Orthodox Rabbi Guilty Of Molesting Woman On Flight

(Via The Smoking Gun)

An Orthodox rabbi faces up to six months in jail for groping a female Israeli army officer as she slept next to him on a flight from Tel Aviv to JFK at the end of March. Rabbi Gavriel Bidany, a 47-year-old father of 11, was found guilty of molestation today, even though he had claimed that his hands were moving involuntarily while he slept and that any contact with the unidentified 23-year-old woman was accidental. "If these were random reaches of a sleeping man why is it the defendant had such precise accuracy, reaching private areas?" asked Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sarratt.

According to the victim, Bidany “placed his hand under her blanket, on her groin, and was groping her genital area.” She recoiled, then put the blanket over her head and body and attempted to go back to sleep. But minutes later, Bidany again “reached under the passenger’s blanket, this time groping the passenger’s breasts.” At this point she yelled at him, “What are you doing, stop touching me!" His reply: "It's a mistake, I'm asleep." She then told flight attendants what had happened, and he was arrested.

Bidany's lawyer still insists, "Nothing happened. He was fast asleep, and a woman next to him started screaming." And Bidany himself testified yesterday, telling the judge he would never "do such nonsense and risk my entire life.” But the judge, Ramon Reyes, said the victim's testimony about the assault was "compelling and wholly believeable" and there was "no question in my mind" about the rabbi's guilt. He remains free on bail until his sentencing May 12th.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on May 5, 2011 4:52 PM

Comments [rss]

sluntbucket

Pervy self-righteous trash. Next time stick to tranny prostitutes... He's lucky she didn't tear his arm off.

JackBrat

Just another sexually repressed, self righteous religious asshole schmuck!
Send him right to the slammer!

Steven Harris

Sexually repressed? He has 11 CHILDREN!

JackBrat

Hey Jerk! There is a very big difference between lustful recreation sex. . . and lustless procreation sex!
That's why prostitution is the oldest and most successful profession in the world. . .
The second oldest profession in the world is religion!!
Where the hell are YOU living. . . under a rock?! (Sheesh- Gothamist has got to find a better demographic- than the one they have that includes schmucks like this guy: Steven Harris-!! )

Fofofofofo

Through a hole in the sheet.

whitecastlerock

Father of 11? This guy can't keep it in his pants...

Steven Harris

He was trying to make number 12, but she wasn't having it.

birdtird

Cat Stevens?

Bruce Goldensteinberg

This was a witch hunt by the DA from the beginning. Witnesses that saw the entire episode were not permitted to testify and in one case, hasn't been located. Nothing more than an anti-semitic grudge against a Rabbi by the DA in my opinion.

Gwinny

lol, wtf? Sorry, but some Hasids are pervs (just like in the general population). And how many people can actually "see" anything on a plane??

jaycjay

Let alone see what's happening under a blanket.

But yeah, OK. The alleged victim, the FBI investigators, the flight attendants who testified, the prosecutor, the judge... all part of a huge anti-semitic conspiracy. Got it.