David Fredy Image by wikicommons

A British man was honored with a call to the Torah on Shabbat — after he was arrested on fraud charges and two days before he was convicted for his Ponzi scheme, the Jewish Chronicle reported.

Freddy David embezzled nearly $17 million from 55 people, most of whom were Jewish. He used his standing within the community to scam his victims, selling them fake investments as the managing director at wealth management company. He then used the money to fund his lavish lifestyle and gambling addiction, according to the Chronicle. He swindled between $23,000 and $875,000 from his “clients,” many of whom are elderly.

After David was arrested, the chairman of the Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue, Simon Mitchell, apologized for honoring him.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

“Mr David should not have been called up,” Mitchell said. “Although there was guidance in place by the honorary officers this perhaps should have been clearer. There was absolutely no malicious intent on the part of those involved and this call up does not reflect BES policy.”

BES’s rabbi, Chaim Kanterovitz, also sent a letter of regret to his “beloved community,” in which he claimed he did “not know all the facts.”

“I truly and sincerely hope that I have not added additional hurt to any of the victims,” Kanterovitz said, “and if I did I seek their mechila [forgiveness].”

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount