Feeding Our Future: Juror bribe attempt leads to third guilty plea

5 indicted for Feeding Our Future juror bribery

Five people are facing federal charges for their alleged involvement in the attempted bribe of one of the jurors in the Feeding Our Future fraud trial.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Federal prosecutors secured another guilty plea for the attempted bribery of a jury member in the Feeding Our Future trial.

The latest man to plead guilty, Abdulkarim Farah, of Minneapolis, admitted to coordinating and facilitating an attempted bribery of Juror 52 during the first Feeding Our Future trial in 2024.

Feeding Our Future bribery guilty plea

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Court documents say five people are accused of trying to bribe Juror 52 with $120,000 for a not-guilty vote for defendants in the Feeding Our Future Trial.

Prosecutors accused Farah of conspiring with his brothers and other people to target the juror at her home and deliver the bribe.

Investigators determined that Farah "conducted surveillance of Juror 52 and Juror 52’s house" and removed a license plate from a rental car used to deliver the money, according to court documents.

Farah also recorded the delivery of the bribe money and deleted the Signal messaging app with the video on it after the incident was disclosed in court, authorities say.

Said Farah, Abdiaziz Farah, and Abimajid Nur, who were defendants in the initial trial, along with Abdulkarim Farah and Ali, face charges related to this bribery attempt. The jury in the original case was sequestered after the incident, and the bribed juror was dismissed.

Abdimajid Mohamed Nur pleaded guilty in July to attempted bribery and was also convicted on other Feeding Our Future crimes.

Ladan Ali, of Seattle, pleaded guilty shortly after the attempted bribe was discovered. She is the woman who delivered the bag of money and explained there would be more coming if the juror voted to acquit, court documents say.

Woman takes plea in Feeding our Future bribe

Ladan Mohamed Ali cried in federal court on Thursday as she took a plea for her role in the attempted bribe of a Feeding our Future juror.

Juror refuses bribe

What they're saying:

Authorities praised the actions of the juror for not taking the money and reporting the attempted bribe.

"The attempted bribery of Juror 52 is a shameful chapter in Minnesota history," said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick in a written statement. "Juror bribery strikes at the heart of the criminal justice system. It is unacceptable—in Minnesota and in the United States—and can never be repeated. In contrast to the reprehensible behavior of the defendants, I am grateful for Juror 52, who is the true hero of this story. Juror 52—who could not be corrupted and immediately alerted law enforcement—represents the best of Minnesota."

Prosecutor on bribe: 'Something out of a mob movie'

U.S. Attorney Andy Luger offered some scathing remarks as his office announced the arrest of five people in the attempted bribe of a Feeding Our Future trial juror.

An FBI agent who investigated the attempted bribery spoke to the significance of the crime and impact such actions have on the rule of law.

"Attempting to corrupt the judicial process through bribery strikes at the very foundation of our justice system," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate efforts to undermine the rule of law and the fair administration of justice."