Millionaire Heiress to the Seagrams Liquor fortune Clare Bronfman leaves the Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn after her Arraignment on Tuesday July 24, 2018. (Credit: Theodore Parisienne)

New York, NY (WRGB) — A federal judge on Monday denied a motion from Clare Bronfman to have her sentence reduced. Bronfman is serving a six year, nine month sentence for her role in the NXIVM sex cult.

In 2019, Bronfman pleaded guilty to identity theft, and a conspiracy involving undocumented immigrants. The former NXIVM leader and Seagram's liquor heiress recruited individuals into groups associated with NXIVM, then fraudulently sought visas for them.

Bronfman sought to have her sentence reduced under Amendment 821 of the United States Sentencing Guidelines, arguing she "did not personally cause substantial financial hardship" as required by the guidelines. District Court Judge Nichoals Garaufis writes Bronfman cannot prove her qualifications under Amendment 821. Judge Garaufis adds that even if Bronfman were eligible for a reduced sentence, it would not be warranted.

Dalai Lama, left, is pictured on stage at an NXIVM event in Albany on May 6, 2009. Second from right is Sara Bronfman, an NXIVM member who reportedly helped book the Tibetan spiritual leader with a $1 million fee. (Dailymail.co.uk)

Sara Bronfman is said in court papers to have been the lover of Lama Tenzin Dhonden, the Dalai Lama's emissary to the United States. He was removed from his post in November over allegations of corruption. (Dailymail.co.uk)

NXIVM was founded in Albany in 1998 by Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman, operating as a self-improvement multi-level marketing scheme. The company was a front for criminal activity, including sex trafficking and various forms of fraud.

Raniere is serving a 120-year sentence for racketeering and sex crimes. Salzman was released from federal prison in 2023, spending time at a halfway house until April 2024. 

A home once owned by NXIVM, referred to in court documents as "The Library," recently hit the market. Neighbors previously told CBS 6 about late night parties at the home, 8 Hale Drive in Halfmoon. Listed on Zillow.com, photos show the home is almost entirely gutted. Asking price is $148,000.

Source:https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/judge-denies-reduced-sentence-for-former-nxivm-leader-clare-bronfman-seagrams-heiress-keith-raniere