This is hilarious! I actually like this guy!
On Tue, Dec 15, 2015 at 8:41 PM, plainolamerican <[email protected]> wrote: > 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. > -- -- 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.
