Feeding our Future: Juror bribery attempt leads to guilty plea
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A woman from Seattle charged with delivering a bribe to a juror in an attempt to secure a not-guilty verdict in the Feeding our Future trial has pleaded guilty, reversing a previous plea to fight the charges.
What we know
In June 2024, Ladan Mohamed Ali pleaded not guilty in federal court after being charged, along with five other people, as part of a conspiracy to bribe a juror with $120,000, in exchange for returning a not-guilty verdict. Ali lives in Seattle, Washington, and was flown in to deliver the money.
Said Farah, Abdiaziz Farah, and Abimajid Nur, who were defendants in the initial trial, along with Abdulkarim Farah and Ali, all faced charges related to the bribery attempt as well.
Two jurors were dismissed from the Feeding our Future federal trial following the "unprecedented" bribe attempt – an act that has drawn comparisons to the mafia, and Jimmy Hoffa. After the plan was foiled, the money was taken into evidence, and a federal investigation was launched into attempted bribery and jury tampering.
The remaining jurors were sequestered to prevent further attempts or any prejudicial influence.
The jury ultimately delivered a split verdict, convicting five defendants on most charges while acquitting two others of collectively stealing nearly $50 million in federal money as part of the larger Feeding Our Future scheme.
On Thursday, Ali pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a jury, which carries a potential maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The sentencing guideline for the offense ranges from 57 to 71 months.
As part of the process, she waived the right to a jury trial. She also testified that no one had forced her to agree to the plea, or made any promises to her either.
A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Plan changed
During the plea hearing in Minneapolis on Thursday, new details emerged about Ali’s doubts about being paid for her efforts, and how she constructed a new plan to steal some of the bribery money for herself.
Ali testified before Judge David S. Doty that the initial plan was to bribe Juror 52 in exchange for the not-guilty verdict, for which she would be paid $150,000 for her part.
However, she began to worry whether she would be paid once the act was done.
According to Ali, on June 1, 2024, she lied and told Abimajid Nur that she had met the juror in a bar, and that they would take the bribe in exchange for $500,000. Nur allegedly agreed to raise the money among the co-defendants.
On June 2, Ali and Nur met in a Bloomington parking lot, and Nur handed her $200,000 in a card box, which was then placed in Hallmark gift bags to be delivered.
As part of the plan, Abdulkarim Farah — who was originally only supposed to record the delivery — insisted on driving Ali instead as part of an effort to prevent her from taking it all.
Later that evening, around 8:50 p.m., Ali approached the juror's home and delivered the bribery money that was later turned over to police.
In the bag was $120,000 of the $200,000 that was supposed to be given to the juror — Ali kept the remaining $80,000 for herself.
An emotional Ali, oftentimes wiping away tears, testified on Thursday that, "From the beginning, I wanted to take full responsibility for my actions."
Ladan Ali leaving the Federal Courthouse in Minneapolis on Sept. 5, 2024.
Feeding our Future fraud
The Feeding our Future program has amounted to one of the largest COVID-19 fraud schemes that took at least $250 million from a federal child nutrition program intended to help feed children during the pandemic.
In September 2022, authorities announced charges against 47 people in connection to the Feeding Our Future scheme, including founder Aimee Bock. Trials for those charged with crimes related to the fraud, including conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery are expected to continue into 2025.
The scandal has had a significant impact on Minnesota politics, with Republicans demanding accountability from the Walz administration and the Department of Education.