On Thursday, controversial far-right commentator Candace Owens made explosive allegations against a prominent Israeli rabbi, claiming he attempted to bribe Christian pastors with Bitcoin to criticize her in their sermons.
Owens, who has faced significant criticism for publicly embracing antisemitic rhetoric, posted what she claimed was evidence of the alleged bribery scheme on her podcast and social media accounts. She shared an image of a purported email from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, describing the contents as “demonic.”
“Noticing an increase in anti ‘Candace and Tucker’ content,” Owens wrote in a post on X that included screenshots of the alleged email. “Today we showed you verifiable proof that Rabbis in Israel are offering, among other things, BITCOIN to pastors to preach against us on Sunday. Read the email from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin! THIS IS DEMONIC.”
According to Owens’ claims, the alleged email from Rabbi Riskin offered an unnamed pastor “a donation of $2,500 in Bitcoin to your congregation” in exchange for a recording or summary of remarks “encouraging awareness, compassion, and caution when engaging with media voices that spread division under the cover of opinion.”
Rabbi Riskin is a highly respected figure in both Jewish and interfaith circles. He serves as the founding chief rabbi of Efrat in Gush Etzion and is the founder of the Ohr Torah Stone Institutions, a network of educational institutions. He also established the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation, reflecting his long-standing commitment to building bridges between faith communities.
Ohr Torah Stone responded swiftly and categorically to Owens’ accusations, issuing a detailed statement calling the claims “entirely false, baseless, and defamatory.”
The institution’s president, Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, emphasized Rabbi Riskin’s reputation and mission: “Rabbi Riskin is a globally respected educator and spiritual leader who has dedicated his life to building bridges between the Jewish and Christian communities based on mutual respect, shared values, and a commitment to moral leadership.”
The statement firmly denied any involvement in the alleged scheme: “Neither Rabbi Riskin nor Ohr Torah Stone has ever offered, promised, or suggested any form of compensation—monetary or otherwise—to clergy of any faith for making political or public statements of any kind.”
Ohr Torah Stone characterized itself as “an apolitical educational and outreach network committed to Torah values, Jewish unity, and respectful interfaith dialogue,” and condemned what it called “baseless conspiracy theories” that damage “civil discourse and religious cooperation.”
The institution called on Owens to “retract her statement and issue a formal apology” and urged “public figures to act responsibly with their platforms and to verify information before making damaging allegations.”
This latest controversy adds to a growing list of inflammatory statements from Owens that have drawn widespread criticism. The commentator has previously used her platform to make claims that many consider antisemitic, including defending Adolf Hitler and questioning established historical facts about the Holocaust.
In September, Owens targeted Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the late leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, who is revered by millions of Jews worldwide as one of the most influential spiritual leaders of the past generation. Owens falsely claimed that Schneerson, who died in 1994, “preached Jewish supremacism, the hatred of all non-Jews.”
She made additional inflammatory remarks about the revered rabbi, saying, “You can go through his speeches and you will see that he continually talks about how non-Jews should be treated and that, again, we are a different species.” Owens also suggested that Jews should abandon their faith leaders and “accept Jesus instead of following rabbis.”
The allegations come at a time when Owens has faced increasing scrutiny for her rhetoric about Jewish communities and Holocaust history. Her claims about Rabbi Riskin fit a pattern of making unsubstantiated allegations against Jewish religious leaders and institutions.
The controversy also highlights the challenges facing interfaith dialogue in an era of increasing polarization, particularly when public figures make unverified claims about religious leaders who have dedicated their careers to building bridges between communities.
As this story develops, the sharp contrast between Owens’ inflammatory accusations and the institution’s categorical denial raises questions about the responsibility of public figures when making serious allegations without apparent verification. The incident underscores the potential damage that unsubstantiated conspiracy theories can inflict on interfaith relations and civil discourse.
