Divorce Sting: FBI Arrests 2 Rabbis And Eight Others

In a stunning divorce sting operation, the FBI arrested 2 Orthodox Rabbis and several others for allegedly plotting to kidnap and torture a man to force him to permit his wife (an undercover agent) a religious divorce known as a "Get" in the Jewish religion.

Years ago the divorce law in NY was changed to require every person seeking a civil divorce to also agree that they will agree to the removal of any religious barriers to the remarriage following the civil divorce. For most of my clients these words are a mere legal formality. However, for clients who desire a religious divorce the requirement is extremely important. In certain religions among devout observants a person who wants to, after divorce, be remarried religiously must also obtain a religious divorce or religious annulment of the marriage.

The FBI learned that the two rabbis could be "instrumental" in gaining cooperation from a reluctant former husband by using "tough guys" to kidnap and rough up the husband until he agreed to the divorce. Using an agent wearing a recording wire the FBI states that the price to be paid was $50,000 and that the group had been involved in up to 20 kidnappings.

It is unbelievable that people after struggling with a divorce, custody, and financial issues would then continue the fight by using religion as a weapon. The divorce laws were changed to prevent this from occuring but apparently some spouses will still not cooperate and an illegal business was born of coercing cooperation for a large sum of money.

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