Former Monsey Fire Commissioner Accused Of Mail Fraud In Real Estate Deal
Feds: Nathan Rothschild charged with using his fire district role to arrange land sale with a creditor to pay off personal debt.
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A former commissioner of a local volunteer fire district in Rockland County was charged on Friday with a scheme to defraud the public by arranging a real estate deal between the fire district and one of his own creditors to pay off personal debts, according to federal officials.
Nathan Rothschild surrendered Friday on a felony mail fraud charge in federal court in White Plains, according to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District Preet Bharara.
Rothschild, 54, of Monsey, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted.
“This charge, if proven, represents a serious violation of public trust,” said Bharara. “Public officials should not think that their office can be used as a personal piggy bank.”
Charges were brought against Rothschild after a probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Rothschild was arraigned Friday by federal Judge George A. Yanthis and released on bail after he pleaded not guilty.
Rothschild is former chairman of the Monsey Fire District, which is the financial oversight arm of the all-volunteer Monsey Fire Department. The federal charges do not specify details of the real estate deal or link anyone else to the probe.
Rothschild also served as president of the East Ramapo school board. He resigned that post on Friday as he was hit with the federal mail fraud charge.
Chauncy Tillinghast
10:53 am on Saturday, April 16, 2011
Raise your hand if you think he will get away with this? BTW PATCH, any follow up on the Vinny Reda case? Is Lettres son still in jail getting free lawyers? What about Brian Mele? Is his daughter still getting that increased salary she got illegally? Did she have to give back some of her ill gotten gains? Maybe PATCH can have a separate section following daily the corruption cases in Rockland. At least some follow up?
dennis brophy
10:30 am on Sunday, April 17, 2011
Chauncy, Question #1, I'm raising my hand and secondly if anyone reports on those earlier issues they can't get swept under the rug.
Chauncy Tillinghast
1:42 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
Dennis, that is. BIG "IF". Reda will get off with nothing, his tral woll drag forever, Lettre will get Drug Court , he was already allowed to resign at an unannounced Town Board meeting and he already was in violation of the Town Personnel Policy with numerous leave of absences some with pay. From what I hear Meles kid is still on the job with her phoned up pay. Are you living in LaLa Land? Corruption and special family interests abound in Rockland.
Mike
2:36 pm on Saturday, April 16, 2011
hmmmm..isnt this the same guy as president of BOE for ERCSD attempted to sell a school building at a greatly reduced (well under market value) to an acquantaince?
dennis brophy
10:31 am on Sunday, April 17, 2011
I think the wholw world knew that if that deal went through somebody was gettin something. Still shocked that it didn't.
Judy Kurland
8:48 am on Sunday, April 17, 2011
The county or state should take over the entire board of education of East Ramapo - most are corrupt and totally uninterested in our public school system and their being on the board is the height of cynicism!