Case of Aryeh Scher

Israeli vice-consul - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Alleged involvement in a child-sex scandal in Brazil in 2000.

Table of Contents:  

1. Wanted Israeli diplomat flees Brazil  (07/05/2000)

2. Consul accused with pedofilia is moved away (07/14/2000)

3. Ministry probes diplomat in Brazilian sex scandal (07/07/2000)

4. Brazilian police stake out diplomat accused of running kiddie-porn ring (07/06/2000)

5. New vice-consul of Israel breaks vertebrae of aged and escapes of punishment in the River (11/13/2001)

6. Israeli diplomat who was asked to leave Australia  (02/09/2005)

7. Hebrew Article  (02/09/2005)

8. Foreign Ministry delays appointment of envoy to Australia  (02/12/2005)

9. Shalom delays sending envoy to Australia  (02/13/2005)

10. Australia consul appointment reviewed (02/13/2005)

11. Israel has second thoughts on consul   (02/14/2005)

12. Israeli consul in nude picture storm  (02/14/2005)

13. Israeli 'sex scandal' envoy calls off Canberra job (02/18/2005)

14. Ruddock denies [Israeli] diplomat's expulsion linked to daughter (02/18/2005)

15. Israeli rejects diplomatic post over controversy  (02/18/2005)

Also see:  

Related Cases:

1. Case of Hebrew Teacher George Schteinberg

Related Information:

1. The Awareness Center's Brochure  
2. Jewish Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
3. Jewish Survivors of Sexual Assault
4. Recidivism of Sex Offenders  (U.S. Department of Justice: Center for Sex Offender Management)
5. National Sex Offender Registry

6. Background Information and The History of Rabbinical Ordinations

7. Offenders: Problems Our Parents Wouldn't Speak Of

8. Policies Addressing Victimization and Offenders

BBC - Wednesday, 5 July, 2000, 23:28 GMT 00:28 UK

Police in Rio de Janeiro say an Israeli diplomat suspected of belonging to an international child pornography ring has fled Brazil and returned to Israel.

The Israeli diplomatic mission confirmed that its vice-consul, Arie Scher, had flown home at the request of the Israeli government, which it said had ordered an investigation into the allegations.

Police want to question him in connection with pornographic pictures and videotapes of young children found in the home of a Hebrew language teacher arrested on Tuesday.

The children were pictured and filmed at the diplomat's house.

Police said the pictures had been published on the internet with the apparent aim of attracting foreign paedophiles to Rio de Janeiro.

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Jt.estadao.com - July 14, 2000

http://www.jt.estadao.com.br/editorias/2000/07/14/ger046.html

(Translated by google.com)

The vice-consul of Israel in the River, Aryeh Scher, was moved away from its functions for having been accused to photograph lesser nakeds, yesterday announced the Ministry of Foreign affairs of Israel. "the vice-consul, who had been called in return the Jerusalem, was suspended until an internal commission finishes to investigate this asunto", a spokesman of the ministry said. The decision was of the director of the ministry, Eytan Bentzour. The commission must receive a dossier from the Brazilian policy.

The policy arrived at the consul after arresting in day 4, in the River, the professor George Schteinberg, with ponographic photos of minors. It and Scher had been denounced by R.R., of 17 years. It said that she went to the apartment of Scher, where took off photos naked. In the same day, the diplomat ran away for Israel.

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Original

Sexta-feira, 14 de julho de 2000 Cônsul acusado de pedofilia é afastado

O vice-cônsul de Israel no Rio, Aryeh Scher, foi afastado de suas funções por ter sido acusado de fotografar menores nuas, anunciou ontem o Ministério de Relações Exteriores de Israel. "O vice-cônsul, que havia sido chamado de volta a Jerusalém, foi suspenso até que uma comissão interna termine de investigar este asunto", disse um porta-voz do ministério. A decisão foi do diretor do ministério, Eytan Bentzour. A comissão deve receber um dossiê da polícia brasileira.

