Former manager of Iowa kosher slaughterhouse that was site of immigration raid faces SD trial

Former Iowa slaughterhouse manager on trial in SD

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A former manager of an Iowa kosher slaughterhouse that saw a massive immigration raid is set to go to trial in South Dakota.

Jury selection begins Tuesday in the trial for Sholom Rubashkin.

Rubashkin’s trial was moved from Iowa to South Dakota after a federal judge ruled negative pretrial publicity caused potential jurors to develop a bias against Rubashkin and Agriprocessors, Inc.

The Agriprocessors slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa, was raided in May 2008 and 389 illegal immigrants were found working in the plant.

Rubashkin faces 163 charges. This trial will deal with the 91 financial charges.

Prosecutors say Rubashkin directed employees to create records for sales that never happened. They also accuse him of laundering more than $1 million.