Nancy Salzman
{{Short description|American cult leader and convicted felon}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Nancy Salzman
| image =
| image_size =
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|07|16}}
| birth_place =
| education =
| alma_mater = Union County College
Associate Degree in Nursing
| occupation =
| years_active =
| employer =
| organization =
| agent =
| known_for = Co-founder of NXIVM
| net_worth =
| conviction = Racketeering conspiracy
| criminal_status = Incarcerated at RRM Pittsburgh (Halfway House) (Released March 2024)
| partner =
| children = 2 (including Lauren Salzman){{cite news |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Guilty-plea-of-Salzman-ends-her-long-allegiance-13691433.php |title=Guilty plea ends Salzman's long allegiance to Raniere |date=March 17, 2019 |newspaper=Times Union |access-date=June 20, 2019 |last1=Lyons |first1=By Brendan J. }}
| criminal_penalty = 42 months imprisonment and a $150,000 fine
| imprisoned =
}}
Nancy L. Salzman (born July 16, 1954) is an American convicted felon and the co-founder of NXIVM, a multi-level marketing company and cult based near Albany, New York. A former nurse, Salzman worked with Keith Raniere in the development of the organization beginning in the 1990s.{{Cite news|last=Meier|first=Barry|date=March 12, 2019|title=Co-Founder of Cultlike Group Where Women Were Branded Pleads Guilty|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/12/nyregion/nxivm-nancy-salzman-keith-raniere-charges.html|access-date=December 19, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}
Background
Salzman was raised in a Jewish family in Cranford, New Jersey,Gavin, Robert. [https://www.timesunion.com/nxivm/article/Unsealed-letters-show-Keith-Raniere-s-cruelty-to-16527112.php "Unsealed letters show Keith Raniere's cruelty to top NXIVM ally"], Times Union, October 12, 2021. Accessed February 5, 2022. "Nancy Salzman, a native of Cranford, N.J, known in NXIVM as 'Prefect,' co-founded the purported self-empowerment company with Raniere in 1998." and graduated from Cranford High School in her hometown in 1972.Parlato, Frank. [https://artvoice.com/2018/12/14/some-stray-thoughts-on-nancy-salzman/ "Some stray thoughts on Nancy Salzman"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206051806/https://artvoice.com/2018/12/14/some-stray-thoughts-on-nancy-salzman/ |date=2022-02-06 }}, ArtVoice, December 14, 2018. Accessed February 5, 2022. "What year did Nancy Salzman graduate high school? Online, the year is reported as 1974. She apparently went to Cranford High School in Cranford, NJ."
She has had experience with hypnosis{{Cite web|last=Nicolaou|first=Elena|date=2020-10-27|title=The Vow's Nancy Salzman Has Pled Guilty to NXIVM-Related Charges|url=https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/a33752877/nancy-salzman-nxivm-now/|access-date=2020-12-19|website=Oprah Magazine|language=en-US}} and NLP. Salzman is listed in the Nursys database as having a nursing license in the state of New York from 1983 to its expiration in 2019.
NXIVM
Before Keith Raniere met Salzman, Raniere operated a pyramid scheme called Consumers' Buyline Inc. that was shut down by the Attorney General of New York in September 1996.{{Cite web | last = | first = | date = | title = UNITEDSTATESDISTRICTCOURTEASTERNDISTRICTOFNEWYORK | url = https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/6731-Nxivm-lawsuit/2de597cdf78faec941b7/optimized/full.pdf | access-date = | website = }} In 1997, Raniere joined forces with Salzman in developing Executive Success Programs, which would eventually be rebranded as NXIVM. At NXIVM, Salzman had considerable authority as president of the company and was referred to as "Prefect" by cult members. As the second-in-command, Salzman helped create and promote Raniere's teachings and ideology and recruit individuals into NXIVM.{{cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2019/05/08/video-shows-nxivm-cult-leader-preaching-about-sex-with-children/|title=Video shows Nxivm cult leader preaching about sex with children|date=May 8, 2019|work=New York Post|first=Emily|last=Saul}}{{cite news|url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/government-seeks-high-end-sentence-for-keith-raniere-associate-and-nxivm-president/|title=Government Seeks 'High End' Sentence for Keith Raniere Associate and NXIVM President|date=August 18, 2021|work=Law & Crime|first=AARON|last=KELLER}} Former members have accused Salzman of being Raniere's abettor and protector and helping Raniere control members and avoid accountability within the organizations.{{Cite news|last=Moynihan|first=Colin|date=September 7, 2021|title=Nxivm's Second-in-Command Helped Build a Culture of Abuse, Survivors Say|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/07/nyregion/nancy-salzman-nxivm-sex-cult.html|work=The New York Times}}{{Cite news|last=PULLANO|first=NINA|date=September 8, 2021|title=Prison time for woman in command at NXIVM cult|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/prison-time-for-woman-in-command-at-nxivm-cult/|work=Courthouse News}}
