Man arrested for posing as ‘Kabbalist’ and assaulting women
The suspect is suspected of assaulting women who came to him for relationship advice and for assistance with other problems.
By BEN HARTMANAbuse (Illustrative Photo)(photo credit: INGIMAGE / ASAP)
A self-proclaimed “Kabbalist” with special powers was arrested by police Monday morning on suspicion of sexually assaulting a number of women who he met with at his office and their residences, police said the following day.The suspect, 49-year-old Ramle resident Yehoshua Shuki Uzan, is suspected of assaulting women who came to him for relationship advice and for assistance with other problems.Police believe he used his position of power to victimize these women, and that he sexually assaulted at least two of the women.The case began after a woman issued a complaint in March about an assault that she said took place last spring, and not long after, police received a complaint from a second woman. The women did not know each other.Police said at the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday that in one case the complainant said she was raped, and in the other case the assault involved fondling and kissing without consent.Uzan’s arrest warrant on Monday listed charges including rape, sexual assault, and making threats, among others.In court on Tuesday, an officer from the police anti-fraud unit said, “this case involves severe crimes the suspect carried out against two complainants while presenting himself as a holy man with special powers who could help them, and had his way with them sexually. The complainants came to him out of distress and he exploited this.”The judge extended Uzan’s remand by a week and dismissed a request by his lawyers to ban publication of his name. Police argued that a gag order would stifle efforts to get more suspected victims to come forward.
