Sarah Lawrence sex cult: Prosecutor celebrates ‘predator’ Lawrence Ray’s guilty verdict
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.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 lead to this point and what happens next to Larry Ray.
Sarah Lawrence sex cult leader Larry Ray found guilty on all charges
Everything we know about Lawrence Ray, the father convicted of forming sex cult in his daughter’s college dorm
Sarah Lawrence sex cult suspect collapses in court as he is accused of forcing victims to wear diapers- Sarah Lawrence ‘sex cult’ leader accused of laundering money through daughter’s Democratic party links
- Sarah Lawrence sex cult suspect collapses in court again as he is accused of grooming student prostitute
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, he manipulated, blackmailed, and exploited them, often through terrifying acts of cruelty.
Nathan Place is following this breaking news story for The Independent.
Sarah Lawrence sex cult leader Larry Ray found guilty on all charges
A jury convicted Ray of extortion, racketeering, sex trafficking, and several other crimes
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.
Who is Lawrence Ray, father convicted of forming sex cult in daughter’s college dorm?
It took a jury only a few hours to find Ray guilty on 17 charges
‘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.”
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 New York 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.
Read more here.
WATCH: Prosecutor reacts to Larry Ray verdict
New York prosecutors are praising a jury for convicting Larry Ray, a father who ran an exploitative “sex cult” out of his daughter’s dorm room at Sarah Lawrence College, which officials say the man used to extort millions from those in his circle.
Here’s a video of Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams reacting to the news.
How is the Democratic party tied to the Larry Ray verdict?
Larry Ray’s list of crimes is as diverse as it is shocking—grooming students, threatening people with hammers, scamming them out of millions.
One of the stranger methods he used to control those in his “sex cult” was funneling money through the Democratic Party and its Act Blue donation platform, where his daughter Talia Ray once worked as a campaign manager, a detail that has quickly become fodder for conspiracy theorists.
Justin Vallejo had the real story last week on this bizarre connection.
‘Sex cult’ leader accused of laundering money through Democratic Party’s ‘Act Blue’
Prosecutors allege Lawrence Ray also washed proceeds of his crimes through Democratic politician in North Carolina
The Larry Ray case in pictures
Prosecutors made extensive use of digital photos and recordings during the Larry Ray trial.
Here are some of the images that defined the case, in which Ray was ultimately found guilty on all counts.
Larry Ray sits in a hotel robe. Prosecutors say he took millions from his followers.
A courtroom sketch of Larry Ray.
Claudia Drury, who Ray allegedly forced into being a sex worker and exploited for millions, is pictured in a sweatshirt crying.
Felicia Rosario, Larry Ray’s former girlfriend, says the cult leader nearly drove to her suicide, was violent with her, and urged her to cut ties with her family, have sex with strangers, and revoke her medical degree from Columbia University.