Heiress jailed over ‘cult’s’ actions

NEW YORK: Seagram’s liquor heiress Clare Bronfman was sentenced to more than six years in prison yesterday for her role in a New York selfhelp organisation federal prosecutors say engaged in forced labour, extortion and sex trafficking.

Bronfman (41) pleaded guilty in April 2019 to two felony counts in connection Albanybased NXIVM (pronounced Nexium), an organisation led by New York businessman Keith Raniere that former members say was run as a cult.

The group is alleged to have manipulated, enslaved and blackmailed its members as part of what federal prosecutors called a racketeering conspiracy. Bronfman joined it in 2003 and provided financial backing to Raniere, prosecutors said.

The heiress is the youngest daughter of the late billionaire philanthropist and former Seagram distillery mogul Edgar Bronfman sen.

She and five others were indicted in March 2018. — Reuters