Brooklyn Rabbi Arrested On Child Porn Charges

“Distributing child pornography is a serious crime made all the more disturbing when committed by an individual who has been implicitly entrusted as an educator. Through Operation Caireen, HSI New York and our partners will target individuals who abuse their positions of trust in our communities by committing crimes of sexual exploitation against children.”

 

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Arrest Of Brooklyn Rabbi For Distributing Child Pornography
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James T. Hayes, Jr., the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (“ICE”) Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced today the arrest of SAMUEL WALDMAN for distributing child pornography. WALDMAN, 52, a rabbi and a teacher at a girl’s seminary, was arrested by HSI agents this morning at his residence in Brooklyn, New York. He was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott in Manhattan federal court.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Samuel Waldman’s position of trust in the community, as both a rabbi and a teacher, makes his alleged distribution of child pornography all the more disturbing. As we have said repeatedly, we have zero tolerance for the exploitation of children and we will prosecute and punish those who engage in this conduct.”

ICE HSI Special Agent-in-Charge James T. Hayes, Jr. said: “Distributing child pornography is a serious crime made all the more disturbing when committed by an individual who has been implicitly entrusted as an educator. Through Operation Caireen, HSI New York and our partners will target individuals who abuse their positions of trust in our communities by committing crimes of sexual exploitation against children.”

According to the allegations in the criminal Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court, in or about November 2013, WALDMAN distributed child pornography over the Internet by making available for downloading through file-sharing software multiple videos depicting minors engaged in sexual acts.

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WALDMAN is charged with one count of transporting or distributing child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of ICE HSI. He added that the investigation is continuing.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Egan is in charge of the prosecution.

The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

ICE HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

The criminal complaint as a PDF file:

Download Waldman, Samuel Complaint

Comments

[seymour]

strange in the forward article it claims he admitted to this to the agents

http://forward.com/articles/193933/brooklyn-rabbi-samuel-waldman-hit-with-child-porno/?

[rebitzman - $101 to read my posts]

I wonder if this is Rabbi Shmuel Waldman who wrote a rather dull book around how the theory of evolution fits inside normative Judaism.

[S M L]

I'm shocked! Shocked!

[David]

Shocking. The rabbis are as bad as Catholic priests. The priests at least could falsely claim they were denied the possibility of normal relationships. The rabbis have no such excuse. I wonder if he actually made any of the child-abuse images himself?

As I have said before, as with child molestation, I really don't think that the frumma see anything wrong or only a little wrong with child-abuse images.

On terminology - I think the trend is not to use the term "child pornography" but more accurately "child abuse images".

[Robert J. Barron, Attorney-at-Law]

Ouch. The US Attorneys' are folks who play hardball.

I know from personal experience with them that they don't bust a guy (or gal) unless they are quite certain that the case will hold up in Court.

And federal sentencing on child pornography is no laughing matter. I don't care how many frummas, rabbonim, bubonim, or whatever-they-are show up in court and write letters for him...he's doing time.

But if it's only a first offense...and he has no criminal history...and he shows remorse and takes responsibility...he might not do too much time.

[Reese]

Since he is out on $100,000 bail, his local ruv will be sure to give him an Aliya this Shabbos, and threaten anyone who questions it.

[dh]

Look at the sentencing standards. They are looking at zones of offenses and within those zones they are looking at priors. Remorse and responsibility only figure into the equation within the parameter of a pre-fixed block of time that is already figured out. They carry relatively little weight.

[avrom B]

Shameful! Shameful! A person whom we trust and come to for advice and consultation engaging in pornogophy. Where these pictures of religious children???? regardless his actions are despicable.Regarless of what the community thinks, society doesn't tolorate these acts of behavior nor should they.

[rothman]

Its time for the Yiddim to realize they are being scrutinized more than anyone else. Its of utmost importance that we all are on our best behavior at all times, not only for others to see but for Hashem to see.
While people like Waldman are the exception, many goyim think this is an ongoing behavior. We must have EVERYONES respect in order to be recognized by society as a superior religion of people.

[anuran]

dh, Bullshit. If the frumpies were being scrutinized "more than anyone else" the yeshivot and mikvot would already be closed down. There would already have been RICO actions against all the Chassidic communities. And there would already be hundreds of millions of dollars in suits against shuls and so on as the Catholics have already had to deal with.

But that reflexive circling of the wagons and screeching the tired old lie of "Nebesh in galus! We're being persecuted! The goyim envy and hate us, so they treat us worse than anyone else" just doesn't cut it anymore.

[Robert J. Barron, Attorney-at-Law]

@Anuran---> You have hit the nail on the head. The theme of "we are being persecuted by the goyim"....just doesn't cut the mustard when 1) Three out of nine Supreme Court Justices are Jewish, 2) the House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor is Jewish, and 3) if Eliot Spitzer had not thrown away his governorship over a totally hot rent-a-babe, he might have had a shot at the White House.

....and the list goes on and on.

But then again, the frumma do not really pay attention to the outside world. Given that all three examples that I cited above have nothing to do with the Torah, the Yeshiva, the Talmud, the Rabbonim, the Bubonim, etc....as far as the frumma are concerned, the Supreme Court does not exist.

@rothman -----> I'm afraid that I have to disagree with your comment about a "superior religion of people". I'm afraid I can't get behind that arrogant mind-set. But you are quite correct about "we are all on our best behavior at all times".....

....and as far as I'm concerned, "being on our best behavior" is not required b/c Hashem sees it, or others see it, it's required as part of living in civil and civilized society.

