SAVAGE, Minn — FBI agents raided a home on Hampshire Ave. in Savage for a second time Wednesday morning as part of their ongoing investigation into an attempted $120,000 bribe offered to a juror in the Feeding our Future trial more than a week ago.
KARE 11 News was present as the FBI maintained control of the home Wednesday morning. Neighbors said police and other first responders were present earlier in the day.
The home is owned by Abdiaziz Farah, who was convicted Friday of 22 crimes including wire fraud, federal programs bribery, money laundering, conspiracy, and lying on a passport application. FBI agents first raided the home one week ago.
Prosecutors characterized him as the "ringleader" of the group of seven defendants tried together for their roles in $49 million worth of the $250 million overall federal child nutrition program fraud that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite returning a guilty verdict on the majority of charges, the jury fully acquitted Abdiaziz Farah's brother Said Farah, along with Said's business partner Abdiwahab Aftin.
Hours before the jury was set to begin deliberating on June 3, news of an attempted bribe rocked the case. On June 2, a Somali woman left a bag with $120,000 cash at the doorstep of one of the jurors and told the family member who answered the door that there would be more money after the juror voted “not guilty,” according to a search warrant affidavit. The woman referred to the juror by her first name, which is notable because the jurors’ names are not public information. Only the lawyers and defendants had access to that information.
Later in the week, one defendant's lawyer revealed that "jury lists" providing details of each potential juror were provided to each defendant and lawyer as part of the voir dire process. When the jury was selected, Judge Nancy Brasel ordered the parties to turn in the lists, but two of them were not collected.
Abdiaziz Farah and the other four defendants convicted remain jailed in Sherburne County. Said Farah and Aftin were released after their not-guilty verdicts.
The home on Hampshire Lane was purchased by Abdiaziz Farah in 2021 using money he stole as part of the Feeding our Future scheme, according to prosecutors.
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