I wish I had been able to view the world then as I do now. , 31, in a Manhattan federal courtroom on Thursday afternoon. Ray later began having "interrogation" sessions with the students, manipulating them into making false confessions such as trying to poison him. Prior to taking a plea deal, Pollok had faced a series of charges, including extortion conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, racketeering conspiracy and money laundering. He counseled her and became her life mentor. It involved extreme and sadistic violence and it was sophisticated, Liman added. Isabella Pollok has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, extortion conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy and money laundering after prosecutors said she conspired with Lawrence Ray, the father of her one-time college roommate to psychologically manipulate and control victims, according to a grand jury indictment obtained by Oxygen.com from He mentally and physically tortured the group of young people for nearly a decade and extorted huge sums of money from them, prosecutors showed at his Manhattan federal trial. Ray was arrested in February 2020 and in April 2022, following a four-week trial, he was convicted on several counts including sex trafficking, extortion and forced labor. The state has a near-total abortion ban, and now activists and GOP officials are fighting an exemption for physician-defined medical emergencies. Copyright 2023 Distractify. His decision a sentence of just over four years was only slightly less than the five years prosecutors had requested. Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: As part of your account, youll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Ray turned a guru for the young students and soon persuaded them to believe they had committed crimes against them. Social media users have asked themselves just how Ray was able to pull off the unthinkable. That night, at the Gregory Hotel in Manhattan in October 2018, Ray ordered Drury to strip naked, tied her to a chair, put a bag over her head, choked her with a leash, smothered her with a pillow, and poured water over her, according to her testimony. Pollok apologised through tears at the sentencing, saying that her former mentor had controlled me in ways I cannot understand, Law and Crime reported. Terms of Service apply. The Key Moments From Alex Murdaughs Testimony and Murder Trial. Larry Ray was sentenced to 60 years in prison for sex trafficking and other crimes involving his daughter and friends. I believe that he specifically encouraged, groomed and conditioned callousness and meanness into her personality, while making her not only believe but know, with conviction, that her reactions were the appropriate and kind one.. For Americas wage laborers, a 32-hour workweek is less of a beautiful dream than an oppressive reality. Santos Rosario and his siblings had a turbulent family life. Ray also made Felicia Rosario whom he didnt marry but called his wife another lover, and routinely blurred sexual boundaries with his followers. But, Isabellas guilty plea ended up throwing her for a loop. Pollok taunted Drury during the torture session, calling her a faker and telling her the water was room temperature, she testified. In case youve been out of the loop, Isabella pleaded guilty on Sept. 5, 2022, to one count of conspiracy of laundering money, in connection to Rays crimes of extortion, money laundering, sex trafficking, and more. Isabella Pollock has been reported to be Ray's "lieutenant" during his crimes. This case is being handled by the Office's Violent and Organized Crime Unit. He began to counsel Isabella Pollok, Talia's best friend and, now, a co-defendant in the case. She did not comment as she left court Wednesday. Isabella Pollok, one of the Sarah Lawrence students who fell under the influence of Mr. Ray, pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder money, after being accused by prosecutors of serving as. Felicia Rosario, Daniel Barban Levin and Isabella Pollok in "Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence." The director met Felicia Rosario and Pollok shortly after Levin, and when Ray's trial . So, where is she now, and what sentence does she face? On that evening, Pollok had been recording Ray as he stripped Drury naked, tied her to a chair, doused her with water and tried suffocating her with a plastic bag. The network has reportedly instituted a soft ban on Trump, a huge problem for his campaign and for Fox News if the policy backfires. In case you've been out of the loop, Isabella pleaded guilty on Sept. 5, 2022, to one count of conspiracy of laundering money, in connection to Ray's crimes of extortion, money laundering, sex trafficking, and more. Isabella Pollok and Larry Ray pictured in stills from "Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence." Pollok is being investigated for helping Ray manipulate and abuse Pollok's. Have something to tell us about this article? Prosecutors had asked Liman to sentence Pollok to a maximum of 60 months in prison, but acknowledged in a sentencing submission that she was also a victim of Ray. Please remember that Isabellas role in Larrys crimes, and her willingness to play that role, were not the consequences but the goal of the way in which he abused her.. Pollok grew close to Ray as he exterted control over the students, and had been both a victim and lieutenant of his offending, prosecutors said. