In a surprise discovery, Frank Report has learned that three of Lauren Salzman’s six slaves have written statements to Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis asking the judge not to sentence Lauren to prison time.
On top of that, the woman who many believe was Lauren’s biggest victim, Daniela, also wrote that Lauren deserves forgiveness.
Unlike Allison Mack, whose slaves in the DOS sorority sought to see her placed behind bars, three women – including Sarah Edmondson – asked that she be dealt with leniently and put the blame on Keith Raniere for Lauren’s mistakes and misconduct.
The other two slaves – Audrey and Amanda – also asked that their former master be spared.
Amanda is a lawyer.
The DOS brand of Audrey was used as an exhibit at the trial of Keith Raniere
Dozens of photos of Audrey’s brand were used as an exhibit during the trial to show how the brand looked over a period of time when it went from raw to matured scarring.
Edmondson was the original DOS whistleblower who contacted Frank Report to confirm Catherine Oxenberg’s incredible story that Raniere had begun branding women on the groin after taking collateral from them.
She wrote a book about her experiences and appeared on the HBO docuseries The Vow.
“These victims have asked the Court for leniency, recognizing the abusive and complex nature of Keith’s relationship with Lauren, when imposing Lauren’s sentence,” wrote Salzman’s attorneys Hector Diaz and Andrea Tazioli.
Audrey wrote:
Lauren was herself victimized by Keith within and outside of DOS. This should perhaps be given more weight for Lauren given that she was subject to Keith’s manipulations—with her own mother’s endorsement—over a period of 20 years in her very early adulthood… Having been under Keith’s influence since graduating college, I do not believe Lauren has ever experienced true freedom in her entire adult life. It is my sincere wish for her to finally have that.
And “Bringing Keith Raniere to justice may not have happened but for Lauren’s testimony at trial.”
And “I do not believe that Lauren is a continued threat to me or to society more broadly, and I have no reason to believe she would have committed any of these crimes without Keith’s influence. I also believe that even without a carceral sentence, the consequences of Lauren’s actions on her life are already devastating, including the loss of income and career, a majority of her friends, and the permanent reputational damage of being a convicted felon in a case with significant notoriety… Lauren should be shown leniency.
Sarah Edmondson
Sarah Edmonson stated that Lauren “helped show the world that [Keith] is indeed a con man… We have all been betrayed but [her] role was the proverbial nail in the coffin…”
She also stated, in a letter addressing Lauren, “I am not sure that prison is right for you (I trust the judge understands the complicated nature of your involvement and will factor that into your sentence.”
Another former DOS member, Amanda, also does not believe a prison sentence for Lauren is warranted:
She wrote, “The consequences in my life, as I see them today, do not feel well addressed through Lauren serving a prison sentence. I believe she has a heart, a conscience, a soul. I believe that she wanted a meaningful and rich life for herself and others. She was tender and gave to others even when it was inconvenient. She dedicated her life to helping people work through their most challenging life limitations and traumas, including me… I simultaneously recognize the injury, yet arrive at a position of mercy, based on many years of reflection and thoughtful consideration.
Surprisingly, even Daniela, the woman Lauren helped to confine to a room for almost two years, is supportive of forgiveness.
While Daniela does not “provide any input regarding how the Court should sentence Lauren; incredibly, she forgives Lauren for her conduct.
Daniela in her victim letter recognizes that Lauren, like Daniela, also “suffered at the hands of Raniere.”
“These women were all victims of Lauren’s criminal conduct. However, these women also appreciate that Lauren too was a victim of Keith’s manipulation, lies and deceit. These women attribute Lauren’s criminal conduct in large part to Keith’s influence over her. It is these first-hand accounts and realizations that likely contribute to these victims’ beliefs that incarceration would not serve the interests of justice in her case,” Lauren’s lawyers wrote.
