FBI Is Raiding Orange County Hasidic Village of Kiryas Joel

By Emma Whitford
Gothamist
May 12, 2016

http://gothamist.com/2016/05/12/fbi_raid_kiryas_joel.php

Federal agents are currently conducting searches in the ultra-Orthodox village of Kiryas Joel in Orange County, New York. A spokeswoman for the FBI confirmed an ongoing search but declined to comment further. [Updates below.]

The purpose of the raids is as yet unclear. According to reports from the scene on Twitter, about 15 FBI agents entered the United Talmudical Academy, a local yeshiva, shortly after 10:00 a.m. accompanied by a local sheriff and agents from the Sullivan County DA's office. News 12 reports that the agents are also executing search warrants at the village's public safety building.

Last week, the Journal News reported that police were investigating a video allegedly showing the principal of United Talmudic Academy kissing a young student. The 11-minute video was widely circulated on WhatsApp and Facebook. According to the News, the uncut version shows a boy standing between a man's legs as he strokes the boys face and kisses him. State police confirmed that they had the video and were looking into the incident, but Orange County Chief Assistant District Attorney Christopher Borek would not confirm an investigation.

"Ethical rules prohibit us from commenting on specific allegations until or unless charges are publicly filed in a court," a spokesperson for the DA told Forward.

The school issued a statement Tuesday, denying any crime. "While this type of restraint may be unacceptable to some viewers, it in no way rises to the level of a criminal assault," the Board of Directors said.

In March, schools in Kiryas Joel were targeted as part of a larger FBI raid for proof that government money allocated for technology equipment in local schools through the FCC's E-Rate program had actually been spent as mandated, on servers, wiring and internet installation. Jewish news outlets have recently raised questions about the use of federal technology funds in Orthdox schools and libraries, since many of these schools prohibit their students from using the internet.

The E-Rate program reimburses up to 90% of the cost of server and wiring installation in schools where at least three quarters of the students are eligible for free lunch.

Kiryas Joel is governed and predominantly populated by the Satmar Hasidic sect. Forward reports that the village's leader, Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, has been in conflict with his brother, Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum, for years. Zalman leads a Satmar community in Brooklyn.

Attorney Donald Nichol represents the city government of Kiryas Joel, and told us by phone on Thursday that he was not up to speed on today's raids, stressing that they did not involve his client. "I don't know anything about any raids," he said. "I represent the village government. People tend to lump everything together in Kiryas Joel since it's a unique community, but Kiryas Joel has good people and bad people just like any other town."

This story is developing; we'll update with additional information.

[UPDATE:] Reporters on the scene are documenting the removal of documents and filing cabinets from UTA. The FBI has yet to release a statement.