Connecticut socialite walks free after serving less than half her sentence for filming children nude

A Connecticut socialite who was imprisoned for secretly recording three minors in her $10million mansion is now walking free.

Hadley Palmer, 54, was sentenced in November to one year in prison and 20 years probation after pleading guilty to three counts of voyeurism and risk of injury to a minor. 

But she has since entered a transitional supervision program and was granted early release, officials from the state Department of Corrections told the Daily Beast.

Under the program, which is similar to parole, inmates with sentences of two years or less can serve the remainder of their sentences in a halfway house or with a sponsor.

As a result, Palmer has served less than half of her one-year sentence behind bars, between her 90-day prison stint last spring and the 71 days she completed this winter. 

Hadley Palmer, 54, of Belle Haven, was sentenced to one year in prison, 10 years on the sex offenders registry and 20 years probation after pleading guilty in January

But she had served less than half of her sentence behind bars at the York Correctional Institute (pictured) 

Palmer, a mother of four, was arrested in October 2021 on charges including employing a minor in an obscene performance and second-degree child pornography.

Greenwich police claimed in charging documents that she filmed three minors without their knowledge at her $10million mansion in Belle Haven for her own sexual gratification in 2017 and 2018, noting that one of the victims was 15 or younger. 

Not much was revealed about the allegations made against Palmer, as she immediately filed for what is called ‘accelerated rehabilitation’ — a type of probation program whereby defendants charged with minor crimes can have their file sealed. 

It is a program reserved for first-time offenders. It can be applied to defendants charged with Class C felonies, but only with ‘good cause’. 

Palmer was granted it and the file was therefore kept secret.

Authorities had said more serious charges were also on the table but she struck a plea deal in January 2022, that saw her convicted on only three counts of voyeurism and one count of risk or injury to a minor. 

Higher charges of employing a minor in an obscene performance and possession of child pornography were dropped under the deal, in which the hedge fund manager’s daughter pleaded guilty to ‘knowingly photographing, filming and recording three individuals’ in 2017 and 2018 without their knowledge.

As part of that plea deal, she agreed to serve an initial term of 90 days at the York Correctional Facility, the state’s only facility for female prisoners before her November sentencing. 

Palmer pleaded guilty to three counts of voyeurism and risk of injury to a minor

Authorities said she had filmed three minors naked or unclothed at her $10million water-front home (pictured) 

At her sentencing hearing in November, State’s Attorney Paul Fereneck revealed she recorded the victims unclothed, and at times fully naked at her waterfront home, and shared the footage with an unnamed third-party.

Palmer had faced up to five years behind bars, but Stamford Superior Court Judge John Blawie — who sealed her case to protect the victims — ordered her to serve just one year in prison with 20 years probation.

She would also be required to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years.

Palmer’s attorney, Michael Meehan, who called the mom-of-four ‘very caring [and] loving,’ said the sentencing was fair and that she was ‘taking responsibility for her actions.’

The Stamford Advocate later revealed that the victims in the case had requested Palmer serve no further jail time.

Palmer was well-known within Connecticut’s high-end social circles. She is pictured with socialite Colleen deVeer and her now ex-husband Brad Palmer

She is pictured here at another benefit in 2016 with Randall Sandler, Liz Sandler and her ex-husband

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At her sentencing hearing in November, Michael Meehan (pictured leaving the court in an orange tie) called the mom-of-four ‘very caring [and] loving’

Many details surrounding her case have been sealed, with critics calling the move unusual and outlets like the Associated Press publicly condemning the move.

The AP argued that the records could have been redacted or changed the children’s names, as is typical in the state’s sex crime cases, to make the documents open to the public. 

Legal experts also told the outlet at the time that it was a highly unusual move for her file to be sealed immediately, with many saying she did not even qualify for accelerated rehabilitation.

They demanded to know why she was able to hide from public view, when other defendants have not, raising questions about whether wealthy defendants are treated differently than others.

But acquaintances told the Daily Beast they believe there is more to the story, and they are happy that Palmer has been released.

‘I think it’s great,’ an unidentified socialite commented, adding of the accusations against her: ‘On the surface, it’s one thing, and when you know someone it’s another.

‘Please let her know there are a lot of people out there who believe in her and saw the story for what it was,’ the unnamed source said. 

The hedge fund manager’s daughter pleaded guilty to ‘knowingly photographing, filming and recording three individuals’ in 2017 and 2018 without their knowledge at her Belle Haven mansion

The $10million waterfront home offered plenty of natural light with beautiful views of the Long Island Sound

Many have wondered if her venture capitalist husband, Bradley, exposed his wife’s doing to police, after divorce documents revealed he sought to look at her social media for evidence she been romantically or sexually involved with someone. 

The divorce records indicated that wealthy financier had grown suspicious of Palmer. 

He filed a motion back in July to get her social media accounts, along with any videos or photographs she may have sent to anyone she had been romantically or sexually involved with, according to a February report by The New York Times. 

In family court proceedings, the Daily Beast reports, Palmer repeatedly invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in response to Brad’s request for discovery, which included copies of ‘photographs, video and audio recordings sent to or received from any person with whom you have had a sexual or romantic relationship, whether in person or solely by remote means.’

She also objected to a request for ‘all reports by private investigators, or other surveillance’ pertaining to her ‘spouse or any child of the marriage.’

In turn, Palmer’s attorneys requested files on ‘background checks, surveillance or other services of any and all private investigations, police officers or investigation services procured by you or on your behalf.’

The divorce proceedings, in which both Hadley and Brad are seeking custody of their minor child, are ongoing. 

Many have questioned if her ex-husband, Brad, secretly turned Hadley over to the authorities as her arrest came amid contentious divorce proceedings 

Palmer is shown at an event in 2018 with her daughter Katherine. She has four kids with her estranged husband, including one who is a minor

In court filings last month, the Daily Beast reports, Palmer’s divorce attorneys revealed her early release date in a motion to postpone a scheduled status conference so that she could participate in-person.

They noted that their client would be released on or before March 1. Her maximum release date is now August 20 ‘assuming she doesn’t get rearrested, that she doesn’t violate her conditions,’ public information officer Andrius Banevicius said.

Under her release, Palmer is required to abstain from drugs and alcohol and cannot leave the state unless she receives permission to do so.