Postville, IA – Was Sholom Rubashkin’s Conviction Excessive?

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    Postville, IA – When Sholom Rubashkin was sentenced to 27 years in prison for financial fraud, it was two years more than prosecutors had sought. It was also an unusually tough sentence compared to those of high-profile, white-collar criminals, such as Enron’s Jeffrey Skilling and Tyco’s Dennis Kozlowski.

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    Rubashkin, a former vice president of Agriprocessors, an Iowa kosher slaughterhouse, was also ordered to pay $31 million restitution as part of his 2010 conviction.. Rubashkin’s trial attorney, Guy Cook, plans to appeal.

    “It’s unfair and excessive and is essentially a life sentence for a 51-year-old man,” Cook said.

    An appeal would expand the controversy surrounding the case, which includes letters from six former U.S. attorneys general writing to the judge, assailing the prosecutors’ logic in seeking such a long sentence.

    “Most of the murderers that I prosecuted got less time in prison than Sholom Rubashkin is sentenced to right now,” adds another Rubashkin attorney, Mark Weinhardt.

    Rubashkin oversaw the plant in Postville, Iowa that gained attention in 2008 after a large-scale immigration raid in which authorities detained 389 illegal workers. The plant filed for bankruptcy months after the raid and was later sold. Prosecutors say evidence of a massive fraud scheme was uncovered during an investigation by a court-appointed trustee.

    Episode 45 of American Greed, The Slaughterhouse premieres Wednesday March 23rd at 10p | 1a ET. below is preview


    Prosecutors later charged that Rubashkin intentionally deceived the company’s lender and that he directed employees to create fake invoices in order to show St. Louis-based First Bank that the plant had more money flowing in that it really did. But Cook tried to portray Rubashkin as a bumbling businessman, who never read the loan agreement with First Bank.

    “Frankly, he was in over his head,” Cook told CNBC’s American Greed. “He didn’t have the professional skills that  one would expect of a business like that.”

    Rubashkin, whose father, Aaron, founded the family business in Brooklyn, New York, was brought on in 1992 to run the day-to-day operations of the slaughterhouse. He had no previous business experience apprropiate to prepare him to run what would become the leading kosher meat producer in the country.

    Trouble for Rubashkin and Agriprocessors started in 2003 when PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, released a graphic undercover video taken during slaughter at the factory.

    “We documented the worst abuse of animals that any of us had ever seen,” said Bruce Friedrich, vice president for policy at PETA. “They had their esophagi ripped out and then they were dumped onto the floor still conscious.”

    Read full article at CNBC


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    52 Comments
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    bennyt
    bennyt
    13 years ago

    Sounds like something that should be done to Bruce.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    The sentence was clearly excessive but the crimes he committed should not be dismissed as simply the product of a “government conspiracy”, “someone who just had no business sense” or a variety of other excuses his supporters have used to rationalize what happened. Its too bad that CNBC had to dig up this matter again since it was time to move on but tonight’s TV special will make it more difficult to get his sentence reduced.

    Pickle
    Pickle
    13 years ago

    Also let’s not forgot that 42 congressmen, have written to AG Eric Holder, to investigate judge Linda Read.

    Flgroup
    Flgroup
    13 years ago

    Mr. Freidrich, do you know that Immediate After Shechita an Animal has NO PAIN, that’s what the Torah says.

    lamdan
    lamdan
    13 years ago

    Excessive no way most people that commit white collar crimes get more what a silly question

    fiftyseven
    fiftyseven
    13 years ago

    unlike PETA would want you to believe, lets not forget that rubashkin was not convicted for any animal abuse or immigration charges.

    Barsechel
    Barsechel
    13 years ago

    It is clear that Rubaskin was treated unfairly and the judge also had it in for him.
    The wheels of justice turn ever so slowly but Rubaskin will go free much sooner then his unfair sentence calls for.
    I wonder if there is a way to legally go after the anti semitic judge?

    MordyS
    MordyS
    13 years ago

    Way too long

    JohnSmith
    JohnSmith
    13 years ago

    Mr. Friedrich, when muslim terrorists kill innocent people you keep quite, but God forbid they overload a donkey, you kill them all!

    lbpss
    lbpss
    13 years ago

    If we have jewish anti-semites talking against Rubashkin what do we expect. Hashem will surely repay them all. As for the sentence, murderers don’t get such harsh sentences.

    Buchwalter
    Buchwalter
    13 years ago

    I live in an East Coast city and there is local shechita of gasses and there has not been any problem. Rubashkin’s sentence is excessive but you cannot go to a court with arrogance and depend on the shiluchim. He had the best lawyer money coud hire. Had he not been so greedy and try production line shechita PETA would not had a chance. The TV tonight will not help Rubashkin but far more it will blot, smear the image of American frum Jewry. A person must first and foremost consider the result of his/her action/behavior on klal yisroel and if she/he does not this is not an erlicher yid.

    Normal
    Normal
    13 years ago

    The article is saying that assuming he is guilty of everything as charged, does he deserve 27 years jail, when other fraudsters and murderers get less

    cant-be
    cant-be
    13 years ago

    #1 The lawyers are not appealing the crime they are appealing the sentence. Yes we can all agree he was guilty but there are ways the judge is supposed to rule in law and here it wasn’t done the rite way if you need proof read up the case all the way. when you have 6 former AG sending a letter that might say something. Another thing that you might nit know about is when a couple big law firms wanted to send in a “friend of the court brief” it was rejected it begs to question why. and you can do one more thing check the judges record well ill tell you this much it STINKS.
    #2 For all the people talking about the animal cruelty over there we have a torah if it says that’s the way it supposed to be done than how do we question it? last I knew he had a couple of good hashgachas if they didn’t have a problem with it then if we trust them that means it was done according to the torah and that’s it.

    13 years ago

    I am embarrassed that my friends and neighbors will watch this and see first hand what really happened in Postsville. It’s one thing to read about it, but another to actually watch it happening. Even a small businessman knows not to buy jewelry from a business checking account. As far as not providing heat and hot water for his tenants, that is inexcuseable. Just because they are goyim, does not mean they shouldn’t be treated as people.

    Tzi_Bar_David
    Tzi_Bar_David
    13 years ago

    That is what the Court of Appeals is for. Sentencing is appealed all the time, if a three judge panel thinks it should be less, it will be less. Otherwise he goes to prison and dies there because there is no remission in Federal prison.

    Buchwalter
    Buchwalter
    13 years ago

    First a lower supply of meat may hurt the butcher and other sellers of meat but will not hurt you as a an individual. The problem is when you have a high profile appearance you are well advised to be aware who you are and that you project a more distinct appearance. There are businesses owned and run by orthodox Jews who are aware that you cannot circumvent state and federal laws. His brother, and son-in-law allegedly had court citations or convictions. Is this American cabal of antisemites?

    Buchwalter
    Buchwalter
    13 years ago

    Mr. Rubashkin’s problem and many others who come in conflict with courts is that don’t realize or believe that she shulchan aruch or the tanya can win over the United State Civil Code. You should live according to the Shulchan Aruch but your business conduct must comply with U.S. civil code and better be be impeccable in the compliance. You high profile appearance is only to your detriment.