Chaim Schochet
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Chaim Schochet | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987 (age 36–37) |
| Education | B.A. Rabbinical College of America |
| Occupation(s) | real estate manager and development |
| Known for | Executive of Optima Ventures |
| Spouse | Rachel Schochet |
| Children | Three |
Chaim Schochet (born 1987) is an American real estate executive, developer, and manager at Optima Ventures, the largest holder of real estate in Downtown Cleveland.[1]
Early life
Schochet was born to a Jewish family in Miami Beach, Florida,[1] He attended the Rabbinical College of America in Miami, New York City, and Toronto where he graduated with a degree in Judaic studies in 2006.[1]
Optima
After spending a year in Singapore traveling and volunteering, he returned to Florida and accepted a job at Optima Ventures, a real estate investment firm 1/3 owned by Optima International of Miami (co-founded by Schochet's brother-in-law Mordechai "Motti" Korf and Uri Laber), and 2/3 owned by the principals of the Privat Group, one of Ukraine's largest business and banking groups.[1]
As investment executive of Optima Ventures, Schochet has presided over the acquisition of a number of properties in Cleveland, Ohio including 55 Public Square (purchased for $34 million);[2][3][4][5] and the Penton Media Building.[6] He has also made acquisitions outside of Cleveland such as the 2008 purchase of a former Motorola manufacturing facility in Harvard, Illinois.[7][8] As of 2012, Optima Ventures owned more than 5 million square feet of real estate in the United States[1] and was the largest holder of real estate in Downtown Cleveland surpassing Forest City Enterprises.[1] Schochet described himself as: "a long-term investor interested in any property that produces a healthy income."[9]
In 2019 a lawsuit was filed in Delaware charging Schochet with being the "front man" in a scheme with the Optima Management company which was accused in the lawsuit of "financial crimes and money laundering" involving "hundreds of millions of dollars worth of U.S. assets — including major real estate holding in downtown Cleveland."[10][11][12][13] In 2020, the FBI raided offices of Optima in Cleveland and Miami, in an ongoing investigation.[14][15]
Personal life
Schochet is a practitioner of Chabad Judaism.[1][16] He is married to Rachel Schechter; they have three children and live in Miami Beach.[1][17]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Cleveland Plain Dealer: "The most important guy you've never heard of: Chaim Schochet, 25, builds downtown Cleveland empire" By Michelle Jarboe McFee February 04, 2012
- ^ Blumberg Capital Partners: "Optima International Purchases More Cleveland Property", 2008
- ^ McFee, Michelle Jarboe (May 16, 2008). "One Cleveland Center sold for $86 million". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland Live LLC. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ Crain's Cleveland Business: "Huntington Building in downtown Cleveland sold to Florida's Optima International" By STAN BULLARD June 23, 2010
- ^ Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Optima could add Huntington Building to its downtown Cleveland portfolio" By Michelle Jarboe McFee March 29, 2010
- ^ Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Optima pays $46.5 million for Penton Media building in downtown Cleveland" By Michelle Jarboe McFee August 17, 2010
- ^ Chicago Tribune: "Motorola campus in Harvard has a buyer - Miami-based real estate investment firm looking at plans to lease shuttered facility" By Carolyn Starks and Jeff Long August 15, 2008
- ^ Daily Herald: "Miami firm buys former Motorola plant in Harvard" By Lenore T. Adkins Archived 2015-05-19 at the Wayback Machine August 14, 2008
- ^ "55 Public Square sells to buyer bullish on Cleveland", By Michelle Jarboe McFee], Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 10, 2008.
- ^ Ron Regan (August 4, 2020). "Company targeted in FBI raid in Downtown Cleveland embroiled in separate lawsuit alleging fraud; Delaware lawsuit alleges "financial crimes and money laundering"". WEWS.
- ^ CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7910, September 25, 2019
- ^ "VERIFIED COMPLAINT", May 21, 2019.
- ^ Molly Boigon (February 21, 2020). "They gave $25 million to Jewish nonprofits. Was some of that money laundered from Ukraine?". The Forward.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ Vos Iz Neias: "Cleveland, OH - Orthodox Man Builds Ohio Real Estate Empire" February 6, 2012
- ^ Col Live: "L'Chaim: Schochet - Schechter" April 20, 2010