Thursday, April 15, 2021

Traffickers are using for illegally dosing unsuspecting women and girls

DV (domestic violence) also known as DV for Daily Value

an aka Traffickers are using for illegally dosing unsuspecting women and girls.

April 15, 2021

by Nicole Wright


In Texas 2021, I was covering Cyber Crime, when a woman name Rane Patel came forward. She was a current or former Sugar Baby, and a current sex worker, being abused by her boyfriend. She wanted to tell me about the sadistic abuse by her Master, Jason Baer.

She proceeded to share with me information about her drug addiction and arrests. It seemed as though her issues with addiction started early, and happened as she had been a beautiful teenager, who was groomed by a predator in her formative years. The arrests initially seemed to be due to acts of desperation when she'd had enough and was trying to escape domestic violence. Over time, that pattern continued. Although it also seemed that she became complicit in the crimes as her rap sheet grew - she felt she had tried everything with no way out, and nothing left to resort to.

She was in her 30's, and had little to live for. She was depressed, addicted, and looking for love. She seemed confused about what love meant. She was easily groomed by Jason Baer, and shared with me their first sexual encounter, where she was drugged and raped. Within a month, Jason Baer abused her again, and had her arrested, for his abuse. Ironic. He clearly knew how to abuse the system too.

When I interviewed Jason, his side stepped many of my questions. However I am certified in Dr. Paul Ekman's lie detection techniques, and Jason was no match at all.

The part I found interesting, was his continued references to DV.

My interview with Rane, DV meant Domestic Violence.

My interview with Jason, he was referencing something different, but wouldn't say what it was.

I dug deeper, and less than a year later, turned up some linked information related to Phenytoin. I have a hunch that he meant Daily Value of Phenytoin for his victims. Just a hunch.

The technology Jason is using to abuse women, sex traffic, and drug traffic (he is facing felony drug trafficking charges in one state), is the same or similar technolgy that Wisdom Systems is using to harass individuals who left The Forum, or individuals who know too much. Truth is transparent. Even more obvious to the trained and analytical eye. When you look at a situation without judgement, the pieces are all there. People's responses to questions, tells even more about what you cannot see.

This hunch about Daily Value of Phenytoin relates to Craig Brewer, who is a criminal I interviewed in 2015, when I was trying to get to the bottom of a female assault case from 2012.

Craig Brewer is a teacher at Sterne School in San Francisco, California. He told me that he was targeting Celebrities, and wanted to know more about my former cooking school, My Celebrity Chef. During the process of the interview, he thought he was interviewing me. In his narcisstic glory, he failed to recognize that he had already tipped me off to his criminal intentions. His NPD blindness allowed me to go deeper.

Craig had a slip of paper in his pocket with the name of a drug, and it's half-life.

He kept going back to that paper, and a physical memory he was holding onto, and smiling uncontrollably. This is machiavellianism.

I asked him what he was going back to. He started talking about a girl in his class. She was young; maybe 12; I'm not sure. Her name was Laura. He told me that he gave her special water. And then the following day, would ask her to tell him about any talks she had had with her mother, who was a nutritionist. He said that her mother could not figure out what was wrong with the girl, nor the reason for her outbursts. He was delighted by this. He revelled in it. [He was drugging Laura.]

I asked him why specifically he derived so much pleasure from his game (as he called it) with Laura.

He looked upset for a moment, and his face scrunched up in a bizarre and painful way, that was alarming, and very telling. He confessed that he hated her for who she was and what she had, and wanted to destroy her life.

I exited the interview. I went to the restroom, then went to get my bag and leave. I found the half-life note had been placed there. My allergy presciption, Loratadine, was out of it's bag and sprinkled around. I felt threatened. I called the police. The police came and completed a search. They found a bottle of Gabapentin that was Craig's. They said nothing was out of order legally, but that I was clearly upset. I went to the emergency room and reported abuse and tampering by Craig. They took the report, and I went home.

Craig messaged me, telling me that if I told anyone else, that I would be punished.

2017 I ran into an aspect of Craig's game again, which I handled, then increased my security.

I saw Craig around the same time I interviewed Rane Patel and Jason Baer in 2021. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Besides hurting the Sterne School student, Laura, Craig admitted to hurting other of his students in New York. He liked to work with disabled kids, and they didn't know he was a perpetrator.




