Sara Bronfman

Sara Bronfman (born 1976) is the daughter of the billionaire philanthropist and former Seagram chairman, Edgar Bronfman Sr.^[1] Ms. Bronfman was briefly married to Irishman Ronan Clarke.^[2]

Background

Edgar Bronfman, Sr. first met Rita Webb in Marbella, Spain. The daughter of a pub owner in Essex England, the young Miss Webb was an unapologetic social climber. Renaming herself "Georgiana" after Edgar Sr. took to calling her "George," she married him in 1975, two years after his divorce to his first wife, the investment-banking heiress Ann Loeb. Webb gave birth to Sara the following year and had Clare two and a half years later.^[3]

Shortly after Clare's birth, Georgiana asked Edgar for a divorce. After remarrying in 1980 and a subsequent second divorce, the girls would visit their father, who owned estates outside Charlottesville, Virginia, and in Westchester County, a home in Sun Valley, and an apartment on Fifth Avenue. But their lives would be centered in England and in Kenya, with their mother.^[3][4]

Involvement in NXIVM

At the age of 25, Sara was introduced to NXIVM through a family friend. According to the family friend, Sara was "desperately looking for some purpose in her life. And she found it at NXIVM." After her introduction to NXIVM, Sara urged Clare, then 23, to take an intensive. During that time, Clare was passionately committed to her equestrian career—she was a competitive jumper, trained horses, and owned her own company, Slate River Farm, but was described as being "a bit withdrawn and certainly the type to stay in and read while everyone else goes out."^[3][4] After attending the first sessions at the NXIVM branch in Monterrey, Mexico in 2004, Clare's trainer and classmates stated that Clare had changed and had become more open.

Sara and Clare became committed followers of NXIVM and its leader, Keith Raniere, relocating to upstate New York to work as NXIVM trainers.^[5]

NXIVM is alleged by Barbara J. Bouchey, a former financial planner for NXIVM, to have to have "swallowed as much as $150 million" of the Bronfman sisters' fortune.^[6] Similar allegations of financial misconduct have been denied by the Bronfman sisters' lawyer.^[7]

Non-Profit Work

Sara, along with her sister, Clare Bronfman, formed a non-profit organization called the Ethical Humanitarian Foundation after being "conceptualized" by Keith Raniere in 2007. Sara is listed as a being a Trustee within the organization.^[8][9][9] The group claims that its goal is to move humanity "towards a more noble civilization" by adopting a "humanity first foundation".^[10] As part of their involvement in WEFC, Sara and Clare were credited with being able to bring the Dalai Lama to Albany to participate in the WEFC's inaugural event on May 6, 2009.^{[4] [11]}

Sara is also listed as a VIP Liaison within A Cappella Innovations, a group to that seeks to explore how music can be applied to "humanity, civilization, and ethics." ^[12]

References

1. ^ <Andrews, Suzanna (November 2010). "The Heiresses and the Cult". Vanity Fair. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/11/bronfman-201011. Retrieved 24 April 2011. 
2. ^ By Maureen Tkacik Poor Little Rich Girls: The Ballad of Sara and Clare Bronfman n The New York Observer', august 10, 2010, accessed May 23, 2011.
3. ^ ^{a b c} Andrews, Suzanna (November 2010). "The Heiresses and the Cult". Vanity Fair. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/11/bronfman-201011. Retrieved 24 April 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} Tkacik, Maureen (23 April 2011). "Poor Little Rich Girls: The Ballad of Sara and Clare Bronfman". The New York Observer. http://www.observer.com/2010/daily-transom/poor-little-rich-girls?page=all. Retrieved 24 April 2011. 
5. ^ Kohler, Nicholas (9 September 2011). "How to lose $100 million". Macleans. http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/09/09/how-to-lose-100-million/. Retrieved 24 April 2011. 
6. ^ Suzanna Andrews (November 2010). "The Heiresses and the Cult". Vanity Fair. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/11/bronfman-201011. Retrieved October 14, 2010. 
7. ^ Fairbanks, Phil (27 March 2011). "Local developer tangled in legal battle". Buffalo News. http://www.buffalonews.com/city/article377475.ece. Retrieved 19 April 2011. 
8. ^ Odato, James (31 January 2011). "Papers reveal NXIVM secrets". Times Union. http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Papers-reveal-NXIVM-secrets-985662.php#page-2. Retrieved 28 April 2011. 
9. ^ ^{a b} "Ethical Humanitarian Foundation - Keith Raniere, Founder". Ethical Humanitarian Foundation. http://www.ethicalhumanitarian.com/keith_raniere.php. Retrieved 28 April 2011. 
10. ^ "Ethical Humanitarian Foundation - Mission". http://www.ethicalhumanitarian.com/mission.php. Retrieved 25 May 2011. 
11. ^ DeMare, Carol. "Canada Tibet Committee|Newsroom". Canada Tibet Committee. http://www.tibet.ca/en/newsroom/wtn/5271. Retrieved 8 June 2011. 
12. ^ "A Cappella Innovations". A Cappella Innovations. http://www.acappellainnovations.com/acappella-directors.php. Retrieved 14 May 2011. 

Persondata
Name	Bronfman, Sara
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1976
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death