Jury deliberations are underway in the high-profile Feeding Our Future trial in downtown Minneapolis as another juror has been removed.
The latest dismissal comes after a juror admitted to hearing about Monday's shocking revelation that a bag containing $120,000 was dropped off at another juror's home over the weekend with the promise of more if they voted for an acquittal of the seven defendants.
The juror that was offered the money was also dismissed.
In addition, the judge decided to sequester the jury on Monday for the duration of the trial.
The defendant's phone records were seized while the seven of them were put in jail overnight as the investigation into the alleged bribe continues.
On Sunday, a juror reported being contacted about a "bag of cash". The juror called 911 and and the money is in custody of police and the FBI. That juror has been dismissed from the case.
The 23-year old juror says she was not home a the time, but her father in law was there when it happened.
The seven defendants are Said Shafii Farah, Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, Mohamed Jama Ismail, Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, Abdiwahab Maalim Aftin, Mukhtar Mohamed Shariff and Hayat Mohamed Nur. All were charged in 2022 with wire fraud, money laundering and other charges in the largest COVID-relief fraud case in the country.
Prosecutors have said the seven collectively stole over $40 million in a conspiracy that cost taxpayers $250 million — one of the largest pandemic-related fraud cases in the country. Federal authorities say they have recovered about $50 million.