Five people close to the Shuvu Banim leader were charged with a series of offenses in the ‘Black Oppression’ case, about six months after he finished serving his sentence | The associates, along with associations that operated under the community, are accused of using their position to commit fraud and extortion offenses while presenting a false presentation regarding the rabbi’s abilities
An indictment was filed in the Jerusalem District Court today (Tuesday) against five of the close members of the leader of the Shuvu Banim community, Rabbi Eliezer Berland. At the same time, indictments were filed against the “Kail Eyal Tarug” association, the “Breslav Tribes of Israel Ltd.” Rabbi Berland ran an actual prison sentence, from which he was released about six months ago.
According to the indictment filed by attorneys Erez Padan, Tzur Huta and Einat Baruchi-Yariv, between the years 2020-2010, Rabbi Berland, as part of his status, provided various services for a fee, including “soul redemption” ceremonies, giving blessings, counseling in the fields Various and there are home circles. For this purpose, Rabbi Berland established a mechanism for recruiting customers, collecting and managing funds, and more, which was conducted as an economic business for everything that garnered huge sums. As part of this mechanism, Berland employed many workers, in exchange for wages, who did not report their income from this occupation.
The indictment is part of the case in which Berland was convicted, according to his confession in a plea bargain, of committing offenses of receiving anything by fraud, extortion, attempted threat and tax offenses and money laundering. The defendants in this indictment took part in the criminal mechanism of action which he established and operated.
The first defendant in the case is Amram Bezanson, 45, who served as a close assistant to Rabbi Berland, the business manager and finance manager on his behalf. As part of his job, he had confidence, among other things, in the rabbi’s agenda and the management of the employees in the business.
Gabayim Natan Ghassi (40), Natan Solomon (51), Barak Barber (48), were in charge, among other things, of locating and bringing customers to the business, expanding the circle of applicants to the business, coordinating the referrals for giving blessings or “soul redemption” ceremonies to organize classes Home paid, and charge the fee for the various business services. In return for their work, they received a salary derived from the amount of money they collected from customers.
Nachman Moshe (36), headed the Breslav Shivtei Israel Ltd. company, which operated a “currency services provider.” Bezanson and Ghassi while the actions will not be registered in his name and while falsely reporting the identity of the beneficiary in the funds.
The “Eyal Tarug” association is an association registered in the register of associations in Israel, which was managed by Barak Barber. Along with the association’s legitimate activities, when Rabbi Berland was abroad, the association began using Barber to help Berland finance his legal defense expenses in various legal proceedings taken against him. A manager, or any officer of the association lawfully, in accordance with the Associations Act.
Ezra VeChesed, an association registered in the Register of Associations in Israel in accordance with the Associations Law. After the foundation of the association, Rabbi Berland began to transfer and deposit all his income from the business into her hands and hide it there, the association served for Berland as a “wallet” and from it his personal expenses were paid. Berland controlled the association through Bezanson who directed its activities on Berland’s mission, without having any status in the association while the association’s legally registered members were not at all aware of the nature of its activities.
According to the indictment, Rabbi Berland and the defendants refrained from reporting their income to the tax authorities, and acted in various ways to conceal the money that grew from the business. As part of the concealment operations, Berland, through Bezanson and Ghassi and Breslav Tribes of Israel Ltd., operated a “currency service provider” (change), not under his identity, and also used the “Ka’il Tarug Association” and the “Ezra Center Association” to hide some of them. From his income, the associations and Breslav Tribes of Israel Ltd. were used for him to launder the money he hid from the tax authorities, while hiding his share, the fact that he enjoyed these funds and using the defendants, each according to his share.
As detailed in the indictments, as part of Ghassi and Solomon’s preoccupation with Berland’s business, they took advantage of their position and status to commit fraud and extortion offenses while misrepresenting the rabbi’s abilities. Some of the offenses were committed in a joint venture with Rabbi Berland.
The Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office stated: “These are serious economic offenses of evading tens of millions of shekels in money laundering and money laundering offenses. Of Berland. “