Dozens of FBI Agents have been seen at multiple homes and businesses in the Monsey and Kiryas Joel communities on Wednesday afternoon.
According to a report by LoHud.com, the raids are part of an investigation into whether Rockland yeshivas properly spent money obtained through the federal government’s E-Rate program, which came into existence in 1998 and today allocates more than $4 billion annually for computer and Internet access across the nation.
There have been no arrests yet, but sources tell News 12 they expect numerous arrests over the next 24 hours.
The FBI has not provided any detail about the raids, releasing a short statement that reads, “Today, the FBI conducted searches in connection with an ongoing fraud investigation. If and when charges are filed, they will eventually become public. This remains an ongoing matter, and we are unable to provide any additional information at this time.”
E-Rate is the commonly used name for the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The program provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access. It is one of four support programs funded through a Universal Service fee charged to companies that provide interstate and/or international telecommunications services.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
53 Responses
Tremendous Chillul Hashem
Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.
It all started from an article in the Jewish Forward.
lets see whos the first modox to say chillel hashem
Wow, you say tremendous chilul hashem before you even hear the whole story
There is no smoke without fire. FBI didn’t come knocking on my door this morning. While innocent until proven guilty, one needs to understand that when an indictment comes down, its not done out of spite but rater out of probable cause. In most cases, even when found innocent, there is room to believe that the law was broken
Amazing kriyat yoel can not ever walk a straight line.
Chill hashem regardless of the outcome
Git Meshige, how would you apply your logic together with being dan lekaf zechus?
Let the case play out, of course. But lets get realistic. These dozens of chasidish schools took millions of dollars that was specifically earmarked for computer/internet access for the students. The very same internet they are forbidden from using. Seems like an open and shut case of “THOU SHALT NOT STEAL” – you know, one of the ten commandments. Oh wait, dosent apply if you steal from the government right? And as long as you use the stolen money to buy sets of Shas, thats okay too, right?
Government funds for computer & internet education has been given to Yeshivos for years. It is allocated and used differently in each school. I do not imagine that Kiryat Yoel mosdos teach computer use, safety or access.
Hillary Clinton no one traded her house for the server etc even though it could have been (and probably was ) very demaging to the country.
Here, because of self hating Jews, The Forward, the FBI rated Jewsh houses.
Anyone, if the FBI wants, they can find things and lock them up for anything.
Look at Sholom Rubashkin!!!!
please stop jumping to conclusions about chulil hashem
they probably spent the money the way they were supposed to some anti Semite is trying to shake the pot and we are all falling in his web. havai don kol adum lakaf zechis
KY looks deserted.
I’m sure this is all just the result of a simple mistake. Chassidim, like all frum Jews, have the utmost respect for government and its dinim. I’m sure that there is just a small mistake. Check the mezuzahs on their doors and I guarantee you you’ll find a psul!!
The proper Jewish response is:
Oh my gosh! Let’s pull out a Tehillim, and pray that no families are broken up!
Stop making negative comments and go daven!
Mods, I am sorry, but how can you let those terrible comments through? Any goy googling the story can see the complete lack of achdus!
do not post this comment, btw, but really, use sechel!
The way I understood the Lohud story is that the investigation is not focusing on the Yeshivas, but on the ones who supposedly supplied the yeshivas with equipment and then filed for rebates on the equipement and services provided.
It’s clear that the fbi is being directed by the current admin in Washington. Our dear Obama… You have the biggest crimes committed in Washington and the brutal force of the kgb is used in Monsey!
atoh vecartonu me kolll ha amim.
we were chosen to pay the price , because we should know better . yes that’s right … u look holy . then u have to act holy .. bottom line
“Hillary Clinton no one traded her house for the server etc even though it could have been (and probably was ) very demaging to the country.”
Her server was no less secure than the ones at the State Department. In fact, it was probably more secure — how many of her emails ended up on Wikileaks?
It was Manning and Snowden who damaged the country, not Clinton.
(And if Trump gets elected chas v’shalom, you will be wishing for a return for the Clinton and Obama years.)
#18 @shlepper,
Do you yourself even think you know what you’re talking about?-
“…the brutal force of the KGB”
Please. Let’s not get all dramatic here.