A polícia chegou ao cônsul depois de prender no dia 4, no Rio, o professor George Schteinberg, com fotos pornográficas de menores. Ele e Scher foram denunciados por R.R., de 17 anos. Ela disse que ia ao apartamento de Scher, onde tirava fotos nua. No mesmo dia, o diplomata fugiu para Israel.

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By Aaron Izenberg

Jerusalem Post - Friday, July 7 2000 09:31 4 Tammuz 5760

www.jpost.com/Editions/2000/07/07/News/News.9315.html

JERUSALEM (July 7) - The Foreign Ministry yesterday began its questioning of its vice-consul to Brazil, Aryeh Scher, accused by Brazilian authorities of involvement in producing and distributing child pornography. Scher flew back to Israel before he could be arrested in Brazil.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Akiva Tor explained that yesterday's questioning was the "first step" in an inquiry of undetermined but brief duration. He said that Scher was not removed from Brazil in evasion of a police warrant, but because of the negative attention he was attracting.

Tor added that the Foreign Ministry has not received a warrant from Brazilian authorities and that Scher is not currently under arrest.

Israeli general-consul Eitan Sorkin met with Brazilian foreign ministry officials on Wednesday and assured them that Scher had been returned to Israel for a "clarification" of allegations, and that the Israeli government intended to cooperate with Brazilian authorities.

The Brazilian daily Oglobo said that Brazilian judge Siro Darlan ruled that Scher be returned to Brazil. Brazilian authorities have said they have no doubt that Scher was involved in illegal activities, and stated that he will be jailed if he is returned.

Professor of Hebrew Georges Schteinberg, who was charged with sexually exploiting minors, led Brazilian authorities to Scher. The two men allegedly claimed that the girls appearing in nude photographs in their possession were their girlfriends, and had consented to sexual relations with them.

According to Oglobo, Jewish Congregation of Brazil president Rabbi Nilton Bonder decried Scher's departure from Brazil, and said that Schteinberg and Scher should not be considered representatives of the Jewish community there.

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By Eli Muller and News Agencies

Jerusalem Post - Thursday, July 6 2000 15:25 3 Tammuz 5760

www.jpost.com/Editions/2000/07/06/News/News.9263.html

JERUSALEM (July 6) - Brazilian police continued to surround the Israeli consulate in Rio de Janeiro in the belief that Israeli vice-consul in Rio Aryeh Scher, wanted on suspicion of running a child pornography ring, had taken refuge there. However Foreign Ministry officials said Scher has been en route to Israel for the past two days.

Scher, who was at one point consul-general in Rio, was declared a fugitive by Brazilian authorities after a search of his apartment on Tuesday yielded what police officials described as evidence it was used for the manufacture of pornographic material, some of them involving underage girls.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman declined to comment on whether the Brazilian police had been informed of Scher's whereabouts, but said that general-consul Eitan Sorkin would meet with Brazilian foreign ministry officials yesterday afternoon.

Brazilian authorities notified the Israeli embassy of plans to revoke Scher's diplomatic immunity on Tuesday, prior to the search. By the time police were able to obtain a warrant to search Scher's penthouse, the vice-consul was already on his way back to Israel, where he will face a Foreign Ministry inquiry. A ministry spokesman said that Scher had been recalled when the first evidence of possible misconduct surfaced, and that he had left the country via "legal diplomatic channels."

The investigation that culminated in the search of Scher's apartment began when a 17-year-old girl accused Georges Schteinberg, a 40-year-old Hebrew teacher of using her as a model in pornographic pictures and of distributing them on the Internet. Photographs of nude minors posed on a car with diplomatic plates were discovered in a search of Schteinberg's residence earlier in the week, in addition to massive quantities of pornographic material. Police then traced the car in the pictures back to Scher.

The search of Scher's apartment confirmed that some of the photographs found at Schteinberg's residence had been taken in the vice-consul's penthouse.

Schteinberg, who is also alleged to have run a service that brought tourists to Brazil to visit child prostitutes, has since been charged with sexual exploitation of minors.

Israeli embassy and consulate officials in Brazil refused comment pending the release of further evidence.

