(JTA) -- A Jewish billionaire who heads a branch of the World Jewish Congress was among 14 businessmen and underage prostitutes arrested on a yacht in Turkey. Alexander Mashkevitch, born in 1954, heads the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress. He is a citizen of Kazakhstan and Israel.
The arrests came in late September after a tip to Turkish authorities that the luxury boat was being used for illegal purposes, The Los Angeles Times reported. The Turkish government, which had leased out the yacht, has repossessed it.
The yacht once belonged to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.
Turkish authorities say they have documents proving that Mashkevitch paid up front to rent the yacht for five days and that the prostitutes were on board, Ynet reported. The boat reportedly was rented out regularly as part of a sex-trade scheme in which passengers would pay several thousand dollars for one night on board.
Some commentators reportedly are saying that the scandal besmirches Ataturk's name, which is a punishable offense.