Tuesday, October 27, 2020

DOJ: Acting U.S. Attorney Seth D. DuCharme announces sentencing of Nxivm leader Keith Raniere

 Eastern District of New York

Acting U.S. Attorney Seth D. DuCharme announces sentencing of Nxivm leader Keith Raniere

October 27, 2020

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK  - Acting United States Attorney Seth D. DuCharme speaks to the media outside Brooklyn Federal Court after Nxivm founder and leader Keith Raniere is sentenced to 120 years in prison.  See more at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/nxivm-leader-keith-raniere-sentenced-120-years-prison-racketeering-and-sex-trafficking

Updated June 21, 2022
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/video/acting-us-attorney-seth-d-ducharme-announces-sentencing-nxivm-leader-keith-raniere

DOJ: NXIVM Leader Keith Raniere Sentenced to 120 Years in Prison for Racketeering and Sex Trafficking Offenses

 Eastern District of New York

Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Eastern District of New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 27, 2020

NXIVM Leader Keith Raniere Sentenced to 120 Years in Prison for Racketeering and Sex Trafficking Offenses

Keith Raniere, the founder and leader of Nxivm, was sentenced today to 120 years in prison by United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis in federal court in Brooklyn.  Raniere was convicted by a federal jury in June 2019 of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy.  The Court also imposed a fine of $1,750,000.  At the sentencing hearing, the Court heard victim impact statements from 15 individuals, including “Camila,” the victim who was sexually exploited by Raniere when she was 15 years old.  A hearing on victim restitution will be held at a later date.

Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office (IRS-CI), announced the sentence.

“The 120-year sentence imposed on Keith Raniere today is a measure of his appalling crimes committed over a decade,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme.  “Raniere exploited and abused his victims emotionally, physically and sexually for his personal gratification.  It is my hope that today’s sentence brings closure to the victims and their families.”  Mr. DuCharme extended his grateful appreciation to the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York State Police and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York for their valuable assistance during the investigation and prosecution.

“Raniere’s reign of control over the women he scarred, both physically and emotionally, is the making of a horror story. It is inconceivable to think of the sexual exploitation, abuse, seclusion, and mind control his victims suffered—at his direction. Today the judge has given him 120 years to think about whether or not the torture he inflicted on others for more than a decade, and the distress he brought to their families, was worth it in the end,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.

“Sexual exploitation of children and women is among the most reprehensible and vile forms of crime,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Larsen. “While Keith Raniere’s sentence cannot erase the pain his victims have endured, I hope it provides an opportunity for healing and a path forward. Today’s sentencing should be a warning for criminals around the world. Regardless of the illegal enterprise and whether the profits are tangible or not, IRS-CI will decode illicit schemes and hold criminals accountable for the pain, suffering and financial abuse of their victims.”

Raniere led a criminal racketeering enterprise and relied on an “inner circle” of co-conspirators to carry out his orders.  The purpose of the enterprise was to promote Raniere and to recruit individuals into purported self-help organizations that Raniere founded, including Nxivm and DOS (“Dominus Obsequious Sororium”).  Raniere and his co-conspirators committed a wide range of criminal activity, including sex trafficking, forced labor, alien smuggling, wire fraud and obstruction of justice.  Specifically, Raniere sexually exploited “Camila,” then a 15-year-old child, and took photographs of his abuse.  At the time, Raniere was 45 years old. Raniere and his co-conspirators also trafficked “Daniela” for labor and services and confined her to a room for nearly two years in an attempt to force Daniela to do work for him.  Daniela was told that if she left the room, she would be sent to Mexico without any identification documents.  Daniela went months without human contact and was denied prompt medical care.  During this time, Daniela wrote hundreds of letters to Raniere pleading to be released from her confinement.  Daniela testified at trial that while confined to the room, she contemplated suicide. 

In late 2015, Raniere created and led DOS, a secret organization in which women were recruited under the false pretense of joining a women-only mentorship group, later discovering that they had taken “vows of obedience” to women who were “slaves” to Raniere.  Prospective DOS victims were required to provide “collateral”—including damaging confessions about themselves and loved ones (truthful or not), rights to financial assets, and sexually explicit photographs and videos—to prevent them from leaving the group or disclosing its existence to others.  Raniere required DOS “slaves” to take nude photographs, perform labor, and in some cases, to engage in sex acts with him.  As proved at trial, the victims “Nicole” and “Jay” were among the DOS victims directed to have sex with Raniere. 

Each of Raniere’s co-defendants previously pleaded guilty.  On September 2020, Clare Bronfman was sentenced to 81 months’ imprisonment after having been convicted of conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens for financial gain and fraudulent use of personal identification information.  The remaining co-defendants are awaiting sentencing.  On March 12, 2019, Nancy Salzman, Nxivm’s president and co-founder, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy.  On March 25, 2019, Lauren Salzman, a first-line “master” in DOS, pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.  On April 8, 2019, Allison Mack, another first-line “master” in DOS, pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.  On April 19, 2019, Kathy Russell, a bookkeeper for Nxivm, pleaded guilty to visa fraud.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar, Mark J. Lesko and Kevin Trowel are in charge of the prosecution.  Assistant United States Attorney Karin Orenstein of the Office’s Civil Division is handling forfeiture matters.

