A federal court handed down an extra 120 months for Abdiaziz Shafii Farah after he tried to buy a jury verdict in the sprawling $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud case, with prosecutors and multiple agencies stressing that attempts to corrupt jurors will be met with severe consequences.
Another defendant tied to the multi-state Feeding Our Future fraud scheme has been punished for trying to pervert the trial process. Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 37, received a 120 months’ imprisonment sentence for attempting to bribe a federal juror during his 2024 fraud trial. The judge imposed the sentence in St. Paul on July 22, 2026, underscoring both criminal penalties and the integrity risk posed by jury tampering.
Farah had already been sentenced on August 6, 2025 for his part in exploiting a federally funded child nutrition program as part of the larger scheme. Court filings describe quick-moving attempts to influence the jury: after jury selection in the 2024 trial, Farah and several associates allegedly conspired to buy a not-guilty verdict. Named in the filings are Ladan Mohamed Ali, Abdulkarim Shafii Farah, Said Shafii Farah, and Abdimajid Mohamed Nur.
Prosecutors and investigators laid out a deliberate pattern of conduct aimed at a single juror, including online research, surveillance of the juror’s residence, and tracking of daily movements. “Tampering with a juror is an assault on the integrity of the courts and the foundation of our democracy,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Authorities say the plan escalated from coordination to a cash delivery meant to secure an acquittal.
According to the case timeline, on June 2, 2024, a bag containing $120,000 in cash was delivered to the juror’s home with a promise of additional funds if the juror voted to acquit. The juror promptly reported the bribery attempt to law enforcement, triggering immediate court and investigative action. The day after the delivery, the court ordered Farah to surrender his phone, but he had already performed a factory reset, attempting to erase evidence.
FBI and federal partners framed the sentence as a warning against efforts to corrupt trials. “Today’s sentencing highlights the seriousness of attempting to corrupt the justice system. Abdiaziz Farah was already serving a significant sentence for defrauding the Federal Child Nutrition Program, and this additional conviction shows that efforts to bribe a jury will be met with firm consequences,” said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Benni Jonsson, who is in charge of the FBI Minneapolis Criminal Branch. “The FBI, along with federal prosecutors, will continue pursuing accountability for those charged in this case and anyone who attempts to undermine the integrity of our judicial process.”
Other federal investigators emphasized the broader betrayal involved when public funds and public trust are abused. “Abdiaziz Farah had already been held accountable for stealing from a program meant to feed children, yet he still chose to recruit others to help corrupt the justice system by bribing a juror,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “When someone tries to buy a verdict, they are attacking the integrity of every courtroom and every citizen who depends on a fair trial. This sentence should leave no doubt that anyone who tries to manipulate our judicial process will be found, prosecuted, and held accountable.”
Law enforcement partners also highlighted collaborative work that produced the prosecution. “Today’s sentencing reflects the outstanding collaboration of law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “Postal Inspectors worked closely with our partners to hold Abdiaziz Farah accountable for his crimes. Despite the defendant’s efforts to abuse the legal process, justice prevailed.” The investigation involved the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Investigators painted the bribery attempt as an acute threat to the criminal justice system and local confidence in it. “When Farah and his co-conspirators filled that bag with money, they were attempting not only to commit bribery, but to undermine the sanctity of our criminal justice system,” said Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans. With this sentence added to prior punishments, prosecutors say the case demonstrates that those who try to buy outcomes will face coordinated federal response and prosecution.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline and Matthew C. Murphy handled the prosecution of the bribery matter. In recent developments tied to the same fraud investigation, the office reports continued plea activity as more defendants resolve charges related to the Feeding Our Future scheme. The court’s decision in Farah’s case reflects both the financial scale of the underlying fraud and the added criminal risk of attempting to subvert a jury.
