Shocking downfall of LA synagogue leader with deep Hollywood ties... as interior designer wife leaves him after blasphemous secret lifestyle was discovered

By MARJORIE HERNANDEZ, US WEST COAST NEWS EDITOR Published: 00:56, 16 July 2026 | Updated: 00:57, 16 July 2026 A former executive director at one of Los Angeles's oldest synagogues is now facing accusations that he embezzled from the well-known house of worship to fuel his alleged substance and gambling addictions. Eric Nicastro served as the top executive for Adat Ari El for 11 years, earning $215,000 a year by the time he left the position in 2025.  He and his interior designer wife, Jessica Alpert, were popular among the synagogue's roughly 800 member households – an affluent community in Valley Village that counted Hollywood names including The West Wing's Joshua Malina and The Big Bang Theory's Mayim Bialik as supporters of Adat's community programs. But last year, Nicastro's life quickly unraveled.  Alpert filed for divorce in April, and by July, during an intense Zoom meeting, a cornered Nicastro allegedly admitted to his colleagues he was a 'sick person' plagued by drug and gambling addictions, according to a police warrant obtained by the Daily Mail. Now, Nicastro and his wife are under investigation for allegedly submitting fraudulent invoices for services and expenses, and pocketing funds reimbursed by the synagogue, according to a lawsuit.  Nicastro and Alpert have not been charged with any crime. In the 20-page civil complaint, Adat Ari El officials alleged Nicastro breached his contract by misappropriating $300,000 to $400,000 in Adat's money, assets and property 'for his and his family's personal benefit.' Eric Nicastro, a former top executive for Adat Ari El synagogue in Los Angeles, is under investigation for fraud Jessica Alpert, Nicastro ex-wife and a noted interior designer in Los Angeles 'Moreover, Eric Nicastro also stole $15,000 in cash which was held in Adat's safe to which Mr Nicastro had sole access,' according to the complaint. 'When another employee discovered the theft, Eric Nicastro stated that he would call the police to investigate this theft. 'He never did. Adat is informed and believes and thereon alleges that Eric Nicastro perpetrated other fraudulent schemes against Adat which are currently under investigation.' The lawsuit filed by Adat officials claimed Alpert should also be held liable because she allegedly received proceeds of Nicastro's embezzlement schemes. 'Some of the proceeds from these thefts were deposited into Eric Nicastro and Jessica Alpert's community property checking account and thereafter spent for the benefit of the community,' the complaint read. Alpert, who is a celebrated interior designer in LA, has filed a crossclaim against her ex-husband. She has denied all the allegations against her and stated in her filing that she was never an Adat employee. Alpert further argued that under their divorce judgement, she is protected from any legal liabilities connected to her former husband's employment. The Daily Mail has reached out to Alpert and her attorneys for comment. According to a police report obtained by the Daily Mail, officials at the conservative synagogue told detectives that they believe Nicastro had been creating fake invoices for synagogue expenses and pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars during his stint as executive director from 2017 to 2025. Nicastro was making about $215,000 per year before he left Adat in 2025, according to the report. Officials who handled the finances for Adat told detectives they noticed Nicastro was 'consistently non-compliant' with providing proper invoices and was even flagged around November of 2024, according to the lawsuit. When Nicastro went on medical leave in April 2025, senior staff, along with Senior Rabbi Brian Schuldenfrei and the First Vice President Melinda Marcus, discussed how to handle day-to-day operations while Nicastro was absent. The Daily Mail reached out to Schuldenfrei for comment.  Adat administrators decided that Nicastro's emails would be forwarded to various staff members in administrative personnel to keep operations going. The West Wing's Joshua Malina and The Big Bang Theory's Mayim Bialik, who have both been involved with the synagogue Adat Ari El, which boasts 800 member households and is the oldest synagogue in Valley Village, California Instead, what they uncovered was years of Nicastro's alleged scheme to bilk the congregation out out of more than $2.5 million, according to the lawsuit. In one instance, Nicastro allegedly sent an $85,000 invoice for a vendor called Zoom Recreation, which manufactures playground equipment. However, according to Adat staff, Zoom Recreation never had an order from the synagogue. The report goes on to claim other invoices allegedly created by Nicastro showed purchases for equipment, chairs, materials for a playground and services from other vendors that were all fraudulent. Meanwhile, Nicastro allegedly pocketed all the reimbursements, the police report said. According to the search warrant, when Adat staff and officials finally confronted Nicastro during a July 20, 2025, Zoom meeting, Nicastro allegedly replied, 'Oh, I didn't think it was that much. It couldn't have been. I'm a sick person.' When he was further questioned, the former executive director allegedly said, 'Let me just stop you. I'm a sick person. I've done things I'm not proud of.' According to the police report, Nicastro allegedly told the Adat staff that he has an addiction to gambling, drugs and alcohol. He allegedly told Adat officials that he wanted an accurate accounting completed because he 'wanted to do right by the community.' Nicastro, however, never reached out after that and instead submitted his resignation on July 25, 2025, according to detectives. Nicastro's stint as executive director at Adat was welcomed by many in the congregation, but his tenure was not without challenges Adat officials also claim Nicastro transferred the ownership of his and his ex-wife's marital home to Alpert in an alleged attempt to 'hinder, delay or defraud' his creditors, according to the lawsuit.  They asked the judge to order a pause on the transfer of funds and other assets in Nicastro and Alpert's divorce while they litigate Adat's claims against the former couple. Alpert filed for divorce and listed their date of separation as September 13, 2025 – almost two months after Nicastro resigned from Adat. The former couple, who were married for 14 years and have two children, finalized their divorce quickly on April 15, according to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail. They agreed on joint legal custody of the children with Alpert keeping primary physical custody. As part of the settlement, Nicastro was ordered not to consume alcohol, narcotics or any other restricted drugs except for prescription within 24 hours prior to his time with the children. He is also required to take a breathalyzer test before, during and after each visitation period, according to their settlement agreement. Nicastro allegedly said he has an addiction to gambling, drugs and alcohol, according to the police report At the time when both agreed to the divorce settlement, Nicastro was still undergoing treatment for substance abuse, according to the court documents. The Daily Mail has reached out to Nicastro for comment. Nicastro's stint as executive director at Adat was welcomed by many in the congregation, but his tenure was not without challenges. In 2018, some members of the conservative congregation were surprised by Nicastro's introduction of a 'sustainability model' for the synagogue's membership structure. Nicastro introduced a 'give-what-you-can' model, which replaced the traditional 22 levels of membership that were based on several factors including marital status and age. The Jewish Journal reported the change was a 'radical move' seen as Nicastro's way to offset the steady drop of membership in the synagogue over the past decade. 'One of the reasons I was selected is I came in with this idea of what synagogues were like in LA, and really around the country, and the antiquated model of membership dues and not being accessible,' he told the publication. 'It's expensive being Jewish. Finances become this massive roadblock.'