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Thats why Larry gradually started referring to Isabella as his wife, which soon made it clear she was not his victim (as initially suspected) but rather his co-conspirator in every sense of the term. Isabella did whatever Ray directed.. Donald Trump Jr. An adult woman, yes, but an adult woman without the ability to think for herself, she said. Defense attorney David Bertan reiterated that argument Wednesday, telling the judge that Pollok does not deny her culpability, but that she committed her crimes because of Ray. Assistant U.S. Isabella Pollok and Larry Ray pictured in stills from "Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence." In 2011, Ray moved into a one-bedroom apartment with Talia and several friends, including Pollok, where he continued to subject them to physical and emotional abuse. It took a lot more investigative digging as well as interviews with real victims before she was charged with racketeering conspiracy, extortion conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, and money laundering. His co-counsel Jill R. Shellow struck a similar note. Santos recalls how reclusive Pollok, reeling from a breakup, seemed "vibrant . "The Government does not dispute that the defendant also suffered at Ray's hands," prosecutors said in a separate letter to a federal judge. Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. She fetched a plastic bag for Ray to torture Drury, and a sex toy to aid in the public humiliation of another former roommate. She was barely a teenager when she met him. A comprehensive new government study concludes that the illness probably wasnt caused by foreign adversaries. They complied. . The fact she was recently single reportedly played a significant role in the situation as well, especially as Larry was then able to step up to help her process and make sense of a lot of things.. She was reportedly best friends with Talia, the daughter of prime accused Lawrence 'Larry' Ray. Ray groomed Isabella, at first by listening and paying attention to her. Attorneys for Pollok urged Liman to impose a non-prison sentence, arguing she was groomed and tortured by Ray during her time under his control. Im her mother, I love her. She had problems that he could help her talk through. Like most parents, Cynthia Pollok is standing by her daughters side through her current legal struggles. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! But she was no less a victim.. Although Isabella will likely face jail time for her crimes, many people are wondering why Cynthia and Isabellas other family members didnt intervene from the beginning. to a single count of conspiracy in September. In federal court, people awaiting sentencing commonly write emotional pleas to the presiding judge seeking leniency, but Polloks overture stands apart: She addressed two separate letters to the judge and prosecutors. An indictment unsealed in January of 2021 named Pollok as a co-defendant who willingly joined Ray's "criminal scheme," according to the New York Times. At the sentencing Wednesday, Assistant US Attorney Lindsey Keenan said Pollok acted with initiative and out of her own volition while aiding Ray. . On September 7, 2022 she pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy. Distractify is a registered trademark. But Polloks defense lawyers, David B. Bertan and Jill R. Shellow, also argued she was severely victimized by Ray. Lawrence convinced me that Claudia, Santos, Yali, Felicia and Dan poisoned me and were constantly trying to hurt me, just as he convinced them that they were doing these things.. He began having "therapy" sessions with individuals in order to learn intimate details about them. It lasted a long time. As of February 2023, she hasn't been sentenced, but she did write a letter to the judge in which she stated that she, too, is a victim of conman Larry Ray. Just about anyone who read our 2019 cover story, or followed coverage of Rays trial, or watched Stolen Youth, the new Hulu documentary in which Pollok