NEW YORK (AP) – A man who moved into his daughter’s college dorm and fascinated classmates with stories about his wisdom was tried Wednesday on charges of using a nearby group, using threats and violence. to get rich millions of dollars.
Lawrence Ray, 62, was arraigned at trial in which Week Shows Descriptions of his psychologically manipulative relationships with youth he met in the fall of 2010 at Sarah Lawrence College, Little Liberty School of Art in New York. Ray moved into his son’s dormitory after serving a prison sentence for securities fraud.
The verdict was released on Sept. 16 on charges of racketeering, conspiracy, forced labor, sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. Rey, who stands with arms folded and faces a Manhattan jury after a 15-year sentence, could face life in prison.
After reading the verdict, Ray was incarcerated in custody, where he has been incarcerated since he was arrested in 2020.
His lawyers declined to comment out of court and did not immediately respond to the email requesting comment.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Ray replaced “a group of friends with life ahead of them.”
“For the next decade, he used violence, threats and psychological abuse to control and destroy their lives,” Williams said. “He used them. They are involved. He tortured them. Let me be clear. Larry Ray is a predator. A bad person to do evil. “Today’s verdict will finally acquit him”.
The jury ended the hearing a day after receiving the case after a month -long trial featuring the testimony of several victims, commonly referred to as Rey’s “run”. Some showed that Ray had convinced them that they had been poisoned or otherwise hurt and that they needed his compensation.
Testimony was given by a woman who turned into a prostitute to try to pay for flight arrangements after making sure she was poisoned by it. He said he paid Ray $ 2.5 million in installments over four years, averaging between $ 10,000 and $ 50,000 per week.
Rey’s lawyers said he was a victim of former friends who made up their stories.
Ray did not testify. Twice, the trial was postponed because he was taken to the hospital by ambulance due to unknown illnesses.
Several students were shown recognizing Ray’s world when he told them about their past political influence in New York, including his role in disrupting the career of former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Carrick after she became a bridesmaid. at a wedding. Years ago. In fact, Ray was a corruption probe that blocked Carrick’s candidacy as head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Some students agreed to live with Reyes in his one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan in the summer of 2011, where his bad side exploded when he began arguing that the students had poisoned him and broken. his property.
To correct him, they testified, they did what they were told to do, including handing over the money. One man said he gave Ray more than $ 100,000.
Prosecutors said there was not enough money. Through threats, violence, and video “confessions,” Ray harassed the teens, even forcing them to work for several weeks at his stepfather’s home in Pinehurst, North Carolina, in 2013.
The violence ended in October 2018, when Ray repeatedly insulted a woman for hours, gave her income from sex work, forced her to sit naked in a chair while swearing, choking on a bomb, and being scared for his life. He put the bag on top, prosecutors said.
Ray committed the crime with the help of his daughter and Isabella Pollock, a woman who pleaded not guilty to the charges, prosecutors said. His trial is scheduled for later this year. The daughter was not charged.
Source: Huffpost
