MINNEAPOLIS, MN – A juror was dismissed Monday from a high-profile fraud trial after claiming she was offered a bribe of $120,000 in cash to vote for the acquittal of seven defendants accused of embezzling over $40 million from a pandemic relief program designed to feed children.
“This is beyond the pale,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said in court. “This is outrageous behavior. This is stuff that happens in mob movies.”
The seven defendants are the first of 70 individuals expected to face trial in a conspiracy that allegedly cost taxpayers $250 million. Eighteen others have already pleaded guilty, and authorities have managed to recover approximately $50 million in what is considered one of the largest pandemic-related fraud cases in the nation. Prosecutors assert that only a small fraction of the stolen funds were used to feed low-income children, with the rest being spent on luxury cars, jewelry, travel, and real estate.
The 23-year-old juror reported that she handed over the bag of cash to police immediately. She stated that a woman had left the money with her father-in-law on Sunday, promising an additional payout if she voted to acquit the defendants.
Defense attorney Andrew Birrell described the situation as “a troubling and upsetting accusation.” Despite the disruption, U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel allowed the trial to proceed with closing arguments on Monday. She questioned the remaining 17 jurors and alternates, none of whom reported any unauthorized contact. Judge Brasel did not immediately decide on whether to sequester the jury or detain the defendants but ordered an FBI agent to confiscate their phones.
The fraudulent scheme involved funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, administered by the state Department of Education. Nonprofits and other partners were supposed to use the money to serve meals to children. Two of the implicated groups, Feeding Our Future and Partners in Nutrition, were small nonprofits before the pandemic but disbursed around $200 million each in 2021. Prosecutors allege these organizations produced fake invoices for meals that were never served, operated shell companies, laundered money, engaged in passport fraud, and accepted kickbacks.