Haredi businessman Jacob Ostreicher, imprisoned in Boliva without trial for more than two years, is back in America.
Sean Penn with Jacob Ostriecher outside a Bolivian courtroom earlier this year
Ostreicher escaped Bolivia and was not set free by the government.
Ostreicher allegedly was involved in criminal activity, but the government – which is exceedingly corrupt – never showed any evidence to support that allegation.
Ostreicher's rice harvest was stolen by government officials as soon as Ostreicher was arrested. Some of those government officials were later arrested for the theft. A judge in Ostreicher's case was about to be arrested on corruption charges but fled the country earlier this year.
Ostreicher's case became internationally known when actor Sean Penn went to Boliva to lobby for Ostreicher's release.
Details at Yeshiva World.
Update 4:41 pm CST – A son of Mr. Ostreicher told the Lakewood Scoop that his father was kidnapped.
“My father is in the US. He was kidnapped in Bolivia…I have still not spoken to him, but we know he’s safe – and we’re still trying to figure out where he is.”
Ostreicher's son said his father was missing for week and then a ransom was demanded. It was paid, and Ostreicher was dropped off at location in the United States.
The son claims he has not yet spoken to his father an ddoes not know where that location is. But, the son said, he knows his father is back in the US and is safe.
[Hat Tip: Burich.]