Moshe Rubashkin
Encyclopedia
Moshe Rubashkin, an ultra-Orthodox Jew of the Lubavitcher hasidic
movement, is a former Chairman of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council (CHJCC), a private, nonprofit social service organization in Crown Heights, Brooklyn
, New York that receives $2 million per annum in state funding for community improvement projects. He was elected to a three-year term in January 2005, while on probation
after having served 15 months in federal prison on bank fraud
charges. In 2008 he was sentenced to 16 months in prison for illegal storage of hazardous waste at a Textile mill he formerly owned, and remained in office as head of CHJCC while serving time in federal prison.
, a Lubavitcher hasidic butcher from Brooklyn, New York, born in Nevel
, Russia. He is married to Faige Rubashkin, née Friedman.
of failing to pay union dues deducted from worker's wages, for six month in 1993 through the date of the judgement. They were ordered to make restitution with interest.
bought by the Rubashkin family
in 1989 until it was closed in 2001.
He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, five years probation, and fined $233,000. He appealed the length of the sentence without success. He served his time at Fort Dix Federal Prison in New Jersey
.
Prior to this, Rubashkin was involved in a separate punishable offense. In his capacity as president of Montex, he had failed to secure worker′s compensation insurance for the company′s employees, required by Pennsylvania law. On May 4, 2001, he was placed in an Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition (ARD) program for a period of 18 months and ordered to pay $ 968 in fines, costs, and restitution.
(EPA) obtained a court order to enter the site. They found major fire hazards, including explosive aluminium powder and acids. EPA initiated a clean-up of the property in October 2005, including disposal of numerous containers of hazardous wastes and substances. In November 2007 Rubashkin and his son Sholom Rubashkin, formerly in charge of running the family′s real estate branch under the alias Sam Sternburg, were arrested and indicted on charges of illegal storage of hazardous waste without a permit and one count of making a materially false statement.
Moshe Rubashkin pled guilty in February, 2008. In November 2008 he was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay $450,000 in fines. The monies will be distributed between the EPA and the City of Allentown. He served his time at Otisville Federal Prison
, from where he was released on April 12, 2010.
His son Sholom pled guilty to making a materially false statement to EPA. In March 2009 he was sentenced to four months in prison and three years supervised release.
At the end of his three-year-term in January 2008, he successfully prevented elections to take place until May of the following year. When he was convicted a second time on felony charges “no one seemed to mind ... And the strange thing is, even though he went to jail in November (2008), he remained president of the council until elections were held in May (2009). In May, (his) ticket lost the election. And then, something strange happened: ... Moshe′s family and supporters waged a court battle to retain control of the council.”
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
movement, is a former Chairman of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council (CHJCC), a private, nonprofit social service organization in Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Crown Heights is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The main thoroughfare through this neighborhood is Eastern Parkway, a tree-lined boulevard designed by Frederick Law Olmsted extending two miles east-west.Originally, the area was known as Crow Hill....
, New York that receives $2 million per annum in state funding for community improvement projects. He was elected to a three-year term in January 2005, while on probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
after having served 15 months in federal prison on bank fraud
Bank fraud
Bank fraud is the use of fraudulent means to obtain money, assets, or other property owned or held by a financial institution, or to obtain money from depositors by fraudulently representing to be a bank or financial institution. In many instances, bank fraud is a criminal offense...
charges. In 2008 he was sentenced to 16 months in prison for illegal storage of hazardous waste at a Textile mill he formerly owned, and remained in office as head of CHJCC while serving time in federal prison.
Biography
Moshe Rubashkin is the second-oldest son of Rivka and Aaron RubashkinAaron Rubashkin
Abraham Aaron Rubashkin, or Aaron Rubashkin, an ultra-Orthodox Jew of the Lubavitcher hasidic movement born in the Russian town Nevel in the former Soviet Union, is the owner of a kosher butcher shop in Brooklyn, New York, opened in 1953...
, a Lubavitcher hasidic butcher from Brooklyn, New York, born in Nevel
Nevel
Nevel is a town and the administrative center of Nevelsky District of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located on Lake Nevel southeast of Pskov. Population:...
, Russia. He is married to Faige Rubashkin, née Friedman.
