Page 7 - AT

A7
U.S. NEWS Thursday 14 March 2019

In this March 6, 2019, file photo, Michael Cohen, President
Donald Trump's former lawyer, returns to Capitol Hill in Wash-
ington, to appear before the House Intelligence Committee.
Associated Press

NY attorney says

feds probing his pardon Nancy Salzman, center, arrives at Brooklyn federal court, Wednesday, March 13, 2019, in New

talks with Michael Cohen York. Associated Press

to Cohen's account of
By JIM MUSTIAN the pardon discussions as Co-founder pleads guilty in
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Fed- "utter nonsense."Federal
requested
eral prosecutors have re- emails and documents New York sex slave case
prosecutors
quested copies of com-
munications Michael Co- from Costello last week
hen had with a New York amid an investigation By TOM HAYS based group as a cross be- turned over to plaintiffs in a
attorney who broached into "possible violations of Associated Press tween a pyramid scheme New Jersey lawsuit against
the possibility of a pardon federal criminal law," The NEW YORK (AP) — A co- and a cult. the group.
from President Donald New York Times report- founder of an embattled "It has taken some time and The plea comes about six
Trump, the attorney said ed Wednesday, citing a upstate New York self-help soul searching to come to weeks before Raniere is set
Wednesday. copy of the request. organization pleaded this place," said Salzman, to go on trial on charges
The attorney, Robert J. The U.S. Attorney's Office guilty on Wednesday in a choking back tears. "I ac- alleging a secret master-
Costello, released a state- in Manhattan declined to case featuring sensational cept that some of what I slave society within NX-
ment disputing Cohen's comment. claims that some follow- did was not just wrong, but IVM brainwashed women
claim that Trump "dan- Trump lawyer Rudy Gi- ers became branded sex criminal. . If I could go back into having unwanted sex
gled" a presidential par- uliani confirmed that slaves. and do it all over again, I with him and had them
don in front of Cohen be- Costello, a former federal An emotional Nancy Salz- would. But I can't." branded with his initials in
fore he began cooperat- prosecutor, reached out man told a judge in federal Salzman, a registered nurse initiation ceremonies. Also
ing with federal prosecu- to him after the raid. court in Brooklyn that she who was known as "Prefect" charged in the case are
tors and special counsel "My answer was the presi- teamed up with Keith Ra- within NXIVM, was involved Salzman's daughter as well
Robert Mueller. dent is not going to con- niere, the NXIVM group's in stealing identities of the as Seagram liquor fortune
"We have documents sider or give any pardons self-styled spiritual leader, group's critics and hacking heiress Clare Bronfman and
to back our position up, now," Giuliani told The As- because she wanted to into their email accounts actress Allison Mack, best
and are preparing to pro- sociated Press. "As I have help people improve their from 2003 to 2008, prosecu- known for playing a teen-
vide these to the U.S. At- said in the past, the presi- lives. But she admitted that tors said. They also alleged age friend of Superman
torney's office, who has dent has the right to, and she later lost her way when that she conspired to doc- on the "Smallville" TV series.
asked for them," Costello that doesn't mean he she joined efforts to spy on tor videotapes showing They have all denied the
said in the statement. won't consider it when the perceived enemies seek- her teaching NXIVM's les- allegations.q
The statement referred investigation is over."q ing to expose the Albany- sons before the tapes were