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Clare Bronfman, the daughter of the late tycoon Edgar Bronfman Sr. and heiress to the Seagrams liquor empire, faced allegations of funding illicit activities after she crossed paths with Keith Raniere in 2002. Her involvement with NXIVM evolved from being a devoted follower to a board member, and she became a key financial backer and legal supporter of Raniere, allegedly sponsoring lawsuits against those deemed adversaries.
In a 2003 interview with Forbes, Bronfman’s father claimed she had lent NXIVM $2 million, a figure she disputed at the time. “I think it’s a cult,” remarked Bronfman Sr., who passed away in 2013.
On April 19, 2019, Bronfman admitted to charges of conspiring to conceal and harbor an undocumented immigrant for profit, along with fraudulent use of identification for assisting Raniere in using a deceased person’s credit card. As part of her punishment, she agreed to forfeit $6 million.
Expressing her regret, Bronfman informed U.S. District Court Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis, “I am truly remorseful. I sought to make a positive impact in the world and help others—yet I have made mistakes.”
On September 30, 2020, she received an 81-month prison sentence. Judge Garaufis explained the severe penalty by highlighting his concern over evidence indicating that Bronfman had habitually used her wealth and influence to intimidate, control, and punish individuals who left NXIVM or opposed it.
Bronfman was released from prison into a halfway house in May 2024, per the Albany Times-Union.