Call it Executive Success For Lawyers. There are now 22 of them.
Lauren Salzman has just added team a third lawyer to her legal defense – also from Arizona – to defend her in Brooklyn on federal racketeering charges in connection with her long association with NXIVM.
Her newest attorney is Andrea S. Tazioli.
Like Salzman’s other two lawyers, Tazioli is with the Phoenix, Arizona law firm of Quarles & Brady.
According to the firm’s website, Tazioli “practices in the areas of White Collar Crime, Government/Internal Investigations and Commercial Litigation. Andrea has significant trial experience and litigation experience in both Federal and State courts. She has defended numerous individuals and corporations charged with white collar and non-white collar offenses. Andrea’s recent experience includes the defense of individuals and corporations charged with: Computer Tampering, Fraud; Telemarketing offenses, Drug Offenses; Sex Offenses; Aggravated Assault; Homicide; Domestic Violence Offenses; DUI offenses; and property crimes. She also represents juveniles charged with misdemeanor and felony offenses.
“As a result of her defense work, Andrea has assisted individuals, health care companies, tribal entities, and corporate entities with numerous government/internal investigations conducted by state and federal agencies. Her recent experience in government/internal investigations encompasses allegations of financial fraud, health care fraud, SEC violations, environmental violations, immigration violations, and criminal misconduct.
“In the commercial litigation context, Andrea assists numerous corporations with the defense of civil forfeiture matters arising from criminal misconduct. She represents corporations and its respective officers in obtaining injunctive relief. Andrea also has significant experience representing individuals and businesses who are victims of criminal offenses.”
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The question continues to intrigue observers of the NXIVM case: Who is paying for all these lawyers?
There are now 22 top flight lawyers arrayed to represent the six defendants. While Lauren may have made a decent annual income – as the number three highest ranking member of NXIVM – she is not known to have any savings.
How can she afford her representation which is likely to be upwards of $100,000 – bare minimum – just for the retainer?
It’s the same with her mother, Nancy, and the hapless bookkeeper and patsy Kathy Russell. And not to mention Old Softy himself, Keith Alan Raniere – who has 5 lawyers – and who wrote on his financial affidavit for Pretrial Supervision that he had no assets whatsoever.
Everyone rather suspects that the Bronfman sisters – Clare and Sara – are footing the bill for all these attorneys – and, consequently, are having some say in the outcomes.
The fact that Lauren, who has been tied into bulk cash smuggling by the Frank Report, has lawyers from Arizona -where the Salinas crime organization has a great deal of influence – is intriguing.
I am not impugning – even remotely – that the attorneys for Salzman are not honest attorneys – but one has to wonder how she happened to select Arizona lawyers and not NYC lawyers familiar with the local rules.
Tazioli had to make a special request from the court to be admitted to appear in this case in NY.
Here is the list of lawyers currently on the case:
