Sir Richard Branson endorsed Raniere; now denies knowing him
The terrifying sex-slaver NXIVM cult held seminars on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in hope of ‘recruiting him into the organisation.
Sir Richard says he does not remember them.
Part of the reason they staged NXIVM seminars on Necker was NXIVM hoped to recruit Branson into the organisation. Branson would have been the biggest score they ever had – a billionaire businessman.
Several group members, including co-founder Nancy Salzman, Allison Mack, Kristin Kreuk, Emiliano Salinas and others went to Necker for two seminars in 2007 and 2010. They partied hard with Branson too.
NXIVM leader Keith Raniere, now being held without bail in the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center, on charges of sex trafficking and forced labor, did not attend either Necker Island trip.
The island was rented by Seagram’s heiress and NXIVM follower Sara Bronfman. She reportedly paid Branson $250,000 per visit for use of the entire island.
Sara and her sister Clare are rabidly devoted followers of NXIVM.
One of Raniere’s co-conspirator’s, “Smallville” actress Allison Mack was indicted along with Raniere on Friday. Both face a minimum 15 years in federal prison if convicted.
Sources say that Clare Bronfman – who may also be indicted soon – is now head of the sex slaver cult with Raniere and Mack in jail.
Branson was never a member of the cult but he did endorse one of Raniere’s events in 2009 permitting his name and a quotation attributed to him to be used in connection with Raniere and his foundation, the World Ethical Foundations Consortium.
The Branson endorsement said this about Raniere’s teachings:
“The tools you have for compassionately dealing with complex ethical and global issues are not only unique, but also extremely valuable. This, along with a program of coordinated, organized resources, makes for an innovative approach to transforming our society. I think your founding event will be extraordinary and potentially world changing! —Sir Richard Branson Founder, Virgin Group
Federal authorities allege Clare Bronfman orchestrated sending threatening letters to defecting slaves who tried to escape the cult. In doing so, Bronfman posed as a Mexican attorney, issuing “cease and desist” letters.
Branson’s friendship apparently was closer to sex-slave financier, Sara Bronfman, Clare’s sister.
Branson with sex slaver Keith Raniere’s major financiers, Sara Bronfman. The two cuddle on Necker Island during a gathering of sex slave members.
Although Branson may have been unaware of the abuses Raniere’s cult followers suffered, or the sinister inner-cult practices, the “ethical tools” Branson lauded Raniere for employing were in reality fleecing members’ funds by holding himself out to be the world’s smartest man; charging high costs for “intensives,” multi-day courses where members were sleep deprived, placed on semi-starvation diets and hypnotized; and forcing members into unpaid labor and tawdry sex episodes to satisfy debts owed to the cult, and Raniere’s sexual perversions.
Necker Island where NXIVM held events with Sir Richard Branson prsent.
In 2007 Nancy Salzman came back from the first Necker seminar and told me Richard Branson was there. Salzman said she did the teaching by day. But Branson hosted parties by night. The classes started at 7 am and were supposed to run to 9 pm or 10pm, but everyone was up late at night and no one wanted to show up on time. Salzman said that at Sir Richard’s parties some of the women gave pole dancing performances.
A spokesperson for Branson said, “There is no association between Keith Raniere and Sir Richard Branson and Sir Richard has no recollection of ever taking part in a seminar hosted by NXIVM. Clare and Sara Bronfman did hire Necker Island several years ago and we understand they hosted a gathering for team members of NXIVM. The island is available for hire by the public and this was one of many gatherings held on the island over the years by various groups from across the world. Sir Richard was not aware of any of the allegations against NXIVM or its leader whatsoever and did not himself host any intensive courses for the group.”
Branson with NXIVM members.
Actresses Allison Mack, Kristin Kreuk and Seagram’s heiress Sara Bronfman enjoying drinks at Necker Island. All three were coaches for NXIVM.
The Queen knights lots of people who turn out to be scoundrels, reprobates and mountebanks.
She knighted the art expert Anthony Blunt and he turned out to be a Soviet spy.
She knighted BBC TV host Jimmy Savile and after he died in 2011 it was reveled that Sir Jimmy Savile was a long time child molester and everyone at the BBC knew it.