BREAKING! RABBI SHOLOM M. RUBASHKIN ARRESTED, TO APPEAR IN FEDERAL COURT LATER TODAY

Charges are federal. Details below:

The Iowa Independent breaks the story:

Breaking: Rubashkin arrested, will appear in federal court today
By LYNDA WADDINGTON 10/30/08 11:19 AM

Federal prosecutors have arrested Sholom Rubashkin, former chief executive officer and vice president at Agriprocessors and son of company founder Aaron Rubashkin, on a criminal complaint that alleges the man conspired in immigration-related offenses.

The criminal complaint is the first against any high-level member of Agriprocessors management and comes in the wake of a massive May 12 immigration raid at the plant. In all, 389 workers — nearly half the plant’s workforce — was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

According to documents filed with the court, Rubashkin “did knowingly conspire, confederate and agree with others, for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain, to harbor one or more aliens at his place of employment in Postville, Iowa, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that such aliens had come to, entered and remained in the United States and aided and abetted the possession and use of fraudulent identification documents and aided and abetted aggravated identity theft.”

According to Michael Fischels, a special agent with the Dept. of Homeland Security, dozens of fraudulent permanent resident alien cards were discovered and seized from offices within the human resources department at Agriprocessors during the May 12 raid.

“Most of the cards were attached to application paperwork dated May 11 or May 12, 2008,” Fischels wrote in the affidavit filed with the court. “Additional resident alien cards were groups in stacks and not attached to any paperwork. Based upon common features, ICE agents determined that the vast majority of the fraudulent resident alien cards came from the same manufacturer. Out of approximately 96 fraudulent resident alien cards, approximately 90 exhibited alien registration numbers which were then assigned to other actual persons.”

Fischels added that approximately 13 of the cards taken from the offices had photographs of people known to be working at the plant prior to May 11. All but two of the cards, however, “exhibited names which were different than the names the employees had been working under.”

Rubashkin will make an initial appearance in federal court for the Northern District of Iowa this afternoon.

Comments

[yidandahalf]

May I be the first one. Get us a perp walk shot, Shmarya.

[Curse Shmarya]

I think it is absolutely disgusting how Shmarya has continuously been not only gleeful at the hardships and pain of a fellow Jew and fellow Jews but has also helped it happen through this website.

It is particularly painful when we know that he ate at the Rubashkin and Gouraries table in MN many times and yet he has not hakaros hatov. What did they do wrong to you that you spew so much hate?

In any case, I hereby curse Shmarya with a most terrible and painful punishment for what he has done to the Rubashkin family, and the pain of all the Yidin and institutions that rely on them, specifically Sholom Mordechai HaLevi ben Rivka, unless he does complete Teshuva and helps to end their pain. Amen, kein yehi ratzon.

May Hashem protect the entire Rubashkin family for any more harm and may they have a Geulah immediately!

[sage]

We also need a mug shot for the Rubbishcan Coffee Cup.

[Alice]

"I hereby curse Shmarya"

Careful. You know what they say about cursing someone...it all comes back to you.

[uncle joe mccarthy]

Curse Shmarya

the same news report is on ywn...are you gonna curse them too?

i hope that the gov is in the process of arresting other ceo's too...like the guys from mississippi

[Archie Bunker]

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/elections/national/Barack_Obama_Mask_Listed_as_Terrorist_on_Amazon.html

There was a rumor in the 770 mikva yesterday that Sholom might try to skip the country wearing one of these.

[Rachel Batya]

Hey, Shmarya, don't worry about the curse. I'm pretty sure that a person has to speak it aloud in order for it to...

Oh, crap, now I've said too much.

Sorry.

[steve]

According to Michael Fischels, a special agent with the Dept. of Homeland Security, dozens of fraudulent permanent resident alien cards were discovered and seized from offices within the human resources department at Agriprocessors during the May 12 raid.

“Most of the cards were attached to application paperwork dated May 11 or May 12, 2008,” Fischels wrote in the affidavit filed with the court. “Additional resident alien cards were groups in stacks and not attached to any paperwork. Based upon common features, ICE agents determined that the vast majority of the fraudulent resident alien cards came from the same manufacturer. Out of approximately 96 fraudulent resident alien cards, approximately 90 exhibited alien registration numbers which were then assigned to other actual persons.”

