BREAKING NEWS 2:00PM EST: The Spinka Rebbe of Boro Park was sentenced this morning (Monday) to 24 months in jail starting April 15 2010. Further details will be posted as soon as they become available to us.
UPDATE 3:15PM EST: “I’m embarrassed beyond words,” the Rebbe told the judge. “My remorse is deep and heartfelt.”
An assistant, Gabbai Moshe Zigelman, 62, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy and was also sentenced to a two-year federal prison term.
In his plea agreement, the Rebbe admitted he learned from Zigelman that Spinka Mosdos had received $8,493,659 in 2006 and that Spinka had “profits” of $744,596, after deducting the amounts paid back to the various contributors.
Prosecutors have said they are investigating more than 100 others who were contributors to Spinka organizations.
(Excerpts above from NBC Los Angeles)
EARLIER ARTICLE POSTED AT 11:00AM EST:
The Spinka Rebbe Shlita of Boro Park is scheduled to be sentenced this morning (Monday) at approximately 12:00PM EST.
The Spinka Rebbe has pleaded guilty in his case, and at the sentencing hearing the judge has the option to give the Rebbe anything between 0-36 months incarceration.
Please be Mispallel for (Rav) Naftali Tzvi ben Perl.
Since being arrested Rebbe has since delivered numerous public speeches about the importance of doing business and running Mosdos legally.
His major speech in English this past summer in front of thousands of people at an Asifa in the Ohr Hachayim Viznitz Hall, in Boro Park, focusing on the timeless (but also all too timely) theme of “Vi’asisa hayashar vi’hatov.” In the speech the rebbe said “We have learned things the hard way”, and urged everyone to follow the law. The speech can be watched by clicking HERE.
At that massive gathering of people, Attorney Benjamin Brafman started his speech by saying “I want to tell the Spinka Rebbe with great kavod, and this is from my heart, – It took an incredible amount of Gevurah (strength) for the Spinka Rebbe to stand up here and address this audience, and I hope by you doing this tonight it serves as a zechus in the Tzaar (pain) of what you are currently going through; because I think you’ve earned a great deal of respect by appearing here tonight and trying to address the current problems.”
This past September, scores of Admorim, Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim attended an emergency meeting at the request of the Spinka Rebbe Shlita.
The closed door meeting addressed the initiation of a series of workshops, educational seminars and other related programs to inform and educate community schools and other non-profits regarding applicable law and the mass dissemination of the Spinka developed compliance program.
The Spinka Rebbe as well as other speakers including Attorneys and Rabbonim addressed the need for all of the assembled participants to urge their administrators and constituents to attend and warmly embrace the upcoming educational program schedule that is projected to span the next few years.
The message imparted to the participants was that the upcoming programs would help non profits to initiate, further develop, update, or expand their current compliance programs, as well as help the organizations keep abreast of current developments in the proper administration of not for profit organizations.
In addition, the Spinka Rebbe once again stressed the importance of compliance.
(Dov Gordon – YWN)
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33 Responses
This morning at 11:30 A.M. there is a Tehillim asifa sceduled to say Tehillim B’Tzibur at the Srpinks Shul at 1460 56th Street. All are welcome.
The Spinka Rebbe is someone who many depend on an need as a mentor and we must daven that he remain here in Brooklyn among us.
Please update us asap
Reports say 24 months!
Judge just ruled 24 months in camp. Starting April 15 2010
Klal yisroel has been dealt another blow the rebbe was just sentenced in LA to 2 years in jail.
Rabbonim throughout our long galus have served time in gentile prisons. The sad saga continues. We must continue to daven that all our pidyun shvuyim are released asap.
May this be a lesson to us all. דינה דמלכותה דינה
Thankfully, no one is screaming ‘antisemitism’. This was all about money and knowingly committing tax fraud — how utterly avoidable and needless.
Hashem should have rachmanos on the Rebbe and on his family among all of klal Yisroel!!
To Mr. Legal(#6),
Don’t display your AM HA’ARATZIS,
You ought to learn the halochos of DINA D’MALCHUSA DINA before you tell people to be m’kayaim it. It is not so simple that DINA D’MALCHUSA DINA is nogaiya for every law of the land.
There might be other halochos that may be nogaiya, i.e. chillul Hashem, but lacking ahavas Yisroel is also chillul Hashem so start workin on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Rebbe is a Tzaddick not only did he admit but is doing something so other people don’t fall into the same trap. One important thing PEOPLE GOT TO STOP LEAVING OVER THEIR MEANS. Cut the presents, fancy cars, fancy vacation and get back to basics. I am not talking about what obamanation wants us to leave like in Russia but cut back and enjoy life without too much geshmius
I was online until 11:30 a.m. this morning. Why wasn’t this posted the first thing in the morning?? I would have gone down to say tehillim!!
