New York – A senior New York federal judge sentenced a Crown Heights man to a relatively short prison term this past Tuesday for his part in a massive fraudulent mortgage scheme, saying that a fraud conviction did not warrant the same type of punishment as a violent crime.
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The Crown Heights man was convicted last February of stealing more than $18 million from dozens of Chasidic families and several banks, selling the Crown Heights condominiums to the families but never turning over the deeds. Instead, the man used the deeds to take out mortgages on the apartments and pocketed the money. The man’s defense claimed that he used the money not for his own personal profit but to finance construction costs on the apartments.
Judge Frederic Block denied the prosecution’s request for a 20 year prison term, sentencing the 49 year old to 33 months in prison for his part in the scheme.
“Twenty years is a sentence for rapists and murderers, not fraud like in this case,” Block said.
Several notable members of the Crown Heights community rallied to the mans defense when after two years of house arrest he ran out of money to pay his lawyer, who threatened to withdraw from the case due to lack of payment. In a fund raising letter circulated this past summer, they asked the public to contribute to the legal costs to ensure that he had proper representation during the sentencing portion of the trial in the hopes that the judge would not treat him harshly. The letter included a hand written plea from Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, appealing to the public to help out in any way they could in the hopes that prison term could be minimized as much as possible.
Many members of the Jewish community applauded Block’s statement, saying the same sensitivity should have applied in the Rubashkin case.
Kudos to Judge block. You are the opposite of Cut-Em Loose Bruce (Wright). This man will not go killing or rapinmg people. He learned his lesson. The hardened criminals should be put away for life.
finaly a judge with some common sense
He did not defraud any hassidic families. The hasidic families were trying to capitalize on his misfortune. The small deposit they gave him for the apt they got back many fold by living rent free for 10 years. They suffered no loss. They just wanted to get a free apt on top of that. So they unashemedly burried their fellow chabadnik in the process.
The families had the option of settling with the bank paying up and still getting apartments for a decent price. instead they figured they could get a better bargain by burying this man alive.
The lesson to defendents from this case is, show remorse and regret. Beg for mercy. Plead guilty and get on with it. (take note rubashkin)
could he be the judge on rubashkin’s appeals?
I agree with the judges that there’s no point in having him locked for long term. However, I believe that once freed he should be required to do hard work and foward all earnings to the people he defrauded.
This criminal should have recieved more than the 20 yrs. Until we stop treating these fraudsters with kid gloves, that will continue to prey upon everyone.
If the judge wants to give a lessor sentence, let the judge get scammed and see what he would do. This type of crime will continue until someone with guts will hand down sentences with real time to them.
The concept of jail is not a yiddishe concept. A ganav pays back with appropriate penalties. Throwing him in jail helps nobody. We foot the bill for his incarcerations amd now there has to be a collection for the “poor” family etc. Make him perform thousands of hours of community service and be limited in his employment options.
There are federal sentencing guidlines in place that the judge refused to honor. Most judges have no choice and are bound by the rules in place, and don’t get to decide the jail terms.
That said, it is time that we reform our system of “justice”.
TO #5 .#7 AND # 9
You have it right to a point. Fraud is insidious and abhorant and should not be tolerated or support by anyone. Although violent criminals deserve longer sentences if not death. Punishment is a statement by society that the guilty person’s behavior is so wrong that one deserves to be deprived of one’s liberty. Less than three years where one personally benefitted? And soliciting support ?
Remember even the defense in Shalom Mordechai’s case recommended six years and the Spinka Rebbe received around two years though the Judge acknowledged the funds obtained were not for the Rebbe’s personal gain or enrichment.
However better yet let these incidents be a warning to the whole community to avoid doing anything that may end in being a Defendant
A rich man steals billions and gets a slap on the wrist.
A poor man steals twenty dollars and gets years in prison.
That’s not justice.
Very nice. All the talk about Rubashkin, Spinka, (etc.) but Madoff gets 150 years and no one is screaming? Gee, I wonder why! Must be another shameful Brooklynese thing.
isn’t defrauding innocent people out of there life savings is like you take a knife and stab him. he is bleeding inside. Judge Is $18 million small change ? You call him the crown hights man. Give up his name so we don’t fall into his trap again. Wait On good behavior he will be out before purim and rob and steel again.