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Hora Do Povo - November 13, 2001

(Translated by google.com)

http://www.horadopovo.com.br/2001a/novembro/13-11-01/pag4d.htm

The new vice-consul of Israel in Rio De Janeiro, Amir Shinshon Yerushalm, of 29 years, attacked the socos and kicks the taxista Norberto Da Silva Motta, of 66 years, after a transit quarrel. Completely ensandeciado, the sionista representative still tried to play the driver in a ribanceira. Its Norberto did not only die because he was hanging in the twigs of a tree.

Rebelled with the cruelty of the Israeli - that it broke with blows and kicks two vertebrae of the driver - some people that had witnessed the aggression had tried to pass a punishment in the disciple of Sharon, but they had been contained by the policy.

The old vice-consul, Aryeh Scher, are refugee in Israel, after the Brazilian policy to have proven its envolvement in the organization of a net of pedofilia and emitted warrant. Beyond satiated documentation and innumerable depositions, the policy found photos of Aryeh with naked Brazilian children.

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Original

Novo vice-cônsul de Israel quebra vértebras de idoso e escapa de corretivo no Rio

O novo vice-cônsul de Israel no Rio de Janeiro, Amir Shinshon Yerushalm, de 29 anos, agrediu a socos e pontapés o taxista Norberto da Silva Motta, de 66 anos, após uma discussão de trânsito. Completamente ensandeciado, o representante sionista ainda tentou jogar o motorista numa ribanceira. Seu Norberto só não morreu porque ficou dependurado nos galhos de uma árvore.

Revoltadas com a crueldade do israelense - que fraturou com golpes e chutes duas vértebras do motorista - várias pessoas que presenciaram a agressão tentaram passar um corretivo no discípulo de Sharon, mas foram contidas pela polícia.

O antigo vice-cônsul, Aryeh Scher, está refugiado em Israel, após a polícia brasileira ter comprovado o seu envolvimento na organização de uma rede de pedofilia e emitido ordem de prisão. Além de farta documentação e inúmeros depoimentos, a polícia encontrou fotos de Aryeh com crianças brasileiras nuas.

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Israeli diplomat who was asked to leave Australia

Haaretz - Wed., February 09, 2005 Shvat 30, 5765

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/ShTickers.html

19:54 Report: Israeli diplomat who was asked to leave Australia for security reasons was suspected of sexual harassment

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Maariv - February 09, 2005 Shvat 30, 5765

Maariv article - http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART/866/927.html

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By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent

Haaretz - Sat., February 12, 2005 Adar1 3, 5765

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/539338.html

The Foreign Ministry recently ordered a delay in the appointment of Aryeh Sar to the post of Israel's next consul in Australia, due to a sexual scandal from five years ago while he served as Israel?s consul in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil.

While in Brazil, Sar was photographed in the nude along with Brazilian girls, some of which were minors. A criminal probe was launched in Brazil, and while the case was never closed, Sar was returned to Israel and was tried before a civil servants' court. He was not found guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, but was reprimanded and inappropriate behavior. The case was originally exposed in the Ma'ariv daily.

Sar's past has received much attention in the Australian media. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom decided to delay the appointment, saying the relations with Canberra are already strained, after Israeli envoy Amir Lati was recently repatriated.

According to Australian media reports, Lati was asked to leave the country immediately for an alleged relationship he had with a woman who worked for Australia' Defense Department.

Lati claimed there was nothing wrong with his conduct, and that the relations he had with local women were normal.

The Australian government described the incident involving Lati as a matter of national security, a move which indicates Canberra may have considered Lati a foreign agent. In his diplomatic capacity, Lati was the charge d'ffaires in New Zealand and maintained contact with two Israelis held in a New Zealand jail over passport fraud.

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By Yossi Melman

Haaretz - Sun., February 13, 2005 Adar1 4, 5765

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/539375.html

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom recently delayed the appointment of Aryeh Sher to the post of Israel's next consul in Australia.

Shalom ordered reexamining Sher's appointment due to a sexual scandal five years ago while Sher served as Israel's consul in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil.

