Crime & Safety
FBI Stages E-Rate Raids in Ramapo
There were more than 300 agents involved, according to The Journal News.
Federal agents assisted by local police conducted searches throughout Ramapo yesterday, targeting yeshivas and tech companies in Orthodox Jewish communities, The Journal News reported.
The investigation concerns private-school use of millions in tax dollars from the controversial E-Rate program meant to provide or improve the use of technology in education. Both The Journal News and Jewish news organizations have reported in past years on the amount of money from that program going to ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, which usually forbid their students to access the internet.
A team of TJN journalists tracked the agents, who were armed with 22 search warrants. More than 300 people were involved in the operation.
TJN quoted a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office: "Today, the FBI, working with our office, conducted searches in connection with an ongoing fraud investigation. If and when charges are filed, they will eventually become public. This remains an ongoing matter, and we are unable to provide any additional information at this time."
Read the entire article on lohud.com here.
The Rockland County Times noted the raids and gave readers the background, posting on Facebook a link to their article on the issue from 2013:
FLASHBACK - Looks like the feds did not take this lying downhttp://www.rocklandtimes.com/2013/02/28/rockland-hasidic-schools-taking-millions-in-federal-tech-funds/
Posted by Rockland County Times (Rockland's OFFICIAL Newspaper) on Wednesday, March 16, 2016
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