Last year I wrote about Naftali Tzi Weisz. Mr. Weisz is the Grand Rabbi of Spinka. He’ll also be standing trial in September charged with tax fraud. He’s accused of soliciting charitable donations but promising to refund most of the money—a scheme that’s definitely not kosher.
On Friday two alleged co-conspirators pleaded guilty. Joseph Roth, a Tel Aviv-based banker with United Mizrahi Bank pleaded guilty to conspiracy. And Rabbi Moshe Zigelman will plead guilty on Tuesday. Mr. Roth admitted that he established secret bank accounts overseas and helped repatriate the money to the United States. Rabbi Zigelman’s attorney told the Los Angeles Times “his client was ‘atoning for his own wrongdoing’ and would not testify against the other defendants.
Given the alleged size of the tax fraud—millions of dollars—Grand Rabbi Weisz is looking at a very lengthy term at ClubFed if convicted this Fall.
[…] I’ve previously reported about Naftali Tzi Weisz, the Brooklyn rabbi who really like soliciting donations…but also secretly gave back much of the money. Rabbi Weisz pleaded guilty to Conspiracy earlier this year, and yesterday was sentenced to two years at ClubFed. His assistant also received a two-year sentence. […]