Recently, residents of Mahwah, New Jersey, noticed utility trucks driving around town, attaching strange-looking PVC piping to telephone poles. Soon they learned their purpose: the establishment of an eruv, a mysterious boundary that makes it possible for Torah-observant Jews to carry objects on the Sabbath. It’s a crucial step in making a neighborhood inviting to…
Six more Jewish couples have been arrested in Lakewood, N.J., in connection with a massive public benefits scheme that is estimated to have stolen millions of dollars from the state, according to the Associated Press. Those arrested include a rabbi and the former leader of a religious school. The investigation is continuing, and more arrests…
(JTA) — A banner with an anti-Semitic slur and fliers left on cars in a New Jersey township are related to the arrest of several area Haredi Orthodox couples for welfare fraud. The incidents occurred over the weekend in Lakewood, N.J., where at least seven Haredi couples in recent days were arrested for underreporting their…
(JTA) — The Orthodox rabbinical council in Lakewood, N.J. responded to the arrest of community members on charges of welfare fraud by declaring “[t]here is no such thing as ‘justified’ theft.” The statement follows the arrests of at least seven couples in the community’s haredi Orthodox community on charges of illegally obtaining government benefits. The four couples…
The numbers in the public benefits fraud scam in the Orthodox enclave of Lakewood, New Jersey, are stunning. Fourteen arrests so far, and counting. More than $2 million in fraudulently obtained government funds. Hundreds of others scrambling to avoid prosecution for similar crimes. Law enforcement sources say that the schemes are both “widespread” and some…
Residents of Lakewood, New Jersey, knew the hammer was about to fall. According to news reports, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato informed the community two years ago that community residents were involved in abuse of welfare programs, and warned that authorities would be taking action. On Monday, that warning came to pass. In what was…
Six more arrests have been made in connection with a sprawling welfare scheme in Lakewood, according to the Asbury Park Press. These follows eight prior arrests that had been made earlier in the week. “This is just the beginning,” said a law enforcement agent close to the investigation. Those arrested Tuesday were Yitzchok and Sora…
A New Jersey rabbi and his wife were arrested with three other Jewish couples for underreporting their incomes to receive government benefits. The couples, including the rabbi’s brother and wife, were arrested Monday in raids that resulted from an investigation into Lakewood, a New Jersey town that is home to a large haredi Orthodox community. More arrests are expected,…
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