William E. Rapfogel, the former CEO of the Metropolitan Council on
Jewish Poverty, surrendered to authorities today and was charged with
grand larceny, money laundering and criminal tax evasion for allegedly stealing at least $5 million from the Jewish anti-poverty charity. $400,000 in cash found in his home. He is expected to be arraigned later today.
William E. Rapfogel
Last updated at 12:40 pm CDT
Rapfogel Charged With Grand Larceny
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
William E. Rapfogel, the former CEO of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, surrendered to authorities today and was charged with grand larceny, money laundering and tax evasion for allegedly stealing at least $5 million from the Jewish anti-poverty charity, the New york Post reported. More than $400,000 in cash was found in Rapfogel's homes.
Rapfogel reportedly made no comment as he was led out of Manhattan’s first precinct in handcuffs earlier this morning.
The 58-year-old long time Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty CEO is the focus of a criminal investigation by New York’s attorney general and its comptroller. He was fired from the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty in August after an audit discovered that Rapfogel and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty’s hasidic insurance agent – Joseph Ross, the head of Century Coverage – had allegedly vastly inflated premiums and had stolen Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty’s overpayments, using some of the stolen money – estimated to be several million dollars overall – to make bundled campaign donations to key politicians Rapfogel chose.
After being fired, Rapfogel released a statement apologizing for unspecified “mistakes” he made.
"I deeply regret the mistakes I have made that have led to my departure from the organization,” it read.
Rapfogel and Ross allegedly stole about $5 million from the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty since the early 1990s.
Rapfogel was regularly given envelopes stuffed with cash and checks for personal expenses – including money to pay for improvements to his plush Lower east Side home.
He kept at least $1 million for himself. The allegedly went to co-conspirators who are not named in the indictment.
Rapfogel led the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty for 21 years and before that was a key aide to New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Rapgfogel’s wife Judy is a long time top aide to Silver, as well.
The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty reportedly had expenditures of $112 million last year and claimed to have helped 100,000 people, most of them elderly.
Rapfogel is a pillar of his Lower East Side Orthodox community where he is still treated with honor despite his alleged crimes.
The criminal complaint as a PDF file: