Eisemann had intended to stay but decided to "focus on exonerating himself''

Principal James Delaney will take over as interim director

Eisemann faces second-degree offenses that carry up to 10 years in prison and fine of up to $150K

LAKEWOOD - A rabbi charged with stealing $630,000 in public tuition funds through the special-needs school he leads is taking a voluntary leave of absence, his attorney said Tuesday.

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Rabbi Osher Eisemann, 60, is founder and director of the School for Children with Hidden Intelligence. Eisemann was charged in a four-count state indictment earlier this year. He has pleaded not guilty.

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Eisemann had intended to stay on the job, attorney Lee Vartan said, but that changed this week when the rabbi decided to "focus on exonerating himself,'' Vartan said.

"This was something we had always discussed. His intention now is to focus fully and fight the charges and return to the school when he's exonerated,'' said Vartan, who is with the Holland & Knight law firm, New York.

"It was a decision that was difficult for him to make but he's always made the school his top priority, so this is best for himself and the school,'' Vartan said.

SCHI officials didn't respond to a request for comment, but a statement from the school said Principal James Delaney will take over as interim director and that new board members would be added "to assist in the transition.''

Eisemann, who founded the school in 1995, said in the statement that “it is with sincere regret that I voluntarily will take a leave of absence from the institution to which I have devoted my life to for over 22 years.''

"Regrettably, baseless allegations made against me have resulted in this decision,” he said.

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Vartan in a court filing claimed the state's evidence against Eisemann was obtained from raids through overly broad search warrants and should be thrown out.

The state has until Sept. 8 to respond to the motion to suppress evidence from the trove of electronic and paper documents recovered from raids at six locations. Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Benjamin Bucca says he'll conduct a hearing on the motion Sept. 29.

The charges against Eisemann include theft by unlawful taking, misapplication of government property, misconduct by a corporate official, and money laundering — all second-degree offenses that carry up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000, state Attorney General Christopher Porrino has said.

The school's fundraising foundation, the nonprofit Services for Hidden Intelligence, LLC, was also named in the indictment under the same charges. Attorneys for the foundation have also entered a not guilty plea.

Eisemann has not been detained, pending the outcome of the indictments, Porrino spokesman Peter Aseltine said.

Bob Jordan bjordan@gannettnj.com