New York – Private Investigation Firm Hired to Dig Into Solomon Obstfeld’s Death

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    Obsfeld with the Bobovr RebbeNew York – A private investigation firm has been hired to review the death of a wealthy Brooklyn investor who plunged from the terrace of his posh Essex House condo.

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    The medical examiner has ruled the June 9 death of Solomon Obstfeld a suicide.

    NYPD detectives have yet to close the case, although they have not found anything that contradicts that conclusion.

    But some of Obstfeld’s friends are not convinced.

    They say the father of five was involved with a host of shady business partners – including one caught in a bribery scandal involving former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

    “The people who hired us do not believe it was a suicide, but what they really want are answers to why this happened,” said Tom Ruskin of CMP Protective and Investigative Group.

    Ruskin declined to comment on whether he was hired by Obstfeld’s family or by one of the businessman’s close friends.

    “People who commit suicide, even those really depressed, leave a note, make a will, think of the family they leave behind and take care of them,” Ruskin said.

    Obstfeld was entangled in a series of murky business deals, including ties with billionaire Martin Schlaff. Israeli police recommended this week that Schlaff be indicted for bribing Sharon.

    Schlaff was one of hundreds who turned out for Obstfeld’s funeral, sources said.

    A highly religious Bobover Hasidic Jew, Obstfeld left no note or will before he plummeted from his 19th-floor condo, sources said.

    All that was left behind was the 55-year-old’s glasses, Ruskin said.

    A family friend who identified Obstfeld’s remains told investigators his watch was smashed and frozen at about 6:35 p.m., or about 15 minutes after what employees said was Obstfeld’s last known phone conversation, an unremarkable business chat, Ruskin said.

    Obstefled’s body was discovered when kitchen workers at Essex House’s posh South Gate restaurant looked out and saw a body.

    The city’s medical examiner’s office inspected the body, but an autopsy was not performed because of religious objections. Obstfeld’s family told others he died of a heart attack.

    He had recently put his three luxury Essex House apartments up for sale for a combined $6.5 million, and investigators were looking into friends’ concerns that he was juggling money troubles.


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    62 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    very sad no matter what the outcome is

    BDE
    BDE
    13 years ago

    What can we learn from this? I learned that it doesnt pay to do business with shady people. It ALWAYS ends bad they either kill you or bring you to want to kill yourself. ALL THE MONEY IS HEVEL HAVALIM. DEAD AT 55!!!!!!

    glatekup
    glatekup
    13 years ago

    This is very sad. Mr. Obstfeld was a very big baal tzedoka and many yeshivos and organizations benefacted from him. May his mishpacha have a real nechama.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Even a ehrlich Bobover chassid can experience depression and take his life. They are not immune from the normal ailments of life.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    If its a private investigation firm so why and how would the dailynews know about it and that he nuch talks to them shtinkt

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Whoever knew a little about reb shloime’s dedication love and passion for his family, friends, and sick kids cannot and will not accept the suicide story. It just doesn’t add up. This is a job done by proffessionals. Please don’t be naïve….

    Barry
    Barry
    13 years ago

    The family should have allowed an Autopsy which may have shown that he was suffocated before being thrown overboard. Chances are that the people that meant well, rushed and hushed things up and made sure there would not be an autopsy played right into the hands of the trained killers/mobsters that may have been behind this. It was naïve of these “askanim” to assume a man like Shlomo Obstfeld would have committed suicide. He was passionate about life, and cared far more for a fellow human being then most people do. The distorted articles about him have a lot to do with newspaper circulation and little to do with the facts about this great man. He was unique not shady, he was determined not “thuggish”. People who knew Shlomo Obstfeld know that he had hit bottom often but always got back up and reached new highs. He was never ashamed to ask for help and he pulled through many hardships in life. There was no reason for him to end his life now, especially this way. He would never want to put his family through what they’re going through now. He was probably killed and it is sad that whoever was behind his death is not even being sought after because of corruption and “shady” ties some in our community have with the DA and NYPD. VIN, please post this comment. The facts should be brought to light.

