Extradition request expected to be issued
VICTORIA Police are expected to issue a warrant for the arrest of alleged child sexual abuser Velvel Serebryanski, who is now living in New York.
VICTORIA Police are expected to issue a warrant for the arrest of alleged child sexual abuser Velvel Serebryanski, who is now living in New York.
Serebryanski was in his mid-20s when he allegedly sexually abused 11-year-old Manny Waks on Shavuot in 1987 in Melbourne’s Yeshivah Centre.
Over the next few months Serebryanski allegedly abused Waks again at the centre and at the Russian Chabad House.
While it was never publicly revealed that there have been other victims, police now have two victim impact statements, as well as video evidence from Waks’s confrontation with Serebryanski in 2017.
When Serebryanski was confronted by Waks recently, a conversation took place during which he blamed the victim.
“I only wanted to do what you wanted,” Serebryanski said.
“I was less experienced than you and less mature. I was taking the lead from you.”
Serebryanski went on to admit that he was “infatuated” with Waks and that he accepted that “clearly it wasn’t the right thing”.
“I am extremely sorry,” Serebryanski said.
“At no point did I ever want to harm you. I loved you.”
Following the confrontation, Waks revealed in an open letter to Serebryanski that he had offered to withdraw his statement with Victoria Police on two conditions.
“Firstly, you had to convince me that you were no longer a danger to children.
“Secondly, you had to commit to assist in the public campaign to address the issue of child sexual abuse.”
But following the conversation between the pair, Waks withdrew the offer when he “felt a sense of helplessness” because in his opinion Serebryanski is a “current and significant danger to children”.
It is expected that once the warrant for his arrest is issued that the Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions will consider an extradition request.
“The wheels of justice are continuing to turn (pretty slowly, though),” Waks said.
If you are a survivor of child sexual abuse, contact Moorabbin Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team on (03) 9556 6128.
AJN STAFF
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