Rockland County, NY – Several dozen FBI agents armed with search warrants spread out early this afternoon throughout Ramapo in a raid that is reportedly related to illegal purchase of equipment by religious schools with federal funding allocated for educational technology.
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According to The Journal News agents raided several vendors in Monsey and Airmont at approximately 1:30 PM, demanding records related to the purchase of technological equipment through the government’s E-Rate program which distributes over $4 billion to schools nationwide each year for computers and internet access.
Questions were raised by both The Jewish Week and The Forward in 2013 about the high rate of E-Rate dollars being allocated to Jewish schools, many of whom forbid internet usage.
The Jewish Week reported that an inspector for the Federal Communications Commission’s Office of Inspector General investigated $1 million of technology purchases by the United Talmudic Academy that were subsidized by the program in 1999. While the investigation recommended that $900,000 of the funding be returned because of major violations, no reimbursements were ever made.
Peretz Klein, of Hashomer Alarm Systems in Spring Valley told The Journal News in a 2013 interview that the program was instrumental in providing computers and modern technology in many religious schools. The E-Rate program, created in 1996, was reportedly a major source of business for Hashomer, with millions of dollars in grants paying for servers, wiring and other technology in schools in both Rockland County and Brooklyn.
Hashomer Alarm Systems, is one of several businesses at 29 Robert Pitt Drive, one of the addresses raided by the FBI today. It is not known if the FBI had a search warrant for the company’s records and calls to Hashomer Alarm Systems went unanswered. Other addresses that were subject to FBI raids today were 21 Robert Pitt Drive, 161 Route 59 and 386 Route 59.
The raid comes in the shadow of last week’s report that as many as 50 people in Ramapo and Clarkstown, most of whom are elected officials, will be brought up on federal indictments.
The FBI said in a statement “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.”
U.S. Attorney Preet Bhara or Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe were not available for immediate comment.
LET THE HATE COMMENTS BEGIN….. HERE WE GO……
and here we go again. Now You know why there cannot be tuition relief for parents, because any monies given by the government to the schools with the intention to decompress the severe burden on middle class parents will be misappropriated and never trickle down to the parents. The blatant disregard for the laws of this medina shel chesed is disgusting and appalling.
leave it to the forward and jewish week to accuse frum organization – Forward=Jewish Week=NY Times
Officially no arrests being made today, people just being brought in for questioning.
Oy vey iz mir here we go again AD MUSAY?
My limited understanding forces me to state;
Innocent until proven guilty. Even if someone is charged, if found innocent that is the end. Neither I nor most readers know the truth.
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 fishy is going on
this is only an investigation, there has been no arrest . all yeshivas get money from this program and the majority use the money for the intended purpose. maybe a few mosdos misused the funds but no major crime here. the anti semitic newspaper writers are blowing this up to make us chasidim look bad but we will imy”h come out of this . its purim time and the way Haman had his mapuleh so will all those sonei yisreilim have their downfall.
so lets get the wine and holoptches ready and be Happy and joy for yom tov.
areereem kol horshooim, berichim kol hazadikim….
3.3 million dollars were paid to just one yeshiva and not one computer on the premises. This is my tax money and I work very hard for my money. I hope those involved have not already fled to Israel or south America.
Can’t wait to see how many Neturei Karta supporters will be arrested in the upcoming days
what a chillul has-m;
-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. – See more at: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/397595/the-details-dozens-of-fbi-agents-making-raids-at-multiple-locations-in-monsey-and-kiryas-joel-updated.html#sthash.g1JDnp4B.dpuf
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? –
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. –
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. –
Elections coming up. Promise a pardon and all KY will vote for Hillary. It worked on January 20, 2001. –
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 –
Jewish Week narrative differentiating Hassidic schools and Catholic schools are misleading and deceptive. They try to show high proportion of funds allocated to Hassidic Schools versus the lower numbers given to Catholic schools. What they don’t point out is that Chasidic schools like the UTA and Machne Shalve have in excess of 3500 Students. Versus the Catholic schools that have an average of 300 Students. The program is to advance technology in low income community schools. Technology can be interpreted as phone systems, cellphones, computer systems that would INCLUDE internet with a FILTER. No Hassidic sect has outlawed the internet as they perceive. They have outlawed internet WITHOUT a filter. The cost of filtered internet, filtered cellphones and internet religious education are far more costly than unlimited internet phones computers etc. A Kosher phone cost on average of $87.10 for 2000 Minutes versus a Unfiltered phone that cost an average of $30.00 for the same amount of minutes. The laws were not written correctly to reflect these delicate issues. The billing system for E- Rate should be corrected instead of investigating the Chasidic institutions for having..NEXT POST
Oy vey iz mir here we go again AD MUSAY?