    Bob
    Bob
    13 years ago

    He was such a honorable person!!!! He was 100pct. Killed, we have to get to the bottom line, maybe it was arab terrorists, because a special well renowned Jew. We should hear only good news. He was such a big Tzaddik!!!!

    anon
    anon
    13 years ago

    What difference does it make, bottom line he’s not here anymore and we should all stop talking about it and let the neshoma rest and the family should be   ease

    zack
    zack
    13 years ago

    Please stop discussing this issue let’s all let the neshama rest

    Josh
    Josh
    13 years ago

    # 15 Barry….You are one hundred percent correct in you assessment and unfortunately the truth will never be know who killed him.

    A Simple Chussid
    A Simple Chussid
    13 years ago

    Reply to #15 :

    Shady ties with with the Police?! Making it sound as though those in the community that have the ties with NYPD and the DA’s office are responsible for his death, and are using their ties with the police to bury the story…

    Besides, are you a dayan that you’re granting the family the authority to approve an autopsy?!

    Come on, get a life!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    גורל הגר”א או גורל הבעש”ט should be made to determine the cause of death , anyway a autopsy was not possible to be made on the body , but blood tests ware made etc. i don’t know the results on them , any other things could not be made , it is taking a turn now and the police Are seriously now looking in to murder .

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    A bunch of phscologists posted above, they know all about suicide, murder & heart attacks. BTW most suicides even by depressed people are at times we least expect them unfortunatly.
    That said, I make no conclusion , I will leave that to the experts, & this is just a blog, for that matter who am I.
    Please don’t make cospiracies, or buba mayses, & starrt believing them, we may never know the truth, & if we do we must start to recognize we have some problems in klall Yisroel, we can’t cover all of them up for ever.
    To the berieved family, you are not guilty of anything may the dayan almonos avi yesominm Hamokom yinocheim eschem, & may we all see sof vekeitz lekol tzoroseinu, Bimharo beyomeinu.

    nebach
    nebach
    13 years ago

    Reb shlomo was a real good person. Not only did he give huge amounts of tzedaka, he personally involved himself with the people he was helping. May his soul be blessed.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Was definitly killed. This was not a suicide. Anyone who knew him knows he wouldn’t have done this.

    yanky
    yanky
    13 years ago

    Bary.
    Your points are right to the point. It is very simple for the nypd to accept this as a suicide, rather than go after the killer. They might even be bought off by the same company who killed him.
    I don’t think a autopsy would show if he was suffocated or not. But perhaps he was drugged up. And that would show on the autopsy.
    Whatever the case, moral of the story is, don’t believe anything without proof. In this case the proof shows that he fell from his roof. We don’t know if willingly or not. Why would they not at least investigate? Why a private company investigating?
    This proves to me, that if a homicide, its such a strong company carrying out the homicide that nypd is not even interested in going after them.
    Smells like mafia to me.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    If his partner is being Recomended for indictment by the Isreali government, perhaps they decided to take matters in to their own hand for R’ Shlome.
    And the fact that he landed in front of his office window (as per the DN) wouldn’t you think it’s a perfectly planned hit?
    Now of the Isrealis got out of Dubai with no one caught, what makes you think they’ll be caught here??

    Yamamai
    Yamamai
    13 years ago

    He could have been a key witness agains the Sharons.

    Mossad can do sucha job like nobody else. (Just Sayin)

    tam ivate
    tam ivate
    13 years ago

    I’m sure that there are security camera – and videos. It after all happened in a renown building in the greatest city in the world.
    Oh, and if there is no video, then you really knoe what happened

    wow
    wow
    13 years ago

    Wow! It seems like everyone knows what happened! What’s the lottery numbers people

    iish emmes says
    iish emmes says
    13 years ago

    Most of us here are not psychologists or criminologists. Let us remember postings of Tzedaaka and the zechusim of this young man who loved life and tzedakka and is taking thos with him on his trip to Gan Eden. His family regardless of what happened needs to hear divrei nechumimfrom us not mussar or criticism as he is gone for them now and it would be nice that they be left with stories of goodness about him.
    Perhaps the truth will come out. will it make the family any happier or us any smarter other than a few more postings. A goodhearted youn g man is gone forever and think of all the good he might have done. Let him rest bemenucha and let’s hear from people he helped. He is not facing any Court
    now except the Bais din Shel Maalo.