The Defendant:

KEITH RANIERE (also known as “Vanguard” and “Grandmaster”)
Age:  60
Waterford, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-204 (S-2) (NGG)

Topic(s): 
Human Trafficking
Immigration
Contact: 
John Marzulli United States Attorney’s Office (718) 254-6323
Updated October 27, 2020

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

DOJ: NXIVM Executive Board Member Clare Bronfman Sentenced to 81 Months in Prison for Identity Theft and Immigration Offenses

 Eastern District of New York

Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Eastern District of New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 30, 2020

NXIVM Executive Board Member Clare Bronfman Sentenced to 81 Months in Prison for Identity Theft and Immigration Offenses

Clare Bronfman, a high-ranking member of Nxivm’s Executive Board, was sentenced by United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis today in federal court in Brooklyn to 81 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens for financial gain and fraudulent use of personal identification information.  Bronfman pleaded guilty in April 2019 and pursuant to her plea agreement forfeited $6 million.  The Court also imposed a fine of $500,000 and restitution to be paid to victim “Jane Doe 12” in the amount of $96,605.

Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the sentence.

“Defendant Bronfman twisted our immigration system to serve a reprehensible agenda, and engaged in flagrant fraud to the detriment of her victims and in the service of a corrupt endeavor,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme.  “With today’s sentence, she has been held accountable for her crimes.” 

Mr. DuCharme extended his appreciation to the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York State Police and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York for their assistance during the investigation and prosecution.

“Today, Clare Bronfman is the first of many to be sentenced for the crimes she committed in furtherance of Nxivm’s objectives. While her fate in no way removes the trauma Nxivm’s victims will likely continue to suffer, it does highlight the government’s efforts to bring to justice all of those involved in a series of illegal acts carried out for the benefit of this organization. She recently wrote to the judge telling him that Nxivm and Keith Raniere had changed her life for the better. She will now have more than six years behind bars to contemplate that sentiment, and decide once and for all if it’s as easy to accept as she once believed it to be,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.

“IRS-CI specializes in financial investigations where following the money much of the time is a result of greed,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Larsen. “Defendant Bronfman is now paying the price for her behavior that reached a depraved level beyond just financial greed.”

Between October 2015 and January 2018, Bronfman recruited individuals into Nxivm-affiliated organizations and then sought to obtain visas or other immigration status for them based on false or fraudulent representations.  Bronfman recruited one woman from Mexico (“Jane Doe 12”) to work for a fitness-related Nxivm-affiliated company.  Bronfman then submitted documents purporting to hire Jane Doe 12 as a management consultant with a salary of $3,600 per month in order to secure a work visa for her, but Bronfman paid Jane Doe 12 only approximately $4,000 over the course of more than a year for her work.  In response to Jane Doe 12’s pleas to be paid a living wage, Bronfman told Jane Doe 12 she would have to “earn” her visa by doing additional uncompensated work. 

After the death of one of Raniere’s partners, Bronfman participated in a scheme to assist Raniere in fraudulently using the partner’s credit card information to keep money and assets out of Raniere’s name to evade paying income tax and his creditors or their judgments against him.

Five of Bronfman’s co-defendants were previously convicted on various charges and are awaiting sentencing.  On June 19, 2019, Keith Raniere was convicted after a jury trial of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking and sex trafficking conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy.  On March 12, 2019, Nancy Salzman, Nxivm’s president and co-founder, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy.  On March 25, 2019, Lauren Salzman, a first-line “master” in DOS, a secret society within Nxivm with levels of women “slaves” headed by “masters,” pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.  On April 8, 2019, Allison Mack, another first-line “master” in DOS, pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.  On April 19, 2019, Kathy Russell, a bookkeeper for Nxivm, pleaded guilty to visa fraud. 

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar and Mark J. Lesko are in charge of the prosecution.  Assistant United States Attorney Karin Orenstein of the Office’s Civil Division is handling forfeiture matters.

The Defendant:

CLARE BRONFMAN
Age:  41
Clifton Park, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-204 (S-2) (NGG)

Topic(s): 
Identity Theft
Immigration
Contact: 
John Marzulli United States Attorney’s Office (718) 254-6323
Updated September 30, 2020

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

DOJ: Jury Finds Nxivm Leader Keith Raniere Guilty of All Counts

 Eastern District of New York

Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Eastern District of New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Jury Finds Nxivm Leader Keith Raniere Guilty of All Counts

Raniere and His Co-Conspirators Operated a Racketeering Enterprise Victimizing Women Through Sex Trafficking and Other Crimes

Keith Raniere, the founder and leader of Nxivm, was convicted today by a federal jury in Brooklyn of all seven counts of a superseding indictment charging him with racketeering and racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking and sex trafficking conspiracy; forced labor conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy.  The racketeering offense included predicate acts of extortion, identity theft, and production and possession of child pornography.  The verdict followed more than six weeks of trial before United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis.  When sentenced, Raniere faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to life in prison.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), announced the verdict.

