Turnabout in Jacob Ostreicher's case: senior minister arrested

Bolivia Court last week rejected for the 28th time the hearing of Jacob Ostreicher, the businessman detained in a prison in Bolivia for a year and a half.

This time, like on previous occasions, the court rejected the hearing, without giving a reasonable explanation for the delay. Ostreicher received the news in hospital, where he was hospitalized for two weeks.

Yesterday an unexpected guest came to visit him in hospital: the prosecutor Jabiar Monstrias came to the room where he was hospitalized to update him on the turnabout in his case. The prosecutor revealed that the Bolivian government arrested a senior cabinet minister on suspicion that he sold the rice to Ostreicher, although the rice was banned - by the authorities. The senior minister was accused that he earned $9,900 from the sale. The prosecutor added that soon another 11 government officials who were connected to the Ostreicher case will be arrested.

Ostreicher, which is supposed to return today from the hospital to the prison cell, told his family that he fears for his life, as the new prisoners will try to kill him, for fear of him testifying against them.

However, family members and activists working for his release expressed optimism, saying that now, with the arrest of government officials, it turns out that Ostreicher is innocent.

The story began more than a year and a half, with the arrest of Ostreicher, an orthodox resident of Borough Park, at the Bolivia airport. Ostreicher invested in rice fields, and earned from the sale of rice. Bolivian authorities claimed that Ostreicher's business laundered money.

U.S. officials have enlisted for the release of Ostreicher, Rebbes and redemption of prisoner's organizations in the U.S. is working tirelessly to secure his release. A few weeks ago it became clear that Ostreicher was ill with Parkinson's.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!