Rahamim “Rami” Shy, a 46-year-old senior advisor from former President Barack Obama’s administration, has been apprehended in the United Kingdom for possessing “indecent images of children.” Recently, Shy made an appearance in a British court where he faced charges related to child sex offenses.
During his tenure, Shy held a prominent position within the Obama administration and closely collaborated with then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. His responsibilities included coordinating the United States government’s efforts to combat terrorism from Al Qaeda and the Taliban. However, court documents have now revealed that Shy stands accused of “arranging the commission of a child sex offense.” UK authorities have stated that Shy allegedly paid pedophiles to produce child pornography, specifically for his own consumption.
He is also charged with “possession of two category C indecent images of children” and “possessing a prohibited image of a child.” Shy, a resident of New Jersey and a citizen of the United States, was apprehended by Bedfordshire Police in England in late February. The following day, he was formally accused of committing abhorrent crimes related to child exploitation.
On Friday, Shy made a virtual appearance at Luton Crown Court from HMP Bedford prison. During the court session, he was attired in a tracksuit provided by the prison, which was colored grey. No plea was requested from him regarding any of the charges, and he was detained in custody until a hearing scheduled for June.
Until recently, Shy held a prominent position as an executive at the banking institution Citi. His specific role within the company was identified as the Deputy Head of Enterprise Issue Management.
Prior to his employment at Citi, Shy served in a senior capacity at the U.S. Treasury Department during the tenure of President Obama, spanning from 2008 to 2014. During this time, he was entrusted with the responsibility of advising government officials on strategies to combat the financing of terrorism. Additionally, Shy provided assistance to foreign governments in implementing sanctions against hostile regimes.
In addition to serving as a senior adviser to the late U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke, who worked under the last three Democrat presidents, Shy also offered strategic policy analysis to chiefs of staff at the U.S. Department of Defense. He was sent to Afghanistan to provide his expertise to the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which was established to maintain stability after the American-led invasion of the country.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Shy provided the ISAF with his knowledge in counter-terrorist finance. Furthermore, he had the opportunity to present America’s strategy on Afghanistan during a congressional hearing in 2010. Prior to his professional career, Shy pursued his education at Rutgers University in New Jersey and later studied international security policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in New York. A spokesperson from Citi confirmed that Shy is no longer employed at the banking group. It is worth noting that Shy is scheduled to stand trial in August.
