by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Feb. 27, 2025
Three Jewish men, two members and the leader of the extremist Jewish cult, Lev Tahor, were detained in Belize over the weekend when the taxi driver they hired became suspicious of their movements and alerted authorities. The men have since been deported to Guatemala.
Reports say the men hired a local taxi to take them from an Airbnb in the Belize District to Santa Elena Town, Cayo District.
On Saturday, February 22, the men were taking too long inside the hotel, prompting the taxi driver to inform his boss about the situation, thus alerting local authorities.
When the men exited the hotel they had a red garbage bag, and the police, who had already arrived at the location, searched it but found nothing incriminating. Authorities’ suspicions grew, as the men could only speak Spanish, leading them to believe they are members of Lev Tahor.
The men were identified as 33-year-old Avraham Dinkel, a Canadian citizen and Lev Tahor leader; 24-year-old Chaim Malka and 23-year-old Moshe Yehuda Leib Alter, both US citizens. It has been confirmed that both US nationals attempted to smuggle Alter into Belize with counterfeit documents. He was charged with illegal entry.
Meanwhile, Dinkel and Malka entered legally through Philip Goldson International Airport via Mexico and were charged with harboring Alter.
The men were taken to the San Ignacio Magistrate Court on Tuesday, February 24, and fined $1,000 which they paid. They were to be deported to their home country, but asked to be sent back to Guatemala, which was done.
Dinkel and Malka are wanted men in Guatemala, as they are suspects in the abduction of seven minor girls whose whereabouts are unknown. Dinkel had previously been filmed assaulting an ultra-Orthodox man who had traveled to Guatemala to rescue children from the group.
Belize authorities are searching for another cult member – 38-year-old Yoel Malka – who they believe is hiding in Belize. Malka is believed to have abducted eight Guatemalan children.
Founded in 1988, Lev Tahor is a Jewish cult group known for engaging in child sexual abuse, pedophilia and rape.