Jacob Ostreicher, an Orthodox Jewish American held captive
in Bolivia since June 2011 has made his way to the United States.
A source familiar with efforts to have the businessman
released confirmed that an “operation” took place Sunday night that resulted in
Ostreicher’s return to his family.
In an email circulated to friends and supporters, his nephew
Moshe confirmed the news as well.
“With happiness, we are informing the community of Israel
that our dear uncle… has already left the iron curtain in Bolivia, and is now,
with G-d’s great mercy, here in America,” Moshe wrote.
Jewish leaders, some of whom have actively campaigned for
his release, reacted to the news Monday afternoon.
“With thanks to G-d, I am *thrilled* that Jacob Ostreicher
is finally home in America!,” tweeted Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind.
Councilman David Greenfield said “American Jews are
celebrating the news that Jacob Ostreicher, who was falsely imprisoned since
June 2011 in Bolivia, is now back home in NY.”
Ostreicher was arrested in Santa Cruz, Bolivia while
overseeing a rice growing venture he had invested in. He has never been
formally charged, and has always maintained his innocence, calling allegations
against him of money laundering and criminal organization ”the scam of the
century.”
In an interview with The Algemeiner last year Ostreicher’s
wife, Miriam Ungar, said that the arrest may have been sparked by the success
of her husband’s business enterprise.
“I believe that they [Bolivian government] got wind that
this would be a successful business venture. He had 50 million pounds of rice
harvested and when they found out… they said ‘what can we do about this?,’” she
said at the time.
Last December Ostreicher was released on bail by the
Bolivian government, but had been held since that time under house arrest.
A number of prominent officials campaigned for Ostreicher’s
release, including New York Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and Rep. Chris
Smith (R-NJ).
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