FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JUNE 21, 2018 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Flushing rabbi cuff ed in
extortion scheme
Federal agents arrested a Flushing rabbi on Monday
who allegedly participated in a scheme to blackmail
someone out of millions of dollars.
Rabbi Igal Haimoff , 67, along with Mark Weissman,
54, of Lawrence, Long Island, were arraigned on federal
extortion charges in a Brooklyn courtroom on June
18. Th ey were each released on $250,000 bond, but face
up to fi ve years behind bars if convicted.
In early 2017, according to U.S. Attorney for the
Eastern District of New York Richard P. Donoghue,
Haimoff and Weissman allegedly conspired to demand
that an individual pay $6 million — and threatened to
have an unidentifi ed associate turn over incriminating
evidence about the victim over to law enforcement if
their request was not met.
Federal agents said that Weissman allegedly enlisted
Haimoff ’s help in funneling the extorted funds through
a charity with which the rabbi is associated. Th ey further
draft ed a fraudulent letter, written on the charity’s
letterhead, to the individual, whom they believed would
send them the funds from overseas.
Th e letter described the extorted funds as a
“pledge” from the individual toward the completion
of a yeshiva building in Queens. According to
BukharianCommunity.com, a website focused on the
Bukharian Jewish community, Haimoff founded the
Yeshivat Olel Simcha in Kew Gardens Hills back in
2003.
Unbeknownst to Haimoff and Weissman, Donoghue
said, their letter was actually sent to, and received by, an
undercover FBI agent.
Later, the unidentifi ed associate informed Haimoff
that they were increasing their demand to $7 million.
Th e victim in the scheme indicated that he could provide
the funds, but Haimoff requested a letter explaining
why the purported donation was being increased.
On or about June 6 of this year, authorities said, the
undercover FBI agent emailed Haimoff claiming that
he desired to increase the pledge aft er learning of “additional
structural work required” for the completion of
the yeshiva project. Haimoff replied to the email with
gratitude for the increased pledge.
Robert Pozarycki
Astoria man gets 25 years
to life for killing friend
An Astoria man will likely spend the rest of his life
behind bars for murdering his friend in a local park
three years ago, prosecutors announced Monday.
Alexander Bonich, 52, was found guilty of second-degree
murder, second-degree criminal possession of a
weapon and tampering with evidence in May. He was
sentenced on June 18 to serve 25 years to life in prison.
According to trial testimony, Bonich met William
Klinger, 42, a historian from Rome, Italy, years ago
during a trip to Croatia and maintained a friendship.
When Klinger had expressed to Bonich that he wanted
to move to the United States, Bonich off ered to help.
He told Klinger that he not only found a job for him
but would also sell him an apartment in Astoria for
$85,000.
However, Queens District Attorney Richard A.
Brown said, the promises turned out to be lies. Bonich
had not secured a job for Klinger, and the apartment
he promised was, in reality, rented by Bonich’s elderly
mother.
Th en, on Jan. 31, 2015, Bonich and Klinger were
walking through Astoria Park when they got into
an argument about the situation. Klinger began to
walk away from Bonich, who ordered him to stop.
Prosecutors said Klinger ignored him, and Bonich then
shot him in the back of the head. Aft er Klinger fell to
the ground, Bonich shot him again.
Emily Davenport
Photo via Twitter/@AAFE1974
New Yorkers rally around
Flushing man facing deportation
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com / @smont76
A Flushing man is facing deportation
aft er being detained by federal
authorities during an interview for
his green card.
Xiuqing You, a husband and
father of two young children who
has been in the country for 18 years,
was arrested by U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement offi -
cers (ICE) on May 23 aft er appearing
for an immigration interview in
Manhattan. He is currently being
held at a detention center in New
Jersey as he faces deportation to
China.
You’s wife Yu Mei Chen, who is
a U.S. citizen, told the Daily News
she accompanied her husband on
the May 23 interview, believing that
his request for permanent residency
was in the works. Chen reportedly
sat for an interview and was then
told to leave so they could question
her husband, who was detained
shortly thereaft er.
You entered the country 18 years
ago and was issued a fi nal order of
deportation in 2002 aft er a claim for
asylum was denied, according to the
report. He applied for permanent
residency in 2015.
In a statement, Congresswoman
Grace Meng, who represents
Flushing and other Queens neighborhoods
on Capitol Hill, said the
case is “the latest example of how
the administration’s cruel immigration
policies are destroying lives.”
“Xiuqing You is a hardworking
individual who wants nothing more
than to better the life of his family,
and have his shot at the American
dream,” she said. “Detaining him
as he appeared for his scheduled
adjustment of status interview is
unjust, and I will be leading a letter
to ICE on his behalf.”
You has no criminal history,
Meng noted. Th e congresswoman
says she will be “closely monitoring
You’s case in the days ahead.”
“His wife and 4- and 6-year-old
children are distraught by his
absence and will suff er fi nancial
hardships if they are not reunited
with him,” the representative added.
Immigration advocates rallied
at Foley Square in Manhattan
on June 18 — located down the
block from the U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services offi ce where
You appeared for his interview —
to demand You’s immediate release.
You is being represented by attorney
Yee Ling Poon, who told the
Daily News she has asked the court
for a stay of deportation.
An ICE spokesperson said You
entered the United States in January
2000 “without a valid entry document”
and an immigration judge
ordered You be removed from the
country in December of the same
year. You then fi led an appeal which
was dismissed, and in May 2008, he
fi led a motion to reopen the case.
“On May 23, 2018, ERO deportation
offi cers arrested You based on
his fi nal order of removal,” an ICE
spokesperson said. “He is currently
in ICE custody pending removal.”
Attendees gather at the June 18 rally for You’s release
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