A rabbi in Ocean County is being sued by a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her when she came to him for financial help, then defamed her on a website and in fliers he posted near her children’s school.
New Jersey
How to get a free Mega Millions ticket in New Jersey
The Mega Millions $1.269 billion jackpot was won in Northern California on Friday and now the New Jersey Lottery is running “The Jackpot Was Hit!” promotion where Jersey players can get a free lottery ticket.
Every time the Mega Millions jackpot is won, the New Jersey Lottery offers players a free Mega Millions ticket when they buy three. The promotion runs for seven days.
How can you get a free Mega Millions?
The New Jersey Lottery rules state that a lottery player must buy “EXACTLY three Mega Millions plays on a single ticket” and then will receive a free $2 Mega Millions Quick Pick ticket.
The promotion began on Saturday and will run until Friday, Jan. 3.
The Mega Millions jackpot is an estimated $20 million for Tuesday night’s drawing.
Players can still purchase the Megaplier on their three tickets, but “it does not count towards the qualifying purchase.” So, you still need to purchase three tickets total.
The free ticket does not include the Megaplier.
“The Jackpot Was Hit!” promotion also is run after the Powerball or NJ Lottery’s Pick-6 jackpots are hit.
When is next Mega Millions drawing?
Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.
How do I play Mega Millions?
The cost is $2 per ticket, but you can add the Megaplier for $1, which will increase the amount of your potential prize up to five times the original prize (except for the jackpot).
Each player selects five numbers from 1 to 70 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 25 for the Mega Ball. However, you can also have the lottery machine generate a random Quick Pick for you. You don’t need to be a U.S. citizen or a resident of a particular state where you purchase your ticket.
How many balls do I need to match for Mega Millions prize?
You can win $2 for the matching just one – the Mega Ball. Short of the jackpot, you can win up to $1 million for matching all five white balls (except in California). You can check all the prize payouts on the Mega Millions site here.
Where is the Mega Millions available?
You can play the game in 45 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The states not offering Mega Millions are: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
What is deadline for buying Mega Millions tickets?
The deadline for purchasing a Mega Millions ticket varies by state so don’t wait until the last minute. It can be 15 minutes to an hour or more before the actual drawing. For some third-party lottery apps, the deadline can be closer to two hours before the drawing. For example, Jackpocket in New Jersey has a deadline of 9:15 p.m. for the 11 p.m. ET drawing.
Click here to check the deadline for where you live.
What are the Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots?
Here are the Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots ever:
- $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023: Won in Florida
- $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina
- $1.348 billion, Jan. 13, 2023: Won in Maine
- $1.337 billion, July 29, 2022: Won in Illinois
- $1.269 billion, Dec. 27, 2024: Won in California
- $1.128 billion, March 26, 2024: Won in New Jersey
- $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021: Won in Michigan
- $810 million, Sept. 10, 2024: Won in Texas
- $656 million, March 30, 2012: Three winners in Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- $648 million, Dec. 17, 2013: Two winners in California, Georgia
What was largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever?
Here’s a look at the top jackpots won in the United States, between the Powerball and the Mega Millions lotteries:
- $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: Won in California
- $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023: Won in California
- $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023: Won in Florida
- $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee
- $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina
- $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2022: Won in Maine
- $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: Won in Illinois
- $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 6, 2024: Won in Oregon
- $1.269 billion, Mega Millions, Dec. 27, 2024: Won in California
- $1.128 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024: Won in New Jersey
- $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023: Won in California
- $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021: Won in Michigan
- $842.4 million, Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024: Won in Michigan
- $810 million, Mega Millions, Sept. 10, 2024: Won in Texas
- $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin
- $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts
- $754.6 million, Powerball: Feb. 6, 2023: Won in Washington
- $731.1 million,, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021: Won in Maryland
- $699.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 4, 2021: Won in California
- $687.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 27, 2018: Two winners in Iowa, New York
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms and conditions.
See the Roxbury warehouse scouted by ICE as possible deportation site
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were in Roxbury recently apparently scouting a Rt. 46 warehouse as a possible migrant deportation facility.
Federal officials are considering abandoning plans for a controversial immigration detention facility in Roxbury, New Jersey, according to a June 18 report by The New York Times, prompting local leaders and state officials to declare a victory after months of legal and political opposition.
The proposed facility, a warehouse property purchased to serve as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, faced intense criticism from local residents, environmental advocates and elected officials who argued the site was unsuitable for housing detainees.
In a joint statement issued Thursday, Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said the Department of Homeland Security appeared to be backing away from the project following legal challenges that halted development.
“Today the New York Times is reporting that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is backing down on its mass detention center in Roxbury,” the statement said. “That is a big win for public safety, for the township of Roxbury, and for New Jersey.”
According to the Times report, the Roxbury facility is one of seven ICE is planning to dispense with by transferring ownership to other federal agencies or selling them.
