Opening arguments to begin in financial fraud trial of former kosher slaughterhouse manager

Opening arguments in slaughterhouse fraud trial

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Opening arguments are set to begin in the financial fraud trial of a former manager of an Iowa kosher slaughterhouse that was the site of a massive immigration raid.

Former Agriprocessors, Inc., manager Sholom Rubashkin faces 91 financial charges. Prosecutors say he directed employees to create records for sales that never happened. They also accuse him of laundering more than $1 million.

A jury was chosen late Tuesday.

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 him and Agriprocessors.

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