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Des Moines Register

SIOUX FALLS, SD — A jury has convicted Sholom Rubashkin of 86 federal charges for his part in a massive fraud scheme at his former meat plant, Agriprocessors Inc., in Postville.

Jurors declared Rubashkin guilty of bank fraud, making false statements to a bank, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering and aiding of abetting.

Jurors: Rubashkin Guilty on 86 Charges of Financial Fraud

Des Moines Register

SIOUX FALLS, SD — A jury has convicted Sholom Rubashkin of 86 federal charges for his part in a massive fraud scheme at his former meat plant, Agriprocessors Inc., in Postville.

Jurors declared Rubashkin guilty of bank fraud, making false statements to a bank, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering and aiding of abetting.

The jury found him not guilty of five counts of violating a law requiring payment of livestock providers within 24 hours.

Rubashkin’s attorney, Guy Cook, said they will appeal the decision.

Rubashkin, 50, was immediately taken into custody. As he was led out of the courtroom, he blew a kiss to his family and well-wishers.

A federal judge will sentence Rubashkin Nov. 18 in Cedar Rapids.

Rubashkin had been offered a plea deal by federal prosecutors prior to the start of the trial, but told supporters that he would not accept because he was innocent, a close family friend told The Des Moines Register today.

The Rabbi Shea Hecht, chairman of the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education, said Rubashkin’s supporters urged him to take the offer, which would have included prison time.

But the Rubashkin meat plant in Postville, had “moral problems” with the proposal and insisted that he had done nothing illegal, Hecht said.

The plea-deal conversation took place during a meeting with Rubashkin and his lawyers in Crown Heights, a Brooklyn, N.Y., neighborhood and Rubashkin family stronghold, Hecht said. Hecht said it happened shortly before Yom Kippur, a major Jewish holiday, which this year began at sunset on Sept. 27.

Hecht said Rubashkin’s legal expenses – paid by a Brooklyn-based defense committee, of which he is a member – have already exceeded $1 million.

Prosecutors alleged during the trial that Rubashkin falsified sales records to defraud the plant’s St. Louis-based lender. The fake invoices and shipping papers created the illusion of sales that had never happened, and allowed Rubashkin to borrow more out of a $35 million credit line.

Rubashkin also allegedly diverted customer payments into the wrong bank account, when the money should have gone directly to lender. Prosecution witnesses testified that Rubashkin used the money for personal expenses and to keep the plant running.

The five-man, seven-woman jury began deliberations on the case Monday afternoon after a nearly month-long trial with more than 60 witnesses and reams of financial documents. They continued deliberations on Tuesday, had Wednesday off in observance of Veterans Day, returning on Thursday. The jury returned to the courtroom at about 4:40 p.m. Thursday.

Rubashkin still faces 72 immigration-related federal charges as well as state allegations that he violated child labor laws. The federal immigration trial is set to begin in December in Sioux Falls.

Agriprocessors Inc. was the site of a May 2008 immigration raid that led to the arrest of 389 immigrant workers. Rubashkin was first charged in late October 2008, but insisted that he was innocent.

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67 Comments

  • antimesira

    A Father, A son, a Husband and must of all a fellow Jew.

    My heart goes out to him and his family.
    Really painful.

  • MOSHIACH NOW

    so what does this mean in english..what’s the verdict?? HASHEM PLEASE HELP US!!!!!

  • a Lubavitcher who cares

    Just believe he will be released in the very near future- this is our test. As Chasidim we believe that we have the possibility to go ma’al hatevah – above nature, regardless of how the situation may seem. This is galus -and good is sometimes hidden.

    Rubashkin Family – We care about you and wish you all the best!! In every aspect of your lives, and daven that you should be free from all that may disturb you very soon!!

  • somewho cares

    YOU WILL WIN!!!
    YOU MUST MUSTTTTTTTTTTT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    with all due respect r shea hecht
    dont be an advocate to validate the blame

  • chasidim ain mishpocho

    YOU WILL WIN!!!
    YOU MUST MUSTTTTTTTTTTT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    with all due respect r shea hecht
    please dont be an advocate to validate the blame

  • Broken outraged

    CHASSIDIM, SHLUCHIM WAKE UP!!!!!!
    where is everybody A shemtov y krinky m kotlarsky vch vch …..???? the Rebbes shluchim and family. is “lubavitch ein mishpocho” a fantasy of the past? when chassidim would fight hell or high water for their fellow chossid..we need to take a stand NOW!!!! its not too late to free an innocent chossid, tzaddik..the holocaust happened when fellow yidden sat back and crossed their arms..we need to take a stand now! SHLUCHIM stop being politically correct and protecting your corporate image, rather act like your meshaleach our REBBE and SCREAM THE TRUTH!!! dont be intimidated of your buddies in washington. the inquistion didnt break us neither the bolshevics. Remember RUBASHKIN is the bailus and dreyfus of our time! Let us not stop until justice prevails and our fellow chossid is FREE!!!!