    Barry
    Barry
    13 years ago

    I posted comment #15 yesterday and I started off by saying the family should have allowed an autopsy. I regret writing that and would like to retract on that statement for 2 reasons.
    A. They may have not had the option.
    B. I am not a Rabbi and have no right to comment on something that may be against Halacha. If a Rabbi was told the circumstances he may have permitted an autopsy because it may lead to clues as to what the actual cause of death was, thus opening an investigation which may have lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of this gruesome crime. Getting such killers behind bars may be a good heter to permit an autopsy.
    Something else to take into consideration is a story that happened recently; a young (non-Jewish) woman died, no foul play was suspected and she was buried.
    Several days later, evidence floated up, abuse and foul play were suspected.
    The authorities unearthed her body, conducted an autopsy and found out the true cause of death which lead to an instant arrest.
    I personally believe that a Rabbi fully aware of the circumstances surrounding this tragedy, may have allowed an autopsy to avoid bizayon hames down the road if the authorities choose to investigate further.
    The “askanim” probably meant well but they should have not confused helping out a “yerushalmi” having some trouble with border control agents, a Rabbi who got pulled over for illegal lights and sirens, and blocking off streets for “hachnassas sefer torah’s” with something of this nature.

    Godol HaDor
    Godol HaDor
    13 years ago

    I knew R Shloime well. He was a smart, classy and ehrilche guy. His office was a beacon of light and a source of tzedaka. The head of chai lifleine literally made his home there. he gave tzedaka with a smile.
    May his memeory be a blessing.

    chaim
    chaim
    13 years ago

    mr solomon obsfeld was a verry speacial person he saved my familay i will not be abel manget with out him i will never forget him

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    nebech i knew him well how he was going fridays and weekdays to hospitels to kids to sick ppl allways visited oy gevald

    Hunkie
    Hunkie
    13 years ago

    I knew Shlomo personally, I also know his family. Suicide is (99%) out of question. Murder is 1% out of question (just my opinion).
    To call his business partners ‘shady’ is simply incorrect; I know them personally very well.
    Just because they had business dealings and connections to peoples in Israel and where-ever, which the Israeli authorities wish to examine, does not make them ‘Shady people’. I know these guys and they are 100% legit; regardless of the accusations. The press generally takes the evil side when in doubt, shame on them – even if it’s expected.
    Why not call the Israeli team ‘shady’ who (possibly) ventured to Dubai for some ‘shady’ business? (Not that I am against their actions).

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Al shlosha devarim haolam omed;al Hatora ,al haavoda Veal “”Gemiluth Chasadim.”””

    siz mich
    siz mich
    13 years ago

    if you watch enough movies & heard enough stories we know that we cant trust anybody. The investigators may be working with the murderer. A murderer has it all planned out in advance. That business call is definitely related to the murder.

    Although i am dont know the story well enough I just know that his family would notice if a mature & happy guy like him turns depressed to such a degree that he commited suicide. There are many signs of depression that are too hard to miss.

    May the truth shine through really quick!

    Whoever know any info should report immediately. The Bobover Rebbe’s a nice guy but is wrong in this point.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    #46 what if it was pure money? Do you know it wasn’t? Why is everyone so quick to judge and stop talking! Klal yisrael lost a wonderfull man noone know what happened noone know wether his money was pure or not but we have to believe it was why think bad when you can think good. I might be naieve but who cares

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    It was the Essex House — so where are the security cameras? Who walked in and who walked out of that building? And who rode the elevators and didn’t come down but maybe took the stairs or got on the elevator on another floor? I would suggest looking into all persons — men and women — going in and out.

    It has been rumored that defenestration is the preferred way the Mossad handbook recommends making a targeted murder appear to be suicide, b/c the body is all messed up by the time it hits ground and an autopsy doesn’t detect whether a bang on the head was before or after the fall.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Rabosai, its time to stop thinking bad about a fellow Jew. I got to know Solomon Obstfeld the in the last 4 years in both areas business and tzdakha projects, this man was a pure tzadik and was fair and honest in all his doings. there is NO WAY that this Tzadik killed himself. I beg you people to stop hurting his family and his legacy. please give this tzadik to rest in piece and let his family start to deal with this major loss

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    sholomo absfeld was a lamid vov tzaddik!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    I will never forget the good hearth he had trying to help me with all his heart wow a person with feelings not to be found we miss you shloma. Who ever did it to you they should be caught