Spinka Rebbe Pleads NOT GUILTY!

They may look guilty but they are not pleading guilty. Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Weisz and five other members of the New York City-based Spinka sect pleaded not guilty to U.S. federal charges Monday that they arranged and profited from accepting inflated charitable donations that saved the donors millions of dollars in federal income taxes.

Spinka Rebbe: Free on $2 Million Bond....

The Spinka Rebbe who was indicted with 5 others for tax fraud and money laundering had his bail set at $2 million and is currently out on bail. The arraignment of the six defendants named in the indictment is scheduled for Dec. 31. One of the defendants, Joseph Roth, the assistant manager of the Israel-based Mizrahi Bank had his bail set at 1.9 million by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Hillman but the Judge then delayed granting bail until the government could appeal his decision. Roth will have to remain in federal custody until at least Jan. 4, pending the district judge's decision on Hillman's ruling.

Spinka Rebbe Indicted for Tax Fraud!

As if we don't have enough stereotypes the Grand Spinka Rabbi: Naftali Tzvi Weisz, 59, faced some serious today in LA federal court. Among them are, conspiracy, mail fraud and money laundering, according to a 37-count indictment returned Tuesday.

Authorities say Weisz helped solicit millions of dollars in contributions to five Spinka charitable groups by promising to secretly refund up to 95 percent of the donations. That way, the contributors could falsely claim higher tax deductions,

In some cases, donors received cash payments through an underground money transfer network involving business owners in Los Angeles' jewelry district, prosecutors said. Contributors also were reimbursed through wire transfers from Spinka-controlled entities into accounts secretly held at a bank in Israel, prosecutors said.

Weisz is from Brooklyn, N.Y., where the charitable organizations are based.

Also indicted were his executive assistant, Moshe E. Zigelman, 60. Six of the seven charged in the case were taken into custody as federal agents conducted searches in Los Angeles and New York on Wednesday morning.

It was unclear whether the defendants had retained attorneys yet.

I hope this is all some kind of mistake but with an indictment that long what are the chances? This should strike some fear into any other organizations trying the same shtick.