1y ago

Fraud trial juror reports getting bag of $120,000 and promise of more if she'll acquit

A juror was dismissed Monday after reporting that a woman dropped a bag of $120,000 in cash at her home and offered her more money if she would vote to acquit seven people charged with stealing more than $40 million from a program meant to feed children during the pandemic.

“This is completely beyond the pale,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said in court on Monday. “This is outrageous behavior. This is stuff that happens in mob movies.”

These seven are the first of 70 defendants expected to go to trial in a conspiracy that cost taxpayers $250 million. Eighteen others have pleaded guilty, and authorities said they recovered about $50 million in one of the nation’s largest pandemic-related fraud cases. Prosecutors say just a fraction of the money went to feed low-income kids, while the rest was spent on luxury cars, jewelry, travel and property.

During the trial that began in April, defense attorneys questioned the quality of the FBI’s investigation and suggested that this might be more of a case of record-keeping problems than fraud as these defendants sought to keep up with rapidly changing rules for the food aid program.

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1y ago

Get millions from the government earmarked for the poor, then spend it all fast and bribe the jurors.

apnews.com /article/minnesota-feeding-our-future-pandemic-fraud-73610b59bb60bf33f2aa06063bb592d2

40 comments

Plot twist... There was £250k in the bag when it was dropped off.
- I don’t see why she couldn’t take the money and get off the jury. It’s not like the briber is entitled to illegal money. At that point she could just make sure the money ends up where it needs to go.
  
  I guess the fear of people with those resources coming after you.
  
  Because that money belongs to someone, presumably the party that was defrauded.
  
  It’s needed as evidence in the attempting to bribe a juror case.
  
  Because receiving a bribe is a crime, regardless of whether you do what you’re being bribed to do.
  
  "I swear I only accepted it with every intention of giving it to kids who need food"
- The cops put all $60k in the evidence vault
This is outrageous, allright. You steal 40 mil from the kids and try to bribe me with 120k? Go straight to prison!
America has become such a shit show that a common moral act is seen as heroism.
- Coming forward about this IS heroism. That juror is in mortal danger. I am in no way exaggerating, anyone who would do this would kill to keep secrets.
  
  She's in less danger now that she's off the case and has already told everything she knows. Killing her might send a message to other jurors to shut up and keep their money but they could just as well assume they would be killed after the trial to leave no witnesses. So it doesn't really work. It would add to her credibility and more charges against them.
Not sure why they dismissed the juror. She was probably the only honest one who reported it. Give her a pat on the back and let her stay on, then grill the other jurors.
- She just moved from juror to witness.
- Dropped it off at her home, meaning the situation could plausibly go from bribery to extortion/threats
- It's because the juror is now a target for extortion/threats/etc... She's vulnerable.
  Also, the fact that they gave this money can prejudice her into making a judgment not based on the facts of the case itself.
  It's best if she's moved off the jury and becomes a witness instead. It ensures a fair trial.
120k is insulting.
If you steal 40mil, you’re staring down the barrel of losing 40mil plus your freedom.
Just breaking even (losing the 40mil) but keeping your freedom would be an amazing deal for you, but what’s your freedom worth?
I figure the overall payment has got to be something like 50mil to be fair. With at least a 5% down payment to show you’re serious, that’s 2.5mil.
- "Promise of more". Potentially amongst many jurors. In theory it's not just $120k.
  
  Your reasoning is solid, but I’m not sure I’d trust someone who steals and bribes to honour their word.
  Shit like this is why I always demand full payment up front. It’s just a shame I have no influence to garner bribes.
Another swing of the pick-axe to chip away at judicial reliability and faith in institutions.
This is America.
- This is the modern day world. That shit happens in a lot of countries (mostly in developing countries), including mine.
  The numbers of convicted related to COVID money in my country are almost reached a thousand, including some top government officials (and surprise, their relatives too).
  
  I’m glad to hear it, even if it’s sad it happens in the first place. Just can’t let people get away with it.
Buch of trump witnesses got cushy jobs and pay bumps too.
while the rest was spent on luxury cars, jewelry, travel and property.
funny how it's almost laughable to think about stealing a luxury car, with its GPS tracking, remote shut-off, spy cameras, etc. yet it's equally laughablly easy to steal millions of dollars from the government in order to buy those cars
Did the bag have $$ signs on them?
During the trial that began in April, defense attorneys questioned the quality of the FBI’s investigation and suggested that this might be more of a case of record-keeping problems than fraud as these defendants sought to keep up with rapidly changing rules for the food aid program.
The fact that they misplaced over $100k makes the whole case for them. They're obviously clumsy as shit at accounting. Not guilty!

40 comments