TX - "Tiktok dad" with 9 adopted boys charged with sexual abuse after son speaks out on podcast - March 7, 2023

[Clearsky]

Phony Hasidic TikTok-famous dad charged with molesting adopted sons after boy speaks out

TikTok dad Hayim Nissim Cohen, 38, used social media to help hide “excessive abuse,” prosecutors allege.

nypost.com

A phony Hasidic dad who found social-media acclaim for adopting nine boys has been charged with sexually abusing most of them — while out on bond in an earlier child sex case, according to disturbing reports.

Single dad Hayim Nissim Cohen, 38, regularly blogged about his “unique family” in Houston, gaining nearly 200,000 followers on TikTok.


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[LovesPeace2]

So glad one of the boys spoke out. What a loser jmoo

 

[ifindedout]

A classic example of chutzpah. MOO

 

[Susikatze]

Why was he able to adopt at all if he was already involved in an abuse case?

 

[tlcya]

'My father never abused me,' Cohen's eldest son Avshalom, told DailyMail.com. 'He's a great father that would never hurt any of us. If I saw anything out of order by anyone, I would have done everything in my power to protect my brothers.'

Avshalom, 22, claims the brother who is making the allegations suffers from multiple personality disorder, autism and has cognitive issues.
Family defends Orthodox rabbi accused of raping adopted sons

HOUSTON — When Hayim Cohen, 38, was wheeled into a Houston courtroom back in February on sexual assault charges, three of his oldest adopted sons were there to support him.

Now, one of those sons is facing similar charges. Avshalom Cohen, 22, is charged with two counts of sexual assault involving a younger sibling.

According to court documents, Avshalom would bribe the boy for sex in exchange for energy drinks or a vape. He was 19 at the time and the alleged victim was 14.
Son of Houston man who is charged with sexually assaulting 6 adopted sons now faces similar charges (Graphic content)

The 38-year-old has told the court that he is in hospice and has two terminal illnesses. He appeared in court in a wheelchair and had an oxygen mask on at his February court hearing. He was not wearing it on Wednesday.

At least one of his adoptive sons told investigators that his father only uses his wheelchair when other people are around and that he has six oxygen tanks he does not use, according to court records. The child also told investigators that he coughs uncontrollably only when he is in court.

"He's misrepresented to this court his ability to function, to stand, to be present, and that misrepresentation has kept him from being present in court on this case for more than a year," Oswald argued.

The prosecutor pointed out to the judge that Cohen was standing up unassisted in the video showing the child hit with a belt and had "full access" to his lungs to yell at the child.

"On this video, he is up and down able to discipline another child where he was on a death bed," Judge Lacayo said. "That shows to me either his health is greatly improving or the defendant is trying to fool the court."
Judge questions health status of father of 9 adopted boys accused of sex abuse: 'Great theatrics'

 

[starlightstarbright]

It’s amazing that there was no social services involvement or some sort of intervention in a case with a single man adopting 9 children of the same gender with TWO terminal illnesses and an ongoing sexual abuse investigation.

Obviously, I assume all of this happened after the last adoption was finalised, but is there no ongoing oversight or support in adoptive families where this might have been flagged up? Like by the LE investigating the abuse charges from the exchange student?

That said, I can’t imagine these Jewish children didn’t think he was a bit of a fraud in some way. I’m Jewish (but not Hasidic), but there is no way anyone could fake that history. There are just cultural ways of being and things you instinctively know and do that come from ‘being’ Jewish and living the culture. It would be quite obvious if someone was faking. I can’t imagine this guy taught himself Hebrew and Yiddish. Where is his extended family? Surely, it should have flagged up to adoption agencies when he either had none or they weren’t the least bit Jewish.

 

[Susikatze]

It’s amazing that there was no social services involvement or some sort of intervention in a case with a single man adopting 9 children of the same gender with TWO terminal illnesses and an ongoing sexual abuse investigation.

Obviously, I assume all of this happened after the last adoption was finalised, but is there no ongoing oversight or support in adoptive families where this might have been flagged up? Like by the LE investigating the abuse charges from the exchange student?

That said, I can’t imagine these Jewish children didn’t think he was a bit of a fraud in some way. I’m Jewish (but not Hasidic), but there is no way anyone could fake that history. There are just cultural ways of being and things you instinctively know and do that come from ‘being’ Jewish and living the culture. It would be quite obvious if someone was faking. I can’t imagine this guy taught himself Hebrew and Yiddish. Where is his extended family? Surely, it should have flagged up to adoption agencies when he either had none or they weren’t the least bit Jewish.

I am an Orthodox Jew and while not Hasidic, living in a Hasidic community and very familiar with their culture. I really cannot understand why a single man would be given preference over countless frum (religious jewish) couples who are looking to adopt. Some are childless but there are plenty who have some children on their own and are looking to give more kids a loving home. A single man in frum circles is always viewed as something suspicious because being married is the default. Thats what it is. Maybe it was not official adoptions but some sort of inofficial private foster home situation? And really, even there I cannot understand why a single man is given precedence over families and couples. There is a big demand for adoption in the frum world and many couples struggle to adopt because simply there are no frum kids to adopt.

 

[Susikatze]

It’s amazing that there was no social services involvement or some sort of intervention in a case with a single man adopting 9 children of the same gender with TWO terminal illnesses and an ongoing sexual abuse investigation.

Obviously, I assume all of this happened after the last adoption was finalised, but is there no ongoing oversight or support in adoptive families where this might have been flagged up? Like by the LE investigating the abuse charges from the exchange student?

That said, I can’t imagine these Jewish children didn’t think he was a bit of a fraud in some way. I’m Jewish (but not Hasidic), but there is no way anyone could fake that history. There are just cultural ways of being and things you instinctively know and do that come from ‘being’ Jewish and living the culture. It would be quite obvious if someone was faking. I can’t imagine this guy taught himself Hebrew and Yiddish. Where is his extended family? Surely, it should have flagged up to adoption agencies when he either had none or they weren’t the least bit Jewish.

I agree. I do know some Hasidic converts who learnt very well and blend in effortlessly. But still, everybody knows theyre converts.
And the whole Tik Tok thing makes me wonder, too. Social media is usually banned or used filtered only in Hasidic circles. I have a filter on my phone and its a prerequisite to send your kid to Hasidic schools etc. You dont post on Tiktok.
I really really wonder (assuming the adopted kids are also from frum jewish backgrounds) how they ended up with someone who was probably not even Jewish because apparently he never converted, who was not involved with any community and who was a single guy. Nobody in the hasidic community would give a child to such a man.

I believe the whole thing is a fraud and he dressed the boys as hasidic kids to gain clicks for "exoticism", just like he dressed himself up. And in that case you wonder how the secular authorities could have such a fraudster with a criminal history adopt so many kids. Without checkups.

 

[LadyL]

were these kids Jewish before being adopted? just curious

 

[Susikatze]

were these kids Jewish before being adopted? just curious

That is my question too. The "dad" was apparently never jewish, never underwent a conversion and also didnt live in a Hasidic or generally any Jewish community. I cant imagine any Hasidic family or organization giving a Jewish child to him while there are many Jewish couples and families from the same or similar backgrounds waiting sometimes decades to adopt.

I believe that he just dressed those kids up just as he dressed himself up to make his Tiktok more "exotic" and "interesting". Apparently, an average hispanic single foster dad is not interesting enough on TikTok.

 

[Teche]

I agree. I do know some Hasidic converts who learnt very well and blend in effortlessly. But still, everybody knows theyre converts.
And the whole Tik Tok thing makes me wonder, too. Social media is usually banned or used filtered only in Hasidic circles. I have a filter on my phone and its a prerequisite to send your kid to Hasidic schools etc. You dont post on Tiktok.
I really really wonder (assuming the adopted kids are also from frum jewish backgrounds) how they ended up with someone who was probably not even Jewish because apparently he never converted, who was not involved with any community and who was a single guy. Nobody in the hasidic community would give a child to such a man.

I believe the whole thing is a fraud and he dressed the boys as hasidic kids to gain clicks for "exoticism", just like he dressed himself up. And in that case you wonder how the secular authorities could have such a fraudster with a criminal history adopt so many kids. Without checkups.

Could you explain the type of filter is needed on your phone? I'm curious.

 

[Susikatze]

Could you explain the type of filter is needed on your phone? I'm curious.

Offtopic but its Netspark, can be googled. I think also businesses and plenty of other safety conscious ppl use it. But there are loads of similar filters around. Basically blocks violence and immodest content. At stricter settings blocks also social media.

 

[bleuboy]

the children were not actually Jewish.
Cohen also said that all of his adopted sons were born Jewish, but a lawyer who viewed the adoption records said this was false, and that none of the children came from Jewish families, but that Cohen had them take on Jewish identities after adopting them. The lawyer said Cohen had used his false persona as a rabbi to win people’s trust and respect, and facilitate adoptions.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-texan-who-posed-as-hasid-charged-with-sex-crimes-son-charged-with-abuse-too/#:~:text=Cohen%20also%20said%20that%20all,Jewish%20identities%20after%20adopting%20them.

 

[bleuboy]

He was shunned by other Jewish people and never even attended a synagogue. How someone did not expose him earier i do not know From link above.
Orthodox community members quickly realized Cohen was a fraud and shunned him for his deceit, but he had moved to a neighbourhood associated with religious Jews in Houston, and presented himself as Orthodox at secular Jewish events, where he was able to pass himself off as Hasidic. He did not appear to be a member of any synagogue. Several Jewish communities in Houston said he was not affiliated with them and an Orthodox rabbi in the city said that as far as he knew, Cohen was not connected to any congregation.