Bronfman was on Wednesday sentenced to more than six years in prison
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In 2003 Clare Bronfman seemed to have it all. At 23, she was an heiress to the multi-billion dollar Seagram’s whisky empire, and an aspiring showjumper with her sights set on the Olympics.
Seventeen years later she was sitting, looking stunned, in a New York court room, denounced as a "dangerous megalomaniac” and “predator," and about to start a jail sentence of nearly seven years over her role in what prosecutors called a “sex cult”.
Prosecutors described how Bronfman had bankrolled, to the tune of over $100 million (about £77 million), the Nxivm group, in which women were turned into sex slaves and branded with the initials of its leader, Keith Raniere, who they called "Vanguard" or “Grandmaster".
Bronfman, now 41, was born into immense wealth and privilege.
Her late father was Edgar Bronfman, the Canadian chairman of Seagram’s, whose wealth was estimated at $2.6 billion. Her mother was the daughter of an English pub owner. After her parents’ divorce, her mother married Nigel Havers, the actor.
Keith Raniere, who turned women into sex slaves and had his initials branded on their skin
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She spent her childhood in the 1990s at an English boarding school, and visiting her mother in Kenya.
But, according to her own account, she suffered from anxiety and was looking for “purpose” in her early 20s.
Bronfman’s sister, Sara, introduced her to the New York-based self improvement group Nxivm — pronounced "nexium’ — which offered "executive success programmes”.
In addition to Raniere, another co-founder was referred to as “Prefect".
Bronfman’s billionaire father also initially embraced the movement, but later became suspicious when his daughter loaned it $2 million. He went on to tell Forbes magazine: "I think it’s a cult.”
By 2010 Bronfman was personally organising Raniere’s 50th birthday celebrations — a retreat called VWeek in New York state, which she said would give attendees the chance to "experience a civilised world". She became a member of the group’s executive board.
Allison Mack, the Smallville star, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and fraud
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The money she poured in reportedly helped buy $30 million worth of property in Los Angeles and New York, and a 22-seat private plane, and funded legal cases against former members of the group.
Others recruited to Nxivm included Allison Mack, the Hollywood actress who appeared in the television series Smallville.
By 2017, as media coverage of Nxivm mounted, Bronfman was still determinedly defending Raniere, saying he was "a man dedicated to the betterment of the lives of others.”
Last year she pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to conceal and harbour an illegal alien for financial gain, and fraudulent use of identification.
In a letter to the court, ahead of her sentencing, Bronfman wrote that she "never meant to hurt anyone. However, I have and for this I am deeply sorry.”
But she said she could not disavow Raniere as "Nxivm and Keith greatly changed my life for the better.”
Barbara Bouchey, a former member of Nxivm who became a whistleblower, outside the court on Wednesday
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Her lawyers maintained that she deserved leniency because she had no direct involvement in the most disturbing allegations about the organisation.
Those included that there was a secret society called "DOS" in which women became "slaves" to Raniere. Bronfman’s lawyers said she knew nothing about DOS.
Last year, Raniere was found guilty of charges including sex trafficking, forced labour conspiracy, and racketeering. He could face life in jail.
Mack, who also said she joined the group to "find purpose", has pleaded guilty to charges including sex trafficking.
Bronfman was the first person to be sentenced in the case. In addition to her jail sentence she was ordered to forfeit $6 million, and pay a $500,000 fine. Prosecutors said she is worth $200 million.
At her sentencing hearing Bronfman said: "I have made mistakes, I’m sorry for the time and resources I have taken from the court.
Bronfman pictured last year. She said: "All over the world, people are praying for me because they know my goodness"
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"I’m immensely grateful and privileged because all over the world, people are praying for me because they know my goodness. It doesn’t mean I haven’t made mistakes."
During the hearing nine Nxivm victims took turns addressing the court, and Bronfman.
Susan Dones, who fled Nxivm, told the court through tears: "In my opinion, you’re a predator. Let that sink in. I pray that you will take the claws of Keith Raniere out of you, and you will learn who Clare Bronfman really is. He is killing you.”
Kristin Keeffe, who who fled the organisation with her son in 2014, said: "I saw Clare mentally descend over several years into a dangerous megalomaniac.”
Judge Nicholas G Garaufis said he had been "troubled by evidence suggesting that Ms Bronfman repeatedly and consistently leveraged her wealth and social status as a means of intimidating, controlling, and punishing” opponents of Nxivm.
The judge added: "She used her incredible wealth as a means of intimidation, threat and exacting revenge on individuals who challenged its dogmas.”
He then handed down a sentence of 81 months in jail, which was even harsher than the five years prosecutors had asked for.
According to witnesses Bronfman touched her throat as if she was finding it hard to swallow. Ronald Sullivan, her lawyer, said there would be an immediate appeal.
He said: "The decision was clearly an abomination. It was outrageous. It was a miscarriage of justice."
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