William Rapfogel really lost a sweet deal when he was charged last month with stealing millions of dollars from his employer, the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty.
Turns out, he wasn’t just getting a $500,000 salary from the charity. His contract with the agency was also paid school tuition for Rapfogel’s three children.
Now, attention is starting to focus on the powerful people who helped give Rapfogel such royal treatment — and who didn’t notice his alleged swindling.
People have been talking about Merryl Tisch, wife of Loews CEO James Tisch and the chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents. Tisch is the chairwoman of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty.
“She would have had to OK his employment contract,” said my source.
Assemblyman Majority Leader Sheldon Silver is also raising eyebrows. Silver not only secured Tisch her Regents post, he also employs Rapfogel’s wife, Judy Rapfogel, as his chief of staff.
“It’s all very incestuous,” said my source. “Everybody is scratching each other’s backs.”