The head of an organization that assists bnei yeshivah in dealing with Israel’s military authorities warned Wednesday night that attorneys and self-described fixers are exploiting the distress of yeshivah students and their families, charging large sums of money while often leaving the bochurim in even greater legal jeopardy.

Speaking on Kol Chai Radio’s Tzav Ma’atzar program, Rabbi Chaim Karelitz, director-general of Ezram U’Maginam, revealed that approximately 48 chareidi bochurim are currently being held in military prison.

According to Karelitz, six of those detainees were arrested Tuesday at military induction offices, while another was detained on Highway 6.

Karelitz said his organization, which has been at the forefront of assisting bnei yeshivah dealing with military authorities, has seen an alarming increase in cases involving lawyers and intermediaries who promise to resolve draft-related issues in exchange for substantial fees.

Rather than helping, he warned, many of these individuals ultimately complicate the bochurim‘s legal status, increasing the likelihood of arrest.

He cited a case that came to the organization’s attention earlier that day involving a bochur who had hired one of these intermediaries to handle his military status. Instead of resolving the matter, the young man ultimately found himself behind bars.

“We are dealing with a situation where the army operates according to regulations,” Karelitz explained. “Once the draft date has passed and officials determine that the documentation is insufficient, they automatically place the individual under arrest.”

Karelitz described the problem as widespread.

“There are lawyers and other people looking to make money off individuals who are under tremendous stress and panic,” he said. “They circulate throughout the yeshivah world and charge close to 10,000 shekels from each bochur.”

He further claimed that nearly 90 percent of those arrested since the current wave of detentions began had either paid or “fallen into the trap” of attorneys or unauthorized intermediaries.

According to Karelitz, some of these individuals have even established referral networks inside yeshivos, paying bochurim to recruit additional clients.

He recounted one case involving a Jerusalem yeshivah, where the arrest of one bochur led to the discovery that approximately 30 other bochurim at the same institution were already in the process of working with the same intermediary.

“We stopped it,” Karelitz said.

The radio program concluded with a warning to parents and bnei yeshivah not to seek assistance from unauthorized individuals or be persuaded by promises from those presenting themselves as problem-solvers.

The host announced that Karelitz will return to the program next week to explain how families can avoid falling victim to such schemes while navigating issues involving the military authorities.