No matter what you want to criticize about our government in Washington (and I’ll grant you that there’s plenty to criticize), there is no way any sane person can compare the FBI or any branch of US law enforcement, to the KGB.
how is it a chillul hashem regardless of the outcome. are you as concerned with the chillul hashem ppl like yair lapid perpetuate ona daily basis or you have tolerance for him but no tolerance for someone who is a chareidi and dresses chareidi
There have been helicopters flying over my neighborhood all day consistently. The Yeshivas that accepted millions of dollars do not have even one computer since computers are banned. The entire county is discussing this. I assume those involved will have already fled the country since they knew of the investigation.
this was 100 % mesirah from the forward and jewish week ,, they hate frum people
To, number 24. All the more reason to do what the passuk says, “Veyisem nekiyim”.
To lbj: “how is it a chillul hashem regardless of the outcome”. perhaps the idea is one of v’hiyisem nkiyim mhashem umyisroel — we should behave in such a way that there isn’t even suspicion, let alone actual criminal behavior.
Just let them show the FBI the computers and the reciepts for the internet they purchased and everything will be ok
Funny how people understand to ask for discounts on tuition, but when theres something going on in a Moised, THEY are the first to scream Chillul Hashem.
Lbj-“who’s gonna be the first modox guy to say ‘chilul Hashem” you had me rolling.
Modern guy thou shal not steal is not one of the Ten Commandments. That’s referring to kidnapping. The issur of stealing is in parshas kedoshim. And it’s not so simple that this case is stealing.
Kriyat yoeli loves and voted for Obama here is the outcome
You have to know
to those that are saying mesirah.
First mesirah is not a get out of jail card. It does not excuse the crime.
secondly, who has to moser. The government sees very public rallies in citi field against the internet and banning it, by the very same mosdos who are claiming millions to hook up internet service in their communities.
Does not take a rocket scientists to figure out that something fish is going on
They are most certainly guilty.0
Years ago when I had a machlokes I found definitive proof that JT applied for and received over $247,000 and never
put in phone or computers.
Spoke to Mrs.Dolores Kibble US Dept of Justice
Mrs. Margeret D. USAT Schools
I was ADVISED IF i FILED A qUI tAM COMPLAINT i WOULD BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE 1/3 of all funds recovered.
Chabad House applied for over $300,000 even though they operated out of a 10 X 15 garage.
Satmar in Willy applied for over $12,000,000. Their application was denied also on appeal even thought hey had legit ( eh hem ) invoices for $3.2M The judge ruled that it was a false application being they overstated the cost by 300%. It is all there for everyone to see.
Why give the goyim another reason to hate us.
BTW I never signed the complaint although I question many
times the wisdom why I did not.
Let an honest justice decide this case. If proven innocent, then sadly the chillul Hashem is still there. If guilty, then let the judicial system decide on their punishment. It’s as simple as that. Just like with sex-offenders, ponzi schemers, murderers, and money launderers- there is NO room for them in our families, precious children, communities, shuls, and yeshivas. 12, 14, and 18 It’s been reported that there are no computers or media equipment to be found; it’s not a Purim gimmick.
Lets face it we know that Dina malchusay Dina is not something Satmar considers a halacha
Facts:
1) No arrests have been made. This leads any thinking individual to the conclusion that the FBI hasn’t enough proof for arrests and thus far have only issued warrants for documents and files. Again NO ARRESTS. Just a fishing trip it seems. A very costly one.
2) The E-Rate program also covers alarm and emergency fire systems – many connected through broadband connections to central stations – which run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars per building. Most if not all yeshivas do have these as they are required by the fire inspector (even those buildings not yet fully compliant with the zoning laws) and thus will be cleared from any wrongdoing. In addition, the claim that there are no computers in yeshivas is ridiculous. The administrative offices do have computers and broadband connections, although filtered.
3) The “chilul” that happens is when other Yidden – fellow Yidden who’s grandparents barely escaped the “friendly” countries they lived in – are so eager and quick to find fault in others without any shred of “kaf zechus”. It is terribly upsetting to see this and in all the media outlets, but to turn around and blame the severely underfunded yeshivas is very much a blaming the victim scenario.
Painful to see and hear but even more painful to witness fact bungling and ignorant finger pointing.
This: http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/09/02/erate-rule-violations-392/2/
get all this right.
hlepper says:
March 16, 2016 at 3:09 pm
It’s clear that the fbi is being directed by the current admin in Washington. Our dear Obama… You have the biggest crimes committed in Washington and the brutal force of the kgb is used in Monsey!
Sorry do not do massive fraud and maybe the FBI will not visit you. I see how they went in just like the KGB, really. Go there and see how it is done
Elections coming up. Promise a pardon and all KY will vote for Hillary. It worked on January 20, 2001.