here we go again. Now You know why there cannot be tuition relief for parents, because any monies given by the government to the schools with the intention to decompress the severe burden on middle class parents will be misappropriated and never trickle down to the parents. The blatant disregard for the laws of this medina shel chesed is disgusting and appalling.
The billing system for E- Rate should be corrected instead of investigating the Chasidic institutions for having to bill in a incorrect manner. The struggle of a Hassidic school that has to juggle between an advancing world and keep its religious values intact should not be a matter up for public disgrace . The Jewish Week should focus and target the Government that they should address the exact needs of the Hasidic Communities. History repeats itself as Moses Said 2900 Years ago. “NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY THE JEWISH PEOPLE ARE SUBJECT TO PERSECUTION BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BRETHEN HAND OVER EACH OTHER TO THE ENEMY”
If the FBI had any real evidence they would make arrests and not wait. They are just raiding and confiscating materials that might aid them in making arrests, guess what it wont help them in the least !
why cant they learn Shas on the computer?
there are such programs
How many people are doing time because they said, “They are never going to catch me”?
Do the crime, do the time!
Like the pell grants that were not properly allocated and misused, this is another federal program that was taken advantage of. We need more -kosher supervision – by our people to make sure that the programs aren’t misused . The evil inclination stands behind every dollar of funding,telling, take ,take, it’s free.and people don’t stand up against the invitation to steal.We have to learn lots of mussar to be strong and honest.
maybe their Rabbi said you don’t have to use the money for EXACTLY what it was meant for
If you wonder why there are so few returning to Torah from the Reform, Conservative and unaffiliated just look at these news stories and you know why. New York has millions of Jews but very few return to Torah. why? chillul hashem such as this. This turns them off totally.
Common, aren’t any of you even a bit embarrassed? And your protests and disclaimers are disingenuous. You have never heard anyone give thumb twirling drush on how it’s “not really” geneva to use government money for “Toyrah?”
Whatever happens now is the result of “erliche Yidden” using their hoshkokah pratis to kick in the teeth and mock a government that shows us much respect and deference.
Shameful
How come this only happens in the Chasedisha Yeshivas but not in the Litvish Yeshivas???
Up to 200 feds now. My block is swarming. For all of you who justify stealing massive sums from the government, think about the shame it brings when the feds enter your house and all the neighborhood watches. Maybe this will deter someone from stealing. The entire world is discussing us. Why can’t we just be honest? Do we really need millions in our pockets?
people commit sins and teshuva makes it all good again as if it was never done. it is assur to say true negative things about another jewish person, speaking about the avairos of another person or more so about a whole community wheather it is true or not is assur. especially in a public forum where so many people are able to read it. it is debatable wheather there is an aveira of gezel by a goy.certainly not under lo sigzol.if anyone has a practical shaila about this they can certainly ask their rabbi ad receive a clear cut psak. everybody has their own areas to work on the more they focus their attention on the wrong that others are doing the less the can and care to focus on themselves.this is the only way to help counteract the gezairos that may be in place
Many Rabbis now wish they had internet access at their schools.
Just wait until the FBI/IRS starts busting these folks for all the welfare/tax fraud that goes on. Nowhere on planet earth are there this many “single mothers” with 7 kids.
This is only the tip of the iceberg.