FBI ARRESTS MAYORS, RABBIS IN NEW JERSEY SWEEP POST STAFF REPORT
July 23, 2009 --
Three New Jersey mayors, two state assemblymen and roughly 40 other officials and private citizens, including rabbis, were rounded up today by federal authorities after a massive, 10-year investigation of an international money laundering ring.
The ring allegedly trafficked in goods as diverse as human organs and fake designer handbags. Suspects were taken by the carload to the FBI's Newark office, with cars at times stacked four-deep waiting to unload their passengers.
Three hundred agents in 54 locations in New Jersey and New York were involved in the arrests this morning, the Newark Star-Ledger reported.
The wide-ranging scandal led to the resignation of Jersey's commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, Joseph Doria. He wasn't arrested but after his office and home were searched, Gov. Corzine said he could no longer be effective and asked him to step down.
The politicians willingly put themselves up for sale," acting U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra said. "For these defendants, corruption was a way of life. They existed in an ethics-free zone."
The arrested include Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell, Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano, Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez, state Assemblymen Peter Van Pelt and Harvey Smith, Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega, Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Baldini, Jersey City Republicans John Guarini and Guy Catrillo, La Vern Webb-Washington, a Jersey City council candidate, Joseph Castagna, Jersey City's health officer, and Michael Manzo, a long-time veteran of the Jersey City fire department.
Suarez was charged with agreeing to accept a $10,000 corrupt cash payment for his legal defense fund, the Bergen Record reported.
Elwell was charged with taking a $10,000 cash bribe.
Cammarano was charged with accepting $25,000 in cash bribes from an undercover cooperating witness.
Van Pelt is accused of accepting $10,000 from a cooperating government witness posing as a developer who sought help in getting permits for a project in Ocean County.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the investigation initially focused, with the help of the cooperating witness, on the money laundering network that operated between Brooklyn, Deal, N.J. and Israel. The network is alleged to have laundered tens of millions of dollars through charities controlled by rabbis in New York and New Jersey.
The investigation widened to include official corruption in July 2007 when the cooperating witness approached public officials in Hudson County posing as a developer seeking to build in the Jersey City area.
The Wall Street Journal identified the developer as Solomon Dwek, an Orthodox Jewish man who was arrested on bank-fraud charges in 2006.
pay close attention and read carefully to determine which party they are in:
"The arrested include Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell, Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano, Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez, state Assemblymen Peter Van Pelt and Harvey Smith, Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega, Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Baldini, Jersey City Republicans John Guarini and Guy Catrillo, La Vern Webb-Washington, a Jersey City council candidate, Joseph Castagna, Jersey City's health officer, and Michael Manzo, a long-time veteran of the Jersey City fire department."
Well it appears the government media reported that two were REPUBLICANS, but the others must be part of the No New taxes Party or something since they didn't mention THEIR AFFILIATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is always the same, I have paid close attention over the years. When a democrat is arrested for anything they never mention the party. If it is a Republican, they put it in the article five times and mention how he is connected with other prominent Republicans through one way or another. This is the very first time that such a large group was arrested and they only gave notice of which party the two Republicans were in, completely ignoring the party affiliation of the Democrats. So I guess the Orwellian aspect of journalism is getting worse. You tell me-have you ever noticed how closely the media protects the brand name of the Democratic party????
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Nationwide. A few years ago there was some mayor in Seattle or something that molested boys. I read every report on it everywhere and could not determine which party he was until I looked up the state of Washington election commission! If he were a Republican they would have said that he was once the Reagan chaiman in the local county in 1986, and had endorsed Bush in 2000, and was an early supporter of Sarah Palin, and had hosted Mitt Romney when he came to town at the city hall...etc etc...or is he appeared on stage with Mile Huckabee 4 years ago they would post a picture of that in the article. Otherwise democrats are suddenly non-affiliated when they get caught doing something. Check it out sometimes, you will see for yourself. If it here in New York they will say "The upstate Republican stalwart pleaded guilty...etc" If he is a Democrat the words are "The Syracuse assemblyman was arrested Monday in a prostitution sweep...Albany pundits say he was once a dorm mate of Governor Pataki...etc..." attempting to find a way to make the LOOK like a Republican, convieniently leaving out he is a democrat. Sometimes when they arrest a so-called moderate Democrat he is identified as a "conservative" who may be closely allied with the NRA" too which tickles me no end.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
RABBIS IN MONEY WRINGER BY JEANE MacINTOSH and CHUCK BENNETT
July 24, 2009 --
The insular Syrian Jewish community was rocked yesterday when its 87-year-old US leader was swept up in a massive money-laundering probe.
