By Heidi Hutchinson
I was at the Precision (Bronfman) vs. Plyam trial in 2011 taking daily notes that were passed on to Edgar Bronfman Sr.’s advisers ahead of the transcript records, which were also obtained and passed on when available.
I saw and heard Clare Bronfman and other NX-ers – such as Jim Del Negro’s testimony and formed the opinion that concerning Frank Parlato, although not entirely innocent of any self-serving motives, he would surely become their next major scapegoat.
It seemed the seeds of Frank’s demise were already being planted during the Precision trial — NX style. It’s all buried in the transcript records but being there, seeing the body language, the sidebars, the “EM’s” and “intensives” Clare was getting in the hallways, etc. spoke volumes more.
James Del Negro, for instance, testified to being corrupted and “raped” by a petite 19-year-old with a newborn infant at, basically, Frank’s behest.
Frank’s crew, which included Del Negro, were also accused from the witness stand of lavish spending, boozing and whoring it up on Clare’s dime in 2008 while in LA investigating the real estate properties, etc.
Meanwhile, Del Negro appeared at least “tipsy” for the duration of the 2011 Precision trial.
The biggest clue was when Clare did a 180 on Frank — at first playing the “heiress in distress” – she claiming Frank heroically rescued her from their crooked, LA investment partners, the Plyam’s — then suddenly disassociating herself and NX from Frank, announcing her intent to sue him, almost reassuring jurors that Frank would be punished for whatever pain the Plyam’s suffered while, IMO, being framed themselves for the tragic loss of Clare and Sara’s fortunes to that point.
This cannibalistic pattern of recruiting contractors like Frank to go after “enemies” — often prior “contractors” who may have fallen out of favor with Keith only because a scapegoat was needed — is repeated so often in NX’s history it’s become part of their Modus Operendi.
Both Jeffrey Peterson and Dennis Burke best take note of this, BTW, if you haven’t already. It appears to me that you’ve both been cast in starring roles in the NX playbook — only in the Mexican version the bit players aren’t fake gangsters, they’re real desperadoes.