MARCH 5 • 2020 | 23

Man Suing American 
Airlines Arraigned on 
Embezzlement Charges

In the midst of his discrimination lawsuit, Yehudah Adler 
now faces four counts of embezzlement charges.
Y

ehudah Adler, an 
Orthodox man 
from Southfield, 
has recently been in the 
spotlight for suing American 
Airlines for escorting him 
and his family off a 2019 
flight from Miami to Detroit 
because of what the airline 
deemed their “extremely 
offensive body odor.”
Now, Adler is facing a 
different legal dilemma: four 
counts of embezzlement 
charges he allegedly 
committed in 2015 while 
he was employed with 
1-800-LAW-FIRM in 
Southfield.
The complaint against 
Adler was filed on Feb. 11.
Adler appeared in the 
Southfield 46th District 
Court in front of Judge 
Shelia Johnson on Feb. 18. 
He is facing two counts of 
embezzlement of $100,000 
or more, one count of 
embezzlement of $50,000-
$100,000 and one count 
of embezzlement by an 
agent or trustee of $20,000 
or more, Oakland County 

Prosecutor Jessica Cooper 
told the Jewish News.
Attorney Mitchell 
Ribitwer is representing 
Adler for this criminal case. 
Adler is next scheduled 
to appear in court March 
20. Ribitwer could not be 
reached for comment.
1-800-LAW-FIRM’
s 
founder, Ari Kresch, is 
the son of two Holocaust 
survivors. The company 
specializes in personal 
injury, criminal defense, 
civil rights and more.
The Adler family is 
suing American Airlines 
for discrimination based 
on race, religion and 
nationality. The lawsuit 
claims that the airlines 
“intentionally discriminated” 
against the Adlers. They 
are seeking compensation 
for emotional distress and 
punitive damages.
“I’
m not certain how this 
will impact his [Adler’
s] civil 
lawsuit,” Cooper said. “I 
haven’
t practiced civil law in 
a long time, but one doesn’
t 
have anything to do with the 

other.”
The Detroit Free Press 
reported that, according 
to Oakland County Chief 
Assistant Prosecutor Paul 
Walton, the embezzlement 
case against Adler could 
lead to his impeachment as a 
witness in his civil suit if he 
is convicted of these crimes.
If found guilty of just 
one of the counts of 
embezzlement of $100,000 
or more, Adler could face 
a fine of up to $50,000, or 
three times the amount 
embezzled. In addition to 
the fine, Adler could serve 
up to 20 years in prison for 
the one count.
“Adler could face some 
serious time, depending on a 
multitude of circumstances,” 
Cooper said. “If he is 
found guilty on one or 
all charges, his record 
and other circumstances 
could potentially lead 
to him facing a harsher 
punishment. But we won’
t 
know what that is until the 
trial.” 

CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER

In honor of national Social 
Workers Week, March 1-7, the 
JN’
s inaugural Jewish Star of 
the Week is Elana Rothstein 
Miodownik, a social worker at 
Farber Hebrew Day School in 
Southfield. 
“She truly cares about each 
student that walks through the 
school door,” said Kayla Hazan, 
a parent of a Farber student who 
wanted “Mrs. Mio” to get some 
recognition for all she does at 
Farber. 
“She makes sure to know every-
one’
s name and create a connec-
tion with the students and parents 
to make everyone feel comfortable 
and secure sending their children 
in the building every day,” Hazan 
writes. “Mrs. Mio has a fun way 
of knowing which students may 
need a little extra help to get their 
mornings going, and she makes a 
point to check on those students 
in a fun way.” 
Hazan adds that in addition 
to being this “amazing second 
mom to the children at school,” 
Miodownik is a mother, wife, 
friend and involved with her shul. 
She is also a large part of the new 
Lasher Road Mikvah that is going 
to be built on 22960 W. 11 Mile 
Road.
Mazel tov, Mrs. Mio, you’
re a 
Jewish Star! 

Do you know of a star in the community 
who deserves to be recognized? Send an 
email with the person’
s name and photo 
and why they deserve the honor to
jheadapohl@renmedia.us.

Jewish Star 
of the Week

nal
al Soc
o ial

Elana 
Rothstein 
Miodownik