Man charged with sex trafficking and extortion after turning daughter’s university dormitory into ‘cult’
Lawrence “Larry” Ray, who prosecutors say led a sex cult of students at Sarah Lawrence College, has been found guilty on all charges.
Ray, 62, moved into his daughter’s dorm at Sarah Lawrence College in New York college in 2010, and spent a decade manipulating, blackmailing, and exploiting them, often through terrifying acts of cruelty.
Some victims described being brainwashed by the man, who used his influence over them to extort millions.
Officials praised the verdict.
“Larry Ray is a predator,” US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said on Wednesday in a statement. “An evil man who did evil things. Today’s verdict finally brings him to justice.”
The man will be sentenced in September, and could face a sentence of up to life in prison.
Follow all the reaction to the Sarah Lawrence College sex cult trial, plus dive deeper into what leads to this point and what happens next to Larry Ray.
The investigation that started it all
Larry Ray may not have faced widespread scrutiny and prosecution if it weren’t for a 2019 article in nyc magazine‘s The Cut, entitled, “The Stolen Kids of Sarah Lawrence,” by reporters Ezra Marcus and James D Walsh.
The article is a deep dive into Ray and his twisted web of influence over the circle of students he cultivated.
Authorities began investigating Ray as a direct result of the piece.
Josh Marcus6 April 2022 21:27
‘An evil man who did evil things’: Prosecutors react to Larry Ray verdict
Leaders are praising the conviction of Larry Ray, a father who ran a sex cult and extortion scheme out of Sarah Lawrence College for a decade.
“Larry Ray is a predator,” US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said on Wednesday in a statement. “An evil man who did evil things. Today’s verdict finally brings him to justice.”
Josh Marcus6 April 2022 20:54
Background: Everything we know about Lawrence Ray, the father found guilty of forming a sex cult in his daughter’s college dorm
How did a father run a twisted sex cult and $1m extortion scheme out of his daughter’s college dorm?
Megan Sheets has the key background you need to understand today’s conviction.
Josh Marcus6 April 2022 20:51
Sarah Lawrence sex cult leader Larry Ray found guilty on all charges
Larry Ray, who prosecutors say led a sex cult of students at Sarah Lawrence College, has been found guilty on all charges.
A jury delivered the verdict on Wednesday afternoon, convicting Ray of extortion, racketeering, sex trafficking, and several other crimes. The 62-year-old will be sentenced on 16 September, when he could face up to life in prison.
Prosecutors say Ray moved into his daughter’s dorm at the New York college in 2010, and grew his dominion over the next decade. Drawing young students into his orbit of him, he manipulated, blackmailed, and exploited them, often through terrifying acts of cruelty.
Nathan Place is following this breaking news story for The Independent.
Josh Marcus6 April 2022 20:49
www.independent.co.uk
George Holan is chief editor at Plainsmen Post and has articles published in many notable publications in the last decade.