Sher was photographed in the nude with Brazilian girls, some of whom were minors. A criminal investigation was launched in Brazil, and while the case was never closed, Sher was returned to Israel and tried before a civil servants' tribunal. He was not found guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, but was reprimanded for inappropriate behavior.

Shalom said he did not know of the affair prior to Sher's appointment. He said he withheld the appointment as relations with Canberra were already strained, following the recent repatriation of Israeli envoy Amir Lati.

Australia's security described the Lati case as a matter of "social security."

According to a report in The Australian, Lati was asked to leave the country immediately for an alleged relationship he had with a woman who worked for Australia's Defense Department.

The report indicates that Australian security suspected that Lati was an intelligence agent working under diplomatic cover to recruit the woman. It rules out a previously implied connection between Lati and the two Mossad agents who were arrested in New Zealand about a year ago.

The report says Lati, in his early 30s, lived in a rented flat in Canberra's fashionable Kingston suburb and frequently went out drinking at the B-Bar, a popular politicians' haunt.

Foreign Ministry sources said Lati denied acting for any intelligence agency and said he acted according to all the ministry's directives.

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By HERB KEINON

Jerusalem Post - Feb. 13, 2005

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1108178566104

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom has decided to take another look at the appointment of Aryeh Scher as a consul at the Australian Embassy. Scher was accused by Brazil of involvement in a child pornography ring during a diplomatic posting there five years ago.

He was hurriedly returned to Israel at the time, and told he would not get another foreign posting for five years.

Scher was to replace Amir Lati, the Israeli consul who was returned to Israel a few weeks ago under mysterious circumstances.

Neither the Australian or Israeli governments have commented on Lati's return to Israel, fueling speculation that it was espionage-related.

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By Malcolm Brown

Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - February 14, 2005

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Israel-has-second-thoughts-on-consul/2005/02/13/1108229857000.html

Israeli diplomat Arie Scher's appointment to Australia as a consul was being reconsidered last night.

The Israeli foreign ministry said it was "having a second look" at the posting after an Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, reported the ministry had ordered a delay in Mr Scher's appointment because of a series of incidents in Brazil five years ago when he was serving as Israel's consul.

A spokesman for the ministry, Mark Regev, told the Herald yesterday that weekend reports of sexual indiscretions by Mr Scher had been thoroughly checked by the ministry and had been found to be without foundation.

Mr Scher had been tried by a public service court and been found guilty of some "inappropriate behaviour" such as wild parties. But the ministry retained complete confidence in him.

"We have a 100 per cent no tolerance policy about sexually exploitative or abusive behaviour," Mr Regev said. "If there was any evidence to suggest he was guilty of any of that, he would be out in an extremely short period."

Mr Scher has been set to replace Amir Laty, who left about a month ago under mutual agreement between Australia and Israel. The reasons for Mr Laty's premature departure have not been publicly stated.

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NEWS.com.au - February 14, 2005

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12235992-421,00.html

A DIPLOMAT who was due to replace an alleged Mossad spy in Canberra was reportedly photographed nude with under-age girls when on a posting to Brazil five years ago.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz said the country's foreign ministry is now holding off sending the new consul to Australia.

Haaretz said Aryeh Sar was investigated after being photographed naked with Brazilian girls, some of whom were minors.

Sar reportedly returned to Israel to face trial.

He was found not guilty of any wrongdoing but was reprimanded for "inappropriate behaviour".

The criminal case in Brazil remains open. News of Sar's alleged misconduct comes a week after Israeli diplomat Amir Lati was apparently ejected from Australia by ASIO for espionage.

It has been speculated Lati was chasing women in sensitive positions in an attempt to gather intelligence for his bosses back in Israel, an accusation he denies.

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Israeli 'sex scandal' envoy calls off Canberra job

Austrailian Associated Press - February 18, 2005

An Israeli diplomat allegedly involved in a sex scandal while serving in Brazil five years ago has voluntarily withdrawn his candidacy to serve in Israel's embassy in Canberra.

