As of now, there have been no dates set for the sentencing of three of the six Nxivm convicts – Lauren Salzman, Allison Mack and Nancy Salzman.
This could mean:
Their sentencing reports are incomplete.
They are cooperating with the feds.
The three took plea deals in April. The trial of Keith Raniere ended in June.
The other three convicts – Raniere, Kathy Russell and Clare Bronfman –have had their sentencing dates set months ago. All three of them are scheduled for sentencing next month.
So why haven’t the other three women’s sentencing dates been set?.
I suspect the reason for the sentencing delay is that they have given information about additional crimes committed by Keith Raniere, Clare Bronfman and others.
If there is additional appetite on the part of the feds, it would make sense that the main target would not be Raniere. They have him on enough charges to put him in prison for decades.
Who would be of interest?
Clare Bronfman
Clare Bronfman has only been convicted of two minor felonies – harboring an illegal alien [Sylvie] for financial gain and identity theft [assisting in the use of the deceased Pam Cafritz’s credit card]. Clare faces about two years in prison.
Clare would be a worthy target. It will garner publicity and likely reap millions in fines and penalties – which are badges of honor for US Attorneys.
On top of that, former Assistant US Attorney Moira Penza is gone. By her leading the Nxivm prosecution, she was able to land a big-money partnership in a private law firm.
Another extremely competent attorney, Assistant US Attorney Tanya Hajjar, played second chair to Moira in the Raniere trial.
If she can bring another bombshell case against Nxivm – this time featuring Clare Bronfman and others – she too could leap in status and prominence – just like Moira did – whether she remains with the DOJ or hops to a big paying job in private practice.
In addition to Clare – and in order to make this a true bombshell case with the media – Tanya would almost certainly charge others too.
And not just low-level members, who are, for the most part, broke.
This is a money case. This would not be only about getting conviction stats. It would be about seizing money and reaping big fines.
She won’t be targeting criminals like Jimmy Del Negro or Esther Chiappone Carlson or slaves like Michele Hatchette. [Though they might charge Brandon Porter and Dr. Danielle Roberts; as physicians that will make headlines: The human fright doctor and the branding doctor].
If the DOJ EDNY is moving forward [and there are other indications that they are], they will want big names.
Names who make news. People who will pay big money to get out of prison or lessen their prison time.
In addition to Clare Bronfman, there is Sara Bronfman-Igtet, Emiliano Salinas, Alejandro Betancourt, and Rosa Laura Junco – for their money plus the “names-make-news” factor. And for the news factor only – Nicki Clyne [she’s broke.]
Clare Bronfman with her employee Nicki Clyne.
By the way, to bolster my argument that this notion of mine – that the two Salzmans and Mack are not scheduled for sentencing because they are cooperating with the feds – I offer:
It is standard to delay sentencing for cooperating witnesses until after they testify.
The better a cooperating witness testifies, the stronger the recommendation from the prosecution for leniency.
If they are already sentenced, they have less incentive to testify as the prosecution wants them to.
They are less able to work with the prosecution if they are in prison.
Judges usually cooperate with the prosecution and delay sentencing when someone who has been convicted is a cooperating witness until after the trial.
This may be why we saw Nancy and Lauren candidly photographed at a Starbucks recently laughing and seeming merry.
Do they look like they are headed to prison? They may already know they are in the clear.
So what do they know that could put others in prison?
Both Salzmans know enough to put Clare and probably Sara Bronfman away for decades.
Mack has info on Nicki Clyne and probably Clare too.
Lauren and Allison know a lot about Rosa Laura Junco.
Lauren knows even more about Emiliano Salinas and Alex Betancourt.
All of the above are rich or have families who are rich. Mexican parents of Salinas, Betancourt and Junco would pay tens of millions to save their children from years in prison.
Two other things suggest the investigation is active and that Clare is the main target.
Clare’s attorneys are fighting to keep Clare’s emails to Nxivm attorneys confidential under the attorney-client privilege doctrine.
The government has argued – in a motion before Judge Nicholas Garaufis – that since Nxivm is legally defunct, there can be no attorney/client privilege.
Clare’s lawyers have responded by saying that the Nxivm lawyers who were involved in the emails were also, in effect, her lawyers and, therefore, the government can’t see the emails.
Why would the DOJ take the time to make a motion to access attorney/client emails for Nxivm, [and Clare] if they had no further interest in prosecuting?
Why are Clare’s attorneys fighting this motion?
Judge for yourself. Here are the documents:
Tanya Hajjar
The DOJ is busy. Tanya Hajjar is not known to be otherwise idle or prone to wasting her time making motions when there is no indictment in sight. Tanya wants to see Clare Bronfman’s emails to attorneys on behalf of Nxivm.
Why?
The federal investigation is likely ongoing. The target is likely Clare, her sister, and a couple of wealthy Nxivm people.