participated, could see that Pollok was utterly brainwashed by Ray. In one particularly disturbing encounter, Pollok taunted Drury and watched as Ray tortured her for hours in a Manhattan hotel room because he feared she had grown too close to one of her johns. Isabella Pollok's stand has come days before she will be sentenced on February 22 after she pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy. Pollok wrote: "I trusted Lawrence more than I trusted myself and in doing so, I betrayed my own sense of right and wrong.". He lured them off campus to a New York City apartment and collected those supposed debts through physical violence, psychological abuse and sexual exploitation for roughly a decade. Rays manipulation of Isabella was different in kind from the other student-victims because among other things he had made her his lover, Polloks lawyers wrote. I am truly sorry, she said as her voice broke and she sobbed. "Ray groomed Isabella, at first by listening and paying attention to her," Polloks attorneys wrote. Last month, a federal judge sentenced Ray to 60 years in prison for psychologically, sexually, and physically abusing this young cohort of devotees he met after moving into his daughters dorm at Sarah Lawrence College. Isabella Pollok was accused of conspiring with Larry Ray. Ray, who was sentenced to 60 years in prison in January, was introduced to his victims after moving into his daughters on-campus dorm at Sarah Lawrence College in 2010. Its all about not looking soft on crime. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. I will live with the guilt forever., Unlike Ray, who had no family or friends in the courtroom gallery when his sentence was read, Polloks boyfriend sat a few rows behind her, as did her brother and aunt, who both flew in from Texas. 2024 Polls Show DeSantis Cant Easily Knock Out Trump. Fox News Is Reportedly Shadowbanning Donald Trump. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google I do not believe she had a choice in who she became in the hands of Larry Ray, Drury wrote in a letter, urging lenience and mercy for her former friend. Emily Kohrs didnt do anything wrong, and the medias harsh treatment of the Fulton County foreperson was a gift to Trumps lawyers. It's reported that Larry, Isabella and another woman named Felicia Rosario are. During her trial, Isabelle admitted to prosecutors that Talia and Ray had become her lifeline at Sarah Lawrence after Polloks tough childhood in Texas. Isabella Pollok, a former Sarah Lawrence College student who fell under the influence of sex cult leader Larry Ray was sentenced to more than four years in prison Wednesday for conspiring with the fiend as he carried out the abuse of a group of young people. She must report to prison in April. The three-part series, premiering on February 9, gives Ray's victims a platform to speak out about Ray's decade of abuse. Larry Ray has been held in a Brooklyn jail since his arrest. According to investigators, Ray had enlisted Pollok to join the criminal scheme and to work on behalf of the [e]nterprise, investigators wrote in court documents. It was unclear whether they were there in support of Pollok did they forgive Pollok for the torment she inflicted on them? Meanwhile, Lawrence "Larry" Ray, 63, the leader of the Sarah Lawrence sex cult, learned his fate in a New York courtroom last month. Isabella Pollok, who pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy in the Sarah Lawrence University sex trafficking case in which Larry Ray was convicted by a jury, claimed in court documents before sentencing that she was also a victim of his. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. At Sarah Lawrence in 2010, Pollok, then a 19-year-old sophomore, met Larry Ray, her housemate's 50-year-old father. Isabella Pollok, in a government exhibit. After all, shed not just lived with Larry in several areas around New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina but had also assisted him in his schemes of sexual and psychological abuse. It Sure Doesnt Seem Like Havana Syndrome Is Russias Fault. There is no question that I wanted to make my family suffer for the way they made me suffer and the only way I believed I could do it was to commit suicide back in Texas during Christmas break.. This password will be used to sign into all, 6 Stand-ups Analyze ChatGPTs Attempts to Steal Their Jobs. Isabella Pollok, one of the Sarah Lawrence students who fell under the influence of Lawrence V. Ray, pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder money. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Keenan found such a sentence warranted. Liman worried about what effect a non-jail sentence would send. There is the broken automaton. Isabella Pollok and Larry Ray (Photos via DOJ) To date in the saga of convicted sex trafficker Larry Ray, federal prosecutors charged only one person as his co-conspirator and referred to her as his " lieutenant ": Isabella Pollok, his daughter's best friend. Jamie Reeds shocking account of a clinic mistreating children went viral. Pollok, 31, pleaded guilty to a single count in September for participating in a money laundering conspiracy with Ray, who raked in millions of dollars by forcing one of his victims into prostitution for a number of years. "I know this request comes late. What I want is to see her heal, process, move on and live a good, happy life, Drury wrote in a letter to the judge before sentencing. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Court documents showed that one student, Claudia Drury, was forced by Ray into prostitution to "pay damages to [him] that she did not actually owe." Santos Rosario testified that Ray ordered Drury to perform oral sex on him. A co-conspirator of "cult" sex trafficker Larry Ray has been sentenced to 54 months in federal prison. . Another Sarah Lawrence student, Felicia Rosario, was also allegedly romantically involved with Ray. Who is Isabella Pollok? Even the government had once described Pollok as a victim. Pollok was identified by prosecutors as being present in a Manhattan hotel room when Ray tortured Durey, stripping her and suffocating her with a plastic bag, Law and Crime reported. DeSantis Promises Florida Will Control Disney Content. He used violence, psychological abuse and sexual coercion to control several students over a decade-long period. It was back in the fall of 2010 when 19-year-old Isabella first came across 50-year-old Larry as her best friend and roommate Talia Ray's father, only for their bond to soon evolve into much more. Alleged @SarahLawrence College sex manipulator, extortionist Larry Ray had a co-conspirator. A U.S. District Court judge handed down the sentence to. Pollok declined the offer, holding onto the myth that Ray was a victim of a massive conspiracy. The president surprised and angered some Democrats by declining to veto a GOP effort to block a D.C. bill. Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence is streaming now on Hulu. Ray, who was sentenced to 60 years in prisonfor sex trafficking and racketeering in January, manipulated the students into believing he was a guru and convinced them that they had to repay him for committing crimes against him. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. A former Sarah Lawrence College student who fell under the control of convicted predator Larry Ray admitted on Wednesday to conspiring to launder money made from his sex-trafficking scheme. This follows Isabella's original charges of racketeering, extortion, and sex trafficking conspiracies. Polloks attorneys accused Ray of gradually coercing their client until he ultimately exercised complete control over her. They insisted shed been brainwashed by Ray. Claudia Drury, whom Ray coerced into prostitution, a federal judge sentenced Ray to 60 years in prison, the sense of clear moral victory felt after Rays sentence was announced, who read our 2019 cover story, or followed coverage of Rays trial, the new Hulu documentary in which Pollok participated, Felicia and Yalitza Rosario, two of Rays victims, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. This wasnt true of Pollok, the prosecutor said. With Larry Ray's Arrest, Families of His Alleged Victims Breathe Sigh of Relief. Assistant US Attorney Mollie Bracewell told Liman that prosecutors would have introduced a host of evidence if the case had gone to trial, including witness testimony and financial records, including ledgers that were recovered from Pollok. At first, what Larry Ray gave the Slonim 9 . I already bought the tickets a month ago, and they sprang this on me yesterday, Cynthia told the outlet. Im now asking for a second chance.. In September 2022, Pollok pleaded guilty to a single charge of conspiracy to launder money. During this time Ray began a relationship with both Pollok and Felicia Rosariothe sister of two of Ray's victims, Santos and Yalitza Rosario. He glanced at his girlfriend and co-defendant, Isabella Pollock,. Each of these pickups reflects initiative, Keenan told Liman, adding that Ray and Pollok blew the cash on day-to-day expenses, as well as on pricey restaurants, hotel rooms and shopping sprees at Bergdorf Goodman. . You were not the leader of the Ray enterprise, Liman continued, noting that she was a young adult at the times but by no means innocent.. Both Pollok and her mother maintain the student was one of Rays many victims through manipulation. This trust became a sort of blind faith. A woman who referred to herself as Sarah Lawrence 'cult