TRENTON – The founder and director of a special education school in Lakewood has been indicted on additional charges related to misappropriating funds.
Rabbi Osher Eisemann, 61, of the School for Children with Hidden Intelligence (“SCHI”) in Lakewood, faces first-degree corruption of public resources charges, superseding his original second-degree charges from March 2017.
The state general attorney’s office also said the purported fundraising foundation for the school, Services for Hidden Intelligence, LLC, is charged in the new indictment with first-degree corruption of public resources.
This superseding indictment states that Eisemann misappropriated about $779,000 in public tuition funds, and an additional $200,000 in school funds “from undetermined sources,” and used the foundation as a stealing and laundering cover.
The state has also charged the rabbi and foundation with “second-degree charges of theft by unlawful taking, money laundering, and misapplication of entrusted property and property of government, and Eisemann faces a second-degree charge of misconduct by a corporate official.”
This indictment reflects new allegations not reflected in the March 2017 indictment.
These first-degree charges carry a sentence of 10-20 years and fines up to $200,000. Second-degree charges carry 5-10 years and $150,000 in fines. The laundering charges can carry an enhanced fine of $500,000, and other penalties up to $250,000.
The school receives about $1.8 million from the Lakewood Township School District and other public schools that have special needs students in the school. The school caters to a mostly Orthodox Jewish student base.
