2019 Federal Trial

Opening statements offered competing accounts of Raniere’s intentions and DOS. Sylvie began testimony about NXIVM, collateral, and unwanted explicit photographs. The defense sought a mistrial over selective use of first names; the court required a written naming proposal without expressly ruling on the motion.

The court denied a mistrial over protected names and instructed jurors against drawing inferences from withheld surnames. Sylvie completed testimony about DOS, collateral, and her communications with Raniere under defense questioning. Mark Vicente began describing NXIVM's recruitment, organization, and teachings.

Mark Vicente described NXIVM’s internal practices and testified that he directed concealed videotape alterations at Raniere’s request. The court conditionally admitted video exhibits as demonstrations of editing methods, while reserving whether jurors could consider them in deliberations pending further authentication testimony.

Mark Vicente continued direct testimony about Raniere's authority, SOP practices, and concerns he raised within NXIVM. The court limited how jurors could use certain statements he reported. Raw photo-session videos were admitted, and Vicente described internal criticisms alongside his continued loyalty to Raniere.

Jurors were sent home because an alternate juror was ill. Outside their presence, counsel disputed financial dossiers, emails, and other materials; the Court reserved an admissibility ruling pending review.

Mark Vicente completed direct testimony about leaving NXIVM, then faced cross-examination about documentary work, finances, collateral, and his former loyalty to Raniere. The defense also questioned his recollections concerning videotape alterations and earlier accusations against Barbara Bouchey.

Mark Vicente completed testimony about FBI contacts, filmmaking, and DOS. Stephen Herbits testified about Bronfman requests and emails, while investigator Charles Fontanelli reviewed property records and evidence seized from Nancy Salzman's home.

Fontanelli completed testimony about seized cash, including an unexplained difference between a count and deposit records. Welch addressed restraint-product orders and consent. Lauren Salzman began testimony about her guilty plea, participation in Daniela’s confinement and DOS extortion, and relationship with Raniere.

Lauren Salzman testified about DOS secrecy, branding, collateral-backed obedience and false denials of Raniere's involvement. The court excluded three collateral-return emails but allowed related questioning. Later confrontation and recording-authentication disputes remained unresolved.

Lauren Salzman testified about concealing Keith's role in DOS, Daniela's confinement, and her cooperation agreement. The court instructed jurors to disregard specified earlier testimony about Kristin and Carly. Four DOS recordings were admitted, with playback and direct examination left unfinished.

Lauren Salzman completed testimony about Daniela's confinement, DOS collateral, and branding. Cross-examination addressed consent, her choices, and her changed perspective. The judge ended questioning and maintained that decision over a defense objection outside the jury's presence.

Daniela testified about joining ESP, her relationship with Raniere and returning through Canada using a false ID. The court denied a mistrial motion without stating reasons.

Daniela continued direct testimony about hacking for Keith, her own and Camila’s abortions, and increasing restrictions after her falling out with him. The court overruled privacy and undue-prejudice objections to two key-log exhibits, preserving the defense objection. Direct examination remained unfinished.

Daniela described barriers to leaving, emails about reporting and independence, and nearly two years of room isolation. She acknowledged that the door was unlocked and that she sometimes stepped out, but testified that fear of losing her family and belongings kept her there. Her direct examination remained unfinished.

Google records were admitted before Daniela completed direct testimony about leaving for Mexico, obtaining identification and helping Camila. Cross-examination addressed false IDs, theft, her relationship with Raniere and hacking instructions, and remained unfinished at adjournment.

Daniela finished testifying, defending her account of isolation and denying government promises. Butler addressed medical records and Cafritz’s screening complaint under a limiting instruction. Jelonek described an apartment rental and cash payments, while Loperfido testified about NXIVM accounting work, a key logger and pressure concerning another client.

James Loperfido concluded his testimony, and FBI Agent Maegan Rees reviewed Camila’s communications concerning sexual conditions, weight demands, obedience and collateral. The court addressed objections to the messages and images, allowing contextual statements while leaving some issues for individual review.

Maegan Rees completed records testimony, and Dawn Hughes testified about coercive control and trauma without evaluating case participants. Nicole described joining DOS, providing collateral, and trying to leave. The court instructed jurors that expert testimony was not proof that the charged crimes occurred.

Nicole continued her testimony about a blindfolded sexual encounter, Raniere's role in DOS, and requirements she understood to be enforced by collateral. She also described unpaid work, branding, and her departure.

Nicole completed testimony amid disputes over contemporaneous messages and their admissibility. An FBI agent described evidence seized at 8 Hale Drive, and Jay began testifying about recruitment, collateral, and contact with Raniere.

Jay completed testimony about collateral, a sexual assignment, and her departure plans, facing defense questions about her conduct and prior statements. Anthony Valenziano discussed NXIVM civil-litigation recordings and limits on his knowledge. Richard Guerci reviewed Cafritz account activity and defense-funding trust records, while the court limited disclosure of individual trust payments.

Financial testimony addressed Cafritz's accounts and the defense trust, whose use the court limited to the enterprise question. Rick Alan Ross faced cross-examination about his reports and contributions. Brian Booth explained photograph metadata and an unresolved timestamp discrepancy, while the court ruled on image exhibits and their display.

Brian Booth completed testimony on photograph metadata, disputed file-system dates, and evidence handling. FBI Special Agent Michael Weniger began reviewing purported banking information, correspondence concerning critics, DOS materials, and Raniere's academic record.

Michael Weniger completed testimony on records, photographs, and NXIVM investigations. The court denied the defense's dismissal motion, accepted Raniere's waiver of testimony, and closed the evidence after both sides rested.

The court reviewed jury instructions, agreed to good-faith and tax-willfulness language, and retained disputed RICO and commercial-sex-act language. A separate RICO relatedness issue remained under review.

The court declined to restore a defense witness-bias instruction. Prosecutor Moira Kim Penza sought guilty findings on all counts, while Marc Agnifilo challenged the alleged enterprise's common purpose and the proof supporting individual charges. The defense closing remained unfinished at recess.

The defense completed its closing, and the prosecution delivered its rebuttal on the alleged enterprise, forced labor, and DOS. The court read final jury instructions and authorized deliberations to begin the next morning once all 12 jurors were present.

The jury found Keith Raniere guilty on all seven counts and all eleven racketeering acts proved. Before the verdict, the court denied a defense motion concerning Lauren Salzman's cross-examination and gave a supplemental instruction on Internet use and interstate commerce.

Judge Garaufis sentenced Keith Raniere to 120 years in prison after 15 victim statements, competing requests for 20 years and life imprisonment, and an allocution in which Raniere maintained his innocence.