Aryeh Scher was to replace Amir Laty, the Israeli diplomat thrown out of Australia in December on national security grounds.

Both Israel and Australia have been tightlipped about Mr Laty's expulsion.

But it has been revealed that Mr Laty had rekindled a friendship with the daughter of Attorney-General Philip Ruddock and had been due to spend Christmas with the Ruddock family, before authorities ordered his expulsion.

An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said Scher informed Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom that because of the negative "atmosphere" his appointment had created both in Israel and Australia, he has decided to forego the appointment, the Jerusalem Post reported today.

Although Shalom last week said he was going to take a "second look" at the appointment, ministry officials said Shalom did not ask Scher to turn down the post, but rather Scher took this step on his own volition, according to the report.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Zegev has said an Israeli Civil Service Commission hearing into sex ring allegations found "behaviour unbecoming of a diplomat, but there was no criminal conduct".

The alleged incident occurred when Scher was a young single man in Brazil five years ago.

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation - February 18, 2005

National News

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200502/s1305601.htm

Federal Attorney General Philip Ruddock says any relationship his daughter (right) had with an Israeli diplomat is not relevant to the man's expulsion from Australia.

A report in this week's Australian Jewish News says the former diplomat, Amir Laty, told Israeli Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem that he had been in "close contact" with Caitlin Ruddock.

The report also says that Amir Laty believes his friendship with 26-year-old Ms Ruddock may have been linked to the Australian Government ordering him to leave the country.

Mr Laty's expulsion has not been explained by the Federal Government.

The report said Mr Laty had been invited to Christmas lunch at the Ruddock's Sydney home, but the invitation was subsequently cancelled.

hRuddockMr Ruddock has told Southern Cross radio the Government will not comment on the expulsion.

"I don't believe that is appropriate to look at whether or not my daughter had had relationships with anybody," he said.

"Certainly any acquaintance she may or may not have had with this particular gentleman was totally irrelevant to his departure from Australia."

Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd says he has been briefed by ASIO but cannot discuss the matter.

"These are sensitive matters and the Opposition is privileged to obtain national security briefings from ASIO," he said.

"I'm not to be in a position of breaching the undertakings we've given to ASIO."

Mr Laty, who was posted to Canberra for 18 months, went to New Zealand last year to visit two Israelis who were jailed there on charges of fraudulently obtaining passports.

The two, who were expelled from New Zealand for allegedly being agents of Israel's spy agency Mossad, also spent time in Australia.

Meanwhile, the Australian Jewish News also reports that Australian Jewish leaders have opposed the Israel's Foreign Ministry replacement for Amir Laty.

They rejected Aryeh Scher's appointment because of alleged involvement in a child-sex scandal in Brazil five years ago.

The website reports that the Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom this week agreed to review the appointment.

Mr Scher, a former Israeli vice-consul at the Israeli Embassy in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, was reportedly cleared by an Israeli government committee of any criminal behaviour but was censured for "inappropriate behaviour" and barred from going abroad for five years

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Friday, February 18, 2005

JEWISH leaders in Australia say the man who was to replace an expelled Israeli diplomat has decided against taking up the position because of the controversy over his appointment.

The Australian Jewish News has reported that Jewish leaders opposed the appointment of Aryeh Scher, to replace expelled diplomat Amir Laty, because of his alleged involvement in a scandal in Brazil five years ago.

Vic Alhadeff from the Jewish Board of Deputies says Mr Scher no longer wants the job.

"We have just learnt that Ayreh Scher, the Israeli diplomat in question, has just withdrawn his candidacy, quote unquote, because of the negative atmosphere which his appointment has caused both in Israel and Australia and he's decided to withdraw his appointment," he said.

Mr Laty's departure has not been explained by the Federal Government.

He has reportedly said he may have been asked to leave Australia because of his friendship with the Federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock's 26-year-old daughter.

Mr Ruddock says any relationship his daughter had a former Israeli diplomat is not relevant to the man's departure.

The matter has prompted a political row over the reasons behind the Mr Laty's expulsion.

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Last Updated:  09/8/2006

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