Breaking: Juror Dismissed After Mob-like Bribery Attempt in Biggest U.S. Pandemic-Era Fraud Scheme Trial Involving 67+ 'Prominent' Muslims and the Democrat Party

See RAIR Foundation’s original detailed report on the Feeding Our Future scheme here

In a dramatic and alarming development, a juror in the Feeding Our Future federal fraud trial was abruptly dismissed. This case, being actively suppressed by mainstream media, took a shocking turn when a woman arrived at the juror’s home on Sunday. The woman offered a bag containing $120,000 in cash and promised a second bag if the juror voted to acquit the defendants.

This case involves over 67 prominent Muslims and 23 nonprofits, the majority of whom are migrants in Minnesota, who were arrested in the biggest U.S. pandemic-era fraud scheme. It involves more than $250 million in federal funds meant to feed needy children. This latest incident at the trial, which mimics mob-like tactics, reveals the gravity and reach of the alleged scheme and the lengths to which those involved are willing to go to avoid justice.

Bribery Attempt Shocks Legal Proceedings

The 23-year-old juror was not home at the time, but the woman left the bag with the juror’s father-in-law, who was instructed to pass along the offer. The juror immediately reported the incident to Spring Lake Park police and turned over the cash to law enforcement. “This is completely beyond the pale,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said in court. “This is outrageous behavior. This is stuff that happens in mob movies.”

With the juror out of the courtroom, Thompson revealed in open court that a woman in a Mazda drove to the juror’s home in Spring Lake Park, left a bag of cash with her father-in-law, and said, “There’ll be another bag tomorrow” if she voted to acquit the seven defendants. The juror wasn’t home at the time, called 911, and the money was left at her home until the FBI could retrieve it on Monday.

Even the defense attorneys were stunned by the shocking turn of events. “It’s a troubling and upsetting accusation,” defense attorney Andrew Birrell said in court.

The bribery attempt has prompted U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel to order the confiscation of the defendants’ phones and consider whether to detain them or sequester the jury. The trial, now in its seventh week, is the first in a broader fraud case that prosecutors have called one of the largest pandemic fraud schemes in the country.

The Broader Fraud Scheme

The Feeding Our Future scandal, which was previously reported at RAIR Foundation, has revealed how over 70 prominent Islamic migrant figures, many with deep ties to the Democratic Party and government, allegedly embezzled millions of dollars from federal child nutrition programs. These funds, intended to provide nutritious meals to underprivileged children, were instead funneled into personal luxuries such as lavish homes, high-end cars, and even a beach resort in Kenya.

Federal authorities uncovered that over $250 million was stolen from programs designed to feed needy children in Minnesota. The defendants, almost exclusively Islamic immigrants, exploited the Federal Child Nutrition Program, which was intended to provide nutritious food to underserved children, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Figures and Allegations

The case involves 70 defendants, with recent indictments bringing the total number of individuals charged to 70. Among the notable defendants are Aimee Marie Bock, 41, of Apple Valley, the founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future, who is accused of overseeing the fraud scheme; Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 39, of Burnsville, who allegedly solicited and received bribes and kickbacks from sites Feeding Our Future sponsored and is believed to have fled to Mogadishu, Somalia; Abdi Nur Salah, 34, a former senior policy aide to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey; and Mohamed Noor, a prominent community journalist and owner of Xogmaal Media Group. The defendants and many of their nonprofits are accused of creating numerous shell companies to launder money, submitting rosters of fictitious children, and inflating meal claims to siphon off federal funds.

The seven defendants currently on trial — Said Shafii Farah, Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, Mohamed Jama Ismail, Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, Abdiwahab Maalim Aftin, Mukhtar Mohamed Shariff, and Hayat Mohamed Nur — are connected to a Shakopee restaurant, Empire Cuisine & Market. They are accused of receiving over $40 million in federal reimbursements for 18 million meals distributed at 50 food sites across Minnesota.

Said Shafii Farah

• Age: 40
• Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Charges: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
• Details: Brother of Abdiaziz Shafii Farah. Owned Bushra Wholesalers LLC, a shell company used to launder fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Abdiaziz Shafii Farah

• Age: 33
• Location: Savage, Minnesota
• Role: Owner and operator of Empire Cuisine and Market LLC.
• Charges: Arrested and charged with making a false statement on a passport application after applying for a new one. FBI agents raided his home in January and seized his passport. He pleaded not guilty.
• Details: Empire Cuisine and Market LLC received more than $28 million.

Mohamed Jama Ismail

• Age: 49
• Location: Savage, Minnesota
• Role: Owner and operator of Empire Cuisine and Market LLC.
• Charges: He was arrested at the airport before a flight to Nairobi, Kenya, and pleaded guilty in July to making false statements when applying for a new passport after FBI agents seized his passport.

Abdimajid Mohamed Nur

• Age: 21
• Location: Shakopee, Minnesota
• Role: Created Nur Consulting LLC.
• Charges: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
• Details: Nur Consulting LLC received and laundered Federal Child Nutrition Program funds from Empire Cuisine and Market, ThinkTechAct, and other entities involved in the scheme.

Abdiwahab Maalim Aftin

• Age: 32
• Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Role: Owned Bushra Wholesalers LLC.
• Charges: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
• Details: Bushra Wholesalers LLC was a shell company used to launder fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Mukhtar Mohamed Shariff

• Age: 31
• Location: Bloomington, Minnesota
• Role: Chief executive officer of Afrique Hospitality Group.
• Charges: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
• Details: Afrique Hospitality Group was a shell company used to fraudulently obtain and launder Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Hayat Mohamed Nur

• Age: 25
• Location: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
• Role: Sister of Abdimajid Nur.
• Charges: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
• Details: Participated in the scheme by creating and submitting fraudulent meal count sheets, attendance rosters, and invoices.

Media Silence and Political Connections

Despite the involvement of high-profile figures, left-wing media outlets have been silent. Critics argue that this lack of coverage is an attempt to downplay the involvement of prominent figures and the government’s role in the scandal. The defendants have deep ties to the Democratic Party, with some being significant donors and others holding influential positions. This political connection has raised questions about the impartiality and transparency of the media in covering such a significant fraud case.

The Feeding Our Future fraud case not only highlights extensive corruption but also reveals mafia-like tactics employed to obstruct justice. The attempted bribery of a juror brings into light the lengths to which the defendants are willing to go to evade accountability. The media blackout on this case, despite its magnitude, once again calls into question the integrity and bias of mainstream journalism, emphasizing the need for independent journalism.