Elhanan Shkolnik, grandson of the late Amram Chai Mizrachi, who died last Thursday in a fire in his apartment, published a forceful statement on Sunday alleging that his grandfather’s death was not accidental but stemmed from violent extortion followed by a police cover-up.
Shkolnik claims that his grandfather, who had lived alone in the United States for five decades, had been subjected in recent months to intense extortion by a criminal gang that threatened his life. According to him, the gang drained Mizrachi of hundreds of thousands of dollars he had accumulated through a modest and frugal lifestyle, and even compelled him to take out loans after his savings were exhausted.
The grandson further alleges that when Mizrachi turned to the New York police to report the threats, the response was inadequate, with officers allegedly advising him simply to change his phone number.
Family members firmly reject the police assessment that the blaze in the apartment, located at the corner of 12th Avenue and 47th Street, was caused by a lit cigarette. They argue that this explanation is illogical and maintain that the circumstances of the death point to a deliberate act that was later concealed. Shkolnik asserted that his grandfather was burned to death while criminal elements continued to profit from his money.
The family described Mizrachi as a deeply spiritual man who endured immense suffering in his final moments. They said he was known for his constant smile, his exceptional knowledge of the Torah, his generosity toward charitable causes, and his dedication to supporting yeshivot.
Shkolnik called on the public to treat the tragedy as a warning, urging people to remain attentive to relatives who live alone, particularly the elderly, and to maintain regular contact to ensure their well-being.