jta.org | The alleged procurer in the prostitution scandal surrounding New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer has an Israeli passport.

A federal magistrate in New York ordered Mark “Michael” Brener held without bail after his arrest March 6 related to allegations that he headed the Emperors VIP Club, described by police as a high-priced prostitution ring.

The Associated Press reported that $600,000 in cash and an Israeli passport were elements in denying bail to Brener, 62. Brener’s lawyer said he has been a U.S. citizen for 20 years.

The New York Times reported that Spitzer, once seen as a strong candidate to be the first Jewish president, is the “Client 9” described in the search warrant that led to the arrests of Brener and four alleged colleagues.

Spitzer, whose office conducted serious investigations of at least two Jewish organizations when he was state attorney general, made a brief statement to the media Monday admitting he had let down his family and the public. He did not offer any details.