More alleged victims have stepped forward in the case of rabbis who allegedly ran an extortion ring aimed at ultra-Orthodox men who refused to divorce their wives.
Rabbi Mendel Epstein, 68, and Rabbi Martin Wolmark, 55, of New Jersey were arrested along with a number of so-called "kidnap team” members last week when the FBI uncovered evidence suggesting Epstein and his alleged henchmen were hired to torture, kidnap and coerce husbands who wouldn't give consent for divorce. A number of defendants have had bail set this week, but while FBI agents accused Epstein and his cronies of orchestrating around 20 kidnappings, a prosecutor involved with the case says "the phone has not stopped ringing" with calls from Orthodox men who say they're victims. "The threats are not just in the past. This is an ongoing business." Assistant US Attorney Joseph Gribko, who likened the scheme to gang activity, told the Post.
Orthodox Jewish divorces require a get ("ritual consent") from a woman's husband, and for some, it is difficult to obtain. According to the FBI, Epstein and Wolmark's "service" utilized some tough methods to ensure the consent was granted through a "get," or document permitting the divorce. "Basically what we are going to be doing is kidnapping a guy for a couple of hours and beating him up and torturing him and then getting him to give the get." Epstein, who is also a well-known divorce mediator, allegedly told undercover FBI agents. "We will take an electric cattle prod [and] put it in certain parts of his body and in one minute the guy will know."
And Gribko believes Epstein, the alleged ringleader, has been at the game for some time. "He's conducted ongoing criminal activity for 20 years," Gribko told USA Today. "Kidnappings, beatings."
Epstein's four daughters and wife have reportedly secured a $4 million bond by putting up property, though no date has been set for his release. Wolmark has been set to be released on a $5 million bond; his lawyer expects he'll be out by tomorrow.
