If you are not Jewish, you probably are unaware of the term Agunot. (עגונות All reference links wiki, except where stated)
It literally means "Chained Women" in Hebrew.
It refers to a horrific situation that some women find themselves in because of the peculiarities of religious divorce under Jewish law.
Basically, under Jewish law (Halacha), only the husband can request a Get (a Jewish religious divorce) though either party can also get a civil divorce.
This means that a man can refuse to give a get, even though a civil divorce has proceeded to completion.
The this is complicated because the biblical definition of adultery is a married woman willingly sleeping with a Jewish man other than her husband, but not a husband sleeping with a single woman (or for that matter for a husband sleeping with a married non-Jew, or a wife sleeping with a non-Jew, but that is a discussion for another day).
Why this matters is that the issue of such a relationship is what is known as a Mamzer.
While this is generally translated as a bastard, it is much worse for the children:
A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.
— Deuteronomy 23:2
What this means for these children is that they, and their descendents for 10 generations are forbidden from marrying another Jew who is not also a Mamzer.
Effectively, this means that (in the Orthodox community) that there can be a civil divorce, and the man can remarry, and the woman cannot.
Jewish jurisprudence has developed some work arounds for this, mostly in requiring exhaustive proof of the improper parentage, or the religion of the father, etc. (see the links)
But this still leaves too many women (one is too many women) Agunot.
So how do you handle the shitheel who does this?
In Israel, they can, and do hold men in contempt for refusing to give a Get, but in the US, the courts cannot enforce religious laws. (Which is why hechshers, kosher certifications, use contract and trademark laws in the US)
One possibility is ostracism by the community. (There was a case where people started praying for a shitheel's death in front of his store, for example)
Under Halacha, one is technically allowed to beat a Get out of someone, so long as they are not being beaten at the moment when they sign the document.
Truth be told, this is tempting, but it is against the (civil) law, and it is wrong.
I sympathize with people who might do this, but I condemn their actions.
That being said, setting up beating recalcitrant husbands as a business model is simply repulsive, and this is what is alleged here.
Rabbis plotted to torture husbands on behalf of wives seeking divorces, FBI claims
By Max Ehrenfreund, Thursday, October 10, 2:45 PM
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has accused Rabbis Mendel Epstein and Martin Wolmark of a plot to kidnap and torture a man to force him to grant his wife a divorce under Jewish law. They also accused two other men of scheming to extort “gets,” religious documents without which women cannot divorce their husbands. Since wives cannot seek divorce unilaterally under Jewish law, the four men had developed a practice of charging women and their families tens of thousands of dollars to coerce their husbands into granting gets, according to the FBI:
Two undercover agents contacted Wolmark and Epstein in August about seeking a divorce. According to the complaint, Epstein spoke about forcing compliance through “tough guys” who use electric cattle prods and even place plastic bags over the heads of husbands.
The FBI said the price was more than $50,000.
The investigation took place in Ocean and Middlesex counties in New Jersey and Rockland County in New York. Several defendants were arrested overnight in raids in both states, including in Brooklyn, the FBI said. They were scheduled to appear in federal court in Trenton late Thursday.
Congratulations you thugs.
Not only do you cast Judaism in a bad light, but you are worse than the aforementioned shitheels.
Torture, for profit? Who the fuck do you think you are? Dick Cheney?