Rothstein's Spending Swagger Went All the Way to Temple

On Yom Kippur a couple of years ago, Downtown Jewish Center Chabad Rabbi Schneur Kaplan did something decidedly unorthodox. Also in attendance was Ovadia "Ovi" Levy, Rothstein's friend and business partner in the Renato watch company (I'm also told that he, like Rothstein, drove a $1.5 million Bugatti Veyron). Sources have told me...

By Bob Norman

November 16, 2009

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On Yom Kippur a couple of years ago, Downtown Jewish Center Chabad Rabbi Schneur Kaplan did something decidedly unorthodox.

Also in attendance was Ovadia "Ovi" Levy, Rothstein's friend and business partner in the Renato watch company (I'm also told that he, like Rothstein, drove a $1.5 million Bugatti Veyron). Sources have told me that Levy and his family invested as much as $14 million in Rothstein's Ponzi scheme (when I contacted Levy, he refused to comment).

"One thousand times chai," Levy said.

Between the two of them, Rothstein and Levy bought all the aliyahs, said an attendee at the chabad that day. "Rothstein must have dropped over $100,000 that day alone," said the source.

Since the recent grand opening of the new chabad on Broward Boulevard near Las Olas, both Rothstein and Levy have their name on the building.

You can see more pictures of the grand opening here.

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Journalist Bob Norman has been raking the muck of South Florida for the past 25 years. His work has led to criminal cases against corrupt politicians, the ouster of bad judges from the bench, and has garnered dozens of state, regional, and national awards.

Contact: Bob Norman