Add another item.
Based on reports from within MDC where Keith is in custody, Keith’s attorneys are no longer paid by Clare Bronfman.
Neither is Sara chipping in. It is likely that Raniere will have a public defender to handle his appeal.
Adios! Keith Ranieres super lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, is likely to be free of Raniere after he is sentenced. [Photo by Dianne Lipson]
Why did Clare stop the funding? Maybe because she is up to her eyeballs in pending charges – charges that threaten her entire future.
If she is charged again, she will no longer be facing a mere two-year sentence.
To make this worthwhile [and she committed plenty of crimes to support it], she would have to be charged enough to be facing a decade or more. Charges that would allow her the opportunity to pay tens of millions [as much as optics will allow ] to buy down her sentence from the DOJ to a livable number of years.
If Sara Bronfman is also in trouble – the stakes might be high for the DOJ. They got $6 million off Clare on the last round.
Between the two sisters, the DOJ might reap $20 or $30 million – in return for the sisters buying down their sentences. [That’s how it works in America.]
The sisters are no longer paying Raniere’s lawyers, our source says. They may have finally realized what the monster has done to them and are in “save our own ass” mode.
Happy days. Nancy [Prefect] Salzman cuts the ribbon opening up the Mexico NXIVM Center. Alex Betancourt [l] Emiliano Salinas [R], two gullible lads, were led by Nancy for almost two decades. My crystal ball says Nancy will get off without a day in prison – and these two followers might wind up in the slammer yet.
As for the wealthy Mexican trio – Rosa Laura Junco – insane and cruel leader of DOS, who offered her virgin daughter to Raniere – and lovers, Salinas and Betancourt –the latter two who did so much to intimidate and extort Nxivm and DOS members who wanted to flee the cult – the DOJ can have a field day.
They all committed financial fraud.
Rosa Laura was deeply involved with the fraud concerning the late Pam Cafritz, wangling the money from her estate for Raniere and using the dead woman’s bank account and credit cards. She was, like Lauren and Allison, equally involved in forced labor and extortion of slaves, lying to them that Keith Raniere was not involved in DOS as she arranged to get their collateral and brand them for him.
Rosa Laura Junco
Rosa Laura is the daughter of Alejandro Junco, the biggest publisher in Mexico, a man rumored to have a net worth of more than one billion dollars.
Emiliano Salinas is the son of former Mexican president Carlos Salinas – who is reputed to be the boss or bosses of the Mexican drug cartels – Mexico’s most hated and feared man, a man who may be the richest man on earth [Forbes does not rank drug lords on their most rich list].
His son, Emiliano was involved with the racketeering conspiracy with Canaprobe, trying to spy on enemies. Moira Penza said outright in court that Emiliano committed crimes in connection with this.
Alex’s father was an accountant who made millions adjusting the books for his wealthy clients.
This would be the harvest – a trio of Mexican elites – and two Canadian heiresses.
A woman seeking to make her name – a woman like Tanya Hajjar – can make the most of this. This case could be bigger than the first Nxivm trial.
And Tanya would have three wonderful witnesses:
Nancy Salzman – who knows everything about everyone – largely because she was there with them leading them to commit nearly every crime.
Lauren Salzman – who knows a lot and has shown she can cry on cue.
She did splendidly for the prosecution in the last case – so good was she that the judge stopped her cross-examination because he felt sorry for her. He said it afterward – that he is a man first and a judge second.
Her tears were so exquisitely self-pitying, even jurors had a hard time holding back tears.
Then there is Allison Mack – the actress.
The lovely star – Allison Mack. Here is her chance at redemption.
Can you imagine how good she will be on the witness stand? Pretty, engaging, happy or sad, serious or expressive as the occasion demands. A witness with star quality.
She would be the central witness – called right in the middle of trial – crying on cue, being a victim – a credible victim, and sympathetic as she describes how Keith and Clare and Sara [along with Barbara Bouchey and Kristin Kreuk] sucked her in – how Clare and Sara flew her on their private jet and how she married Nicki for Nicki’s gain.
She can describe her long descent from beloved actress to a criminal at the hands of Bronfman-Raniere. It will be effective.
Will Others Be Charges?
If this scenario I am describing comes off, there may be others charged too – minor fry – for purposes of conviction stats and possibly cooperation. This one is in the bag if the EDNY wants it.
At this moment, the only reason I can think of for the delay in sentencing is cooperation.
Here is my prediction: If Mack, Salzman and Salzman are not scheduled for sentencing by the end of December, they will be witnesses for the prosecution and indictments will come down in late winter or early spring.
Viva Executive Success!
Finally, we cannot rule out public corruption charges – possibly involving public officials and attorneys who corrupted the system for Bronfman money. Nancy would know about this. Lauren might know something also.
