MASSACHUSETTS
Patch
By DANIEL LIBON (Patch Staff)
November 16, 2015
A Quincy man has admitted to extorting the former rabbi of Temple Israel in Sharon.
Nicholas Zemeitus, 31, pleaded guilty last week in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham to extortion and larceny charges in a scheme to blackmail former rabbi Barry Starr according to the Boston Globe.
In 2011, Zemeitus encountered Starr after responding to an online listing for sex with an older woman. When Zemeitus arrived at Starr’s home, he was greeted by the former rabbi who was wearing women’s clothing. Starr gave Zemeitus $100 to remain quiet, but the Quincy man threaten to go public with underage sex allegations, which Starr denied happened and authorities found no evidence of.
In addition, Starr allegedly modified the checks given to him for the temple’s discretional fund and deposited them at higher amounts to accounts belonging to Zemeitus and his wife.
Zemeitus is set to be sentenced on Dec. 2. Procesutors reccomended a six-to-eight-year prison term.
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