By 1996, Yakov [her husband] was an accomplished cancer researcher and co-owned a computer company, ECI Technologies, with Rita. However, that year, Yakov filed for divorce; he claimed that Rita was abusive and spent too much money, while Rita asserted that Yakov was having an extramarital affair with a woman in Israel. Federal agents later asserted that Rita went to Israel to collect photos of Yakov with another woman, then used the photos and illegal phone taps to blackmail him. Police asserted that Rita feared a costly divorce and giving up control of ECI.