Assault and riot
In 1983, Rubashkin was arrested and indicted on felony assault and riot charges. He later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and was sentenced to three years probation and 300 hours of community service.Cherry Hill Textiles
In 1995, Rubashkin and his father Aaron Rubashkin, as owners of Cherry Hill Textiles Mill in Brooklyn, NY, were found guilty by the National Labor Relations BoardNational Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
of failing to pay union dues deducted from worker's wages, for six month in 1993 through the date of the judgement. They were ordered to make restitution with interest.
Montex Textiles
Rubashkin owned and operated Montex Textiles, a textile dyeing, bleaching and weaving business in Allentown, PennsylvaniaAllentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
bought by the Rubashkin family
Rubashkin family
The Rubashkin family is a family of American ultra-Orthodox Jews of the Lubavitcher Hasidic movement of Brooklyn, New York, headed by Aaron Rubashkin. Members of the family were or are active in various family businesses, most of them in the family's main business, kosher meat, for which they...
in 1989 until it was closed in 2001.
Bank fraud
A government investigation found that between March 25, 1999 and March 30, 1999, Rubashkin attempted to deposit three checks totalling $325,000 payable to Montex drawn from an account of an entity named First Choice Associates in Brooklyn, that he knew did not have the funds to cover the checks. He pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud under US CODE 18 § 1344, “execution of a scheme to defraud a financial institution” on July 31, 2002.He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, five years probation, and fined $233,000. He appealed the length of the sentence without success. He served his time at Fort Dix Federal Prison in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Prior to this, Rubashkin was involved in a separate punishable offense. In his capacity as president of Montex, he had failed to secure worker′s compensation insurance for the company′s employees, required by Pennsylvania law. On May 4, 2001, he was placed in an Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition (ARD) program for a period of 18 months and ordered to pay $ 968 in fines, costs, and restitution.
Illegal storage of hazardous waste
The Textile mill closed in 2001, but numerous containers of hazardous waste were stored without the necessary environmental permits on the premises. In 2002, the mill was sold to a New York corporation called Skyline Industries, Inc. According to the Proscution, the Rubashkin family had maintained an interest in the plant following its sale to Skyline Industries and during subsequent complex financial transactions, including a $4 million mortgage foreclosure awarded to a company called Supreme Realty of Brooklyn. In 2005, an order by the city was issued for the property to be sold at a sheriff’s auction because of unpaid school and county property taxes. Shortly before the planned sale, a fire broke out at the plant, that was followed by three more fires — one of which was attributed to arson. The Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA) obtained a court order to enter the site. They found major fire hazards, including explosive aluminium powder and acids. EPA initiated a clean-up of the property in October 2005, including disposal of numerous containers of hazardous wastes and substances. In November 2007 Rubashkin and his son Sholom Rubashkin, formerly in charge of running the family′s real estate branch under the alias Sam Sternburg, were arrested and indicted on charges of illegal storage of hazardous waste without a permit and one count of making a materially false statement.
Moshe Rubashkin pled guilty in February, 2008. In November 2008 he was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay $450,000 in fines. The monies will be distributed between the EPA and the City of Allentown. He served his time at Otisville Federal Prison
Federal Correctional Institution, Otisville
The Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville is located in Orange County, New York, USA. The federal prison, which opened in 1977, is a medium security facility, located in the Town of Mount Hope a quarter mile from the Otisville Correctional Facility, a New York medium security prison, thus...
, from where he was released on April 12, 2010.
His son Sholom pled guilty to making a materially false statement to EPA. In March 2009 he was sentenced to four months in prison and three years supervised release.
Crown Heights Jewish Community Council controversies
In 2005 Rubashkin was elected with 70% of the votes as Chairman of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council (CHJCC), described as “a publicly-funded social service organization whose leadership doubles as the neighborhood′s rabbinical council”. His time in office was controversial. When elected, he was expected to help bridge divisiveness in the Lubavitcher community, and he was supposed not to be directly involved in the CHJCC’s finances due to his conviction on felony charges, but he was soon accused by fellow members of the Council of having misdirected funds for personal gain. Rubashkin was also reported to have physically attacked people who did not agree with him.At the end of his three-year-term in January 2008, he successfully prevented elections to take place until May of the following year. When he was convicted a second time on felony charges “no one seemed to mind ... And the strange thing is, even though he went to jail in November (2008), he remained president of the council until elections were held in May (2009). In May, (his) ticket lost the election. And then, something strange happened: ... Moshe′s family and supporters waged a court battle to retain control of the council.”