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A New York City rabbi charged with kidnapping and threatening men with cattle prods who refused to grant their wives a divorce claims to have mediated Mafia disputes.
An undercover video was played in a federal court Monday to demonstrate Rabbi Mendel Epstein’s participation in mobster affairs.
The gangsters would reportedly clean guns in front of the rabbi and intimidate him.
“But they’re not going to shoot me because I’m the golden goose,” he said.
Epstein later became known as “The Prodfather” for his use of the cattle prod.
He allegedly charged as much as $100,000 per kidnapping.
Other area rabbis, including Rabbi Martin Wolmark, Rabbi Jacob Goldstein, as well as a fourth man, Ariel Potash, were also taken into custody in October 2013 as part of the investigation into the ring. They were accused of hiring thugs to beat the Orthodox Jewish husbands into agreement. Authorities believed the ring may have existed for upwards of 20 years.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
