Brooklyn rabbi gets 10 years for leading a gang of men who beat up Jewish husbands reluctant to divorce their unhappy wives BY REUVEN BLAU <http://www.nydailynews.com/authors?author=Reuven-Blau> NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Tuesday, December 15, 2015, 3:33 PM
- A - A - A 265 30 SHARE THIS URL [image: +++(MANDATORY CREDIT: 5 Towns Jewish Times)+++..Rabbi Menel Epstein, who was arrested on October 9, 2013..+++(MANDATORY CREDIT: 5 Towns Jewish Times)+++]5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES/5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMESRabbi Mendel Epstein, 70, was dubbed “The Prodfather” after he was convicted of charging desperate wives thousands of dollars to torture their husbands into compliance. <http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/rabbi-10-years-beating-jewish-men-resisting-divorce-article-1.2466800?utm_content=buffer294ce&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=NYDailyNewsTw#> A Brooklyn rabbi got 10 years in the slammer Tuesday for his role as the ringleader of a gang of Jewish men who used violence — involving handcuffs and electric cattle prods — to force reluctant husbands to give their wives religious divorces. Mendel Epstein, 70, was dubbed “The Prodfather” after he was convicted of charging desperate wives thousands of dollars to torture their husbands into compliance. <http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-rabbi-trial-begins-kidnap-divorce-ring-article-1.2118523> The white-bearded Talmudic scholar once bragged about using an electric cattle prod to persuade the men to sign a religious divorce document, known as a “get.” *MAN RAILS AGAINST JEWS, ATTACKS UWS JEWISH BOOKSTORE OWNER* <http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/man-rails-jews-attacks-uws-jewish-bookstore-owner-article-1.2451501> Epstein, a prominent rabbi who specializes in divorce proceedings, was found guilty of conspiracy <http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/orthodox-rabbi-guilty-kidnapping-beating-jewish-husbands-article-1.2193597> to commit kidnapping. <http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/rabbi-10-years-beating-jewish-men-resisting-divorce-article-1.2466800?utm_content=buffer294ce&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=NYDailyNewsTw#> On Tuesday, he was sentenced to 10 years behind bars — but he could have been sent away for life, authorities said. A total of 10 men in all were convicted with Epstein for participating in his schemes. The rabbi’s plot started to unravel when federal agents set up a sting to catch him and his Orthodox goons. An agent posed as a woman desperate to get a religious divorce. She went crying to Epstein for help, according to phone conversations played at trial. <http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/rabbi-tape-played-nj-jurors-kidnap-divorce-trial-article-1.2120511> [image: Jewish divorce trial][image: Jewish divorce trial][image: An unidentified man was beaten for not giving his wife a Jewish divorce known as a "get." The rabbi who set up the attack once bragged about using an electric cattle prod to persuade the men to sign a religious divorce document.][image: The attackers brought vodka, pictured here, to the planned abduction.]VIEW GALLERYGraphic police photos show evidence from Jewish divorce trial <http://www.nydailynews.com/news/graphic-police-photos-show-evidence-jewish-divorce-trial-gallery-1.2466718> “The Prodfather” told the undercover agent it would cost $60,000 to pay for the potential beatdown. Epstein, who headed a small congregation in Brooklyn, was arrested in October 2013 as he and his men were busted inside an Edison, New Jersey, warehouse. They were there plotting to confront the undercover agent’s non-existent husband. The father of nine, grandfather of 45 and great-grandfather of five was caught on tape boasting that his “team” kidnaps and beats stubborn husbands until they give their wives a “get.” [image: Epstein, a prominent rabbi who specializes in divorce proceedings, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping.]MEL EVANS/APEpstein, a prominent rabbi who specializes in divorce proceedings, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. <http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/rabbi-10-years-beating-jewish-men-resisting-divorce-article-1.2466800?utm_content=buffer294ce&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=NYDailyNewsTw#> Six co-defendants pleaded guilty in the case before it went to trial. At the trial, defense attorney Robert Stahl argued Epstein was a “champion of women's rights” who was “puffing and exaggerating” when he talked to undercover agents about what he could do for them. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wolfe stressed Epstein and the others weren't participating in a religious ritual. “These people were not here for a religious ceremony,” she told the jury of eight men and eight women. [image: Rope was found in the mini-van used by the violent group of Jewish men.]Rope was found in the mini-van used by the violent group of Jewish men. <http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/rabbi-10-years-beating-jewish-men-resisting-divorce-article-1.2466800?utm_content=buffer294ce&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=NYDailyNewsTw#> “There is nothing religious about this. This is a kidnapping,” she said. Prosecutors pointed to a long list of items the men used that was found inside their mini-van. Boots, black shirts, stockings, gloves, a hat or face mask, a blindfold and handcuffs were all on the list. Epstein also talked about what the men should do if the husband was so scared he suffered a heart attack. [image: A mask the men used in their kidnappings.]A mask the men used in their kidnappings. <http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/rabbi-10-years-beating-jewish-men-resisting-divorce-article-1.2466800?utm_content=buffer294ce&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=NYDailyNewsTw#> "Take a right turn and let him die," he told an undercover agent. Epstein's lawyer argued the feds were missing a major piece of evidence—a cattle prod. "The government loved Rabbi Epstein's words on the tape, but you know what? There was no cattle prod," Stahl told the jury. Epstein was recorded bragging about the tough tactics his crew would take about once every year and a half. [image: Another mask used to intimidate victims.]Another mask used to intimidate victims. <http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/rabbi-10-years-beating-jewish-men-resisting-divorce-article-1.2466800?utm_content=buffer294ce&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=NYDailyNewsTw#> "Basically what we are going to be doing is kidnapping a guy for a couple of hours and beating him up and torturing him and then getting him to give the get," Epstein said. "I guarantee that if you're in the van, you'd give a get to your wife," he added. "We take an electric cattle prod … you put it in certain parts of his body and in one minute the guy will know." Before his arrest, Epstein was long suspected of using torture to convince Jewish husbands to divorce their wives. "We prefer not to leave a mark," he told the undercover agent. Israel Markowitz testified that he was lured to Lakewood and tortured into giving his wife a get in 2009. He recognized David Epstein, the rabbi’s son, as one of his assailants. -- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PoliticalForum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