This is what Shmarya was contending all along and which Getzel kept disputing. We all knew that this arrest was coming and there is no cause for celebration. This is a terrible tragedy and a continuation of the massive chillul hashem. My hope is that this scandal comes to a close very soon. I think we've all had enough of the PR firms with their spin-doctored press releases, as well as the high powered attorneys, journalists, sockpuppets and paid rabbinical junkets. No one ever imagined that the kosher food industry would sink to such a low level as it has these past five months. The silent majority of Orthodox Jews need to stand up and say "ENOUGH ALREADY" and to pressure the Rubashkin family to sell the business. This will be in the best interests of everyone. I hope that Mr. Rubashkin does not have to spend any time in prison. Unlike a child molester, I do not think he poses a threat to society, as long as he's out of the meat business.

[Aryeh G]

It is certainly a tragedy when any Jew allows his yetzer hara to rule his actions, and lead to such a chillul Hashem as we have seen at Agriprocessors.

Shmarya, thank you for your efforts -- both past and future -- in keeping the "plain yidden" in the loop.

[Archie Bunker]

"It is particularly painful when we know that he ate at the Rubashkin and Gouraries table in MN many times and yet he has not hakaros hatov."

Not much has changed. Now Shmarya wants to get free meals that Barack Osama redistributes to him from our money.

But in all seriousness, there is something to be said about having benefitted from someone.

There are corrupt figures exposed on UOJ who I have benefited from who I would like to stick in my two cents about but I hold back and let others do it.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

and yet he has not hakaros hatov

The Rubbish-cans have no hakaros hatov for the U.S., that's why they violate her laws.

/Is it too early to send Sholom a soap-on-a-rope?

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

>We also need a mug shot for the Rubbishcan Coffee Cup.

I'd buy that!

[Archie Bunker]

While I don't agree with Mr. Curse, the appropriate reaction here is not to rejoice but to be saddened by this great calamity that did not have to happen.

I do not envy the lot of those at the OU and elsewhere when they will have to answer for this immoral saga.

[Un-Orthodox and Unimpressed]

OH NO!!! This is terrible! If he is convicted and sent away to pay for whatever he did wrong Shmarya will no longer have a reason to live!

[Webby]

I'm uncomfortable at the glee about a persons arrest and family misery.
C'mon we can be better than this

[Choni Davidowitz]

It is time for Chabad to close ALL the institutions, Chabad Houses, community centres, shtibels, Butcheries, Talmud Torahs,Yeshivas in the Diaspora, and relocate to one "big" Chabad house in Eretz Yisrael.
After all they have been "screaming" Mashiach Now (Which entais the immediate ingathering of Jews to Israel), yet at the same time continue to pour vast amounts of money and manpower into a dying Exile.
More and more Chabad houses are going up all over the Diaspora, planning for an indefinite future in exilic Lands.
Chabad (and other Orthodox groups) must make up their minds whether they wish to strengthen the Diaspora or make a speedy and glorious return to our only true Land- Eretz Yisrael.

P.S. The above "advise" includes the author and readers of this site.

[Un-Orthodox and Unimpressed]

Not if 'we' includes Shmarya.

[critical_minyan]

unfortunately shalom will get a long time in jail. hopefully the government doesnt go after any other members of the family.
He can get life in prison for what he did.
they acted badly, and embarrassed all Jews, however it is wrong to take glee in their punishment.

[Carol-Ann]

If the Feds get their way Mr. Rubashkin may go to a 'Big' House, but not the one in Yisrael.

[Jason]

Wow, I haven't posted here in a while, but this is stunning and very encouraging news, not because I take glee in seeing anyone suffer, but because it shows there is a chance that the people responsible for causing so much pain to others and embarrassment to our religion, will finally be held accountable for their actions.

Good work Shmarya in keeping the issue on the front burner and working hard to make sure we are all informed about what is usually a black box, i.e. the inner workings of our Jewish institutions.

[MP]

scott, may it be G-d's will that this should be happiest moment in your life! Let this be as good as it ever gets for you. Amen.

[les]

I have known the Rubashkins for several years and the whole thing was about suppling Jews with affordable kosher meat in all areas of the US. Thier tactics may have broken many laws but the bottom line is they where trying to feed you with affordable meat which 100's of thoudands of people took advatage of during the "good times" in all corners of the US, who eles was suppling Kosher beef in Oklahoma or Arkansas and North Dakota? If it was solely for thier own gain they would have the money to continue operations, this is nothing to dance in the streets about.

[Shmarya]

You could buy glatt kosher beef in all those places BEFORE Agriprocessors.

