Jerusalem – Billionaire Guma Aguiar has filed a suit in the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court against prominent U.S. Rabbi Leib Tropper claiming that he misallocated funds intended for institutions and poor people in Israel. Rabbi Tropper’s American attorney, Glenn Waldman, told Israel National News that his client categorically denies the charges.
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The first public signs of the dispute with Rabbi Tropper were published on September 8th on the Haaretz website. Rabbi Tropper, who serves as Dean of Kol Yaakov Torah Center, Chairman of the Rabbinic Committee of the Eternal Jewish Family organization, and Director of Horizons (all based in Monsey, New York) accused Aguiar of assaulting him in the David Citadel Hotel and threatening to throw him out the window.
Aguiar denies the assault allegations. He says he came to the hotel to confront the rabbi with one question: “Where are the millions of dollars which I gave to you to distribute?”
Rabbi Tropper filed a complaint with the Jerusalem police which led to an investigation, but the police later closed the probe. However, Jerusalem Police Spokesman Shmuel Ben-Rubi confirmed to Israel National News that the investigation against Aguiar was reopened several weeks ago in the wake of an appeal by Rabbi Tropper.
Based on Rabbi Tropper’s complaint about the incident at the hotel, a Jerusalem Police investigation was opened and closed and then reopened again several weeks ago.
Aguiar “welcomes” having the police come and question him, and adds, “but it will turn into an investigation about Leib Tropper.” Aguiar further claims that there was a bellboy in the hotel room who denied that he threatened Rabbi Tropper.
In response to Rabbi Tropper’s allegations of “assault and threats”, Aguiar maintains that Rabbi Tropper and his uncle Thomas Kaplan are “afraid of their weakening position in separate litigation in Florida and are trying to divert attention with sensational headlines.”
In the Florida law suit, Rabbi Tropper is scheduled to be deposed later this month.
Fraudulent Ad in Hareidi Newspaper
On the eve of the holiday of Shavuot, an article in the hareidi publication Sha’a Tova praised Guma Aguiar and mentioned his warm relationship with Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, the oldest son of the late great sage Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach of blessed memory.
A few days later, however, the hareidi-religious newspaper Mevaser published an advertisement in the name of Yaakov Epstein calling “G.”, referring to Guma Aguiar, a “questionable character who is married to a woman who underwent a very questionable conversion.” The ad stated that Rabbi Auerbach denies any connection to “G.”
The hareidi website B’hadrei Hareidim published a statement later that day from sources close to Rabbi Auerbach saying, “The ad is an outright lie. There is no one named Epstein who is close to the rabbi. We don’t know such a man, and the ad is completely fabricated.”
Aguiar’s Israel attorney Eitan Gabay says that he followed the money trail behind the ad and found that it leads to Rabbi Tropper’s Eternal Jewish Family organization, which promotes strict standards for Jewish conversions “without compromise.”
Rabbi Tropper categorically denied having anything to do with the ad, stating simply, “It’s not me.”
Aguiar says that his lawsuit against Rabbi Tropper in the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court is only the beginning. Aguiar says he will pursue this in other courts in Israel and the U.S. if need be.
He told Israel National News that if he couldn’t back up his accusations, it would be silly of him to make them. “There will be no settlement. No sweeping of this under the table. This is going to be exposed. Tropper sealed his own fate when he stole money from rabbis and their communities which didn’t get the grants which were intended for them,” declares Guma.
Rabbi Tropper’s attorney, meanwhile, issued a “straightforward, absolute, unequivocal denial.” Regarding claims of misuse of funds, he said, “That is total fabrication.”
It will be up to the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court along with U.S. authorities to determine the truth in the matter.
Read the full story at Aruzt 7
Rabbi Tropper is a straight man that is not afraid of a billionare spending all of his money to undermine him. If he feels that there is a problem with a conversion he will expose even his bigest donor.
I guess that “Kesef metaher mamzerim bt not goyim”
Chazak Ve’emotz rabbi
All Tzedakas and Mosdos should have completely open books. I often wonder where my money is going. And before anyone asks, no, I don’t trust anyone so completely that I would give them money to distribute in my name for Tzedaka. In my own shul, because I know exactly how the money is being spent.
nu so wheres the missing money?
they must have a had a very good relationship – generally philanthropist dont just throw millions to rabbis & causes they’re not familiar with, to aguirs credit he was giving big $ to help.
money is given more because of “who” is involved than “the cause”
something went very sour here rabbi tropper has been doing his klal work for a long time WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM?
what a chilul hashem this tropper is causing
I agree w/2. I have seen things that would make the hair on your head stand up straight. If one wants to give that kind of money or any charity funds, you give it yourself, or risk having everyones fingers in the pot. it only breeds misuse of charity funds, and incompetence.
As for one, wanted to give a considerable amout to a day school. Was told by two different Rabbis, that the powers that be would NOT ACCEPT the money because of the strings attached, and it would open them up to to many questions of how they currently use charity funds. It finally came out years later, that they had a little business going, investing their own money, then giving the school a commision on the use of their tax free status.
So much for honesty, and the use of charity funds.You don’t trust anyone to disburse your funds. I could continue to give more examples, but it is far more frequint, than one would want to believe. Just read the stories and the people caught up in this type of thievery of late.
That’s why when I give anything for mosdos. Yeshiva’s or shull I don’t give them money. I ask what is it that u need aron kodesh. Electric bill. Food? Buy it and I will pay the bill only when I see it I pay it
What sort of “chareidi” newspaper publishes an ad that attempts to smear a person and his wife? Are they trying to be like some sort of celebrity stalking tabloid newspaper that prints who’s wearing what, and who’s dating who? How disgusting. And that’s considered acceptable reading?
Rabbi Tropper is a Jew. Talking bad about him is called “Lashon Hara”
this is a doozee one it seems tropper converted him and befriended him some type of trust there, then he have him $ to distribute ( not sure if trooper is modeh to this)
then came mr greed……………………………………iam sure u can figure out the rest
As a lawyer, I love this. Let them waste all their money on lawyers. That will really help the poor people who could use the money. Way to go!
Rabbi Tropper gave out now before yom tov as well as every erev Yom Tov hundreds of thousands of dollars for people to make yom tov. People in israel Europe and America.
we are taught “kabdeyhu v’chashdeyu” respect him but you can suspect him. additionally, Rabbi Tropper has a colorful and checkered past. he was divorced, had issues with partners and other stuff
I’ve been around the Tropper family for quite some time. Staying at the Citadel when on business is nice, but hardly worth accusations of stealing millions.
Visiting this family’s home in Monsey, you’d see that it’s no millionaire’s palace, nor do they live the lifestyle of such. They live modestly in a small home that’s so jam packed with sepharim, it’s amazing that they can fit a shabbos table in there, and Rabbi Tropper drives around in a cheap small economy car.
Our family has always known him to be a very generous man, going out of his way to help any Jew. What’s unfair is the one sided postings of such gossip, and knowing R’ Troppers view on such postings and gossip blog sites, I doubt it’s something he would stoop to respond to.
This is exactly what is holding us back from meriting Moshiach.
It is not so clear from the article, the first email from Tropper’s Secretary has 36 names, were all of them got paid but the list from the other email by Tropper of 186 rabbis (Religious Zionist, Sephardi and Chassidic ) were not paid?
Or none of the rabbis on both lists was not paid and Tropper was using the money for other purposes