Feeding Our Future trial witness intimidated, prosecutors say

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Federal prosecutors in the Feeding Our Future fraud trial told the judge on Tuesday that a witness set to testify in the case reported that someone had tried to intimidate them.

Feeding Our Future witness intimidation

What we know:

Sources tell FOX 9 that Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson alerted Judge Nancy Brasel in court that a witness reported being approached by another defendant in a related Feeding Our Future case, who is not currently standing trial.

The witness told prosecutors that the defendant had attempted to intimidate them. The witness involved appears to be Sharmake Jama, who pleaded guilty in the fraud case last month.

Judge Brasel is asking the prosecution to look further into the interaction. She also ordered the court to seize the phone of defendant Salim Said.

Said and suspected ringleader Aimee Bock are both currently facing trial in the case. Bock is accused of overseeing the $250 million fraud.

What's next:

The judge also ordered other Feeding Our Future defendants not to sit near the jury after a separate disruption during court proceedings.

Attempted juror bribe in previous case

The backstory:

The latest alleged court controversy is similar to misconduct during the first round of trials in the Feeding Our Future case.

Last year, while deliberations were underway in that case, a juror told authorities a woman had shown up to her house with a bag filled with $120,000, indicating the money was for a vote to acquit in the trial.

The woman who brought the money, later identified as Ladan Ali, has pleaded guilty in the case. Four other individuals were also charged in the attempted bribe.