  • jew when it matters most

    this is very sad, such a nice man with such a great heart, and a really awsome family.. another case of the good guy gets skrewd… I still can’t bolive all this is happening! any advise, we need to come up with an alternitive.. anyone??

  • yosef

    Lubavitch, its shluchim and espescly those with DC connections cant let this pass quietly mi yodea im loais kozios higath lomalchus.stop worrying about your plitical correctinis and do what you have to

  • You do the crime, you pay the time!

    “lubavitch ein mishpocho” you are living in a fantasy world…
    In reality rubashkin is NOT a tzadik.
    He HAS committed crimes as many others have. The only problem is that he got caught.

    Shluchim supporting him blindly i.e. just b/c he is a “fellow shaliach” would just be a continuance of this chilul hashem.

    R’ Sholom should have just admitted to making a mistake and taken the plea. Instead he has made a HUGE, prolonged chilul hashem.

    I am a member of anash and I will NOT support anyone who commit crimes– OF ANY TYPE….!!!

  • af770

    I dont generally comment but after reading this I think everyhone is missing the point, first of all Mr. “somewho cares” if there was a deal offered considering the charges he faced he probably should of taken it, secondly there is a bigger picture here, people need to learn from this that you cant do anytthing ilegal, we are all heart broken and angry and i especially was hurt but fact is there is a man that commited a crime and through due proccess is being punished according to american law, yidden by nature always play with fire when it comes to the government, from section 8 to food stamp getting paid off the books etc and the truth is if someone is going to partake in these kind of activities facto of the matter is he/she can taaka get into very big trouble and also go to jail. This is a very very sad story and especially that it happened to such a wonderful person but at the same time if he did not commit any criminal or questionable activity all would still be well

    moshich now

  • Zoiche to be a Shliach

    1) He will have Disdan Notzach because the Aibershter loves him and his wife and his dear children.
    In the same token, did anybody learn today’s Tanya? Men maint that it is Mah bkach, don’t we all realize this is serious, a husband a dear father of a large family. Is there anyone who still feels R“l this is a Tzveiter Mentch? Someone elese?
    And what is with the Kinus does everything go on as normal, with the dance and song,( culminating with the “spontanios dance”? this is a form of Tisha B’av kipshutoi l’neged eineinu? Ad Mosai? Ad Mosai? Ay Aibershter, it is intolerable…

    2) Spent money to come to the Kinus, however i believe that the fact that this happened on the onset of the Kinus and the verdict at the conclusion of the kinus I believe that everything should come to a stop all the official programs to be postponed to next year, and at this time we all 4500 of us to take a tehilim and say tehilim, M’toich Hatzaar Vehakeiv. I am sure that that will make a difference and we will hear Besuros Toivois Vniflois. and C”V VeC”V not to show apathy indifference on any level…..

  • TO BROKEN OUTRAGED....

    there must be something,
    hachlatas more hachlatas
    unity
    ahavas yisroel
    think of ways where you need to be more flexible
    now is the time where it counts
    daven for H to help in the hachlata
    sholom bayis
    think think think

  • devastated

    oy Aibeshter please bless reb shalom mordechai and his family in a revealed manner.

  • Did anyone wonder??

    “guilty of bank fraud, making false statements to a bank, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering and aiding of abetting.” “and allowed Rubashkin to borrow more out of a $35 million credit line.”
    Just curious when all the Rubaskin sidukah was being handed out to the people with the smiles on their faces ask or wonder where all that vast wealth was coming from?

  • Max Rappaport

    As Jews we have been given the power of knowledge to reverse a Judgement issued against us in Shemaim. In this case we have two if not 3 ways to bring a neis and free him.
    1. Love him as we love ourselves.
    2. Give as much Tzedakah, as we can. Teshivah.
    3. Commit to extra daily Torah study and stick to it.

    most of us will fail, at the first step. because we simply want him free, so that we don’t have to read in the news that another Jew is suffering in a major way.
    How many of us have given extra Tzedakah on his behalf, how many of us are learning for his zchus, daily and sticking to it. ???
    we are way too weak to free him. unfortunately.
    we will “take” this Test too, but will we “pass it” or “fail it”

  • copy and paste

    TEHILIM PLEASE wrote:
    KEEP SAYING TEHILIM.!!!!!! HASHEM IS THE JUDGE THAT HAS THE LAST WORD!

