Rabbi Shmuel Waldman
The US Attorney for the Southern District of NY announced the arrest of fifty-two-year-old Rabbi Samuel (Shmuel) Waldman for distributing child pornography on Wednesday, March 5th. Waldman, described by the US DOJ press release as a “rabbi and teacher at a girl’s seminary” works at Bais Yaacov in Boro Park.
According to the indictment, the files handled by Waldman included scenes where a four-year-old girl performed oral sex on a male, and a girl was vaginally and anally penetrated as well as footage of a per-pubescent boy being masturbated.
Rabbi Shmuel Waldman is the author of the book Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Convincing Evidence of the Truths of Judaism (Feldheim, 2005 with editing by Yaakov Astor). It comes with approbations by Rabbi Yisroel Belsky of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, Rabbi Matisyahu Solomon of BMG in Lakewood and Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky of the Yeshiva of Philadelphia. (See On the Main Line for a critique of the book as scientifically illiterate or dishonest)
Sources close to me have seen Rabbi Waldman lecturing in other schools and in camps.
News 12 of metro NY has video footage of Shmuel Waldman denying the allegations (in spite of the fact that the indictment claims he admitting handling those files). He says he will keep on working his job at his school. I can only hope his school has already suspended him. He finally ends his interview begging off to go to shul.
Update: In an earlier version of this post I erred in stating that Waldman is the son-in-law of a certain administrator involved in sex abuse cover-ups. I had the name of the father-in-law correct but it turns out there are two individuals with the exact same name who lived in Flatbush. At this point I see no reason to name the father-law since I have no reason to suspect of him of either collusion in his son-in-law’s alleged kiddie porn activities or collusion in sex abuse cover ups. Thus I have dropped all references to him and deleted all comments referring to him by name. I thank my readers who pressed the issue and got me to see I made a mistake.
UPDATE- WALDMAN CONVICTED. Waldman pled guilty to possessing child pornography and was sentenced on Dec 16, 2015 to 3 months, plus extended probation and entry on the sex offender registry (probably at Tier 1 which does not show on public searches)..
FRUM FOLLIES by Yerachmiel Lopin 
Police claim he confessed to the downloading and viewing:
Click to access Waldman,%20Samuel%20Complaint.pdf
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Arrest Of Brooklyn Rabbi For Distributing Child Pornography
http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/March14/SamuelWaldmanArrestPR.php
The particular nature of CP cases is unique so that it is very difficult if not impossible to claim that it isn’t his. Undoubtedly, a reverse IP trace led the detectives to his computer and his doorstep.
CP is a dangerous crime and one of moral turpitude. It isn’t simply looking at pictures, it’s a continuous revictimization of the child depicted. It is also the most efficient way for law enforcement to apprehend child molesters. CP is also used as gratification until the next actual victimization occurs.
The only reason I would give this guy the benefit of the doubt is because it is well known that cops are manipulative liars in general and have a particular hard-on, especially in NYC for orthodox Jews. Confessions are many a time wrung from hapless victims unfamiliar with police interrogation tactics and too naive to have a lawyer present when questioned.
If this guy is guilty then, by all means, throw every book at him. However, just on police say-so? I will wait for the trial.
And besides its loshen hora esp since in this case he doesnt have any victims
Child pornography is not a victimless crime. A 4-year-old girl was raped and sodomized to produce one of the videos it is alleged he watched. Someone who enjoys watching these sorts of things is not someone who can be trusted to respect children’s basic needs.
Yerachmiel Lopin says: “Really, you don’t think the 4-year-old girl raped to produce the video he watched was not a victim?”
The exact reason why possession of child pornography is a Federal crime and why the United States puts substantial resources into trying to eradicate this scourge.