[Barry]

The book by Rabbi Shmuel Waldman is called 'Beyond A Reasonable Doubt' which if it is the same man is a very unfortunate title.

The book is reviewed and criticized for its distortions here

http://onthemainline.blogspot.co.uk/2006/05/unreasonable-content-in-beyond.html

Rabbi Shmuel Waldman, is described on the book jacket as 'a native New Yorker, [who] studied at Mesivta of Long Beach, the Yeshiva of Staten Island, and the Mir Yeshiva. He has been an educator for many years....[his] interest in the methods of clarifying religious belief stems from the teachings of Rabbi Avigdor Miller zt"l.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Avigdor Miller was a nasty man, and if what Barry states is correct, and it's the same Shmuel Waldman, being a disciple of a bigot and misogynist is not a mitigating circumstance.

[jancsibacsi]

Yochanan Lavie--I witnesed with my own eyes rabbi avigdor miller beat up a student in the 60 s in a musser session he used to give at our yeshiva ran over to him while he was in the middle of giving musser and punch and slaped him many times i could not beleive what i was seeing,the kid said something in the back of the room and he just went ballistic,the rebbe.

[shotah]

why don't you check out frumfollies and see about another rabbi by the name dovid Weinberger from the 5towns who also been caught why is failedmessiah not reporting it?

http://frumfollies.wordpress.com/2014/02/27/wither-goes-rabbi-dovid-weinberger/

[Sarek]

I don't understand Hasid child porn. How stimulating can it be since the girls must be all covered up?

[jancsibacsi]

shotah--Dont mix apples with pears he is not charged with anything dovid weinberger this guy is so dont be a smart alec.

[Shmarya Rosenberg]

Not only that, but despite many months of rumors – almost all spread by haredim – no one has been willing to go on the record and say what that rabbi allegedly did.

Even more so, the rabbis of that community refuse to do so.

That's why so far no newspaper or credible news source has reported it.

Your community needs to learn that with leveling accusations comes the responsibility to back them up.

[shotah]

the fact is Weinberger was fired from his shul and all the 5town rabbonim came out against him and there is letter from rabbi perr yeshiva that was publish that you should stay away from him.
and he went to erets yisroel to get new position and nobody hired him.
he has been reported on some blogs and on nuchem Rosenberg hotline he was in court many years ago were he lost read judge Goldstein summary
cause he didn't make it to the NY post doesn't mean he is innocent,

[Shmarya Rosenberg]

For all you non-haredim, try to follow the logic of this haredi.

He posts anonymously. His source does not actually say the rabbi was fired. And the people who posted the story posted rumors abetted by very incomplete facts.

[jancsibacsi]

shotah--Before you level accusations against someone you need concrete evidence,theese rebbes are just sentencing him before a trial thats not the way things are done in the real world,show me the evidence.

[Kosher Ham]

@Shmarya,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I read on Nuchem Rosenberg's blog that a policeman caught RDW with a woman (that he was counselling) in the back seat of a car. It didn't saw what they were doing back there, though. I might've had the Google Translate on from Yiddish to English for that page.

[Mistersoftie.wordpress.com]

shmarya, are you saying that you have reservations about whether RDW actually did anything wrong? Will you only investigate a story if there was an actual sentencing?
at the very least, there are some very strange happenings in relation to this case, and the public can certainly benefit from your investigative talents.
On the off chance that RDW never did anything wrong, the actions of the 5 towns Vaad would be quite scandalous, so either way there's a scandal going on!

[Shmarya Rosenberg]

What I'm saying is exceedingly clear. Try re-reading it.

I don't print rumors from unknown sources and I don't print stories in which someone could easily and safely choose to comment on the record but instead refuses to do so because it is easier for him that way.

[dh]

anuran @ 11:26, huh? I never said " the frumpies were being scrutinized "more than anyone else""

I was elucidating for you and making reference to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. If you can dredge though your own BS, go there and look. Barron is giving you vague and ambiguous opinion. Look at the black and white. Same thing the judges are looking at.

[Kosher Ham]

News12 video: http://brooklyn.news12.com/multimedia/interview-with-rabbi-accused-of-distributing-child-pornography-1.7303377

@Shmarya,
Wouldn't there be a police report in whatever 1 of the 5 towns where it happened about a year or so ago with RDW?

[Shmarya Rosenberg]

You have no idea what happened or what did not happen. All you have are unsubstantiated rumors.

[!]

Posted by: anuran | March 05, 2014 at 11:26

Your response to rothman's comment:

"Its time for the Yiddim to realize they are being scrutinized more than anyone else. Its of utmost importance that we all are on our best behavior at all times, not only for others to see but for Hashem to see...."

was - I think - very much off base. I believe that language is very typical Hareidi speak for "because of dress, chilul Hashems come easier". Of course most visitors to this site believe that those internal warnings don't come often enough and would LOVE to see Hareidim on their best behavior more often.

Yes, the literal words could be implying a higher level of scrutiny but in my experience that language is not understood at a cultural level to mean literally being persecuted and prosecuted.

[Robert J. Barron, Attorney-at-Law]

@dh-----> Perhaps I am giving "vague and ambiguous opinion", but I did not feel it necessary to get into an exact discussion of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, as far as categories of offense, criminal history, etc.

Sorry if I was not up to your standards.

[dh]

Robert J., You are relatively revered here in the portals of great wisdom and sagacity of FM and I think, me included, everyone would enjoy and benefit from specifics.