Thursday, August 25, 2011

Rabbi's Claim He Saved Holocaust Torahs a Hoax; Menachem Youlus Charged with Mail, Wire Fraud

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency website reports today (August 25, 2011) that Menachem Youlus -- a Maryland rabbi who claimed he rescued Torah scrolls lost during the Holocaust -- was arrested on fraud charges and accused of fabricating the stories.

Youlus -- founder of Save a Torah -- was arrested yesterday and charged with one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud.

Federal prosecutors also accused Youlus -- who had never even traveled to Europe -- of embezzling money from his charity for personal use and making up stories of rescuing Torahs seized by the Nazis.

The U.S. Attorney's office said that Torah scrolls Youlus claimed to have rescued had been purchased from local dealers and had no connection to the Holocaust. The Attorney's office also said that Save a Torah had raised $1.2 million in contributions from 2004 to 2010.

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