#8 — #6 is showing ahavas Yisroel. Let’s be mispalel that not another Jew should go to prison for any crime. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon (or a posek) to know right from wrong. The Spinka rebbe admitted this himself. The mindset that it’s mutar to play fast and loose with the government and the IRS is a throwback to pre-war Europe. This is another era, and the penalties are harsh. This mess should never have happened. I hope to never see it happen again.
#7, the one good thing that came from this was the Rebbe’s shlita grace and openness afterwards. Yes, in a more perfect world it wouldn’t have happened but it did, and many of learned many things from it. Let’s daven that if it comes to his having to serve, it goes well.
locknload, obviously the comment he is refering to was removed.
Regarding your first comment: Why can’t you understand and use this as proof that it is only used where appropriate?
this story should now b removed from tyw
14- no. you should be removed from ywn for being an ignoramus.
the rebbe gave speeches in front of thousands of people to make sure that this never happens to anyone else ever again.
although he broke the law and will pay the price, he has gained tremendous respect in my eyes, unlike rubashkin who came out swinging with all the stupidity of “anti-semitism”, and “war on kosher” and other stupidities.
the rebbe was smart.
he pled guilty right away, and started campaigning around preaching how he made grave erros and how people must start following the law.
KEEP IT POSTED!!!
L’MAAN YISHMIU V’YIRAU!!!!
PEOPLE WILL HEAR AND BE SCARED (TO SIN)
14, did it ever occur to you that perhaps ywn consults with a rov about what to do? and they dont need your annoymous input on how they should pasken shalyos such as there?
Nebach. What a sad day.
#13 — The tragic saga of Sholom Rubashkin, each time it is updated on YWN, is followed by comments from emotional, ill-informed individuals who insist the government is on an anti-Jew crusade. Rubashkin has been convicted in a court of law of 86 (count them) felony charges, yet the cries of antisemitism persist. Those individuals should open a dictionary and learn the definition of antisemitism before tossing it around like a Frisbee. Neither the Spinka Rebbe nor Shalom Rubashkin are modern-day Dreyfus cases. Let’s keep things in their proper perspective.
The Rebbe should consider and try to serve his sentence a little earlier on April 7th 2010 which is the day after pesach. That way he will get out on April 6th 2012 which is erev Pesach and thus he’ll only be in prison for 1 pesach.
(this assumes that there is no early release for good behavior form federal prison which i think might be the case)
# 20
Since Spinka Rebbe his close associates & legal
counsel dont read The posts on the Yeshiva World
Should I as a good neighbor suggesr to him?
Don’t do the crime if ya can’t do the time!
Money laudering in NOT an innocent crime. When will Klal Yisroel learn.
locknload, it’s a fine argument you make referencing the 86 convictions. However, people are complaining about the disproportionate prosecution of something common.
You don’t have to agree, but you should understand. The fact that you expected somebody to call this case anti semitism, would suggest you don’t.
The same goes for those trying to compare the boys stuck in japan with an active drug smuggler, and they also say, hey why doesn’t anyone say we must help this innocent poor fellow. Well, the fact that nobody did say that shows us who’s the one who can’t understand right from blue.
Does anyone know: Can the Spinka Rebbe come out earlier (that 24 months) from jail for good beheavior?
I don’t know much about the Spinka Rebbe, clearly he has done wrong and has admitted it; he can become a true leader and great man if he will devote his efforts and energies to curing our community of this Machala of lawlessness in the name of Torah. Daily we are shamed by individuals and institutions that think it is OK,if we can’t learn from him and his experiences when will we ever wake up.
to number 8 you are the am haaretz just knocking off any chance of this being dina dimalchusa its probably of the more complicated and very wide spread halachos in judaism (ayin tosfos that its most applicable by mamoness) but i would have to agree with number 11 that we should just be misspallel that we be saved from these tzaros as we saw in the case of shalom rubashkin it gets so messy and painful and a tzorah we wish on nobody and like number 23 said money laundering is not an innocent crime just cuz you dont think your hurting any one besides the govmnt your still a criminal if you do it intenionally
I really think He owned up and anybody who is not super impressed with his behavior should be. My prediction is he gets out way before the 24 months. He will be out early for perfect behavior and maybe they will count the time from now. Once he gets out – he will be the biggest rebbe in Broklyn and for good reason –
To tina 18, the Rebbe is a very honorable and proper person. You can come by the shul on Shabbos and see for yourself. If you care there is a very inspiring Tish each Friday night!
You’ll come once , you’ll be hooked and become a Spinka chasidite!
to Lia: so do I – What in my post led you to belive otherwise?
It breaks my heart to hear this news, may Hashem help him.I’m sure that if he does spend time he will elevate all the yiddisha nesomus there and do awesome tikunim.
To all these Gite Yiden, who never miss an opportunity to say Musar for Klall Yisroel.
I would like to ask a simple question.
Do you understand that you’re following the footsteps of Reb Livey Yitschok of Bartishuv?..
I would like to remind everyone that Gilad Shalit continues to also be imprisoned in Gaza, don’t forget Tehilim for Gilad ben Aviva as well.