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A 36-second excerpt of the longer 11-minute video released on Facebook shows the principal of the K-12 school restraining a young boy between his legs while he kisses the child repeatedly. A copy of the Talmud rests on a nearby desk.

Facebook has since removed the page featuring the video.

The yeshiva school issued a statement Tuesday, denying any crime had taken place.

“While this type of restraint may be unacceptable to some viewers, it in no way rises to the level of a criminal assault,” the Board of Directors said.

This is not the first time the FBI have targeted buildings in ultra-Orthodox communities in New York this year. In March, agents seized boxes of evidence from schools in Rockland County as part of a larger investigation into the use of federal technology funding by Orthodox schools across New York State.

The U.S. E-Rate program was established in 1996 to help schools and libraries pay for internet access and infrastructure. The federal program distributes US$3.9 billion every year, giving schools up to 90 per cent discounted internet services.

But the distribution of funds is not even. According to an investigation by The New York Jewish Week, in 2011, 285 Jewish schools in New York State were approved for over US$30 million, more than 20 percent of the total money allocated in the state, even though the schools only enrolled 4 per cent of students.

Many of those schools prohibit students from using the internet, according to Orthodox teachings. Kiryas Joel is also a community known for proselytizing the evils of the internet. In 2012, tens of thousands of members ultra-Orthodox men gathered at a rally at Citi Field in Queens, New York to protest the dangers of the web.

It is unclear whether the recent raid is related to either the video released last week, or to the E-Rate investigation.

What is clear is that amidst the allegations and controversy, the community of Kiryas Joel faces an uncertain future, and that people expect answers.