Chasidic avrech extorted 35,000 dollars from 'Baron Hertzog'
Williamsburg resident raised by the winemakers family 'Baron Hartzog' to handle returned checks provided to meshulachim, staged kidnapping and extortion • So how did a private investigator discover the deception?
- Yoel Bittleman, Behadrey Haredim
- י' סיון התשע"ג
Illustration photo
A chasidic avrech, resident of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, extorted from a family winemakers 'Baron Hertzog' the sum of 35 thousand dollars, according to the Daily News newspaper published in New York.
The Winery owners 'Baron Hertzog', the largest kosher winery in the U.S. are known to every meshulach as well as administrators of Torah institutions. For many years the family had given generous contributions, up to a year ago.
Over a year ago an undercover investigation for donations (tax-exempt) which the winery owners donated, started after someone in the haredi community informed on illegal activity connected to the donations of the winery owners. To avoid complications, the family decided to close the bank account which was intended for donations. The result was: many checks donated to institutions "returned."
In order to deal with the affair, the family decided to recruit Elimelech Horowitz, an avrech of 30 year resident of Williamsburg, who was to handle all returned checks. Two weeks ago, Horowitz staged kidnapping and extortion.
On 3 May, Horowitz called a member of the Herzog family and said that masked men kidnapped him and are demanding 35 thousand dollars from him for his release. The Herzog family transferred the money to Horowitz, having received an anonymous phone call saying, "I know where you live, I know where you work and I know where your family lives." The anonymous asked to transfer the money before "Shabbah".
The money reached Horowitz, but the Herzog family hired a private investigator, Joe Levin - to investigate the affair and especially the threats. Joe Levine tracked the phone call was received at the Herzog family, and discovered that the anonymous could not pronounce the word Shabbat, and instead said, "Shabba".
Levin knew that all contributions donated by the family were donated to haredi Jews, and the anonymous voice was the voice of a non-Jew. The suspicion was that Horowitz staged blackmail. Lawyer George Farkash came into the picture and summoned Elimelech Horowitz to his office. After he threatened Horowitz that he knows he staged the kidnapping and extortion attempt, and that he will transfer the case to the police, Horowitz admitted that indeed he staged the kidnapping, and that he asked a non-Jew on the street corner to make the phone call.
After negotiations between the lawyer and Horowitz, it was agreed that Horowitz will return the money to the family Herzog, and Herzog in exchange will close the story of blackmail, and not transfer the matter for the police.
A source close to Horowitz told the newspaper that Baron Hertzog feared Horowitz will open a Pandora's case regarding the donations to meshulachim.
It should be noted that most of the meshulachim from Israel cash checks in the U.S. and transfer the money to Israel, which by law is prohibited.
The Winery owners 'Baron Hertzog', the largest kosher winery in the U.S. are known to every meshulach as well as administrators of Torah institutions. For many years the family had given generous contributions, up to a year ago.
Over a year ago an undercover investigation for donations (tax-exempt) which the winery owners donated, started after someone in the haredi community informed on illegal activity connected to the donations of the winery owners. To avoid complications, the family decided to close the bank account which was intended for donations. The result was: many checks donated to institutions "returned."
In order to deal with the affair, the family decided to recruit Elimelech Horowitz, an avrech of 30 year resident of Williamsburg, who was to handle all returned checks. Two weeks ago, Horowitz staged kidnapping and extortion.
On 3 May, Horowitz called a member of the Herzog family and said that masked men kidnapped him and are demanding 35 thousand dollars from him for his release. The Herzog family transferred the money to Horowitz, having received an anonymous phone call saying, "I know where you live, I know where you work and I know where your family lives." The anonymous asked to transfer the money before "Shabbah".
The money reached Horowitz, but the Herzog family hired a private investigator, Joe Levin - to investigate the affair and especially the threats. Joe Levine tracked the phone call was received at the Herzog family, and discovered that the anonymous could not pronounce the word Shabbat, and instead said, "Shabba".
Levin knew that all contributions donated by the family were donated to haredi Jews, and the anonymous voice was the voice of a non-Jew. The suspicion was that Horowitz staged blackmail. Lawyer George Farkash came into the picture and summoned Elimelech Horowitz to his office. After he threatened Horowitz that he knows he staged the kidnapping and extortion attempt, and that he will transfer the case to the police, Horowitz admitted that indeed he staged the kidnapping, and that he asked a non-Jew on the street corner to make the phone call.
After negotiations between the lawyer and Horowitz, it was agreed that Horowitz will return the money to the family Herzog, and Herzog in exchange will close the story of blackmail, and not transfer the matter for the police.
A source close to Horowitz told the newspaper that Baron Hertzog feared Horowitz will open a Pandora's case regarding the donations to meshulachim.
It should be noted that most of the meshulachim from Israel cash checks in the U.S. and transfer the money to Israel, which by law is prohibited.
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