  • you are right!

    Thank you “Broken Outraged” this is shot in the heart and minds of us as Lubavichers, as Chassidim and as Yiddin. This is a libel for all of us. How can we explain, how can we begin to understand, how can we reason with this concept that people who personify good – and only good – can face such a libel, a painful magaifa, and how can we remain silent.

    Many have opened their hearts, their pockets, the help has been great – and, it is not enough. We have to do more –

  • you are right!

    Thank you “Broken Outraged” this is shot in the heart and minds of us as Lubavichers, as Chassidim and as Yiddin. This is a libel for all of us. How can we explain, how can we begin to understand, how can we reason with this concept that people who personify good – and only good – can face such a libel, a painful magaifa, and how can we remain silent.

    Many have opened their hearts, their pockets, the help has been great – and, it is not enough. We have to do more –

  • moe

    its a extremely sad sad day in lubavitch and klal yisroel, beyond words.This was his slichus he treated it like a slichus with miseras nefesh as we can now see in the literal sense, the man lived a simple life and helped so many people ,shluchim,and had all the right motives and was up against a rock and a hard place for the benefit of klal yisroel, the people in lubavich and klal yisroel that have connections in high places should put ALL their eggs in this basket and try to get obama to grant clemency.

  • Hashem:

    How can you repay good with evil?
    how can you turn your back on all our pleas?
    Why did you choose the finest man?
    How can you orphan and abandon a beautiful family?
    How can you allow the destruction of a beautiful kehilla?
    How can you allow sonei yisroel vHashem to win over your faithful?
    How can you not join us in our efforts for pidyon Shvuyim?
    No, we cannot accept Your decree against our fellow yid, we demand You to change this terrible situation.

    Anyone with a negative comment, you obviously dont know this tzadik, and are advertising your ugly nature to the world, it would be wiser to be quiet at this time,

  • Eli

    To all you self righteous people who are so quick to condemn SMR I’ll say this, If you were investigated as thoroughly as SMR was you’d be in jail right now not necessarily because you did something so wrong but because you can find ‘shmutz’ on anyone and everyone if you dig deep enough. So don’t be so outspoken with condemnation when your life isn’t at stake here.

  • Lawyer

    We can still hope for rachmonis with the sentence, time off for good behavior, parole, etc. and he can get out of prison quickly. Maybe pay a fine.
    Other yidden went to jail, served their time, and now they are free. They picked up their lives and everything is ok again.
    Yidden please, don’t panic, this is not the end of the world. We will help the family if SM has to go to jail for a while, and before you know it, he will be released.

  • Out of Towner and really upset

    It is one thing to see hateful comments – literally at a time that a mans life hangs in balance – in non-Jewish sites or sites run by those unsympathetic to Chabad such as VIN.

    But to see that hateful comments are being published here is a disgrace.

    I am an out of towner Jew who loves going on Crown Heights. Info, but rest assured, I will not go on this site and I will boycott anyone who advertises here if you continue to post comments from people who defame and put in jeopardy his future.

    Common sense and basic humanity dictates that when a man is down, if you cannot say anything in his defense, keep your mouth shut. Especially when your words can be used to incriminate and prejudice their entire case.

  • Dear You do the crime, you pay the time:

    B“H

    Dear ”You do the crime, you pay . . . .“ —

    The day that the Feds lock up the heads of all of the treife meat companies (including all of the ”halal“ meat companies), and all of the kosher/self-proclaimed ”kosher“ meat companies, will be the day I agree with you. They all do most of the same things Rubashkin did to stay in business, but the Feds only went after him — the Lubavitcher Yid.

    Also, did you know how much Rubashkin had to devote, of his time and money, to get PETA off his case? And the government judge wouldn’t let info. like this even be admissible in court, even though it’s a huge example of the undue pressures that were on Rubashkin.

    Do you think PETA is doing to Trader Joe’s meat producers, what it’s done to Rubashkin? No way. Too ”politically incorrect“.

    So, again, your view sounds high-and-mighty, but you fail to grasp the great injustice done to Agriprocessors, as compared with all of the other meat producers in this nation.

    No more ”justice for all,” unless there’s a reversal on the appeal, please G-d!

    This country’s gone down the tubes, real fast.

  • immigrant

    The government became more aggressive about immigration when immigration was handed over to the Homeland Security ICE office. The government thinks that its racist immigration policies and targeting factory workers will help stop terrorism while it ignores real terrorist threats. Mr. Rubashkin was paying back his loans before the immigration raid but got into heavy debt due to the raid.
    The US government itself has a huge naitonal debt but still manges to borrow more. Maybe Mr. Rubashkin was taking a lesson from the governemnt?

