More Arrests in Bnei Brak Abuse Case Centered on ‘Shomrim’ Leader Haim Rotter
Three additional suspects from Bnei Brak taken into custody amid growing investigation into alleged sexual abuse ring led by prominent Haredi security figure
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Israel Police on Sunday announced the arrest of three more young men from Bnei Brak in connection with the widening criminal investigation surrounding Haim Rotter, head of the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood patrol group Shomrim. The latest suspects, all in their early 20s, were taken in for questioning and will appear in court Monday for a remand hearing.
Rotter himself was arrested late last week at Ben Gurion Airport, upon returning to Israel after nearly a month abroad. He had reportedly fled the country shortly after initial allegations were made public.
Once back in Israel, Rotter was taken into custody by officers from the Ramat Gan–Bnei Brak division. A court has since extended his detention as police build their case. Over the weekend, a gag order on his identity was lifted.
Attorney Yossi Roterman, representing several alleged victims, revealed in an interview with Israel's Kan Reshet Bet that most of the complainants were minors at the time of the abuse. “Some are women,” he said, “but most were underage boys when the assaults occurred.”
In a chilling statement, one of the survivors told Kan News:
“Today, justice has finally begun. The man who destroyed my life has been arrested. It took me 25 years of silence, pain, trauma, and rebuilding—but I finally see a future again. I chose life.”
Another survivor told Mako News that Rotter “violently assaulted me when I was 13 years old. I froze. I couldn’t sleep or function for months afterward. He was too powerful in the community—no one would have believed me.”
According to reports, the abuse allegations suggest a long-term pattern of manipulation and exploitation, with some victims claiming they were brought to Rotter’s home under the pretense of learning about his organization, only to be assaulted.
Despite the mounting accusations, messages circulated in Haredi WhatsApp groups last week defending Rotter, referring to him as a “beloved community leader” and calling the charges “a fantasy” spread by “unstable” individuals with vendettas.
The police stressed that the investigation is ongoing, and more arrests may follow.
“This case involves deeply disturbing allegations,” said a senior police source. “We are determined to pursue justice, no matter how well-connected the suspect may be.”
The unfolding scandal has shaken the ultra-Orthodox community in Bnei Brak, raising difficult questions about internal accountability and the role of powerful figures operating under the guise of communal protection.