A federal grand jury yesterday (Thursday) accepted the indictment against five ultra-Orthodox men, accused of conspiring to commit kidnapping in order to force men to grant a divorce to their agunot wives.
The indictment attributes conspiracy and kidnapping to five people in various ways, and accuses them of several cases of kidnapping and attempted kidnapping.
Rabbi Mendel Epstein, 68, of Lakewood, Martin Lamarck, 56, of Monsey, Jay Goldstein, 60, of Brooklyn, and Benjamin Stillmer, 38, of Brooklyn, and Epstein's son, David, 39, of Lakewood - were charged, along with others, with conspiring to commit a kidnapping on October 10, 2013. Three others, including Jay Goldstein's sons, Avraham and Moshe, 34 and 31, both of Brooklyn, were also charged with involvement.
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David Epstein has previously been charged with kidnapping for the purpose of forcing a divorce in 2009, and again on May 15, 2014.
All face a prison sentence of up to life in prison. Each charge also carries a fine of $250,000, or twice the profit from the offense.
According to the documents submitted in the case and what was said in court, it appears:
The FBI launched a covert operation after learning of cases in which David Epstein and Goldstein were allegedly involved in kidnapping and assaulting Jewish men in order to force them to give divorces.
During the undercover investigation, Mendel Epstein and Martik and Lamarck were recorded discussing plans to kidnap and torture the people. Also, in a meeting with undercover agents, which took place at Epstein's home on August 14, 2013, Epstein presented a complete plan, including capture and assault with a taser.
At that meeting, Epstein stated that the kidnapping would cost 10,000 $ as a payment to the Rabbinical Court for approving the operation, and an additional 50,000 $ for the "tough guy company." One of the undercover detectives paid 10,000 $ to Epstein.
The wiretaps of subsequent phone calls recorded the planning of the operation and the payment methods. Epstein and Goldstein were also recorded driving to inspect a warehouse in Middlesex, New Jersey, where they planned to imprison the victim.
On October 9, 2013, Goldstein, Stillmer, and several other people traveled from New York to a warehouse in New Jersey to carry out the 'kidnapping'.
The 'team’ arrived at the warehouse in two dark minivans, along with one of the undercover agents. They walked around the warehouse with flashlights, and the team members entered and exited the office wearing costumes, including ski masks, scrunched masks and bandanas, discussing the details of the plan. They carried ropes, a surgical knife, a screwdriver, plastic bags and items used to write a get.
At this point, FBI agents broke into the scene and arrested the eight suspects.