  • geza

    To YOu do the time

    I know you. You are not from a really lubavitch family, certainly not from Russia, and so you dont even have the concept of Ain Mishpacha.

    For the rest of us, he is family. And we are outraged at what is happening to him.

  • ch resident

    it’s funny how the people that do all good get into trouble and the people that do bad don’t get what they deserve.
    Sholom Rubashkin did soooooo much for the community and what does he get as a thenk you a slap in the face.
    It’s so sad. Let’s all say tehillim and maybe the verdict will change for the good.

  • Ann

    and what do you all mean by everyone should do more?
    What more?

    Thre is absolutely nothing we can do.
    Any protest etc would only create a big chilul hashem
    In America, frauding the government is one of the worst crimes. And no one cares if you are a nice person and a charitable individual. To them, you are a thief … a Bernie Madoff.
    If we would all protest it would be a chilul Hashem b/c people would says Chabad condones fraud.
    I am sure that no one in a position of power in Lubavitch will comment on this …
    Of course, this does not take away from the tragedy. I myself benefitted from S. Rubashkin.
    I feel terrible. but besides Tehillim – I am powerless.
    So for all those ranting and raving about what other people should do, please be realistic!

  • John Fredrick

    Lets be real. Everyone has crimes, everyone messes up and everyone has a few things that they would hate to creep out into the public. Whoever is going to judge someone else has got to be dead sure that he would be able to withstand whatever tests where placed in front of him.

    When someone rushes forth with a statement like ‘Do the crime, pay the fine’ he reminds me of all those animals who blamed the Jews for instigating the Holocaust.

  • ahavas cheenam

    “You do the crime, you pay the time!”

    Whoever you are your sick! Another jew is suffering and this is what you say!?.

    If it was your father would you say the same??!!

    If you have nothing nice to say thats fine.

    Do NOT go saying negative things.

    Were does that get you.

    Whoever you are i wish you a Refura Sheliemah.

    Wait until the day, when you will need help from your fellow jews, and i hope they will treat you better then you have chosen to treat Sholom Mordechai, with your outrageously thoughtless and morbidly apathetic comments.

  • Milhouse

    Mr “You do the crime, you pay the time!”:

    If you are capable of writing “I will NOT support anyone who commit crimes– OF ANY TYPE….!!!” then you are NOT from Anash. Since when were Anash nispo’el from the law? We come from a long line of criminals, from our nesi’im on down. The Frierdiker Rebbe had an arrest record longer than many gangsters. The Rebbe was never caught, but he also committed crimes. And of course R Mendel Futerfas was guilty of forgery, bribery, black-market dealings, and conspiracy to break the immigration laws of two countries. I suppose you think he was justly sentenced, was unworthy of our support, and even when he got out he was unfit to be a mashpia.

    The fact is that there is nothing in Shulchon Oruch that says we may not break the law. Nothing. And this is only logical. If something was mutar before Congress banned it, how can it be ossur now, and if it was ossur before Congress permitted or required it, how can it be muttar now? How did Congress get the power to turn good into bad, or bad into good?

  • AD MOSAI WILL THERE BE FAKERS

    after reading all the comments here, i must say that “THIS IS WHAT THE REBBE MEANT BY ”TUT” ALTZ VOS IR KENT just look at the way people here write that we must do… ad we also must do… and we have to… and we will do…. and we should do…… but how many ACTUALLY DO?!?!?!
    i believe its very few, i too am part of this, i dont do a lot for him or anyone else for that matter, but at least i dont go around saying that we HAVE TO/SHOULD/WILL…..
    ger real all you people who will not do anything, accept talk and say that others have to do….
    and to all those who will do, may g-d bless you.

  • Tired of idiotic big mouths

    Some of you big-mouthed idiots need to keep your mouths shut – this is a PUBLIC forum viewed by jews and non-jews alike and your stupid comments and opinions are creating more of a chilul hashem than the one you think he created. Nobody is trying to insinuate that any form of illegal activity is acceptable – it’s still a tragedy for a fellow jew, a good man who perhaps made some stupid mistakes, to have to sit in jail, whilst murderers and molesters are walking around scott free. Something tells me that if he was a friend of yours or perhaps a relative, you’d be feeling somewhat different. To the fool who felt the need to announce to the world that he thinks that yidden by nature are crooks – let me set you straight – yidden by nature are yirei shamayim and live according to the law, as the Torah tells us to. The fact that there is a small percentage of non law abiding jews – a fraction of the crooks in the big wide world, gives you no right to make such a blanket statement.