 “As found by the jury, Keith Raniere masqueraded as a self-help guru to gain the trust of his followers, and then exploited them for his own financial gain and sexual gratification,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “Raniere and his co-conspirators will now face the consequences for the serious crimes they committed and the profound harm they have caused their victims.”  Mr. Donoghue extended his grateful appreciation to Homeland Security Investigations, the New York State Police and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York for their assistance during the investigation and prosecution.

“Nxivm’s so called self-help programs did anything but help the women they professed to empower,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.  “What’s been proven today is that Keith Raniere preyed on the vulnerabilities of his many female victims, sold them lies and other falsehoods, and committed horrifying acts of coercion.  This guilty verdict is a welcome end to a case that highlighted the many avenues of criminal activity pursued by a man whose intentions were deplorable beyond belief.”   

“IRS Criminal Investigation plays a pivotal role in tracing the illicit funds from such horrendous criminal behavior,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Larsen.  “We proudly stand with our law enforcement partners in uncovering such crimes, and justice has been served.”
As proven at trial, in 2003, Raniere founded Nxivm, a purported self-help organization headquartered in Albany, New York, with centers operating elsewhere in the United States, Mexico and Canada.  Raniere established Executive Success Programs (“ESP”), a series of purported self-help workshops in which participants paid thousands of dollars to attend classes based on Raniere’s teachings.  In 2015, Raniere added a secret society within Nxivm called DOS or “The Vow,” with levels of women “slaves” headed by “masters.”  The goal of the criminal enterprise was to promote Raniere, for example, by exalting his teachings and ideology, and to recruit new members, including as sexual partners for Raniere.   

In the course of their racketeering enterprise, Raniere and his co-conspirators committed multiple crimes, including sex trafficking, forced labor, computer hacking, fraud and identity theft.  Raniere maintained command and control over his DOS members by collecting “collateral” from them, such as sexually explicit photos and letters making accusations against their loved ones that would be embarrassing if disclosed.  For example, “Nicole,” a victim witness, testified that she was coerced into providing labor and services for Nxivm, which included taking photographs of naked women members and engaging in sex acts with Raniere, under threat of release of her collateral.  DOS slaves were also branded with Raniere’s initials in their pelvic area using a cauterizing pen.  The members of the “inner circle” were rewarded with financial opportunities and increased power and status within the enterprise.

Raniere and his co-conspirators also worked to support Raniere and protect Nxivm from perceived enemies.  Raniere conspired with two of his closest associates in Nxivm to have “Daniela,” a member of his inner circle at the time, cross the Canadian border into the U.S. with a fake identification card bearing the name of a dead woman.  Daniela testified that she assisted Raniere hack into the email accounts of persons he believed were enemies of Nxivm.

Among Raniere’s crimes was sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography.  Specifically, Raniere began having sex with a victim member identified as “Camila” when she was 15-years-old and he was 45.  Raniere also took naked photographs of Camila when she was a minor.

Each of Raniere’s co-defendants previously pleaded guilty.  On March 12, 2019, Nancy Salzman, Nxivm’s president and co-founder, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy.  On March 25, 2019, Lauren Salzman, a first-line master over slaves in DOS, pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.  On April 8, 2019, Allison Mack, a first-line master, pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.  On April 19, 2019, Clare Bronfman, a high-ranking member of Nxivm’s Executive Board, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conceal and harbor illegal aliens for financial gain, and fraudulent use of identification documents, and Kathy Russell, Nxivm’s bookkeeper, pleaded guilty to visa fraud.  They are awaiting sentencing.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Moira Kim Penza, Tanya Hajjar, Mark J. Lesko and Kevin M. Trowel are in charge of the prosecution.  Assistant United States Attorney Karin Orenstein of the Office’s Civil Division is handling forfeiture matters.

The Defendant:

KEITH RANIERE (also known as “Vanguard” and “Grandmaster”)
Age:  58
Waterford, New York

The Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:

CLARE BRONFMAN
Age:  40
Clifton Park, New York

ALLISON MACK
Age:  36
Brooklyn, New York

KATHY RUSSELL
Age:  61
Clifton Park, New York

LAUREN SALZMAN
Age:  43
Clifton Park, New York

NANCY SALZMAN (also known as “Prefect”)
Age:  65
Clifton Park, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-204 (S-2) (NGG)

Topic(s): 
Human Trafficking
Violent Crime
Contact: 
John Marzulli Tyler Daniels United States Attorney’s Office (718) 254-6323
Updated June 19, 2019