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Clare Bronfman appears to have been the mastermind and benefactor of the NXIVM sex cult, which was exposed last year of human trafficking. Her sister, Nancy Salzman has agreed to plea deal in exchange for her full testimony. Keith Raniere was the visible leader of NXIVM and was arrested about a year ago as well. Even before that, actress Allison Mack had been arrested for recruiting women for the cult.
This appears to be the work of John Huber, who has been investigating human trafficking since November 2017 for the Department of Justice under President Trump. The noose is tightening, and when this goes to trial, it will expose many politicians and wealthy businessmen as NXIVM clients and supporters.
Clare Bronfman, an heiress to the Seagram liquor fortune, fainted Wednesday in federal court in New York City after a judge asked if she was being secretly represented by embattled celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti in a case where she is charged with money laundering and identity theft involving the alleged sex-cult NXIVM.
After Bronfman's fainting spell, it was revealed in open court that Avenatti had, in fact, last week met with federal prosecutors in Brooklyn about her case, according to a knowledgeable source. The details of that meeting were not disclosed.
With him at that sitdown was a lawyer known to be representing Bronfman, fellow celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos, who has been identified as an alleged co-conspirator of Avenatti's in a purported scheme to extort sneaker giant Nike, a prosecutor told the judge in the case. Geragos has not been criminally charged with Avenatti.
Bronfman's apparent collapse in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn came two days after Avenatti was accused by federal prosecutors in Manhattan and Los Angeles of trying to extort Nike for up to $25 million, defrauding a client out of a legal settlement, and defrauding a bank by offering the lender bogus income tax returns.
In regard to Michael Avanatti, he had been arrested on March 25, 2019 for extortion.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represented adult film star Stormy Daniels in her legal battles with U.S. President Donald Trump, was charged on Monday with what prosecutors said was an attempt to “shake down” Nike Inc for over $20 million.
Avenatti, who was also hit with separate embezzlement and fraud charges in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, was arrested in New York.
A federal magistrate judge ordered Avenatti, 48, released on $300,000 bond during a hearing in U.S. District Court in New York. A subdued Avenatti appeared in the courtroom wearing a dark gray suit and sitting with federal public defenders.