Rabbi Eliezer Berland, the disgraced leader of the Shuvu Banim sect of the Breslov hassidic community, was hospitalized due to COVID-19 on Sunday in the Hadassah-University Medical Center, in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem.
He is currently intubated and in serious condition.
Two months ago, Berland was convicted on charges of fraud, exploitation, attempted intimidation, tax offenses and money laundering. He is awaiting to serve an 18-month sentence, which is set to begin in October.
Berland was previously convicted of indecent assault against two women in 2016, and assault against the husband of one of the women he abused who he had beaten up for reporting the issue to the press.