Rabbis, Politicians Involved in Money Laundering Arrested in US
Source: PRESS TV, 24-07-2009
More than 40 people, including politicians, officials and several rabbis have been arrested in a major FBI operation in the US.
Three mayors from the state of New Jersey and two members of the state legislature were among those held.
One man is accused of alleged kidney trafficking involving "Israeli" donors.
Three hundred FBI agents raided dozens of locations in New Jersey and New York as part of a 10-year probe into corruption and money laundering.
Prosecutors say the arrests were part of a "dual-tracked" investigation.
Acting US Attorney Ralph Marra told reporters there were 29 suspects on what he termed the "public corruption" side of the investigation, including the politicians.
On the other side, he said, there were 15 suspects in connection with alleged international money-laundering, including the rabbis and their "associates".
Prosecutors accuse one man of dealing in human kidneys from "Israeli" donors for transplant for a decade.
It is alleged that "vulnerable people" would give up a kidney for $10,000 (£6,000) and these would then be sold on for $160,000.
Law enforcement officials say investigations originally focused on a network they allege laundered tens of millions of dollars through charities controlled by rabbis in New Jersey and neighboring New York.
"It seemed that everyone wanted a piece of the action. The corruption was widespread and pervasive. Corruption was a way of life for the accused," Marra said. "Politicians had "willingly put themselves up for sale" and clergymen had "cloaked their extensive criminal activity behind a facade of rectitude," he added.
BBC said the money laundering ring spanned the US, "Israel" and Switzerland.
Ed Kahrer, an FBI agent who has worked on the investigation from the start, said: "New Jersey's corruption problem is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the nation.
More than 40 people, including politicians, officials and several rabbis have been arrested in a major FBI operation in the US.
Three mayors from the state of New Jersey and two members of the state legislature were among those held.
One man is accused of alleged kidney trafficking involving "Israeli" donors.
Three hundred FBI agents raided dozens of locations in New Jersey and New York as part of a 10-year probe into corruption and money laundering.
Prosecutors say the arrests were part of a "dual-tracked" investigation.
Acting US Attorney Ralph Marra told reporters there were 29 suspects on what he termed the "public corruption" side of the investigation, including the politicians.
On the other side, he said, there were 15 suspects in connection with alleged international money-laundering, including the rabbis and their "associates".
Prosecutors accuse one man of dealing in human kidneys from "Israeli" donors for transplant for a decade.
It is alleged that "vulnerable people" would give up a kidney for $10,000 (£6,000) and these would then be sold on for $160,000.
Law enforcement officials say investigations originally focused on a network they allege laundered tens of millions of dollars through charities controlled by rabbis in New Jersey and neighboring New York.
"It seemed that everyone wanted a piece of the action. The corruption was widespread and pervasive. Corruption was a way of life for the accused," Marra said. "Politicians had "willingly put themselves up for sale" and clergymen had "cloaked their extensive criminal activity behind a facade of rectitude," he added.
BBC said the money laundering ring spanned the US, "Israel" and Switzerland.
Ed Kahrer, an FBI agent who has worked on the investigation from the start, said: "New Jersey's corruption problem is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the nation.
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