NEW YORK — A federal jury took just hours Wednesday to convict a man who authorities say moved into his daughter’s college dorm room in 2010, then proceeded to sexually, physically and psychologically torture her friends, forcing some to pay him millions through extortion and sex trafficking.
Lawrence Ray, 62, of Piscataway, New Jersey, was found guilty of racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to commit extortion; extortion; sex trafficking; obtaining forced labor; forced labor trafficking; conspiracy to obtain forced labor; violating the Travel Act; four counts of tax evasion; and money laundering. He could be sentenced to life in prison.
“Twelve years ago, Larry Ray moved into his daughter’s dorm room at Sarah Lawrence College. And when he got there, he met a group of friends who had their whole lives ahead of them,” Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement. “For the next decade, he used violence, threats, and psychological abuse to try to control and destroy their lives. He exploited them. He terrorized them. He tortured them.
“Let me be very clear. Larry Ray is a predator. An evil man who did evil things. Today’s verdict finally brings him to justice.”
According to prosecutors, after moving in with his daughter, Ray “subjected a group of college students and other victims to sexual and psychological manipulation and physical abuse.” Ray moved in after finishing a prison stint for a securities fraud conviction.
Ray took advantage of his victims by using sleep deprivation, psychological and sexual humiliation, verbal abuse, physical violence and threats of physical violence, and threats of criminal legal action. He also found ways to alienate the victims from their families and exploited their mental health vulnerabilities, prosecutors say.
Ray was able to get victims to make false confessions about causing damage to him, his family and friends He then extorted payment for the false damages, getting victims to drain their parents’ savings, opening credit lines, soliciting contributions from acquaintances, and selling real estate ownership. Ray also had them perform unpaid labor a family member’s property in North Carolina.
During the four-week trial, several students testified that they were drawn into Ray’s world as he told them stories of his past influence in New York City politics, including his role in ruining the career of former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik after serving as the best man at his wedding years earlier. Ray had, in fact, been a figure in the corruption investigation that derailed Kerik’s nomination to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Prosecutors say one female victim was forced into prostitution while she was still a college student to pay damages to Ray that she did not actually owe. Ray reportedly tied the woman to a chair, placed a plastic bag over her head and nearly suffocated her. Prosecutors say he collected millions of dollars in forced prostitution from the woman.
Ray’s lawyers maintained he was victimized by former friends who fabricated their stories. They declined to comment Wednesday after the verdict.
Ray carried out his crimes with help from his daughter and Isabella Pollok, a woman who has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges, prosecutors said. Her trial is set for later this year. The daughter has not been charged.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism