Jerusalem – The Israel Police has launched an urgent fraud investigation after more than 2,000 ultra-Orthodox Jews intending to travel to Uman, Ukraine, for Rosh Hashanah are suspected to have been deceived into paying for tickets that never materialized, potentially defrauding customers of more than $1.3m.
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Authorities launched the investigation after receiving complaints by two individuals who purchased tickets worth $635 each from the “Europnim” travel company.
One day ahead of the scheduled flight to Uman, the company informed travelers that it would not be able to fulfill the booking. The tickets were cancelled but the money was not returned.
Two key suspects, the 29-year-old owners of “Europnim,” were arrested by police investigators on Sunday on suspicion of fraudulently obtaining benefits under aggravating circumstances, forgery with intent to defraud, money-laundering and other offenses.
Police allege that the suspects drew up a contract with an individual outside of Israel representing an airline company operating flights between Israel and Ukraine, and ordered more than 2000 flight tickets worth more than $1.3m.
Furthermore, it is believed that the suspects were in contact with a third individual, also 29 years old, who was arrested Monday at Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion Airport and suspected of attempting to flee the country.
He told investigators that he sought to subsidize the cost of the plane tickets to Uman if the owners of “Europnim” sent him the money. He said he would then subsidize the cost and transfer the money to the airline company.
Police suspect that the large sum of money was laundered by the three suspects and used for their personal benefit.
Last year, approximately 30,000 ultra-Orthodox Jews marked Rosh Hashanah in Uman, where the founder of the Breslov hassidic dynasty Rabbi Nachman of Breslov is buried.
Only a small community of Jews remains in the Ukrainian town, but the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage brings an influx of visitors and the local economy is heavily dependent on its Jewish visitors.
Police have appealed to members of the public who may have purchased tickets from “Europnim”, or who have been similarly targeted by other companies, to file a complaint at their local police station.
Jerusalem’s HaShalom Magistrate Court on Monday extended the custody of the two “Europnim” owners until Thursday. The third suspect is due to appear in court later Tuesday.
where are the Peleg protestors now?
How sad !!!!
Maybe it’s a siman that men should stay home with their wives and children and not depend on others to take their children to shul or make kiddush for the women. And besides that, how can you take your many and give it to the antisemitic people there? They hate us but are happy to take their money. Some of them make enough from the next weeks to live an entire year. No thank you,, I will keep my money where it belongs. If you want to give it away, it’s a good time of the year to give it to tzedakah. So stay home for the yomim tovim and go another time if you must as my daughter and her family did–they went for a day and a half to go to the kvarim and came home
Hashem! Is this what Reb Nachman wanted? Stay home and pray for urself and dont defraud anyone (if the facts are true which I hope it isnt).
Blacks are robbing and killing blacks, haredim only stealing.
Does ANYTHING good come out of those trips????
To Hiamov:
Perhaps if your point of posting is to say negative things, it would be better that you did not post.
Your words are, in addtion to not making much sense, both racists and vile.
It would be nice to see fellow subscribers react by themselves writing against such heartless words.
it seems that the american guy who represented himself as a broker for an airline duped the 2 israeli guys trying to make some money selling tickets ? is that correct
one last point when problems arise how does one know if ” its a siman” to back off or a nisayon to overcome .. be it in learning … a shidduch… business investment…or a davar ruchni
terrible that ‘frum’ people stoop so low as to steal money from other frum people. bad enough just to do sins, but so sad that supposedly people who ‘fear G-d’ do such things.
cut off his peyos….
Editor!!
Very misleading headline.
Instead of “Thousands cought up in fraud- with a pic of a chosid “
You should CHANGE it to “thousands of frum defrauded”!!
As editors you should know better (or care more).
People criticized Madoff who got life; these low lifes are just as bad, as they prey on trusting gullible people, who never suspected anything crooked.
i think it makes more sense to let him go free and those Breslovers will beat him so hard that he will never in his life steal again….His life is more in danger in public.