Chaim Rotter of the Bnei Brak neighborhood watch group Shomrim was arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport late on Wednesday on suspicion of dozens of rapes of children and adults over several years.
The Petah Tikva Magistrate Court extended his detention by eight days until next Thursday.
Meir (an alias), 39, from Tel Aviv, detailed his alleged experience at the hands of Rotter, known locally as the "Sheriff of Bnei Brak."
"There is no comfort for what he did—but there is partial healing. I just hope justice is done," Meir said in the interview.
'He turned my life into hell,' Meir says
According to Meir, the abuse began in 2013 following the suspect’s involvement with his then-wife.
"In early 2013, he fell in love with my wife—now my ex—and turned my life into hell. He defiled her, did horrible things in front of our 8-month-old daughter, stole my property, and blocked me from entering my own home."
"It happened multiple times. Once, he told me to come pick up my tefillin or see my daughter. He said, ‘We’re going to beat him up now.’ I told him I missed my daughter. The next thing I knew, I was pinned to the ground, impaled on the stairs, and he was punching me in the face."
Meir describes what happened next as full-blown sexual assault
"He told me, ‘I’m ripping it off, I’m castrating you.’ It was rape in every sense. They beat me until I dehydrated and fainted like a corpse, and no one helped me. It was like National Geographic. They abused me."
He recalled a second incident: "After 20 minutes of being beaten by him and 40 other activists, a policeman named Shai Ben Moshe showed up. I tried to explain, but he immediately handcuffed me like I was Marwan Barghouti, like I was the criminal."
Rotter has used his influence within local law enforcement to avoid scrutiny
"He’s like the ultra-Orthodox chief of police. I served three years in a commanding position in the army, and no one believes or helps me. The police gave him a full pension. They took my blood, my honor, my wife, my home."
He recounted another incident from 2017:
"Near Or Gaon Yeshiva, he surprised me with his men. I told him not to harass me. Within seconds, they took my phone, and threw me to the ground. Each one put their feet on me. I became a human trampoline—they jumped on me, including on my genitals. He called me a rapist and a terrorist. People showed up with helmets and weapons. I went through clinical death. Again, the police came, cuffed me, and sent me to jail until the end of the proceedings. I was acquitted—but the injustice still screams to the heavens.
"He did it all for money. Shomrim is funded by the Bnei Brak Municipality as a security company. They even extort people—they instill fear. Power, respect, and money—those are his drivers. He can do whatever he wants. No law, no accountability. He reduced me to dust. There’s no value for human life. No one saw me. There's no recovery from such trauma. No medicine can heal me."
A further source emphasized Rotter's connections to local law enforcement.
"He’s very well connected—even within the police. I suspect someone on the inside advised him to flee. Over the years, many complaints were filed against him, but most were closed. He’s worse than Shai Zohar. He really is the 'Sheriff.'"
“I don’t think there’s more evil in anyone than in this monster,” Meir says.
"I get flashbacks from the beatings and sexual abuse. Sudden panic and anxiety. Conversations with God. I did nothing wrong—not to the woman, not to anyone. I’m calling on the prime minister, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and anyone with God in their heart: he is one of the worst criminals in Israel.
"He’s a cruel person. He committed crimes against humanity. I cry out from the depths of my heart—we must bring him to justice once and for all. All his assets must be confiscated and given to his victims. The organization must be dismantled. There is a police force in Bnei Brak. There shouldn’t be a 'Shomrim.' The Dan District police shouldn’t investigate—this must be handed over to Lahav 433 – The National Crime Unit.
"He must pay like any criminal. He’s an international offender. You murdered my soul. You are cruel, vile, despicable, and cursed. You desecrated God’s name. You’re a criminal, and may God judge you eternally in hell. You deserve every harsh word. You are not a person. You are scum."
Rotter attempted to leave Israel after social media post threatened to name him publicly
Some sources suggested that the suspect may have received internal warnings before fleeing the country two weeks ago, prompted by an anonymous social media post threatening to expose him.
Two weeks ago, the anonymous post directly threatened the senior official, without naming him.
"To you, the rude rapist, the well-connected activist who rapes the boys of Bnei Brak in the Tel Baruch dunes: This Saturday night, I will upload your picture and reveal your name publicly. Maybe your police connections will help, but you have 24 hours to board a plane and flee the country. The ticking time bomb you are will no longer threaten the boys of Bnei Brak."
In response to the allegations, Rotter denied all wrongdoing, describing the reports as part of a “malicious smear campaign” by individuals previously targeted by the Shomrim for “legal enforcement.”
"Over the past 24 hours, malicious and false rumors have been spread about me. I categorically reject them. These are rumors that have surfaced before and will likely surface again. They come from individuals who were legally handled by the Shomrim organization and now seek revenge on me, my family, and my reputation because of my role in protecting Bnei Brak residents. I will not be deterred and will do everything needed to prove my innocence."
The man flew out of Israel about two weeks ago and was arrested upon his return and taken for questioning. He is considered to be a prominent figure in Bnei Brak and the ultra-Orthodox community at large.
Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report.