LET’S FIND THIS GUY

Rabbi Yacov Simmonds is a fugitive charged with 8 counts of sexually abusing girls in Winnipeg between 1993 and 1999. He was supposed to turn himself in October, but instead fled.

Forty-two-year-old Simmonds worked at Chabad’s Torah Center (CTC) from 2000 to 2016. He comes from a large local Chabad family and his father ran a kosher grocery/restaurant. While the CTC described Simmonds to the media as a fundraiser, a 2011 Hamodia interview with Simmonds (covered in ColLive.com) has narrative and pictures of him doing kiruv work.

The Chabad Torah Center says that when it became aware of the allegations in January 2016, it suspended him. According to the Winnipeg Free Press, their August, 2016, newsletter announced:

Rabbi Yacov Simmonds is currently embarking on a career change; by mutual agreement he is no longer part of the rabbinical staff or administration of Chabad-Lubavitch of Winnipeg. The organization expressed its gratitude for Simmonds’ years of service

As of 2/21/18, the main Chabad rabbinical seminary proudly lists Simmonds as one of their alumni “serving as rabbis, teachers and community leaders.”

There is a Canadian warrant for his arrest, but he must first be found. If he has gone abroad, perhaps to the US, he will also have to be extradited.

If you have any information about Simmonds whereabouts, or ideas about where he might be found, contact Officer JP Landry of the Winnipeg Police Services, Child Abuse Unit, jlandry@winnipeg.ca

Do not engage in any vigilante actions or even confront him which will just up the likelihood that he will flee again. Just promptly contact Officer Landry.