The cult that brands, burns and tortures together, stays together. At least financially.
Seagrams heiress Clare Bronfman is footing the bill for lawyers representing her five co-defendants, accused fellow Nxivm cult members, in federal court.
Svengali Keith Raniere, who allegedly ran the upstate New York sex sect, waived his right to a conflict of interest-free defense, disregarding a warning from the judge that the decision could impact further appeals.
Raniere’s attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Paul DerOhannesian are being paid by an irrevocable trust fund set up by Bronfman.
At a hearing in Brooklyn Federal Court Thursday, U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis said he would be “hard pressed” to recall another case in which a legal defense fund of its kind existed.
The Bronfman lawyers could potentially “put the interests of Clare Bronfman” before Raniere’s, and that includes which witnesses are called and lines of questioning on cross-examination, Judge Garaufis warned.
Should Raniere be convicted, he would not be able to cite the way his defense was paid as grounds for an appeal, the jurist explained.
The defense attorneys have agreed to continue representing their clients in the likely eventuality the money runs out.
Bronfman has set up a second trust for Raniere’s infant son, court documents revealed.
Kathy Russell, another co-defendant in the racketeering case, also waived her right to conflict of interest-free representation.
Raniere, 57, is accused of a litany of crimes related to the disturbing sex cult, including having sex with a 15-year-old girl and banishing a woman to a bedroom for two years because she refused to sleep with him, according to court documents.
Charges against billionaire Bronfman, 40, who posted $100 million bond in July, partly allege she used litigation as a weapon to “intimidate and attack” Raniere’s enemies.
“Smallville” actress Allison Mack, 35, is charged with recruiting women who she allegedly bullied into having sex with Raniere.
Members of the Nxivm cult are accused of branding people, burning and psychologically manipulating them until they fell in line with Raniere’s wishes.
———
©2019 New York Daily News
Visit New York Daily News at www.nydailynews.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