[steve]

Thier tactics may have broken many laws but the bottom line is they where trying to feed you with affordable meat

If my only option for kosher meat was Rubashkin, I would be a vegetarian. The reason is simple: Rubashkin is not an option. 1) Because I don't trust the kashrus of their products and 2) Because of the unethical way they run their business, on all levels. #2 has a lot to do with #1.

[state of the Jews]

I agree with Archie: there is nothing to be happy about and we shouldn't take joy in this sad affair. But we should be reassured that justice will prevail. Dina malchuta dina. When you have been warned as many times as Rubashkin was warned and do nothing in response, you reap the rewards of your inaction.

The OU's role as handmaiden to the misdeeds at Agri has yet to be fully explored. In all that has happened it is hard to tell who was more at fault, Agri or the OU.

BTW, we still haven't gotten to the major issues at Agri - they haven't been brought out in the open yet.

Wait for it.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

The OU's role as handmaiden to the misdeeds at Agri has yet to be fully explored. In all that has happened it is hard to tell who was more at fault, Agri or the OU.

Will the OU be pulling its hechsher?

[yidandahalf]

Enough with this I take no glee shtuss. I am taking beaucoup glee that the Golem's tachat has been locked up.

[WoolSIlkCotton]

As much as I've railed against the Rubashkins, I don't believe in committing schadenfreude.
But as the coroner might say, "...these wounds appear to be self inflicted...".

so happy and rejoicing!! what a way to end the day...throw away the key and please take any of the other criminals in this bottom feeder family!!!!!!!!!!!!YEA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[state of the Jews]

I'm sure the Rubashkin's have a legal defense fund. He'll make bail.
Better question is whether papa can go Moshe's fine or will he ask for another extension.

[Un-Orthodox and Unimpressed]

I'm betting 2:1 he does not time.

[yidandahalf]

I'm willing to contribute to his soap on a rope fund. Do you think he's a Nautica or English Leather type of guy?

[R]

I think it's sad that it has to come to this. We are meant to be a light onto the nations, but it seems they have turned into the beacon.

[ML]

I guess I'm the only one cynical enough to believe that even if Sholom goes to prison, and even if more charges are brought and tried, that somehow there will be enough institutional apologists and Agri will continue to 'operate'.

Justice, justice shall you pursue...

[The OU Should be Arrested Now]

This terrible Chilul Hashem can only get much worse, if the OU refuses to Pull their Hechsher now, just because they are "playing musical chairs", to swish around, who is the official CEO of Agri, "just for the record".

If the OU continues the Hechsher now, it will be almost like official Cart Blanch that the OU certifies that it's Kosher to break American Law and still remain certified Kosher.

The OU has Mashgichim who are supposed to know what's going on, and such blatant disregard of the Law can have the OU administrators arrested, for covering up on illegal aliens "FOR FINANCIAL GAIN" just like Sholom.

The OU, together with Rabbi Weimandel's Hechser and Rabi Osdoba Crown Heights Hechser, they should all be arrested, next, for their role in this coverup.

[first time on this site!]

Wow guys what a site
i hope everyone feels really proud and oh so important,...
what you have on this site is enough Lashon Hara lies and hatred that's enough to put you guys straight in #@&*
And if this is how you talk i could only imagine what your actions are like!

[to the author and readers of this site]

No one has an easy life, its a struggle to get by.I'm sure most everyone would agree
But it becomes bearable when you has someone supporting you.So in this case, Peta and all the anti- semites are busy attacking with there ''blood lible'', and all the self hating jews that i'm picking up thru your lines, and all anti chabad \
and honestly if you take yourself so seriously which apparently you do,
GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT

[yidandahalf]

Shmarya, Will it soon be time to include an OU tab under the masthead? Or just McHechsher?

[David F.]

Shmarya, I have followed this issue since 2006 and it is obvious from following the media trail that if justice is done, it will be largely your doing.

The Jewish people have always depended on Jews with the courage to make many enemies in order to oppose corruption and chillul Hashem.

Antisemites are eager to argue that Jews only care about their own and tolerate the exploitation of their neighbors. You publicly prove them wrong every day.

You are likely to gain a great deal more clout as a result of the Rubushkin affair. Use it wisely...and with humility. A lot of people look up to you.

[Dear Curse Shmarya]

I agree with you on everything except that he helped it happen through this website.

This man is a no one who one one cares about.
He should realize that!