly every case he has been involved in, including his own. Currently, Raniere is serving a 120-year sentence.

Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker is designated to handle the HBO matter.

Isabella Constantino appears on the poster of My Tourettes

The Phone Call at the Center of the Lawsuit

Elliot filed a lawsuit in St. Louis City Circuit Court, claiming the filmmakers recorded a phone call he made without his consent. Over the course of two seasons, The Vow narrated the story of NXIVM, its leader Raniere, and his numerous former followers, who now view him as a royal turd.

Elliot plays a significant role in the third episode of The Vow’s second season, which centers on NXIVM’s alleged treatment of Tourette’s syndrome. Elliot asserts that NXIVM’s talk therapy and self-help courses helped him manage the condition.

The phone call central to his lawsuit took place between Elliot and Isabella Constantino. Isabella was upset when she learned from the Frank Report that Raniere’s female followers were branded with his initials. The docuseries depicts Elliot attempting to persuade her to rethink her decision to leave the group.

Elliot’s lawsuit alleges HBO did not have the legal right to broadcast that call.

He argues the producers “knew Plaintiff did not consent to the recording and did not waive any right to privacy in his voice, name and identification for the commercial use of the recording either by video or audio production.”

The transfer to federal court in Manhattan does not bode well for Elliot, regardless of the merits of the case.

author avatar
Frank Parlato
Frank Parlato is an investigative journalist, media strategist, publisher, and legal consultant.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

Elliot has a personal reason for believing in Raniere, and I can’t blame him for that. After all, he claims Raniere completely cured his condition improving his life immeasurably. But what I DO blame him for is publicly fighting for Raniere’s release. No matter how much he helped you, a single individual, he’s tortured hundreds of women directly or indirectly. Through the fear of releasing collateral, among other things, he forced them to have his initials burnt into their flesh. Thanks to the Bronfman sisters, he’s bought himself out of every problem he’s ever had. This is not an admirable man. He is not someone who belongs out here among us. Elliot needs to stop seeing this from a selfish view. He can support Raniere personally, but seeking his release is totally out of line.

Young
Young
1 year ago

Keith is the only one who can turn this law suit around.

Young
Young
1 year ago

I have no doubt Elliot will prevail if he listens to Master Raniere but will he listen?

Nothing better to do?
Nothing better to do?
1 year ago

Does this cuck, Marc Elliot, have nothing better to do? I mean, he is unemployable because of his membership in a sex cult that sex trafficked minors. Rather than try to repair his reputation by denouncing Raniere, Allison, Lauren, etc. he is trying to use lawfare to supplement his loss if income.

Marc, spend your time more wisely. Condemn Raniere, DOS, and Nxivm and move on. Close this dark chapter in your life.

Allison Mack Trivia
Allison Mack Trivia
1 year ago

Did you know
Trivia
Although Allison Mack’s custody includes not using the Internet, she was identified as a student at Berkeley in September 2020, which generated online outrage from her classmates. Mack apparently enrolled in multiple courses such as “Gender, Sex, and Power” and “The History and Practice of Human Rights.”

Benji Carver
Benji Carver
1 year ago

“Elliot has no attorney and represents himself pro se.”

How come Suneel is not assisting Elliot with paralegal duties? Is he too busy squeezing the Charmin in preparation for Clare’s release?

Suneel is bust wiping Clare's ass.
Suneel is bust wiping Clare's ass.
1 year ago
Reply to  Benji Carver

Suneel is busy wiping Clare’s ass, 24/7.

Last edited 1 year ago by Suneel is bust wiping Clare's ass.
Pilgrim
Pilgrim
1 year ago

Fuck Marc Elliot!! He is such a little BITCH. I loved it when Ethan Klein destroyed him on the H3 podcast.

MARC, FUCK YOU!!!

StevenJ
StevenJ
1 year ago
Reply to  Pilgrim

The Ethan Klein interview was epic. It was so humiliating for Marc that I almost felt sorry for him. He was so eager to promote NXIVM to a larger podcast audience that he let Ethan humiliate him. He should have terminated the interview wen he knew they were pranking him, but he didn’t.

Pilgrim
Pilgrim
1 year ago
Reply to  StevenJ

Yep. Watching Marc squirm as he was getting called out for being a child rape apologist was classic. Fuck Marc Elliot, fucking slimebag. And he attacked Cami after she was raped.

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