I thought on Tuesday that I might spend two cents on a 14-month prison sentence for a welcome federal ruling by Yisroel Goldstein, a rabbi on Poway’s Chabad.
Judge Cynthia Bashant of the U.S. District Court is absolutely right to reject the defense and prosecution’s joint recommendation to put Goldstein on four months of house arrest and subsequent probation without serving in harsh prisons. It was that.
Judge Bashant said Goldstein used too many people, even his own congregation, in his greedy pursuit of wealth. Prison time starting February 23 will send a message to anyone who may emulate his plans.
Sure, Goldstein offered a sweet word about his desire to make amends as a citizen, but the sweet word has long been his specialty. In the color of being a respected and compassionate spiritual leader, he tricked the government from tax revenues, tricked companies into providing consistent funding for charitable donations, and failed members of his congregation. I was allowed to.
Hannah Kay is the daughter of Lori Gilbert Kaye, a blessed memory murdered at the Passover Festival in 2019. Hannah told reporters after the ruling that she had partially blamed Goldstein for her mother’s death. He applied for money to the government to strengthen the security of the congregation, but he could not enforce that security. He was too busy lining his pocket.
If the door wasn’t wide open, even if there were no guards to see who would enter the synagogue, the convicted murderer John T. Arnist stepped into the lobby of the congregation and fired. It could have killed Kay and injured Goldstein and the two congregations. .. Ernest is currently serving life imprisonment in a state prison, and another life imprisonment has appeared in federal court. Hopefully we don’t hear much from that anti-Semitic.
One of Goldstein’s fingers was shot down and he tried to use the wound to enhance his reputation. Six months before the shooting, a federal agent issued a warrant to search his home and presented him with evidence of tax evasion.
He knew he would be formally charged since October 17, 2018. He signed a contract with a prosecutor and provided evidence to a greedy companion who claimed a huge amount of fraudulent tax deductions that were believed to have been donated to Chabad on Poway. Goldstein refunded 90% of their donations, pocketed the remaining 10% for himself, and wrote a fake receipt for collaborators to send to the IRS with their tax returns.
After the shooting, Goldstein was to meet with President Trump, even though the U.S. Attorney General knew that a criminal accusation was pending against him and could have betrayed the Attorney General or the White House. Was invited to the White House. Did it. President Trump is still a mystery as to how Goldstein was invited to appear next to him on National Prayer Day.
After that, Goldstein even spoke to the United Nations to oppose the evil of anti-Semitism, always knowing that he had lost his right to honor due to his previous actions.
The stench surrounding Goldstein’s wrongdoing is not completely mitigated by his ruling.
Serious questions were raised as to why members of his family should continue to dominate Poway’s Chabad and the Friendship Circle, the leader of the respected congregation who is the co-founder of the organization. I resigned in protest.
Although not yet confirmed, there are reports that the Friendship Circle was able to unleash itself from the Goldstein family.
There is also a mysterious reference to the leader of another Jewish institution previously issued by the Federal Prosecution Service, but his or her name was not given and he was involved in a fraudulent plan. So far, the shoes haven’t fallen yet.
Donald Harrison is the Honorary Editor of the San Diego Jewish World. The work was posted first. San Diego Jewish World is a member of the San Diego Online News Association.
View comments
Opinion: The Stink of Poway Rabbi’s Misdeeds Not Erased by Sentencing Source link Opinion: The Stink of Poway Rabbi’s Misdeeds Not Erased by Sentencing
