New York – Stolen Checks From Synagogues Growing Into Massive National Scandal [video]

    31

    Assemblyman Dov Hikind (d- Brooklyn,NY) in his Brooklyn office demonstrating to the media his findings into postal fraud involving stolen checks from synagogues,mailboxes intended for donations and membership dues has attracted the attention of the FBI. More than 30 synagogues and non profits in Brooklyn,Queens,Staten Island,Long Island,Rockland county,Teaneck NJ,Deal,Southfield Michigan have all reported check thefts ranging in amounts from a mere 20.00 to as much as 18,000. Photo: Shimon GifterNew York – The feds are expanding an investigation into who swiped hundreds of thousands of dollars from area synangogues, Assemblyman Dov Hikind said Monday.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    Checks ranging in size from $5 to $18,000 were reported stolen from temples in Brooklyn, Queens, New Jersey and Michigan.

    “This is as low as you can get, stealing from charities,” the Brooklyn politician said. “When money is involved, you always have unscrupulous people.”

    Hikind said he gave information to the FBI last month after receiving reports that at least 34 checks had been ripped off from synagogues in three states.

    “I want to get to the bottom of this,” said Naftali Horowitz, 30, director of the Bostoner Shul in Flatbush. “I want to find out who had access to my office.”

    Horowitz reported that an envelope containing five checks totaling $5,000 was stolen from his office.

    “I am frustrated,” he said.

    An FBI spokesman could not be reached for comment.

    Hikind said the stolen checks were deposited into check-cashing accounts as far-flung as Israel before being transferred into banks not afficliated with the synagogues.
    “They have no fear of God,” said Alan Hirsch, 57, of the B’nai Israel congregation in Flatbush. “Why would someone steal from a synagogue?”

    Hirsch said he brought the thefts to Hikind’s attention after he wrote about the missing funds in his Jewish newsletter, “The Vues,” and heard from other victims.

    Hikind said he has received copies of $385,000 in cashed checks, which had stamps from check-chasing places on the back.

    Exclusive video of press confrere. Credit: Shimon Gifter

    Copies of checks that were stolen and deposited displayed at Assemblyman Dov Hikin'ds office


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    31 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    bubii
    bubii
    13 years ago

    wow wow this is unbeleivable how anyone can do such evil deed from donations how low can anyone get and sadly it looks like one of our kind

    Babishka
    Member
    Babishka
    13 years ago

    What is the name of the synagogue in Southfield, MI?

    iib001
    iib001
    13 years ago

    Most check cashing places take a picture with a web cam of those looking to cash a check.

    JustThinking
    JustThinking
    13 years ago

    I wonder how such a thing can be done. Can’t you see who is pulling the cash out of those bank accounts? whose name is it under? they must have photos of people cashing the checks, every time I use a check cashing place they take a photo.

    DRSLZ
    DRSLZ
    13 years ago

    Wake up and smell the coffee: every community in the world has scoundrels, thieves, and scam artists, plus a few psychopaths to boot. Affinity scams work because people tend to let their guard down when dealing with someone felt to be of similar background and ideology, etc. A few years ago, all the money for a charity event –tens of thousands of dollars–went home with someone who was supposed to safeguard it in his house. That night, the money was stolen from the fellow’s house. The only people who knew about this were a few members of that charity organization.

    Be cautious.

    bamba
    bamba
    13 years ago

    How can you deposit it if the name of the institution is wrong? Unless it’s made to cash, or they have the same name, they shouldn’t be able to deposit it. Also, it should have reached the shul unless it was an inside job.

    13 years ago

    This is a massive problem, it happened more then once that i friend asked me to cash a check for them, well after it worked the first time I did it again

    It does not have the same last name as me, and the bank ALWAYS cashed it, and yes I always sign my name.

    this is a massive problem, and congress must put in policy to change this loop whole

    Kanyeshna
    Kanyeshna
    13 years ago

    Something makes no sense here.

    These are all individual synagogues, each with its own fact pattern of how it deals with checks.

