Orthodox Drug Smuggler's Co-Defendant Found Murdered

32-year-old David Akiva Saltzman was found dead early this month, shot and then burned in his car in LA. Saltzman was co-defendant in the drug smuggling case of Jonathan Braun. Braun and his parents are close to Chabad, and while living in his parents' home on Staten Island (where he was confined by judicial order while his sentencing was pending), Braun asked the court to allow him to have is aufruf (pre-wedding celebration and Torah honor) at Chabad of Staten Island's synagogue.

Last update at 2:43 pm CDT

32-year-old David Akiva Saltzman was found murdered early this month in LA. I'm told he was shot and then burned in his car. Saltzman was co-defendant in the drug smuggling case of Chabad-Orthodox drug smugglerJonathan Braun.

Braun and his parents are close to Chabad, and while living in his parents' home on Staten Island (where he was confined by judicial order while his sentencing was pending), Braun asked the court to allow him to have is aufruf (pre-wedding celebration and Torah honor) at Chabad of Staten Island's synagogue.

Braun also asked the court to allow him to attend sheva bracha meals after his wedding across the New York City area, to be allowed to go shopping in in Brooklyn for his wedding, and to go the doctor with his pregnant girlfriend.

The requests were all granted. But after FailedMessiah.com and local Staten Island media publicized the aufruf at Chabad, Chabad cancelled it.

Saltzman, who is a son of a well-known traditional Conservative rabbi in Canada, was found murdered in LA earlier this month. Another associate of Braun, Brian Guariglia, died in a motorcycle accident in 2009.

Related:

Federal Criminal Indictment Against Saltzman, Braun, Jeremy Fistel and Elbi Cespedes (right click to open in your browser in a new window or tab; left click to download):

Jonathan Braun Indictment (Redacted)

All Jonathan Braun Posts.

Comments

[WoolSilkCotton; I must be seen to be believed]

Another 'successful Haredi businessman'.

[RWisler]

OOOPS!!!!

[Larry Harw]

He isn't a Chabadnik ,

you have enjoymet , to attack Lubavich ,

Why do you say Chabad drug Dealer

, I know him and and his father very well, I live nexto them ,
You your self wrote articles that the Aufruf was suppose to be in Young Israel ,

You enjoy attacking Lubavich , I saw what you did in Australia ,

Today is Hishano Rabbi , you will give a acount for your Untrue statements,

[Moshe from NJ]

Daily NY Daily News Headline December 23, 2013:

Staten Island Drug King Can Leave House Arrest to visit Lubavitcher Rebbe Tomb

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/staten-island-drug-king-leave-house-arrest-visit-lubavitcher-rebbe-tomb-article-1.1556955

[Lerry Harw]

You are giving untrue statements,
Many many go there to Lubavich Rebbe's tumb for blessins
Come on any Sunday , see how many peaple come there , 90
percent , are not Lubavich , come and see ,

How many come on Rosh Hashono to R Nachman in Uman and are not Breslew ,

He also wanted a blessing , anything wrong with that ,

But you have a strong enjoment to attack Lubavich , with pure lies ,

To your info his father does not daven in lubavich , his father and son put on Teffilin on Chol Hamoed , Lubavich dont ,

His Aufruf was never had to be in Lubavich , look at your artikels,

What did Lubavich ever do to you ???

Today is HOSHAANO RABBO ,

Be alitel fear of G-D.

[dh]

Lerry Larry. How is it that you don't want him to be a Lubavich dont? Is Lubavich dont close minded?

[coolest]

Most of jews in America could be called " close to chabad" for one reason another

[Normal]

Braun is NOT Chabad

Braun is NOT Lubavitch

[Another Holocene Human]

No true Chabadnik.

Why is it that coercive religious movements just luuuuuurve them some criminals, like make a big show of how good their religion is for the most anti-social sociopaths and freaks out there? Birds of a feather--?

Also, in NYS, Braun would not get leave from the court to go get a blessing from the dead rebbe if Chabad rabbis went to court and said, "Look, your honor, he's not one of us, never has been, he's a faker trying to get lenient treatment from the court for feigned religious observance." But they don't do this, I wonder why not?

[n ' Aron d]

He just went to visit his father. As chabad tradition he is alive and well.

[Rocky]

David's father, Rabbi Steven Saltzman, died of cancer at age 65 last month. Rabbi Saltzman had been the senior rabbi for 25 years at Adath Israel, a Conservative synagogue in Toronto, although he was born in Denver, CO. Adath Israel traces its origins back to the First Roumanian Shul founded in Toronto in 1903. In the early 1950's, it was located in the heart of Toronto's old Jewish neighborhood, about a block from where I grew up. It was the earliest shul I remember attending. Around 1956, the Roumanishe shul, as it was informally known, merged with several other downtown shuls and moved to the suburbs to its current location.

David was survived by his mother and two siblings. Even drug dealers have families.

[m]

that's the way ppl who are close to drug dealers end up : dead .

as far as braun's parents , they are close to chabad , because they have a big problem . they find solace hanging to a sect to help them go though painful times. it's like a therapy . but there is nothing braun's parents can do . their son is a drug dealer who might spend decades in jail . and worse if he goes free , he will be killed , just like david saltzman and brian guariglia .

a chabad orthodox man whose fiancé is 5 months pregnant . let me laugh !
in addition , the chabad orthodox drug dealer hit his pregnant fiancé and got away with it !

what a wonderful man !

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

@WSC ----> Another 'successful Haredi businessman'.

But I'm sure he gave a lot of money to charity, and came from a good family.....

@RWisler ---->

OOOPS!!!!

Actually, I was thinking "Ouch....I'll bet that hurt...but only for a minute!"

Hey...lead a high-risk life....this is what you set yourself up for.