Feeding our Future pandemic fraud trial sends 2nd juror home

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul covers an unprecedented moment in the Feeding Our Future pandemic fraud trial, where jury tampering allegations have disrupted proceedings as jurors deliberate accusations against seven defendants in what the station describes as a massive, widespread fraud scheme.

According to FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, bags containing $120,000 in cash were left for a juror on Sunday night in an alleged attempt to encourage a not guilty verdict. The station reports that the targeted juror was a 23-year-old woman, who was dismissed Monday morning and replaced by an alternate. The cash is now evidence in a new federal investigation into attempted bribery and jury tampering, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul notes.

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reports that the remaining jurors were immediately sequestered following the incident to prevent further tampering attempts and to shield them from information about the bribery attempt that could prejudice their deliberations. However, the station alleges that on Tuesday morning, a 25-year-old juror admitted to hearing about the attempted bribe from a family member and was also dismissed and replaced.

The seven defendants are collectively accused of stealing nearly $50 million in federal money, according to FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul. The station reports that all seven were taken into custody Monday and booked, with the reasoning that only the defendants and their lawyers would know juror identities by the end of the trial.

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul emphasizes the extraordinary rarity of this situation. The station interviewed Kevin Burke, the former chief judge of Hennepin County, who told FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul he had never heard of an attempted bribery of a juror in Minnesota. According to the station, Burke characterized such incidents as “less than rare,” noting that while some historical examples exist in mob cases, attempted juror bribery is virtually unheard of in Minnesota. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul also consulted Judge Jeremy Fogel, former director of the Federal Judicial Center in Washington, DC, with 30 years on the bench, who told the station this situation “never arose in any of my jury trials, nor did I hear of anything similar from my colleagues.”

Former U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Tom Heffelfinger told FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul that this represents “a very unusual and dangerous situation” and predicted federal charges in connection with the bribery attempt. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul notes that the jury continued deliberating through Tuesday without reaching a verdict, with jurors facing the substantial task of reviewing testimony and evidence from a trial that began in late April with 24 days of proceedings, plus voting on 41 combined charges across seven defendants.

In FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul’s Own Words

“Bags of cash left for a juror Sunday night, $120,000 in 150 and 20s are now evidence in a new federal investigation of attempted bribery and jury tampering.”

“I’ve never heard of an instance of an attempted bribe of a juror in Minnesota.”

“This is a very unusual and dangerous situation and will be fully investigated by federal authorities.”