N.Y. Suit Alleges Fraud by Operators of Israel Charities
June 28, 2013 | Read Time: 1 minute
New York State filed a lawsuit Thursday charging that the leaders of network of organizations that raised money from American Jews for health, rescue, and other services in Israel pocketed millions of dollars in donations, The New York Times reports.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said the 19 charities used aggressive and misleading mail, telephone, and online appeals to solicit contributions and that their operators steered more than $2.5-million in donations to personal uses such as home mortgages, car loans, and an Atlantic City casino trip.
The suit, filed Thursday in State Supreme Court in Brooklyn, accuses Yaakov Weingarten, 52, of Brooklyn; his wife, Rivka; and two of his employees of involvement in the scheme. The state obtained a temporary restraining order freezing the defendants’ bank accounts and is seeking a court order to shut down the charities. A lawyer for Mr. Weingarten did not respond to a request for comment left with his office.
