TikTok Orthodox rabbi who adopted nine sons is charged with child sex abuse
A TikTok Orthodox rabbi who adopted nine sons has been charged with child sex abuse.
Hayim Nissim Cohen, 38, from Texas, US, was arrested in February after his 17-year-old son phoned into a podcast to reveal a number of his brothers had been sexually abused.
The son revealed police had visited their house at least eight times, but after each visit Cohen would bribe the brothers or scare them.
He claimed if the alleged abuse was ever revealed he would kill them.
Six of the kids have since been removed from Cohen's care and placed into children's services.
Teen 'kept as slave, starved and beaten' sues adoptive parents and authorities
The children, who range from eight-years-old to 18, do not include the three older adopted boys.
Harris County District Attorney's Office prosecutor Janna Oswald said of the alleged abuse: "This was a household of boys that were extremely abused and neglected, groomed.
The adoptive dad is accused of sexually abusing his sons (Newsflash)"They were threatened. They were in fear of their safety, and he utilised a grooming of the community.
"His grooming was not just of a child, but also the people around the children in the most offensive way."
According to ABC, five more of Cohen's sons have come forward since the allegations after the 17-year-old said the abuse started when he was 11.
Six of the kids have since been removed from Cohen's care (Newsflash)In addition, their dad allegedly made the children perform sex acts on him and each other.
According to court documents, the student alleges Cohen can walk without a wheelchair and that everything he does is fake.
His charge document states: "The (teen) stated that (Cohen) only uses his wheelchair when people come over or when he is in public.
"The (teen) stated that (Cohen) has six oxygen tanks and does not use them and that (Cohen) only coughs uncontrollably when he is in court."
It is a stark contrast to the image the suspect has tried to paint on social media after he revealed he was raising nine adopted sons.
Heidi Klum, 49, admits wanting fifth child and says she's 'waited a long time'
One of his son claims he doesn't need a wheelchair (CEN)His social media included a TikTok page with over 200,000 followers, along with YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram profiles.
On his website he claimed he would show off his religious lifestyle to help inspire single men to adopt children.
He wrote: "Our mission is to help provide support and understanding from a Jewish perspective. Our goal is to reach out to other homeschooling families in order to create a network.
"We are open to all levels of observance. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions."
In the last 24 hours there has been eight new charges against Cohen (Our Unique Family/Instagram)In the last 24 hours there has been eight new charges against Cohen.
Prosecutor Janna Oswald said Cohen would use religion to mask his alleged abuse.
She said: "That mask, along with the children's inability to find their voice yet, allowed the abuse to go on for a long time.
"I think the extent of the neglect and abuse and the fear that these boys endured is incredibly poignant."
Cohen was charged back in 2019 with indecency with a child after a foreign exchange student from Spain, who lived with the family, claimed he was sexually abused too.
The suspect currently remains at no bond until his next court date.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