leader' Larry Ray's 'wife' and lived with him and his co-accused, 'lieutenant' Isabella Pollok, has told jurors how her 'romantic . His reporting on the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell was featured on the Starz and Channel 4 documentary "Who Is Ghislaine Maxwell?" Ray, a shadowy figure who never actually served in the marines, exuded coveted experience, ambition and curiosity. She does not deserve jail time.. The outlet shares that Isabella will remain free until her sentencing date on Feb. 22, 2023. The second-largest retail pharmacy chain wont buck Republican attorneys general. A former Sarah Lawrence sex cult member who prosecutors say fell under the spell of mastermind Larry Ray has been sentenced to 4 and a half years in prison.. Isabell Pollok, 31, pleaded guilty in . Shellow disagreed, calling her client Rays fungible and convenient tool. : Who are Sally McNeils kids John and Shantina in Killer Sally documentary? The government knows of no instance when Ms. Pollok was threatened with exposure of collateral, Keenan said. And while Isabella has taken some responsibility for her role concerning the sex cult, Cynthia believes that all the fault lies with Ray. Isabella Pollok has been sentenced to 4.5 years in relation to the Sarah Lawrence sex cult case. Pollok admitted that she laundered the loot, and a jury heard that she participated in what prosecutors called Drurys long night of torture.. He is the host of Law&Crime podcast "Objections: with Adam Klasfeld.". Additionally, many have long wondered how Isabellas family has been impacted by the news. "Isabella finally started to realize that being in Larry's corner is not going to help her," Cyndi said regarding the plea deal. He then dumped cold water on her and choked her with a plastic bag and pillow, Drury testified. Instead, on September 7, 2022, Isabella changed her plea from not guilty to guilty to a single count of conspiracy to launder money by admitting she took part in transactions involving extorted funds. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. On Wednesday in Manhattan, a judge sentenced Isabella Pollok to more than four years in prison, after Pollok pleaded guilty for her role in helping Larry Ray exploit a group of . (Photo via DOJ). Read More: Where Is Larry Rays Cult Survivor Claudia Drury Now? Intro- Robert. Earlier in the proceedings, Judge Liman remarked that Pollok didnt acknowledge the pain she caused her friends, and Polloks lawyers said she would do so in her remarks. "They were there or a woman Ray had "forced into a life of prostitution," she says. After a decade under Rays thumb, Pollok knew instinctively what he wanted her to do, Bertan said. By Dorian Geiger The former Sarah Lawrence College student pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy in September. In 2010, Isabella Pollok was 19-year-old and a student at Sarah Lawrence College. Claudia Drury's Harrowing Cult Story Was Documented in 'Stolen Youth' Where Is She Now? And that its not fucking fair, she said in Stolen Youth. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. The city threw out a Democratic mayor for the first time in decades. I trusted Lawrence more than I trusted myself and in doing so, I betrayed my own sense of right and wrong, she wrote. Pollok is being investigated for helping Ray manipulate and abuse Pollok's fellow students at Sarah Lawrence College, on September 7 2022 she pled guilty to one count of conspiring to launder money. Isabell Pollok, 31, pleaded guilty in September to a single count of participating in a money laundering scheme by forcing one of his victims into prostitution. And as it turns out, he had help from Sarah Lawrence college student Isabella Pollok. Its imperative to note that the once-aspiring child psychologist actually continued to support Larry even after his arrest, and she has made no statements since regarding wheather or not her opinions of him have changed. Chilling video shows man randomly firing gun in the air on Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, Sick trolls leak gruesome Maggie Murdaugh autopsy photo after it was accidentally shown on livestream, How a retired detective snared his seventh 'Torso Killer' confession, It's insane that NYers can use but not buy pepper spray for self-defense: Change this now, Madonna watches new boyfriend Joshua Poppers fight in New York City, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61 after brain aneurysm, How Ariana Madix discovered Tom Sandoval was cheating on her with Raquel Leviss, Max Scherzer's first look at the new pitch clock, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. This story has been shared 126,899 times. