(305) 290-4263 Rabbi pleads guilty to wire and mail fraud?
New York Times Article
Rabbi Menachem Youlos, a bookstore owner who described himself as a Jewish "Indiana Jones" plead guilty to mail and wire fraud in the New York City Federal Courthouse. His scheme involved convincing people that he was traveling the world--particularly in Europe and in Israel--to find ancient Torah's (the Old Testament) that were lost during the holocaust.
He created a foundation called, "Save a Torah" wherein he would sell Torahs, just not ancient Torahs, and just not recovered from personal exploration into exotic and dangerous places like Harrison Ford's character did in the 4 Indiana Jones movies.
An investigation discovered that Rabbi Youlos had never been beaten or captured either as he claimed. Menachem Z. Rosensaft, and adjunct professor at Cornell Law School and General Counsel of the World Jewish Congress began doubting Rabbi Youlos stories when Rabbi Youlos claimed that he even fell through the floor of a German barracks at Bergen-Belsen, which was a concentration camp in Germany in WWII. Mr. Rosensaft knew from his parents that Bergen-Belsen was burned down by the British.
At sentencing, the Judge impersonated Indian Jones and told the Rabbi, "Snakes . . .I hate snakes . . .." The judge did not say that.
Rabbi Menachem Youlos, a bookstore owner who described himself as a Jewish "Indiana Jones" plead guilty to mail and wire fraud in the New York City Federal Courthouse. His scheme involved convincing people that he was traveling the world--particularly in Europe and in Israel--to find ancient Torah's (the Old Testament) that were lost during the holocaust.
He created a foundation called, "Save a Torah" wherein he would sell Torahs, just not ancient Torahs, and just not recovered from personal exploration into exotic and dangerous places like Harrison Ford's character did in the 4 Indiana Jones movies.
An investigation discovered that Rabbi Youlos had never been beaten or captured either as he claimed. Menachem Z. Rosensaft, and adjunct professor at Cornell Law School and General Counsel of the World Jewish Congress began doubting Rabbi Youlos stories when Rabbi Youlos claimed that he even fell through the floor of a German barracks at Bergen-Belsen, which was a concentration camp in Germany in WWII. Mr. Rosensaft knew from his parents that Bergen-Belsen was burned down by the British.
At sentencing, the Judge impersonated Indian Jones and told the Rabbi, "Snakes . . .I hate snakes . . .." The judge did not say that.
Posted by Mr. Misdemeanor at 2/21/2012 4:20 PM 
Categories: Criminal Law News, Sentencing, Federal Statutes:18 USC Sec. 1343:18 USC Sec. 1341
Tags: mail fraud wire fraud rabbi menachem youlus new york times Federal Court New York City bookstore owner scheme Indiana Jones Bergen-Belsen concentration camp holocaust Save a Torah defense attorney criminal lawyer criminal defense attorney domestic violence felonies misdemeanors dui assault battery trespassing white collar crime arrested charged searched cornell law school cornell Menachem Z. Rosensaft World Jewish Congress concealed weapons driver's license traffic tickets speeding tickets drug possession
Categories: Criminal Law News, Sentencing, Federal Statutes:18 USC Sec. 1343:18 USC Sec. 1341
Tags: mail fraud wire fraud rabbi menachem youlus new york times Federal Court New York City bookstore owner scheme Indiana Jones Bergen-Belsen concentration camp holocaust Save a Torah defense attorney criminal lawyer criminal defense attorney domestic violence felonies misdemeanors dui assault battery trespassing white collar crime arrested charged searched cornell law school cornell Menachem Z. Rosensaft World Jewish Congress concealed weapons driver's license traffic tickets speeding tickets drug possession
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