  • writingsetc

    Was a key point emphasized to the jury: that Sholom had very little English education, and, therefore, he left everything up to those he hired whom he assumed to be qualified. EVEN PRESIDENTS DO THAT! While Solom totally immersed himself in the kosher animals issues of his business. (Hope the appeal does that.) Meanwhile, imagine if all of the shluchim would fly over together to visit and support Sholom!- (and the Rubashkin family at the same time!) Why, the media attention and brillient interviews the shluchim could give-even in N.Y.)- NOW, would surely open up the eyes of the public, and help the appeal of this innocent, holy man, in many ways. For us, what is the Rebbe’s advice in such a case?

  • sad jew

    i believe Kotlarsky and krinsky have to organize what you mention above, perhaps he can ask netanyahu to talk with obama for a presidential pardon.. its time for CHABADNIKS TO SHOW THAT YOU REALLY CARE FOR YOUR FELLOW JEW… THAT HAS BEEN YOUR SLOGAN FOR SOO LONG..so accomplish it! and help this guy!!! After this maybe Chabad can support Jonathan Pollar.

  • JK

    I googled Judge Reede and this is what I found, no kidding this is true, she was in on the raid there is an attorney Rockne Cole who wrote his congressman after being called to a meeting where other attorneys were also summoned to be the official defenders of the immigrants they were about to round up. There were improprieties and he walked out on them. The Judge was part of the inner circle. Please read it, it definitely looks like a conflict of interest. She definitely should not be sitting in judgement since she was in on it from the beginning. Whoever is close to the family please forward this.

    http://tinyurl.com/y8s9tan

  • pack up,snag

    The negative commenter is a guy who does not belong in this community.He can go back to Lakewood or Communist Russia and find a new apartment.Get lost snag!
    He is probably related to the informers of the Alter Rebbe etc.Have to have pity on him…after all it is his genes talking……
    Get packing .

  • to zoiche to be a shliach

    the shluchim come in but once a year, and for what? TO GET KOACH to continue with their shlichus!! – do you think r’shalom mordechai would want that to stop on his behalf? absolutely NOT!!

    SIMCHA PORITZ GEDER!!!

  • Where are they now?

    “Don’t worry!” they probably said.
    The gov’t is stupid and they have no time to look.
    Everyone does it anyway.

    They should also lock up his accountant and anyone else that advised him.

  • YLT

    Yossi, we’re all supportin u and ur family. didan natzach was a simcha not to be believed and that was bigiluy. remember 86 is gematria elokim, midas hagvura, and hateve. but soon enough the bracha will be able to be seen bigaloy, the klala itself is a bracha to high to b melubash in teva but since “higiya zman geulaschem” it will be bigaloy real soon!!!!

  • YLT

    this “verdict” was on chof hey cheshvan, which is a day of didan notzach! “bayomim hohaym bizman hazeh” .

  • SHLUCHA-S DAUGHTER

    now guys the only thing your saying is ad mosai, moshiach now. ect.

    SAY TEHILLIM!!!!!!!!!!!!
    SAY AS MUCH AS YOU AND ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE TO.

  • Be realistic, Expect a miracle!

    despite all this, Hashem is the real judge and a miracle will happen!

  • let-s help SMR & be bsimcha as he wishes

    1) re the kinus – Sholom M. is someone who only wants the Rebbe’s Ratzon done – look @ last week’s pictures – printing Tanya while on trial!!!! He wants chassidim to continue to Farbreng – & @ tonight’s grand Farbrengen PLEASE Bentch & continue to Bentch that Sholom Mordechai Halevi Ben Rivka should have an IMMEDIATE & COMPLETE GEULAH – this second!!! Vo a Chassidishe Farbrengen ken oiftahn ken Malach Michoel nisht oiftahn….
    2) re whether or not you may believe the stupid newspapers reporting that he is guilty – you are obviously one who believes that Israelis are murderers & poor Palestenians…. because in order to read between the lines you need some seichel. If you truly believe that because the prosecutors say he is guilty he is obviously guilty – but so many have investigated & found that he made some mistakes (which he did say) but he is NOT a criminal…. go get some help!
    3) have you ever heard of the Dreyfus Trials? the gov can find proof & witnesses to whatever they want – guilty or not – unions & PETA are supporters of our “wonderful” president – hmmmmmm – when a worker is found “guilty” & is told – we’ll lower your punishment if you just help us prove SMR wrong – is that not tampering with witnesses? Oh wait – for the government that’s allowed!!!!

  • AHRON COHEN

    we have to do everything we can to stop our fellow lubavitcher
    from being put in jail we must say extra tehillim and do more
    mitzvos and with hashem’s will he will not get put in prison!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!