James Arthur Ray

Who is James Arthur Ray?

James Arthur Ray is a motivational speaker and author who was convicted of felony negligent homicide. He is the author of Harmonic Wealth, a New York Times bestseller frequently featured on the Today Show. In 2006 he appeared on CNN's Larry King Live and was a guest speaker in the film The Secret. Ray had taught Stephen Covey Motivational seminars while employed at AT&T and claimed he later worked two years for the Covey foundation, although the company has no record of him as an employee or contractor. Ray has appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s television show and wrote a best-selling book, “Harmonic Wealth: The Secret of Attracting the Life You Want.” As of October 2009 Ray's company, James Ray International, was not Better Business Bureau accredited, which gives the company a C rating for seven complaints filed and two unresolved.

Ray was convicted of three counts of negligent homicide but acquitted of manslaughter following his February 3, 2010, arrest in the deaths of three participants in one of his New Age retreats. He was sentenced to two years in Arizona state prison and was released under supervision on July 12, 2013.