Two of five individuals accused of attempting to bribe a Minnesota juror with $120,000 cash for the acquittal of defendants in a major COVID-19 fraud case pleaded not guilty. Said Shafii Farah and Abdulkarim Shafii Farah were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tony Leung in Minneapolis, who ordered their detention before trial due to the severe implications of their alleged actions on the judicial system. Defence attorneys argued for their release under certain conditions, citing strong community ties.

Court documents revealed an elaborate scheme where the accused researched the juror’s personal details on social media, conducted surveillance, tracked her routines and purchased a GPS device for her car. The FBI reported that the juror alerted police after Ali allegedly delivered a gift bag with $120,000 to her relative, promising more money for a vote to acquit. This led to the juror's dismissal from the case before deliberations. Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, and Ladan Mohamed Ali are also charged in the bribery case, with Abdiaziz facing additional obstruction of justice charges.

The bribery attempt has cast a spotlight on the trial of seven Minnesota defendants accused of embezzling over $40 million from a federal program intended to feed children during the pandemic. Authorities report that over $250 million was stolen in the scheme, with only $50 million recovered. The case has significantly impacted the local criminal justice system, raising concerns about the future conduct of jury trials in the district.