Jews attempt witness intimidation in child rape case.

[George Gr�ner]

(CNN) -- A teenage girl and her boyfriend were allegedly offered
half a million dollars to keep quiet or flee the country to
avoid testifying in an upcoming child sex abuse case against the
girl's former therapist in Brooklyn's ultra-Orthodox Jewish
community, according to prosecutors.

Four men were charged Thursday with bribery, coercion and trying
to impede the prosecution of Nechemya Weberman, 53, who's
pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing the girl since she was 12.

Abraham Rubin, 48, was indicted on seven counts related to the
alleged plot to undermine the case. If convicted, he could face
up to seven years behind bars.

Three other men, who are brothers, also tried to harass the
alleged victim ahead of the trial, prosecutors said. If found
guilty, Joseph and Hertzka Berger each could face up to a year
in jail, while Jacob Berger faces a potential four years.

"Intimidation of victims and witnesses in sex abuse cases in the
Orthodox community is what has made prosecuting these cases so
difficult," said Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes.
"Victims were afraid to come forward because they would be
threatened and shunned in their communities."

All four men were required to surrender their passports. Rubin's
bail was set at $75,000, while bail for the three others were
set at $5,000 each.

Neither the defendants' attorneys nor Weberman's attorney could
be immediately reached for comment.

Prosecutors say the men pressured the girl and her boyfriend "to
not cooperate with law enforcement," and threatened to take away
her boyfriend's rabbi-issued kosher certification from his
Brooklyn restaurant.

When they didn't cave, Jacob Berger allegedly ripped the
certification down from the wall, prosecutors said, the latest
in a string of alleged harassment against the girl, her
boyfriend and their family.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/22/justice/new-york-child-sex-abuse-
case/index.html?iref=obnetwork