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, who fell under the control of convicted predator Larry Ray, Sarah Lawrence sex cult leader Larry Rays top lieutenant sentenced to 54 months, Sarah Lawrence sex cult leader sentenced to 60 years in prison, Sarah Lawrence sex cult fiend to face sentencing today, Jury finds Larry Ray guilty on all counts in Sarah Lawrence sex cult trial. Larry Ray promised answers, peddling a credo of sexual liberation and the quest for potential. He also dazzled his young acolytes through his elaborate backstory boasting of connections to elite figures in politics, the U.S. military, and the intelligence community. The sport desperately needs to change, no matter how loudly purists complain. WATCH LIVE: Ex-boyfriend on trial for allegedly killing womans new beau, WATCH LIVE: Psychic on Trial in Spousal Swindling Case, WATCH LIVE: XXXTentacion murder trial 3 men charged in 2018 shooting death of rapper, Law&Crime Looks Ahead to 10 Remarkable Criminal Trials Scheduled for the First Half of 2023, 9 Shocking Times Defendants Testified at Trial, A bald Alex Murdaugh appears in booking mugshot after hes sentenced to two life terms for killing wife and son, Im a father and I couldnt do this: Florida man convicted of murdering almost 3-month-old baby boy, Jan. 6th rioter who stole Officer Michael Fanones badge following Capitol assault pleads guilty, Former reality TV star gets life sentence for murder-for-hire plot targeting nephew, We really thought she was dead: Long-missing Pennsylvania woman discovered alive in Puerto Rico after 30 years, Accused polygamous cult leader Samuel Batemans next indictment could name additional defendants, feds say, Devil in the Dorm: Episode 4, Confessions, is released on Wondery+, Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell appear in court as defense and prosecutors signal intent to argue about religion during triple murder trial, Sign up for the Law&Crime Daily Newsletter for more breaking news and updates, 'I'm a father and I couldn't do this': Florida man convicted of murdering almost 3-month-old baby boy, Jan. 6th rioter who stole Officer Michael Fanone's badge following Capitol assault pleads guilty, 'We really thought she was dead': Long-missing Pennsylvania woman discovered alive in Puerto Rico after 30 years, 'Things went horribly wrong': Devastated family sues mortuary over wrongful cremation, First survivor to go public against cult leader Larry Ray explains how horrific videos of his abuse became tool of empowerment, Devil in the Dorm: Episode 3, Forced Labor, is released on Wondery+, Sarah Lawrence Sex Trafficker Larry Rays Lieutenant Isabella Pollok Tells Judge Shes Also His Victim. According to prosecutors, she served as the chief lieutenant to Lawrence Ray, who relied on her. In September, Isabella Pollok admitted to conspiring with Ray to commit money laundering. Therefore, the 65-year-old was hopeful about seeing her daughter during her trial proceedings, only for her to ultimately end up pleading guilty to a single count of money laundering in September 2022. Its part of campaign to smoke out and then attack unpopular Republican cuts. The Government does not dispute that the defendant also suffered at Rays hands, federal prosecutors wrote in the submission. Lawrences hold over me changed who I was and it continues to be a healing process. As the world is beginning to learn about the ins and outs of convicted felon Lawrence Larry Rays sex cult via Hulus Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence, questions continue to arise. Ray, 62, drew the group of young adults into a cult-like family after moving into his daughters Sarah Lawrence dorm room in 2010. It took my breath away, and I had a connection to Sarah Lawrence that made it that much more difficult because my sister graduated from Sarah Lawrence and I spent a year there.. During a press conference, the mayor said his words about not believing in the separation of church and state were just his own beliefs. All had come to see Larry Ray as a man whose advice they trusted with personal difficulties and insecurities. After the jury found Murdaugh guilty of murdering his wife and son, he was given two consecutive life sentences. There is the broken automaton. That sentence must clearly state that crime does not pay, the judge said. United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey Berman announces the indictment against Lawrence Ray aka "Lawrence Grecco" on February 11, 2020 in New York City. Pollok now faces a maximum five-year sentence and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the financial gain of her conspiracy. Pollok, 31, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering, avoiding a trial. If it were not for Lawrence Rays presence at Sarah Lawrence, Isabella would not be here.