Opponents argued the warehouse was designed as a logistics facility and lacked the infrastructure necessary to support a large detention center. They also raised concerns about the potential strain on local water and sewage systems and the impact on environmentally sensitive land surrounding the site.
State officials said they joined Roxbury Township in court to challenge the project, contending that federal plans violated local regulations and posed risks to the community.
“DHS’s plans were always illegal,” the statement said. “The Roxbury warehouse is a logistics center fit for packages, not thousands of people.”
Rep. Rob Menendez said in a statement on Thursday: “We are working to confirm reporting that ICE is abandoning its Roxbury warehouse plans, but if true, this would be big news. From day one, we have fought to stop this facility, bringing together thousands of New Jerseyans in opposition. Now we are on the cusp of an important win for our state.”
The detention center was expected to become part of the federal government’s broader immigration enforcement and detention network. However, the project became a flashpoint in New Jersey, drawing opposition from both local officials and residents concerned about public safety, environmental impacts and the facility’s compatibility with surrounding land uses.
Federal officials have not publicly confirmed whether the property will be sold or formally removed from consideration. The Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the reported change in plans.
Opponents vowed to continue monitoring the situation until the project is officially terminated.
“This isn’t a partisan issue,” the statement said. “We’re grateful for our partnership with the Roxbury community as we keep DHS’s feet to the fire to ensure this facility is never opened.”
New Jersey
NJ rabbi faces lawsuit for sexual assault after giving financial aid | The Jerusalem Post
Avraham Appel, of Jackson, abused his position as a trusted community leader to sexually assault and exploit the woman, an Israeli immigrant who came to him as a single mother struggling to pay bills, according to the lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of Ocean County.
Appel is a prominent rabbi and Rosh Kollel, or head of a Jewish institute for advanced Talmudic study, who is based in Lakewood and Jackson, according to court papers filed January 5.
Appel did not respond to calls to his home and cellphone seeking comment on the lawsuit.
The woman claims she confided in one of her children’s schoolteachers in early 2020 that she was in significant financial distress and having trouble paying for daycare.
The teacher suggested she contact Appel, according to the suit.
In February 2020, Appel arranged to meet with the woman at a local Starbucks.
“During that meeting, Appel presented himself to (the woman) as a rabbi, mentor, advisor, and friend whom (the woman) could trust, confide in, and depend on,” the lawsuit states.
Appel, who had experience in real estate, allegedly offered the woman an opportunity to solicit investments on his behalf and to “draw,” or advance, money against future commissions.
Rabbi issues payments to woman after alleged sexual assault
In June and July 2022, Appel issued six payments to the woman, totaling $20,000 and characterized as advances or loans. He also provided the woman with “financial assistance” so she could buy groceries and pay medical expenses and water bills, according to the suit.
The lawsuit claims most of the money was meant to buy the woman’s silence after he attacked her on June 1, 2022.
The suit alleges Appel visited the woman while she was alone at home and sexually assaulted her as she pleaded for him to stop.
“Appel was abusive and unrelenting. The more (the woman) pled for mercy, the more aggressive Appel became,” the suit alleges.
Before leaving her home, he allegedly ordered her to delete Ring camera footage that showed him arriving.
In the months after the assault, Appel “forced himself upon” the woman and took sexual advantage of her on other occasions, the suit claims.
Appel also allegedly bombarded the woman with demands for sexual acts and sent her a barrage of text and WhatsApp messages containing crude and graphic sexual content.
“I want to squeeze your breasts,” one text allegedly said. In another, he sent the woman a photo of his penis, the suit alleges.
In July 2024, the woman met with another rabbi and shared evidence of the sexual assault and “other incidents involving Appel,” the suit claims.
Woman offered $50,000 for therapy after sexual assault
Appel later contacted his attorney and the two offered the woman $50,000 to cover her future therapy expenses.
The money would be available only if the woman signed a release of any claims related to the assault and agreed to keep all incidents between them confidential, according to the suit.
The woman refused to accept the money or sign the agreement, the suit says.
Appel then launched a campaign to destroy the woman “personally and professionally,” according to the lawsuit.
On December 15, 2025, the woman became aware of a website with her photos that claimed she was “a danger to all Jews,” and warned the public to stay away from her, according to the complaint.
The website disclosed the woman’s address, claimed she stole money, and characterized her as a “thief.”
Moreover, Appel and possibly others posted signs smearing the woman. The signs were posted at public locations throughout the community, including the school her two children attended, the suit alleges.
The lawsuit claims sexual assault, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, and conspiracy.
The complaint also alleges Appel breached his duty as a rabbi to conduct himself with loyalty and in good faith.
A shooting investigation in Camden County has prompted a large police response, according to a source.
Léelo en español aquí
The shooting unfolded in the area of Locust Court in Winslow Township in the evening of June 17.
SkyForce10 was over the scene of what looked like a residential complex as several police cars were visible lining the streets.
Police tape appeared to be blocking off the area as officers looked at a sedan that appeared to have crashed into another car.
No word yet on what led to the shooting or if anyone was hurt.
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