The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has filed a letter with the court seeking restitution for the victims of Keith Raniere. The letter was filed under seal and accompanied by restitution claims made by individuals who say Raniere harmed them.
Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis’ subsequent order, which asks Raniere’s counsel to give him a date for filing a response, suggests that he is going to order Raniere to pay restitution to at least some of those making claims.
Judge Nicholas Garaufis
“ORDER: The court acknowledges receipt of the Government’s [997] Letter regarding restitution and of the accompanying restitution claims. The court will award restitution to the victims of Mr. Raniere’s offenses, according to terms to be determined after Mr. Raniere has an opportunity to respond, and to be set forth in a subsequent order. The court DIRECTS Mr. Raniere’s counsel to advise the court as to how much time it needs to respond to the restitution claims and recommendations submitted by the Government. Ordered by Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis on 1/27/2021.”
Raniere inherited the $8 million estate of one of his longtime partners, Pamela Cafritz, out of which restitution will likely be made.
The late Pam Cafritz died in Nov. 2016 and left her money to Keith Raniere.
It is unknown how many people will be designated victims by the judge. At the trial, there were witnesses that testified who are likely seeking restitution. Based on their verdict, the jury determined they were victims of specific crimes: Nicole, Jessica Joan, Sylvie, Daniela, James Loperfido (a Nxivm accountant whose computer was hacked into by Daniela, allegedly under Keith’s order), and Mark Vicente.
In addition to these, about 90 others have filed victim impact statements. Many of these will likely be seeking a share of the $8 million. How the judge will determine who is a victim and who is not and how much any of those claiming to be victims are entitled to receive remains to be seen.
Other than those who testified at his trial, Raniere will not be permitted to confront any of his accusers seeking his assets via cross-examination under oath. He is permitted to rebut their claims in a written filing.
Keith Raniere inherited some $8 million from the late Pamela Cafritz, but the likelihood of him getting to spend any of it seems quite remote.
Because the prosecution’s letter was filed under seal, we do not know the names of those seeking restitution. It is known that the prosecution helped to organize people making restitution claims against Raniere, contacting certain people to persuade them to file claims.
On top of that, attorney Neil Glazer represents many, if not the majority of those filing victim claims, most of whom are also plaintiffs in a federal civil lawsuit against Raniere, and other leaders of Nxivm.
In addition to those who were judged to be victims of crimes by the jury in Raniere’s criminal trial — Sylvie, Nicole, Jessica Joan, Daniela, Loperfido, Vicente, possibly Lauren Salzman — there is likely to be on the list of victims seeking restitution: Camila, her brother Adrian, mother Adriana, Sally Brink, Sarah Edmondson, Bonnie Piesse, India Oxenberg, Barbara Bouchey, Toni Natalie, Susan Dones, Ivy Nevares, Anthony Ames, Jen Kobalt, numerous women who were in DOS and/or Nxivm and Kristin Keeffe.