From the Federal criminal complaint, which was sworn out by one Douglas Smith, a Special Agent with the Department of Homeland Security:
6. On or about March 5, 2014, I, along with other investigators, and other investigators executed a search warrant at the Brooklyn Address. WALDMAN was present when the warrant was executed. During the execution of the search warrant, I and other investigators interviewed WALDMAN who stated, in substance and in part, the following:
a. WALDMAN does download child pornography and has for several years.
b. WALDMAN uses P2P software to download child pornography. WALDMAN typically keeps it on his computer for a couple of days and then deletes it.
c. WALDMAN acknowledged that, at one time, he possessed the files described above.
d. WALDMAN acknowledged that on the P2P software he uses, he is able to see when others are downloading files from his computer.
You are an idiot.
This person is not the same person with the same name who authored that book.
Yes it is the same person. I recognized his face immediately on the news because he was my teacher many years ago (back in elementary school) and I distinctly remember him promoting his book a couple of years after that.
At which yeshiva did he teach and during which years?
Where are we up to on this? Is it the same person who wrote “Beyond Reasonable Doubt”?
Yes. He did write “Beyond Reasonable Doubt” which may turn out to be his jury verdict.
im also curious, did you ask a shaila before posting this? its called loshen hora and if you know the haloches, even if its public knowledge, even if everyone is talking about it, even if others have said it, sorry but you are not allowed to say it, its called loshen hora, and if its a lie its called motzi shem rah, and you get all the person’s aveiros, so i owuld ask a rov first if you are allowed
My rationale for publicizing sex offenders was posted on my FB page a few days ago.
WHY I PUBLICIZE MOLESTERS
Rabbi Yosef Blau, the Mashigach Ruchani at YU, writes
“With the massive and ongoing amount of cover up it is unfortunately necessary to publicize each account of sexual abuse in the Orthodox community which appears in the media. The abysmal failure of the approach to hide this information makes it of great toeles. Calling the few who care enough to continue to fight for the victims of abuse, who continue to suffer from the lack of care for their welfare in the community, as witch hunters is a distortion. The chilul Hashem will only end when the Orthodox community demonstrates it’s proper religious character and acts boldly to transform the culture.”
Not everyone follws that rov so.. and since in this particular case he doesnt have any victims I dont know if its allowed
I accept this Rav’s judgment. I don’t know any rav that everyone accepts.
>Not everyone follws that rov so
Can you name one Rov that “everyone follows”?
Most yeshivishe people follow harav chaim kaniefsky
>Most yeshivishe people follow harav chaim kaniefsky
Can you name one Rov that “everyone follows”?
>Most yeshivishe people follow harav chaim kaniefsky
So basically you are saying “Not everyone follws that rov”?
Actually things known by everyone are not lashon horah to repeat. There is also the matter of a toeles, a legitimate purpose in repeating a negative fact, such as protecting others. That too is not considered a violation of the ban on lashon horah.
Let’s not forget the verse starts with the prohibition on slander but ends with the obligation of lo saamod, (not standing by idly on the blood of another).
Really what’s the toeles here??he doesnt have victims so…
Really, you don’t think the 4-year-old girl raped to produce the video he watched was not a victim?
The victim is not someone who we know who needs to hear this news. Im talking about possible victims that he might harm amd in this case he didnt physically harm anyone so no according to the laws of loshen hora you are noy allowed. But im not gonna argue with you. You continue doing it your way and I hope people realize ots loshen hora
What are you protecting the others from?he didnt harm anyone. He watched stuff and didnt cause physical harm to anyone
>What are you protecting the others from?he didnt harm anyone.
>He watched stuff and didnt cause physical harm to anyone
Are you saying this is regard to the allegation of viewing child pornography and the distribution of child pornography? Can you refer us to any posek that claims as you do?
Hitler did not cause physical harm to anyone too. he was a vegetarian and worried about the suffering of animals.
I dont know where you got this halacha from but NO JUST BEC ITS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE ITS STILL LOSHEN HORA!!
