The man threw his daughter's friends for millions of dollars: the lives of many of them are destroyed

A man who moved into his daughter's college dorm and charmed her classmates was convicted. He was accused of exploiting youth through threats and violence. At the same time, he pursued the goal of enriching himself with millions of dollars by destroying their lives, reports NBC New York.

Lawrence Ray, 62, was found guilty on several counts. For several weeks, witnesses and victims testified about his psychological manipulation of young people. The man met them in the fall of 2010 at Sarah Lawrence College, a small New York liberal arts school. Ray moved into his daughter's dorm after serving a prison sentence for securities fraud.

Sentencing was scheduled for September 16 on charges including racketeering, conspiracy, forced labor, sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. Ray stood with his arms crossed over his chest, looking at the Manhattan jurors. He was convicted on 15 counts, which means almost life imprisonment. Each article carries a mandatory minimum 15-year term. After the verdict was announced, Ray was returned to custody, where he had been since his arrest in early 2020. His lawyers declined to comment outside of court and did not respond to emails asking for comment.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Ray had led astray a group of teenagers who had their whole lives ahead of them. “For ten years, he used force, threats and psychological abuse to control and destroy their lives,” Williams said. “He exploited them, terrorized them and tortured them. Let me be very clear. Larry Ray is a predator. An evil man who did terrible things. Today's verdict will finally hold him accountable."

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The jurors concluded deliberations a day after receiving the case. The trial, which featured testimonies from numerous victims who usually referred to Ray as simply "Larry," lasted a month. According to some, Ray made them believe they had poisoned or otherwise harmed him, so they should have been repaid. One woman said she became a sex worker to compensate Ray. For four years, the victim assures, in total she gave the defendant 2,5 million dollars, which averaged from 10 to 000 dollars a week. Another woman was going to become a doctor in 50. But her career and life went downhill when she met and became romantically involved with Ray. The victim said that he sometimes demanded that she have sex with strangers and film it for him.

Ray's lawyers argued that he was the victim of former friends who fabricated the stories. Ray did not testify. Twice the trial was interrupted because he was taken to the hospital by ambulance due to illnesses unknown to the court.

Some students agreed to live with Ray in the summer of 2011 in his one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, where his sinister side came out. He began to claim that the students had poisoned and harmed him or his property. To make amends, they did what he asked, including handing over money. One man said he gave Ray over $100. Prosecutors said the money was never enough. Through threats, violence and video-recorded "confessions," Ray increased his power over young people, they said. Including for several weeks in 000, he forced them to do landscaping and other work at his stepfather's house in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

The violence culminated in October 2018. Then Ray for several hours mocked a woman who gave him her earnings from the sex business. He tied her naked to a chair, scolded her, strangled her with a leash and made her fear for her life by putting a bag over her head.

Ray committed the crimes with the help of his daughter and Isabella Pollock, a woman who pleaded not guilty to criminal charges, prosecutors said. Her trial is scheduled for the end of this year. The daughter was not charged with anything.