Two kosher butchers have admitted to doctoring non-kosher meat and selling it to Jewish institutions for “years,” German newspaper Juedische Allgemeine reported earlier this week, during proceedings against them in the Frankfurt District Court. 

Leslie W., 48, and his partner Akiwa H., 56, are being tried for fraud after they sold more than 88,000 pounds of non-kosher meat to Jewish schools, individuals, and institutions claiming the meat as “kosher.”

To doctor the meat, the two admitted they bought beef cuts from discount supermarket Metro and then removed the veins and soaked it in saltwater. 

While the meat appeared kosher – kosher meat is always salted – the beef had not been slaughtered according to ritual slaughter laws.

Regardless, the beef was sold labelled as “kosher” at a high markup. The two said that the sausages, at least, were always kosher, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 

The now-bankrupt Aviv kosher butchery was estimated to have made more than $710,000 in profit from the sales. It was busted in 2012, however, after investigations were launched into the fact that it allegedly sold more meat than it bought. 

During the proceedings, Akiwa asked for forgiveness. 

“I want to ask the forgiveness of everyone whose religious sensibilities were wounded,” he stated. 

Leslie added that he “deeply regretted” his role in the fraud.