Speaking at a conference of the Liba Center, an organization dedicated to strengthening the Jewish character of Eretz Yisroel, Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef explained why he adamantly refuses to allow town rabbonim to deal with conversions.
“Perhaps you do not know, but I know that there was a rabbi who received $5,000 for converting someone and another rabbi also, one from central Israel and one from the north. This happened many years ago… People bribe town and community rabbis. They have gabboim, they have associates. They talk the rabbi around and he converts people contrary to halacha.”
He added that a certain Los Angeles rabbi received $250,000 to convert a wealthy woman after which she moved to Israel and wanted her conversion officially recognized.
{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Making-the-case-for-the-Chief-Rabbinate-501088