Wow. I’m amazed at the intelligence level of some commentators. TYW must have a very lax moderation policy.
You guys are all crazy. This is money for Internet & it’s pretty clear these places don’t supply Internet for the students. This is not anti semitism, kgb, or all the other very intelligent comments here. This is common thievery. Plain & simple. & if you can’t handle getting caught don’t do something so stupid. I mean all they do is scream all day about Internet & now this?? You can’t make it up. They deserve to go to jail
No pardons this time. Last time Hillary was running for state office and thought she might need KY votes. This time it’s for president and NY will go Democrat no matter how KY votes.
Moderators Note: Don’t tell anyone….. it was New Square…. The Rebbe brought a Menorah to the Whithouse as a gift to the Clintons. Google it.
Many of the comments here proves that the writer has loads of anger and instead of searching in your self why am I this angry person you use your anger to accuse and attack not even knowing what only what your angry mind predicts …
Yehudim HaIkarim: instead of looking and blaming who is guilty or not, use your beautiful time to Daven, that Hashemite should bring us a solution
If everyone just followed the law, then no one would have anything to hide or fear from these investigations. If laws were broken, then people deserve to be punished. No excuses!!!
I’ve seen YouTube comments more intelligent than these
Today is Moshe rabeinu yurtzeit
He said אכן נודע הדבר
This was after he killed the Mitzri and after דתן ואבירם thought he was going to kill them as well. they certainly thought he broke the law!!!!
The commentators above don’t know the people involved or anything about the eRate program and yet they concluded that laws were broken and people need to be locked up etc.
First, this is cold hearted, and pure sinas yisroel!!! I almost puked reading it
2. It seems that people trust the FBI and the justice department as if they are tzadikim, let me remind you about Clinton server, did u see FBI agents running to her house and the homes of her staff members confiscating Servers, computers etc.
What about the IRS scandal, did u see them confiscating servers and computers before all the emails were deleted????
What about Rubashkin, he was found not guilty on all of the trumped up charges they originally locked him up, (which at the time we had the same Rishoim saying things like, “he did the crime, let him do the time”)
3. do u think they would spend all that money and come up with nothing, they got him 27 years for nothing.
4. If the government wants they can trump up charges against anyone, enough to lock them up for a long time.
5. Wants they start going after something, they want to show results that were justify the time and money they spent on something, regardless of the TRUTH!!!!!! That’s what happened by Rubashkin and countless other cases
Bottom line is, the KGB had children spying on their parents and snitching on them “in the name of the law”
Everyone understands that it was a cruel thing to do. Yet you all sound the same cruel to your fellow brothers and sisters
Shame on us that we have reached so low!!!!! This is the greatest chilul Hashem of all. The goyim know they are out to get the Yidden (don’t fool yourself, that it isn’t so) but to see one yid cruel to another, that’s the greatest chilul Hashem possible!!!
Don’t pretend to ask for Moshiach when you are so cruel to your fellow brothers!!!!
אכן נודע הדבר
golfer says:
March 16, 2016 at 3:56 pm
#18 @shlepper,
Do you yourself even think you know what you’re talking about?-
“…the brutal force of the KGB”
Please. Let’s not get all dramatic here.
– it was very dramatic no matter what your view on this the way they rounded up the kids in chedar WAS VERY DRAMATIC a sad joke i hear time and again “this is not Russia this is America you can’t do what you want”.
also I think that this is a standard thing that politicians know and let them do it and 1 day either if there is a change in position or the man thinks its better for him to go against them they will come out full force.
hlepper, You can’t be serious that this was led by Obama. Do you really think that that President even knows that these yeshivahs exist? If he really wanted to direct the FBI to go after a Jewish organization, he’d go after something he actually heard of such as AIPAC or aome other large group. You need to get out of your small world and get a perspective.
d. rosen, Hashem has already given us a solution. The Torah tells us not to steal. The Talmud and the Shulchan Aruch also have plenty to say.
@44 d.rosen – hilarious – “Hashemite” – isn’t that the Jordanian king! 🙂
We can all lament that YWN has just posted a piece of news that is pure loshon hara and has no toeles involved!! For all the comments that came thereafter, just know beaware that you really dont know!!!
Trying, you are totally right!!! There is no proof of any wrongdoing and the funds are allocated to various other telecommunications and computer related uses other than internet useage.
People, it seems, are so stupid jumping to conclusions without THINKINKING and ANALYLIZING the situation and being extremely NAIVE about how the US government,including the FBI, works.
מדבר שקר תרחק