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| Mendel Epstein and Martin Wolmark 'plotted to torture husband' | Mendel Epstein and Martin Wolmark 'plotted to torture husband' |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Two New Jersey rabbis have been arrested and charged with plotting to kidnap and torture a man to force him to grant a traditional Jewish divorce. | Two New Jersey rabbis have been arrested and charged with plotting to kidnap and torture a man to force him to grant a traditional Jewish divorce. |
| Rabbis Mendel Epstein and Martin Wolmark asked more than $50,000 (£32,000) to hire "tough guys" to attack a recalcitrant husband with cattle prods, authorities said. | Rabbis Mendel Epstein and Martin Wolmark asked more than $50,000 (£32,000) to hire "tough guys" to attack a recalcitrant husband with cattle prods, authorities said. |
| The men and two alleged co-conspirators were to appear in court on Thursday. | The men and two alleged co-conspirators were to appear in court on Thursday. |
| Under Orthodox Jewish belief, a husband must grant permission for a divorce. | Under Orthodox Jewish belief, a husband must grant permission for a divorce. |
| The permission comes in the form of a document known as a get. | The permission comes in the form of a document known as a get. |
| In some Orthodox communities a woman who has not obtained a get may not marry again even if a civil divorce is finalised. | In some Orthodox communities a woman who has not obtained a get may not marry again even if a civil divorce is finalised. |
| She may sue in rabbinical court, but some men ignore an unfavourable ruling, even if it means being estranged from the religious community. | She may sue in rabbinical court, but some men ignore an unfavourable ruling, even if it means being estranged from the religious community. |
| 'Crazy affair' | 'Crazy affair' |
| Two undercover FBI agents posing as a woman seeking a divorce and her brother called Rabbi Wolmark for help, and he connected them to Rabbi Epstein, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in New Jersey. | Two undercover FBI agents posing as a woman seeking a divorce and her brother called Rabbi Wolmark for help, and he connected them to Rabbi Epstein, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in New Jersey. |
| The undercover agents videotaped their meeting. | The undercover agents videotaped their meeting. |
| "Basically, what we are going to be doing is kidnapping a guy for a couple of hours and beating him up and torturing him and then getting him to give the get," Rabbi Epstein is quoted as saying during the conversation, according to the complaint. | "Basically, what we are going to be doing is kidnapping a guy for a couple of hours and beating him up and torturing him and then getting him to give the get," Rabbi Epstein is quoted as saying during the conversation, according to the complaint. |
| He added that the "tough guys" would use electric cattle prods and handcuffs and place a plastic bag over the man's head, according to the complaint. | He added that the "tough guys" would use electric cattle prods and handcuffs and place a plastic bag over the man's head, according to the complaint. |
| Rabbi Epstein also allegedly told the undercover agents that such instruments were unlikely to leave a mark, avoiding attention from authorities. | |
| "Basically the reaction of the police is, if the guy does not have a mark on him then, uh, is there some Jewish crazy affair here, they don't want to get involved," he said, according to the criminal complaint. | "Basically the reaction of the police is, if the guy does not have a mark on him then, uh, is there some Jewish crazy affair here, they don't want to get involved," he said, according to the criminal complaint. |
| The FBI said the price was more than $50,000, including $10,000 for a rabbinical court to approve the action. They had wired $20,000 to the accused before the arrests. | The FBI said the price was more than $50,000, including $10,000 for a rabbinical court to approve the action. They had wired $20,000 to the accused before the arrests. |
| Two other men charged in the plot are accused of assisting the rabbis, with one telling the female agent he did "whatever the rabbis tell him". | Two other men charged in the plot are accused of assisting the rabbis, with one telling the female agent he did "whatever the rabbis tell him". |
| The investigation took place in Ocean and Middlesex counties in New Jersey and Rockland County in New York. Several defendants were arrested overnight in raids in both states, the FBI said. | The investigation took place in Ocean and Middlesex counties in New Jersey and Rockland County in New York. Several defendants were arrested overnight in raids in both states, the FBI said. |
| The defendants were scheduled to appear in court on Thursday. | The defendants were scheduled to appear in court on Thursday. |