>I dont know where you got this halacha from but NO JUST BEC ITS PUBLIC
>KNOWLEDGE ITS STILL LOSHEN HORA!!
http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2013/04/lashan-harah-repeating-allegations-from.html
…
The issue of lashon harah has already been discussed a number of times. Among the reasons that I publish it is 1) it is public knowledge already 2) there is a warning on the blog that comments on not necessarily true and must be further researched 3) Maharal states that something which is public knowledge if communicated in a way that you clearly are not concealing the transmission from the person being talked about is permitted 4) a person being a accused of such a crime is a possible danger to others and therefore it is necessary to warn others to at least be aware of the accusations.
…
>and you get all the person’s aveiros,
I disagree with you. The following makes more sense:
“Regarding what it states in Chovos Halevosos and is quoted in Shmiras Ha’lashon that someone who speaks loshon ha’ra acquires the sins of his victim, R Shteinman asked “from where did they get this? there is no source for this idea in tradition and it is very strange and odd to say such a thing.”
haloches you look it up in the haloches of loshen hora that the Chofetz Chaim wrote
>haloches you look it up in the haloches of loshen hora that the Chofetz Chaim wrote
R Shteinman disagrees with the Chofetz Chaim. Re-read my earlier comment.
show a source. “the haloches of loshen hora that the Chofetz Chaim wrote” sounds so ignorant
U obviously x know the alef Bais of L”H bec not only is this the Jewish law to publicize a Rasha! As the chofetz Chaim calls a/o with a erva history its also the law (as in Dina dimalchusa) besides L”H is uncomparible to cheating on ur husband or other Dioraysas of which one can burn for eternity!!! Ahem!!!!
If you think these accusations are lashon hara, what are you even doing on this site?
Don’t forget that he and other criminals like him, harm our entire community, because by causing such a major chillul Hashem and its cover up, we all suffer shame and defamation.
How messed up is it when people are so indoctrinated into their religious views that they care more about someone publicizing a disgusting, vile, and hypocritical act than they do about the act itself?! To the commenters concerned about Lashon Ho’rah, wake up and think for yourselves. If the idea that God is watching is not enough to keep people from watching and distributing material in which 4 year old children are raped, than perhaps the fear of public humiliation may help deter some people. Making this as public as possible lets other perverts know that A. they will get caught and B. it will be made public and their lives will be ruined. If it even causes one person to change their behavior than it is worth all of the “lashon hora” in the world. And if someone is looking at child porn I think it’s safe to say that person DOES indeed pose a risk to be around children and that NEEDS to be made public. Would anyone be concerned about lashon horah if their children were the ones in the video or if their kids were in the same community as a pervert like this and it was kept secret?!?
As a side notr, this guy’s book is one of the worst books I’ve ever read. It’s entirely based on ignorance of science and the whole book is based on personal incredulity. Just sayin…
Now that some 70 people have been arrested for internet porn, some 7 weeks after the arrest of this alleged pedophile, it seems likely that either with his cooperation or using information gleaned from his computers the investigators were able to round up dozens of people who derive sexual pleasure from watching children being raped, sodomized, or forced to engage in oral sex with adults.
Despite this, we seem to have some people in our community who are deathly afraid of loshon hora, possibly harming the reputation of such vile people as those who commit such crimes simply because they wear beards, have big black yarmulkas, eat glatt kosher and mehadrin, don’t use the eruv, and teach at a Bais Yaakov.
They cite the holy Chofetz Chayim, ztl, who must be convulsing in Shamayim to have his name besmirched by association with any twisted interpretation of his words to somehow forbid dissemination of information already widely publicized about people whose actions the whole civilized world finds revolting.
I ask such individuals: Have you gone mad?
Excellently articulated, Professional.
In what school he teaches??
Was this case ever brought to trial?
I am not certain and will inquire. Off the top of my head, he pled guilty and got a short sentence. But don’t repeat this as accurate. I will try and get back with definitive info.