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Woman accused of delivering $120,000 jror bribe pleads not-guilty
Ladan Ali will be free until trial while her co-defendants are jailed pending a Monday detention hearing.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — At his press conference Wednesday announcing charges in the case of an attempted $120,000 juror bribe, U.S. Attorney Andy Luger began by saying, “We learned that an unknown woman showed up at the home of a juror.”
That unknown woman is 31-year-old Ladan Ali, Luger said.
At the Saint Paul Federal Courthouse on Thursday, Ali pleaded guilty to the rare crime of corruptly influencing a juror.
“Corruption of a jury through intimidation or bribery is a serious federal crime that carries a significant prison sentence,” Luger said.
On Wednesday, Luger highlighted how on May 30, Ali flew to Minnesota from Seattle where she also has ties and immediately began surveilling the youngest and only juror of color — following her home from the courthouse.
Over three days, Ali allegedly drove by Juror 52’s Spring Lake Park home 19 times. A heat map created by the FBI shows the amount of time Ali spent near the juror’s home, according to her rental car’s GPS data.
Directed by four men including three standing trial for stealing more than $40 million dollars from the federal child nutrition program, Ali and the other defendants are accused of a sophisticated plot to get to Juror 52 with money.
Authorities believe they then intended to deliver detailed instructions on how to convince the rest of the jury to vote not guilty — primarily by accusing the government of being racist against the Somali immigrants.
After being driven back to Juror 52’s house by, Abdulkarim Farah, Ali is accused of bringing $120,000 cash to the door and promising Jury 52’s family member that more money would come after the not-guilty verdict.
“This is more than just a mob movie. This is a chilling attack on our system of justice,” Luger said.
Luger stressed how rare the attempted bribe of a juror is nationwide. In fact, KARE 11 News was able to find only one other documented case in our state, in 1961, during an actual mob trial taking place in Minneapolis involving the “Kid Cann Liquor Syndicate.”
“He is the absolute most notorious mobster in Minnesota history,” said Twin Cities filmmaker Michael Greenberg, who studied Isadore “Kid Cann” Blumenfeld, hoping to turn his short film into a series.
“In the ’60s, obviously times had changed and it was an act of desperation trying to bribe somebody that they had no previous relationship with,” Greenberg said.
The mob bribe was unsuccessful — just like in the Feeding our Future case.
The judge in the Kid Cann case called the attempted bribe an even more serious crime than the underlying liquor law trial.
Luger characterizes the it as an assault on the integrity of the justice system.
“There is no higher priority than protecting that system,” he said.
Ladan Ali will be free until her trial but is not allowed the leave Minnesota. Her codefendants are all in jail but will be asking a judge to be released during a hearing on Monday.
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Walz plans to address Minnesotans on Friday afternoon about his “path forward” following the 2024 presidential ticket loss.
ST PAUL, Minn. — For the first time since the 2024 presidential election, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will deliver public remarks about the election and his “path forward” on Friday, according to a spokesperson.
KARE 11 will stream Gov. Walz’s remarks live at 2:30 on kare11.com, the KARE 11 YouTube channel, and the KARE 11+ app for TV.
Walz was named the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee in late summer, just days after Vice President Kamala Harris was elevated to the top of the Democrats’ presidential ticket when incumbent President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
Since then, Walz toured the country campaigning for the Harris-Walz ticket, and participated in the one and only Vice Presidential Debate against Republican Senator (and now Vice President-elect) JD Vance in October.
The Harris-Walz ticket won Minnesota, but lost the national electoral vote to President-elect Donald Trump.
Located in Minneapolis’ North Loop, this Italian restaurant offers an array of pastas, cocktails and more.
MINNEAPOLIS — After a stressful week, consider taking a night off and trying a fresh and delicious restaurant.
Dario serves handmade pasta, veggies and cocktails in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis. If you’re looking for something heartier, check out the steaks and other meats on the menu.
The restaurant is open for dinner seven days a week, and also can host private parties. For more information, click here.
Council Member Jason Chavez said council members are exploring two new ordinances, based off of successes in other cities including Duluth and Denver.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis city council member Andrea Jenkins led a community town hall meeting Thursday evening to address homeless encampments across the city. The meeting was not open to the public but some community members invited by the city were in attendance.
Several weeks ago, Jenkins formed a community think tank comprised of city staff and neighbors who met over the course of three meetings.
Thursday’s town hall follows a string of violence at homeless encampments, including a deadly shooting in which two people were killed on Sunday, Oct. 27.
“I would imagine it’s terrifying, and sometimes what people say is they feel safer in these encampments than they do in shelters,” Jenkins said ahead of Thursday’s meeting. “But I I don’t hear any people being shot in shelters and lots of people being shot in encampments.”
Jenkins said she wants to give people an opportunity to express their concerns and offer solutions.
“We want to hear some of the thoughts that people feel like can help us resolve some of these issues that are impacting our neighbors and our communities and most importantly, the unhoused individuals that are out here on the street suffering,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins admitted that within the think tank meetings, differences of opinions emerged. Their conversations revolved around three main topics: housing options, safe spaces and supportive services.
Council Member Jason Chavez said council members are exploring two new ordinances, based off of successes in other cities including Duluth and Denver.
According to Chavez, a Safe Parking Ordinance would provide a safe location for people to park and sleep in their vehicles overnight. A Safe Outdoor Space ordinance creates a location designated as a safe outdoor shelter site designated by the city. To utilize the space, people would have to complete a screening process.
In South Minneapolis, an encampment stretches across several blocks. Angelique Beaumaster, who is currently unhoused, said the solution begins with people who are in the encampments feeling heard by elected officials.
“Sit down like they did once before and talk to people who are actually out here,” Beaumaster said. “Talk to people who are out here, who want a solution, who want help.”
In September, Minneapolis city council members passed the Encampment Removal Reporting Ordinance. The measure requires the city to submit two quarterly reports regarding its response to encampment removals and evictions.
