The jury was out for less than 5 hours when they reached a unanimous verdict. Guilty on all counts. Guilty on everything. Keith Alan Raniere is guilty.
The lad was led into court by US Marshals. Raniere probably knew – by the quickness of the jury’s verdict – that he was a gone goose. His usually smug countenance was filled with dismay and a discomfited appearance.
He failed. His case failed. The victim witnesses – Sylvie, Mark Vicente, Daniela, Lauren Salzman, Nicole and Jaye persuaded the jury. This was a monster, not a man.
Moments after the verdict was read, the US Marshalls, who have sat in court unobtrusively behind him in plainclothes, day after day, of the long 25 days of trial, slapped handcuffs on Raniere.
There is no more presumption of innocence. No appearance to keep up before the jury.
The man formerly worshiped by his followers as the illustrious Vanguard is now a convicted felon. He is 58. His birthday is August 26, 1960. The sentencing range for his crimes is from 15 years minimum for sex trafficking – up to life in prison.
During the trial, Raniere sat silently, always alert, often scribbling on sticky notes, oft times staring at the witnesses arrayed against him – most of them his former devotees.
Among those testifying for the prosecution were FBI agents and non-DOS victims such as James Loperfido and Rick Ross. There was the longtime confidante of the late Edgar Bronfman – Stephen Herbits – and an expert on sexual assault victims, Dr. Dawn Hughes.
But in the end, it was the women who sunk him. The sympathetic women who to a woman cried over what he had done to them – and how he had destroyed their lives.
Raniere did not testify on his own behalf and chose not to put on a case in his defense. He will be sentenced in September. In the meantime, he’ll be residing at MDC in Brooklyn where he has been held, with other pre-trial prisoners, since April 2018.
But now he’ll likely be housed in the big boys’ section – where those who have been convicted are awaiting sentencing.
Absent some sort of appeal that results in the overturning of his conviction – which seems infinitesimally remote at this juncture – he will spend most of the rest of his life in prison.
***
Here is the jury charge sheet: The 12 men and women found him guilty on everything!
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -X
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
– against –
KEITH RANIERE,
also known as “Vanguard,”
“Grandmaster,”
and “Master,”
Defendant.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -X
18-CR-204 (S-2) (NGG)
VERDICT SHEET
AS TO COUNT TWO
Racketeering
How do you find the defendant?
Guilty _________ Not Guilty _________
If you answered “Guilty” as to Count Two, indicate whether the following Racketeering Acts
were proved beyond a reasonable doubt. If you answered “Not Guilty,” proceed to Count
One.
Racketeering Act 1
1A (Conspiracy to Commit Identity Theft – Ashana Chenoa)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
1B (Conspiracy to Unlawfully Possess Identification Document)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
Racketeering Act 2 (Sexual Exploitation of a Child on November 2, 2005 – Camila)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
Racketeering Act 3 (Sexual Exploitation of a Child on November 24, 2005 – Camila)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
Racketeering Act 4 (Possession of Child Pornography)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
Racketeering Act 5
5A (Conspiracy to Commit Identity Theft)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
5B (Identity Theft – James Loperfido)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
5C (Identity Theft – Edgar Bronfman)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
Racketeering Act 6 (Conspiracy to Alter Records for Use in an Official Proceeding)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
Racketeering Act 7 (Conspiracy to Commit Identity Theft – Marianna)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
Racketeering Act 8
8A (Trafficking for Labor and Services – Daniela)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
8B (Document Servitude – Daniela)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
Racketeering Act 9 (Extortion)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
Racketeering Act 10
10A (Sex Trafficking – Nicole)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
10B (Forced Labor – Nicole)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
Racketeering Act 11 (Conspiracy to Commit Identity Theft – Pamela Cafritz)
Proved _________ Not Proved _________
AS TO COUNT ONE
Racketeering Conspiracy
How do you find the defendant?
Guilty _________ Not Guilty _________
AS TO COUNT THREE
Forced Labor Conspiracy
How do you find the defendant?
Guilty _________ Not Guilty _________
AS TO COUNT FOUR
Wire Fraud Conspiracy
How do you find the defendant?
Guilty _________ Not Guilty _________
AS TO COUNT FIVE
Sex Trafficking Conspiracy
How do you find the defendant?
Guilty _________ Not Guilty _________
AS TO COUNT SIX
Sex Trafficking of Nicole
How do you find the defendant?
Guilty _________ Not Guilty _________
If you find the defendant guilty as to Count Six, answer the following questions:
Do you find that the defendant knew means of force, fraud or coercion would be used
to cause one or more persons to engage in one or more commercial sex acts?
Yes _________ No _________
AS TO COUNT SEVEN
Attempted Sex Trafficking of Jay
How do you find the defendant?
Guilty _________ Not Guilty _________
__________________ ____________________________
DATE FOREPERSON
Case 1:18-cr-00204-NGG-VMS