DEAL — Rabbi Saul Kassin, the 89-year-old spiritual leader of the nation's largest Syrian Sephardic Jewish congregation, admitted Monday his role in a scheme that used religious charities to launder tens of thousands of dollars.

Kassin, who pleaded guilty to one count of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, admitted he transmitted between $200,000 and $400,000 through his charity Magen Israel Society between June 2007 and December 2008.

The transactions were arranged by Solomon Dwek, a disgraced developer who was secretly working for the FBI after he was arrested in an unrelated, $50 million bank fraud.

The massive sting operation came to light in July 2009, when Kassin and four other Orthodox rabbis, along with three mayors, two assemblymen and dozens of other public officials and many more in the religious community, were arrested on myriad charges ranging from money laundering to political corruption. One man was charged with brokering black-market kidneys.

Kassin said Dwek gave him bank checks and he made out checks payable — less a 10 percent commission — to charitable organizations, knowing the money was not for charitable purposes.

The plea itself was not without its drama.

Kassin, the retired rabbi of Congregation Sharee Zion in Brooklyn, was frail and slight, but shuffled into the courtroom in Trenton like a man used to getting his way, ready to tell the judge what he thought of the money-laundering charges against him.

Previous coverage:

• Syrian rabbi's supporters are still shocked by money-laundering charge

• U.S. authorities consider challenging dismissal of some charges against non-officials in N.J. corruption probe

• Hudson County operative says he was paid $20K as consultant on informant Solomon Dwek's payroll

• FBI informant Solomon Dwek's former partner is sentenced, ordered to pay nearly $23M in restitution

• FBI informant Solomon Dwek's partner is sentenced for hiding $82K from bankruptcy trustee

• Government unveils key witness in corruption trial of ex-Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith