(Fox)
Seagram heiress Clare Bronfman collapsed in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday, shortly after the judge in her racketeering conspiracy case asked if she'd secretly retained embattled lawyer Michael Avenatti in a bid to negotiate a deal with prosecutors.
Bronfman was charged in July in connection with the activities of NXIVM, a self-proclaimed self-help organization that authorities say operated as an abusive cult where selected female "slaves" were forced to have sex with leader Keith Raniere and were branded with his initials.
Bronfman is represented by attorney Mark Geragos, who was identified by The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press this week as an unindicted co-conspirator in what federal prosecutors say was a scheme by Avenatti to extort millions from sportswear giant Nike.
Under questioning by U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis, Geragos admitted that he and Avenatti had met with prosecutors on Bronfman's behalf. New York Post reporter Emily Saul tweeted that Avenatti has not entered a notice that he will appear in court on Bronfman's behalf, but Geragos has. She tweeted that Geragos told Judge Garaufis that he did not know if Avenatti intended to appear before the court in the Bronfman matter "because of the other case." Read more