According to prosecutors, Salzman was essential to the NXIVM criminal enterprise. Salzman had an immense influence on NXIVM, which included conspiracy to commit identity theft and conspiracy to alter records. Between 2005 and 2008, Salzman participated in the unlawful surveillance and investigation of perceived critics and enemies of Raniere and NXIVM. Salzman unlawfully surveilled these perceived enemies in an attempt to gain an advantage over them and stop them from criticizing the company. In Salzman's home, law enforcement agents recovered a box containing purported private banking information of many individuals perceived to be critics and enemies of Raniere, including journalists, judges and an expert on cults. Salzman also conspired to obstruct justice by altering videotapes in a civil suit between NXIVM and a former student by editing and removing portions of session videos in favor of the company. In 2003, NXIVM filed a copyright infringement suit against a former student, her parents and a cult deprogrammer. The former student filed counterclaims against NXIVM in 2008, alleging NXIVM had misrepresented the nature and effectiveness of its programs. During the pending litigation, Salzman and others altered the videotapes to remove segments that they believed would have supported the former student's claims and to make it look as if the videos were unedited. These altered videotapes were then produced in discovery by NXIVM's attorneys with the false claim that they were provided in "unedited fashion".{{Cite web | last = Lampen | first = Claire | date = 2018-07-25 | title = Seagram's Heiress Clare Bronfman, 3 Others Arrested In Nxivm 'Sex Cult' Case | url = http://gothamist.com/news/seagrams-heiress-clare-bronfman-3-others-arrested-in-nxivm-sex-cult-case | access-date = 2020-12-19 | website = Gothamist | language = en}}{{cite web | title = NXIVM President Nancy Salzman Sentenced to 42 Months' Imprisonment for Racketeering Conspiracy | date = September 8, 2021 | work = Department of Justice | url = https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/nxivm-president-nancy-salzman-sentenced-42-months-imprisonment-racketeering-conspiracy}} {{PD-notice}}
In March 2018, FBI agents raided Salzman's house, located on Oregon Trail in Waterford, New York, on a search warrant and seized large amounts of cash totaling $520,000 stuffed in bags, envelopes and shoe boxes, including one shoe box that held more than $390,000. Agents also seized numerous computers, data-storage devices, cameras, various mobile phones and BlackBerrys, and small amounts of Mexican and Russian currency.{{Cite news | work = Times Union | first = Brendon | last = Lyons | url = https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-raid-home-of-NXIVM-co-founder-Nancy-Salzman-12784322.php | title = FBI raids NXIVM president's house as Raniere appears in federal court | date = March 27, 2018 | access-date = March 19, 2021}}{{Cite news | work = Times Union | first = Brendon | last = Lyons | url = https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Hundreds-of-thousands-in-cash-were-seized-from-12826689.php#taboola-1 | title = Half-million in cash was seized from NXIVM president's house | date = April 11, 2018 | access-date = July 5, 2021}}
On July 24, 2018, federal agents arrested Salzman, her daughter, Lauren Salzman, bookkeeper Kathy Russell and Clare Bronfman on an indictment with charges of conspiracy racketeering.{{Cite news | work = ABC News | first = Aaron | last = Katersky | url = https://abcnews.go.com/US/federal-agents-arrest-nxivm-founder-nancy-salzman/story?id=56782609 | title = Federal agents arrest NXIVM co-founder Nancy Salzman | date = July 24, 2018 | access-date = March 14, 2021}} In July 2018, the court found that Salzman, Keith Raniere, Clare Bronfman, Allison Mack, Kathy Russell, and Salzman's daughter had committed identity theft, extortion, forced labor, sex trafficking, money laundering, wire fraud and obstruction of justice.{{Cite web | date = 2018-07-24 | work = Department of Justice | title = Founder Of "Nxivm," a Purported Self-Help Organization, and Five Others Charged in Superseding Indictment with Racketeering Conspiracy | url = https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/founder-nxivm-purported-self-help-organization-and-five-others-charged-superseding | access-date = 2020-12-19 | language = en}}
In March 2019, Salzman pled guilty to charges of conspiracy racketeering under the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.{{Cite news | last1 = Hughes | first1 = Steve | last2 = Lyons | first2 = Brendan J. | date = 2019-03-13 | title = NXIVM President Nancy Salzman pleads guilty as Raniere faces new charges | url = https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-President-Nancy-Salzman-pleads-guilty-in-13685799.php | access-date = 2020-12-19 | website = Times Union | language = en-US}}{{Cite magazine | last = Legaspi | first = Althea | date = 2019-03-14 | title = NXIVM Co-founder Nancy Salzman Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/nxivm-co-founder-nancy-salzman-pleads-guilty-racketeering-conspiracy-807925/ | access-date = 2020-12-19 | magazine = Rolling Stone | language = en-US}} Salzman was scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2019. Her sentencing, however, was pushed to a later date.{{Cite web | url = https://www.nytimes.com/article/nxivm-timeline.html | title = A Timeline of the Nxivm Sex Cult Case | website = The New York Times | date = November 27, 2020 | access-date = March 14, 2021}} On July 9, 2021, it was announced that Salzman's sentencing date will be held on August 2, 2021.{{Cite news | first = Robert | last = Gavin | work = Times Union | url = https://www.timesunion.com/nxivm/article/Judge-sets-sentencing-for-NXIVM-s-Nancy-Salzman-16304323.php | title = NXIVM's Salzman can't attend first grandchild's birth, judge says | date = July 9, 2021 | access-date = July 25, 2021}} This was later moved to September 8, 2021.
In January 2020, several NXIVM individuals, including Salzman and her daughter Lauren, were named defendants in a civil lawsuit filed in federal court by 80 former NXIVM members. The lawsuit charged that the NXIVM organisation was a pyramid scheme that exploited its recruits, conducted illegal human experiments, and made it "physically and psychologically difficult, and in some cases impossible, to leave the coercive community."{{Cite news | url = https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Federal-lawsuit-accuses-Raniere-and-his-NXIVM-15007930.php | title = Lawsuit targets Keith Raniere and NXIVM associates | first = Brendan J. | last = Lyons | date = January 27, 2020 | work = Times Union | access-date = August 20, 2021}}{{Cite news | url = https://www.insider.com/80-people-sue-nxivm-cult-conducting-illegal-human-medical-experiments-2020-1 | title = 80 people have signed onto a lawsuit claiming NXIVM cult leaders exposed them to 'human fright' experiments, forced labor, and human trafficking | first = Paulina | last = Cachero | date = January 30, 2020 | work = Insider | access-date = August 20, 2021}}{{cite web | title = Nxivm 'Sex Cult' Was Also a Huge Pyramid Scheme, Lawsuit Says | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/29/nyregion/nxivm-lawsuit-keith-raniere.html | first = Nicole | last = Hong | date = January 29, 2020 | website = The New York Times | access-date = August 20, 2021}}
In September 2021, Salzman was sentenced to 42 months in prison and a $150,000 fine for racketeering conspiracy. Salzman also agreed to forfeit several real estate properties, more than $500,000 in cash and a Steinway grand piano.{{cite news | last = Moynihan | first = Colin | title = Sex Cult Leader's Top Deputy Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison | work = The New York Times | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/08/nyregion/nancy-salzman-nxivm-sentencing.html | date = September 8, 2021 | quote = Mr. Raniere was convicted on several charges and sentenced to 120 years in prison; Ms. Salzman pleaded guilty to a single count of racketeering conspiracy, and former Nxivm members have described her as an enabler who made Mr. Raniere’s abuse possible. | archive-url = https://archive.today/20210908192832/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/08/nyregion/nancy-salzman-nxivm-sentencing.html | archive-date = September 8, 2021 | url-status = live }}{{cite news | last = Walsh | first = Joe | title = NXIVM Cult Leader Sentenced To 42 Months In Prison | date = September 8, 2021 | work = Forbes | url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/09/08/nxivm-cult-leader-sentenced-to-42-months-in-prison/?sh=2f4996b91aa4}} Salzman reported to Federal Correctional Institution, Hazelton in West Virginia on February 21, 2022,{{cite web|title=Find an inmate - Register Number: 25533-052|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/|date=February 25, 2022 |work=Federal Bureau of Prisons}}{{cite news|title=NXIVM's Nancy Salzman reports to federal prison|url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-s-Nancy-Salzman-reports-to-federal-prison-16935866.php|date=February 22, 2022|work=Time Union|first=Robert|last=Gavin}} and was released on March 19, 2024.{{cite web|title=Find an inmate - Register Number: 25533-052|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/|date=May 30, 2024 |work=Federal Bureau of Prisons}}
References
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Category:21st-century American criminals
Category:21st-century American women
Category:American women company founders
Category:American women nurses
Category:American people convicted of fraud
Category:American businesspeople convicted of crimes
Category:Cranford High School alumni
Category:People convicted of racketeering
Category:People from Clifton Park, New York
Category:People from Cranford, New Jersey
Category:Criminals from New York (state)
Category:Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government