Clare Bronfman Pleads Guilty In Nxivm Sex Slave Cult Case
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Heiress Clare Bronfman pleaded guilty on Friday to being involved in the alleged sex-slavery cult Nxivm, CBS News reported.
In her plea, Bronfman admitted she hid someone living in the U.S. illegally for unpaid “labor and services.” She also said she committed credit card fraud while working for Keith Raniere, who led Nxivm in upstate New York.
Bronfman, the daughter of the late philanthropist and former Seagram chairman Edgar Bronfman Sr., told the judge she was trying to help people. Nxivm described itself as a “self-help” organization, but according to officials, it was actually a cult that branded members and forced them into having sex with Raniere.
Bronfman apologized for her involvement with the organization. “Your honor, I was afforded a great gift by my grandfather and father,” she said. “With the gift, comes immense privilege and more importantly, tremendous responsibility. It does not come with an ability to break the law.”
She is required to pay $6 million of a fortune worth $200 million, according to CBS, and faces more than two years in prison. She’ll be sentenced July 25.
Raniere is facing conspiracy and sex trafficking charges. Four other Nxivm insiders, besides Bronfman, have pleaded guilty, including former “Smallville” actress Allison Mack, who was Raniere’s top aide.
Alyssa Fisher is a writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher
Did you know that only 2% of Forward readers donate to support our nonprofit newsroom? That 2% make it possible for millions to read the Forward without a paywall or subscription — removing any barriers to the full and fair Jewish story.
But while the Forward is free to read, it isn’t free to produce. Big stories — like deep dives into the antisemitism data, political scoops or reporting trips to college campuses — take months of research and fact-checking. All while we keep you informed of what you need to know each day.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward Publisher & CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
