A former advisor to Barack Obama, Rahamim "Rami" Shy, was sentenced to over a decade in prison after attempting to meet a child for unlawful acts in Britain.
The Telegraph reported that Shy’s ambitions were thwarted by undercover police in a sting operation as he traveled to Britain with sinister intent.
Rami Shy, previously employed as a policy advisor during Barack Obama's administration and as an investment banker, was caught in a detailed police sting operation. At 47 years old, his actions would lead him far from his professional accolades.
Operating from New York, Shy made elaborate plans over a month-long period to travel to Bedfordshire, UK. His intent was explicitly criminal — to meet a nine-year-old girl whom he believed he was chatting with online.
However, the girl's supposed grandmother, with whom Shy was communicating, was an undercover Bedfordshire Police officer using the alias Debbie. This alarming fact unfolded later to Shy's dismay.
Upon his arrival at Gatwick on February 23 of the previous year, Shy carried concealed dreadful intentions along with cuddly toys and condoms, material intended for the act he was planning to commit.
Items in his luggage and the discussions he had online were clear about his plans. Shy drove from Gatwick to Bedford with the belief he would meet the child's grandmother and subsequently the girl.
Instead, the reality of police intervention met him. Immediately upon his arrival in Bedford to meet "Debbie", police arrested Rahami Shy, putting an end to his atrocious plan.
During the court proceedings, Shy's defense argued against his prosecution in the UK, rationalizing that the primary communication took place while he was in the US. Nevertheless, this argument did not hold up in court.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) successfully demonstrated the reach of English law, highlighting that Shy's intentions, constituting a crime planned for execution on English soil, were justly within their prosecutorial power.
Further grim discoveries included indecent images of children on Shy's phone, alongside retrieved messages showcasing his sexual interests in children. Such discoveries fortified the case against him, leading to his conviction.
Rahamim Shy faced charges of arranging the commission of a child sex offense — specifically the rape of a child — and possessing indecent photographs of a child, leading to his 11-year and six-month prison sentence.
In the court, details emerged about Shy's disturbing views on the sexual exploitation of children, describing it as an "honor" to be considered "her first," referring to the non-existent nine-year-old girl.
Lorraine Telford of the CPS emphasized, "Rahamim Shy is a predator who was fully prepared to commit unspeakable acts for his sexual gratification." She praised the policing operation that safeguarded potential victims from such predators.
Following his arrest, Shy's previous employer, Citi, quickly confirmed that he was no longer associated with them. His varied career has also seen him involved with the US Treasury Department and providing expertise to NATO-led forces in Afghanistan.
The breadth of Shy’s professional engagements starkly contrasts with the gravity of the crimes he intended to commit, rendering his fall all the more notable. Public reaction has been one of shock and distaste, leading to a reevaluation of vetting processes within entities he was connected with.