    How can it be a common scam?

    13 years ago

    Just wondering, but if the check is written to a charity, then clearly fraud is being perpetrated. Therefore, one can say that the check cashing place is considered complicit in fraud and may be punished. Does anyone know what is the law here?

    13 years ago

    I know that the Young Israel of Staten Island was also hit.

    curious
    curious
    13 years ago

    The obvious solution was said by one of the speakers. All shuls should have the mail slide into an iron lock box. The circumstances appear to be that the mail is stolen from the shul’s in-boxes.

    ymanela
    ymanela
    13 years ago

    Oy Yidden! Are you all so naive and stupid? This is an old scam.Very often when a Meshulach comes to your door and tells you to write out the check to a local synagogue, he takes that check to Israel and cashes out it there on the black market. Alternatively, someone can come to you “telling” you that they are collecting for some organization, and then slide it into their own bank account. What you need to do, and I have begged organizations to insist that they ask their donors is to WRITE on the back of the check that for the deposit only and WRITE the bank account number. Call the organization in advance and ask them for their bank account number.
    What we should be concerned about is that if the FBI investigates further they may find heimeshe yidden at fault for this. This is rightfully going to cause a Chillul Hashem. When you write a check to an organization, you have a greater responsibility than to just mail it in. Or, alternatively use a credit card!

    Bukharian
    Bukharian
    13 years ago

    wait until IRS gets involved.

    13 years ago

    This is terrible. Unbelievable.

    Assemblyman HIkind you are my hero! You are a hero to all of us. Thank you so much for taking care of yet another critical issue. We appreciate you!

    13 years ago

    to # 15

    Is that why when I give a couple of bucks in cash these schnorrers get really mad?

    Babishka
    Member
    Babishka
    13 years ago

    If they would identify the shul in Southfield MI that would narrow things down. This is a very small community.

    seagul47
    seagul47
    13 years ago

    this is a simple scam–actually, it’s no a scam, it’s theft!

    someone, seemingly honest (meshulach, has a beard, must be honest, “right”), hangs around a shul office, shmuzing.
    When no one is looking, they pocket a few checks (not enough to be noticed right away). The secretary (or whoever) doesn’t realize it, thinking they just misplaced them (or is too embarrassed, or afraid/ashamed to call the police, right then and there)–not thinking the enormity of what has really happened.

    The honest meshulach (am I being too sarcastic), takes the checks to Israel (where anything goes a ganvening is mutar) to the gray market check-cashing outfit or to his friend in Ramallah, gets money. The check cashing outfit then processes the check and the donor’s bank just puts it through. The donor does not realize what happened.
    If the donor does, he can force the bank to return his funds (depending on the law) and that would put a stop to it and get the FBI, Treasury Service, or whomever involved.

    But we are so afraid of “m’sira” we are prepared to be robbed instead.

    mewhoze
    mewhoze
    13 years ago

    never give your check to a stranger who comes to the door.
    ask for an envelope, then look into the organization.
    do your homework!
    it takes very little effort nowadays to make up stationary etc.

    MONTREALYID
    MONTREALYID
    13 years ago

    I believe in a very simple concept that has escaped all of us.
    The greatest charity is to teach people to be self sufficient.
    Asking others for handouts and writing oneself up for government assistance has become the norm.

    Yidden..This is not Yiddishkeit.

    Teach your children the worth of work and self reliance!

    It bothers me to no end to see young children running from schul to schul on a weekday morning with your hands stretched out for money.

    It pains me and I am sure most of you would agree. We must teach our children skills which will enable them to make a living for themselves.If they cannot make a living they will resort to all kinds of illegal activities.

    Our parents many of them survivors moved heaven and earth to ensure that their children got a proper Jewish and secular education. My own parents send me to a Yeshiva when it was not the popular thing to do 50 years ago.From there I went on to university, where I was taught a profession. Today BH I am about to retire without owing anyone a penny.

    Please lets change the course of things..Erlichkeit is menchlichkeit.