---

AP, via the International Herald Tribune, USA
Jan. 1, 2008
www.iht.com

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 20251 • Posted: Wednesday January 2, 2008  

---

LOS ANGELES: The grand rabbi of a Brooklyn-based Orthodox Jewish group and five other men accused in a tax fraud and money laundering scheme pleaded not guilty to federal charges on Monday.

Naftali Tzi Weisz, 59, the Grand Rabbi of Spinka, and the others were arrested after an indictment was returned Dec. 18 accusing the group of 37 counts including conspiracy, mail fraud and money laundering.

Authorities allege Weisz helped solicit millions of dollars in contributions to five Spinka charitable groups by promising to secretly refund up to 95 percent of the donations. That way, the contributors could falsely claim higher tax deductions, authorities said.

Prosecutors say that in some cases, donors received cash payments through an underground money transfer network involving business owners in Los Angeles’ jewelry district.

Prosecutors allege the scheme cheated the Internal Revenue Service out of at least $33 million (€22.42 million).

The other defendants named in the indictment are Gabbai Moshe Zigelman, 60, of Brooklyn, New York; Joseph Roth, 66, of Tel Aviv, Israel; Yaacov Zeivald, 43, of Valley Village, New York; and Alan Jay Friedman, 43, and Yosef Nachum Naiman, 55, of Los Angeles, as well as five Spinka charities.

It was not immediately known if the men had retained as attorneys.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Naftali Tzi Weisz Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Naftali Tzi Weisz Read Another Article Previous entry: Children’s Scientology Pageant: Mind Control Over Matter Next entry: Kenya Church Torched, 50 Reported Killed RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Naftali Tzi Weisz Most Popular Today World’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship, ministry ship Doulos, to stop sailing Pakistan Militants Bomb CD Shop For Selling ‘Jesus Film’ ‘World’s biggest animal sacrifice’ begins UK man fears cult leader release Muslim Violence Ongoing in Egypt; Christians Plead For Help Suicide soldier’s family calls for Scientology probe Scientology church rejects allegations in death of 14-month-old girl

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.