Juror dismissed in $250M fraud trial after $120K bribe arrived at her door in a sack adorned with flowers and butterflies
A juror in a high-profile Minneapolis fraud trial was dismissed from duty after a Hallmark gift bag containing $120,000 cash showed up at her home, complete with a note promising even more money if she voted to acquit.
“This is completely beyond the pale,�US Attorney Joseph Thompson ripped the corruption attempt in court Monday. “This is outrageous behavior. This is stuff that happens in mob movies.�/p>
The would-be bribe was dropped off at Juror 52’s home Sunday evening, a few hours before the jury was scheduled to be in court to hear closing arguments in the case.
She was not home at the time, but immediately reported the sketchy delivery to police.
The woman’s father-in-law, who was at the house when the bag was dropped off, identified the courier as a woman of Somali descent, according to the .
An FBI affidavit said the Hallmark gift bag the juror received was stuffed with rolls of $20, $50 and $100 bills, with a note reading “This is for Juror 52,”  reported.
“Tell her there will be another bag for her if she votes to acquit.”
The seven defendants — all of whom are East African —Â were arrested and led out of the courtroom in handcuffs after the attempted bribe came to light.
They stand accused of being part of a sprawling conspiracy that defrauded taxpayers out of nearly $250 million in ill-gotten pandemic relief funds.
The alleged scheme was run under the guise of Minneapolis nonprofit Feeding Our Future, which is accused of stealing more than $40 million in funds earmarked for feeding hungry children during the pandemic.
As the trial was getting underway Monday, the remaining 17 jurors and alternates were quizzed over whether anybody had tried to bribe them.
Nobody said they had, but US District Judge Nancy Brasel still ordered the jury sequestered for the rest of the trial.
The defendants are just the first of the 70 other alleged co-conspirators expected to stand trial in the case.
