Juror in Feeding Our Future trial dismissed after alleged bribery attempt

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reports on a stunning turn in one of the country’s largest pandemic fraud cases. According to the video, the Feeding Our Future trial—in which seven defendants stand accused of allegedly stealing $40 million from a federal program designed to feed hungry children during the pandemic—was disrupted by an alleged bribery attempt targeting a juror.

According to FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, during the seventh week of the trial, a 23-year-old female juror reported receiving an unexpected delivery at her home on Sunday night. The video states that a woman handed a gift bag to a relative at the juror’s house, claiming it was a present for the juror who was not home at the time. When the relative brought the bag inside, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reports, he discovered it contained $120,000 in cash.

In the video, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul claims the woman instructed the relative to tell the juror to “say not guilty tomorrow” and promised there would be more money to follow. The juror, according to the report, immediately called 911 when she returned home and surrendered the cash to police.

Following this alleged bribery attempt, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reports that the judge excused the juror from the trial. The judge then questioned the remaining 17 jurors and alternates; according to the video, none reported having conversations with anyone about the case. In response to the alleged misconduct, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul states the judge took extraordinary measures: the defendants were ordered to surrender their phones and remain detained, and the jury was sequestered for the duration of the trial.

According to FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, prosecutors described the alleged bribery attempt as “outrageous behavior,” with one prosecutor noting that “this stuff happens in mob movies.” The video notes that these seven defendants are the first to stand trial among 70 people charged with defrauding the federal meal reimbursement program.

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reports that prosecutors allege the defendants fraudulently claimed reimbursements from a program meant to help schools, daycares, and nonprofits provide meals to needy children. According to the video, prosecutors claim only 10 percent of the allegedly stolen funds were spent on food, while the defendants allegedly used the remainder to purchase lakefront property, luxury cars, and jewelry.

Despite the dramatic interruption, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reports that the trial continued, with defense attorneys for three of the defendants presenting closing arguments to the jury. This incident underscores the high stakes and contentious nature of the case, highlighting concerns about the integrity of the judicial process in what prosecutors have characterized as one of the largest pandemic fraud schemes in the nation.

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

“A woman handed this gift bag to a relative at her house Sunday night, saying it was a present for the juror who wasn’t home at the time.”

“The woman also told the relative to tell the juror to say not guilty tomorrow, and there would be more of that present tomorrow.”

“One of the prosecutors called it outrageous behavior and said, this stuff happens in mob movies.”