He was among five Brooklyn and New Jersey rabbis charged in a scheme that the feds claim churned "tens of millions" through nonprofit charities and synagogues they ran.
Saul Kassin, head of Sharee Zion in Sheepshead Bay, was a key player in an international operation that washed dirty money -- provided by an FBI informer -- through local religious institutions, as well as intermediaries in Israel and Switzerland, according to the feds.
The frail-looking octogenarian had to be helped up the steps of the Newark federal courthouse by FBI agents as he attempted to hide from the cameras by putting a black hat in front of his face.
The operation also nabbed Eliahu Ben Haim, the highly regarded principal rabbi of Congregation Ohel Yaacob in Deal, NJ; Edmund Nahum, chief rabbi of another area temple, Deal Synagogue; Mordchai Fish, rabbi of Congregation Sheves Achim in Brooklyn; and Rabbi Lavel Schwartz, Fish's brother.
All five were charged with money laundering.
Nine other Brooklyn men who allegedly worked as "cash house" operators and money couriers for the rabbis also were arrested and charged in the scheme.
Prosecutors said the rabbis were not all part of an organized outfit, and operated in smaller, autonomous groups that sometimes overlapped.
The arrests were sparked by the work of an undercover FBI operative, Solomon Dwek, a crooked real-estate dealer who flipped for the feds.
Dwek, the son of prominent Deal Rabbi Isaac Dwek, was charged in 2006 with a massive bank-fraud scheme. He decided to cooperate with the feds while his case awaits prosecution.
In two years alone, prosecutors allege, the rabbis laundered $3 million handed over to them by Dwek -- who told them the money came from decidedly non-kosher sources, such as fraudulent bank loans and sales of knockoff designer handbags.
The religious leaders would allegedly deposit the checks as contributions to various nonprofits controlled by them or their synagogues.
Working with local and foreign contacts alike, they would arrange to provide Dwek with clean cash in exchange for his cashier's checks. Their contacts would sometimes send massive amounts of money for pick-up at the "cash houses," anonymous storefronts like bakeries or beeper stores located in Brooklyn.
The rabbis would keep anywhere from 10 to 15 percent for themselves.
In one conversation recorded by the feds, Nahum tells Dwek he should launder his money through a number of rabbis for his own protection.
"The more it's spread, the better," Nahum said, according to court documents
The criminal complaints also allege:
* Kassin laundered more than $200,000 from Dwek from June 2007 through December 2008, netting him at least $20,000 in commissions. His attorney, Robert Stahl, called Kassin's arrest a "misunderstanding" after he was released on a $200,000 bail bond.
* Nahum not only laundered $185,000 during the same 18 months, but even claimed a tax deduction for fictitious deposits to his and Kassin's nonprofits. He was released on a $700,000 bail bond, and his attorney, Justin Walder, maintained that Nahum did not "profit" from any alleged scheme.
* Ben Haim typically received bank checks ranging from tens of thousands of dollars up to $160,000 at a time -- all of them made out to a charity.
He was caught on the wire boasting of one of his international connections, and called his scheme a "merry-go-round" because the money moved around the world, via a longtime Israeli partner, the feds said..............>>>>......................>>>>.......................http://www.nypost.com/seven/07242009/news/regionalnews/rabbis_in_money_wringer_180996.htm
Michael Savage used this expression "hiding the gelt under thier pelt!" Oyyy!
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Michael Savage used this expression "hiding the gelt under thier pelt!" Oyyy!
I heard that!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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