The Fiji Times

Six years in jail for Wakaya owner

- By VISHAAL KUMAR

CLARE Bronfman, a United States resident who owns 80 per cent of Wakaya private island, was jailed for 81 months by a US District Court.

According to a Federal Bureau of Investigat­ion (FBI) statement in the US media, Bronfman was sentenced by US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis for identity theft and immigratio­n offences.

The statement read Bronfman, a high-ranking member of NXIVM Executive board, was jailed for conspiracy to conceal and harbour aliens for financial gain and fraudulent use of personal identifica­tion informatio­n.

“Bronfman pleaded guilty in April, 2019 and pursuant to her plea agreement, forfeited $6 million,” the FBI statement read.

“The court also imposed a fine of $500,000 and restitutio­n to be paid to victim ‘Jane Doe 12’ in the amount of $96,605.”

The FBI stated between October, 2015 and January, 2018, Bronfman had recruited individual­s into NXIVM-affiliated organisati­ons then sought to obtain visas or other immigratio­n status for them based on false or fraudulent representa­tions.

“Bronfman recruited one woman from Mexico (‘Jane Doe 12’) to work for a fitness-related NXIVM-affiliated company.

“Bronfman then submitted documents purporting to hire Jane Doe 12 as a management consultant with a salary of $3600 per month in order to secure a work visa for her but Bronfman paid Jane Doe 12 only approximat­ely $4000 over the course of more than a year for her work.”

Bronfman is heiress to the Seagram’s Liquour empire.

 ?? Picture: ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Clare Bronfman (middle) arrives at the Federal District Court in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Bronfman is the first defendant to be sentenced in the NXIVM investigat­ion.
Picture: ASSOCIATED PRESS Clare Bronfman (middle) arrives at the Federal District Court in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Bronfman is the first defendant to be sentenced in the NXIVM investigat­ion.

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