A jury member reportedly proposed over $120,000 for an acquittal in a continuous federal fraud trial, according to the FBI.
A member of the jury has been removed from the trial of 7 individuals linked to Feeding Our Future, an organisation believed to have plundered around $250 million from federal child nutrition programs. This step was taken following a reported bribery attempt that happened approximately a week ago.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune and KARE 11 News revealed the expulsion of another juror on Tuesday, who was then replaced by an alternate.
As per an FBI affidavit, a female relative received the bribe at the juror's house. She was instructed to tell Juror #52 to issue a 'not guilty' verdict the following day and informed that there would be more money if they followed through. The man who bribed the juror used their first name.
The affidavit mentions: "While the general public couldn't access the personal details of jurors, the prosecutors' team, defendants' legal team, and the seven defendants on trial did have access to this information."
The FBI released pictures showing numerous piles of cash, including $20, $50, and $100 bills, held together by rubber bands and put in a fabric shopping bag adorned with flowers and butterflies.
Juror #52 has not been charged with any crime and immediately called the police after receiving the money bag, according to FBI Special Agent Travis Wilmer.
No specific defendants have been named in relation to the bribe, but the FBI gained a search warrant for their mobile phones. After learning about the allegations, Judge Nancy Brasel directed that the 7 defendants in the trial be kept in custody without bond and separated the remaining jurors, as mentioned by the Star-Tribune.
The lawyers for all the defendants vehemently denounced the claims, as reported by Sahan Journal. Defense attorney Andrew Birrell stated, "The accusation that a juror was approached this way is completely outrageous - it's un-American."
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The FBI is investigating whether any other jurors were targeted after the expulsion of Juror #52, who is a part of the trial involving several defendants. Despite the bribery attempt against them, the defendants maintain their innocence and strongly deny any wrongdoing.
