An heiress to the Seagram’s beverage fortune has been sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for her conviction in the NXIVM case, a multilevel marketing company in Albany, New York, accused of being a cult that branded women and was involved in sex trafficking.
Clare Bronfman, 41, the youngest daughter of former Seagram’s liquor chairman and billionaire Edgar Bronfman Sr., was taken to prison immediately after being sentenced to 81 months in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, CBS News reported.
She pleaded guilty last year to sheltering a person living illegally in the United States for unpaid “labor and services” and committing credit card fraud.
Bronfman, who as part of her plea agreement will forfeit $6 million of what prosecutors said was a $200 million fortune, was one of six people convicted, who were associated with NXIVM, a company founded by Keith Raniere that staged personal growth seminars.
Prosecutors claimed NXIVM operated as a cult with a secret society of women "slaves" who were branded with Raniere's initials and forced to engage in sexual intercourse with him.
Bronfman also pleaded guilty to committing credit card fraud on behalf of Raniere.
She wrote in a letter to the court last month that she "never meant to hurt anyone, however I have and for this I am deeply sorry."
However, she added, "NXIVM and Keith greatly changed my life for the better."
Also convicted in the case was actress Allison Mack, 37, known for the TV series "Smallville" and who pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy.