Federal authorities are investigating after a juror in a federal trial over an alleged pandemic relief fraud scheme told police she was given $120,000 cash in an attempted bribe to acquit the defendants, according to court documents.
Seven people are on trial in connection with what federal prosecutors called the largest pandemic relief fraud scheme to date. They are accused of taking part in a $250 million fraud scheme through the Minnesota nonprofit Feeding Our Future that allegedly exploited funds from a federal child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic to purchase big-ticket items like luxury cars and houses.
The cash in the alleged bribery attempt was delivered on Sunday, a day before closing arguments in the trial in Minneapolis federal court were set to conclude, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in connection with the case.