The ‘rabbi’ and single foster father of nine who has been accused of raping six children was once featured in a glowing article about his unconventional family.
in a houstonia In an article titled ‘One Father, Nine Adopted Children, and a Lot of Faith’ from July 2019, Hayim Nissim Cohen was labeled as a loving father to children.
“Apparently, they are happy,” the article detailing his family reads, stating that Cohen at one point “became the destination” for Jewish children entering the system.
In reality, Cohen – whose real name is Jeffrey Lujan Vejil – was arrested that same year on suspicion of attacking another child before he was released on bail.
The foster father was arrested after one of his 18-year-old sons called a podcast asking for help. Since then, six of his children have been placed in foster care.
The ‘rabbi’ and single foster father of nine who has been accused of raping six children was once featured in a glowing article about his unconventional family.
In a Houstonia article titled ‘One father, nine adopted children and a lot of faith’ from July 2019, 38-year-old Hayim Nissim Cohen was labeled as a loving father to his adopted children.
This is the headline of the 2019 Houstonia article that featured Cohen and his adopted children
In the 2019 article that printed in August, the article’s author, Morgan Kinney, wrote that he toured the house where the family lived.
In that moment, he painted the picture of a happy, healthy, and united family that was created by a man who had opened his heart and home to foster children.
Cohen at the time told the publication that he became a licensed foster parent in his early twenties after learning about the number of children in the system.
He was first placed with Orthodox Jewish children in 2008, saying he had “no choice” but to accept the children as his own, aged just 26.
The Houstonia article names the nine children Cohen had adopted, but DailyMail.com has chosen not to name or show the children’s faces at this time.
After accepting her first two children, she told the outlet that she “became the benchmark” for Jewish children in the system and that social workers would continue to reach out.
“And the adoption cycle was repeated with another child, then a couple of children, then another child, and then last year a group of three more,” the article said.
The feature also includes a mention of Cohen’s success in real estate ventures, the reason she was able to homeschool and be with the kids full time.
When Kinney asked her if she planned to adopt more children, she gave a vague answer, even alluding to her hope of one day having her own biological children.
He said that if social workers called him and asked him to take care of more: ‘Sometimes you have to, if you know you can do it.’
‘If you know that the realm of possibility exists, why not? I’ll say it again: why not?
‘Rabbi’ Hayim Nissm Cohen, 38, is accused of sexually abusing six of his nine adopted children. He was out on bail for a 2019 indictment involving another child when he was arrested last month.
At the time, the article painted a picture of a happy, healthy and united family that was created by a man who had opened his heart and home to foster children.
Cohen with eight of their nine children. They accuse him of sexually abusing at least eight of them
The children also told police that he is faking an illness that he says requires a wheelchair and an oxygen tank.
Months before the adoptive father received the glowing article in the Texas publication, Cohen had been accused of sexual indecency.
In April 2019, the man was charged with assault by a Spanish exchange student living at his home and told police that he was also assaulted.
He was charged with sexual indecency but was granted bail and allowed to be home with the nine children who now say he abused them.
Court records obtained by DailyMail.com detail what the boy told police.
‘When he was in trouble, (Cohen) would tell the (boy) that he needed to make him happy. She was touching Cohen’s chest and stomach area and felt him get aroused as he made noises.
‘He explained that (Cohen) wanted him to get a boner, but he wouldn’t get aroused. He asked her for a hug so he could put his hands on her.
He said it happened in Cohen’s room and that they were both in bed.
He said he would touch it and ask if he liked it.
‘(Cohen) grabbed his hand and placed it on his penis.
“He explained that he began to masturbate the defendant and that it happened while everyone was sleeping,” an April 2019 charging document states.
Cohen was arrested and charged, but was released on bail and allowed to return home on bail.
Inside his Texas home, authorities believe the alleged abuse continued for years.
Prosecutor Jana Oswald of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office admitted after Cohen’s arrest on the new charges: “We all knew something was up, but we couldn’t prove it.”
Asked why he was released, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office told DailyMail.com: “In general, there is a fairly high bar for a defendant to be held without bail, which is a protected right. constitutionally in most circumstances”.
“While prosecutors can make bail recommendations, judges set it.”
Child Protective Services declined to give details about how many times they had been called to Cohen’s home, citing ongoing police investigations.
Court records obtained by DailyMail.com detail what the Spanish exchange student told police about Cohen in 2019.
Prosecutor Jana Oswald of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office admitted last week after her arrest on the new charges: “We all knew something was up, but we couldn’t prove it.”
Prosecutor Jana Oswald of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office admitted last week after her arrest on the new charges: “We all knew something was up, but we couldn’t prove it.”
Asked why he was released, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office told DailyMail.com: “In general, there is a fairly high bar for a defendant to be held without bail, which is a protected right. constitutionally in most circumstances”.
“While prosecutors can make bail recommendations, judges set it.”
Child Protective Services declined to give details about how many times they had been called to Cohen’s home, citing ongoing police investigations.
It is unclear why the children were not removed from Cohen’s care after the 2019 incident was first reported.
CPS in Texas also investigated it, but the children say Cohen ordered them to lie. Cohen turned the family’s life into a social media phenomenon to make money.
He created a Cash App account where strangers could donate to his family and also advertised Amazon wish lists.
In disturbing videos, he spoke of being misjudged and discriminated against by strangers.
‘Not a week goes by that our family doesn’t receive some kind of discrimination. Many have a contempt for or simply a misunderstanding of the beliefs of others.
‘We must remember the importance of having empathy for all humanity regardless (sic) of beliefs.
“I wish you peace and blessings,” he said.
It is unclear how he was able to adopt the children.
The case fell apart on January 30, when one of the boys called Blind Skinned Beauty to report that he had been abused.
The podcaster called the police, who in turn contacted CPS, and they located the boy.
The 18-year-old told police the abuse began three weeks after Cohen adopted him in 2016.
It is unclear how he was able to adopt the children.
It is unclear why the children were not removed from Cohen’s care after the 2019 incident.
It started with Cohen forcing the boys to massage his feet, he said, then claims they were forced to perform sexual acts on him and each other. He told police that he was first raped at the age of 14.
The children also claimed that he is faking an illness that requires an oxygen tank and a wheelchair.
In court, prosecutors said there was evidence to prove it.
Cohen is also said to have fabricated his Jewish heritage, claiming to have grown up a Hasidic Jew in New York, when records show he was born in Odessa, Texas.
Court records say he routinely used “different names.”
