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New York Divorce Mediator Arrested, Accused of Kidnapping, Murder-for-Hire Plot
A NY divorce mediator is in serious trouble after allegedly plotting to kidnap and murder a man involved in an acrimonious divorce.
The 33-year-old suspect worked as a divorce mediator in Monsey, New York. According to law enforcement, the suspect was assisting an Orthodox Jewish woman whose husband refused to grant her a divorce. Instead of using his skills as a mediator to help the estranged couple get through the divorce process, however, the suspect allegedly conspired with a rabbi to kidnap the woman’s husband.
The rabbi, a 55-year-old man, was arrested by federal authorities and charged with multiple crimes, including kidnapping and murder for hire. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) eventually captured the other suspect, the New York divorce mediator, at Kennedy Airport in Queens, NY. He was reportedly in the process of trying to board a plane headed for Ukraine.
According to federal prosecutors, the two suspects were planning to hire a hit man to kidnap the Jewish husband. The hit man was then expected to force the victim to grant a divorce, which is known as a “get” in the Jewish Orthodox religion. If the victim still refused to allow the divorce, the hit man was supposed to kill him.
However, the hit man reportedly recorded the suspects requesting the kidnapping and then turned over the recordings to law enforcement. That’s when federal authorities obtained arrest warrants for the suspects.
It is believed by prosecutors that the divorce mediator arranged the initial meeting between the rabbi and the hit man. The divorce mediator also allegedly made a $25,000 payment to the hit man.
This is obviously an extreme case of a divorce gone horribly wrong. The reality is that most divorces can be worked out amicably. An amicable resolution to a potentially contentious divorce process is usually in everyone’s best interests, particularly if there are children involved. That’s why it is crucial for anyone thinking about getting divorced to have a knowledgeable family law attorney on their side.
For more information about this strange case, read the NY Post article, “Divorce Mediator Busted for Husband Kidnapping Plot.”
Jonathan D. Katz is an experienced New York divorce and family law lawyer who can assist you throughout the divorce process. Contact Mr. Katz today to schedule a free initial consultation.
