FBI Raids Yeshiva Shaarei Torah in Monsey

Описание: SUFFERN - The FBI raided a Yeshiva in Rockland County last night in what is being described as a "pay for divorce" kidnapping sting.

Law enforcement officials could be seen outside and inside the Yeshiva Shaarei Torah in Suffern around 9 p.m. yesterday.

An FBI spokesman says the head of the yeshiva and two other rabbis were charged for unlawfully seizing, confirming, kidnapping, abducting, holding a person for ransom reward and otherwise threatening them or conversing with them to get a divorce. The FBI criminal complaint says Rabbi Martin Wolmark, Rabbi Mendel Epstein, Ariel Potak, and Fnu Lnu aka "Yaakov" used violence to obtain a forced divorce. The suspects are scheduled to appear in Trenton, NJ federal court at 2 p.m. today.

Sources tell News 12 that in the Jewish orthodox community, if female wants a divorce, she needs something called a "get" from a husband. This must be a written grant from the husband. The FBI probe is investigating a group who charged women upwards of $100,000 to kidnap their husband, take physical action against him, and get that signature.

According to the complaint, Epstein told an undercover agent that they used cattle prods, karate, handcuffs and even placing a plastic bag over the men's heads to get them to cooperate.