Manager in slaughterhouse case is found guilty of fraud

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - A federal jury yesterday convicted the former manager of an Iowa kosher slaughterhouse, which was the site of a massive immigration raid, on 86 of 91 financial-fraud charges.

Jurors returned the verdict against Sholom Rubashkin, 50, on its second day of deliberations after the nearly monthlong trial. He could be sentenced to hundreds of years in prison and face a second federal trial on 72 immigration charges.

"We respect the jury's hard work. It was a difficult case. We disagree with the verdict," defense attorney Guy Cook said. "There were many legal errors made by the prosecution in the trial of this case, and, following sentencing, we will appeal."

Prosecutors offered no immediate comment.

Prosecutors had alleged that as a manager of the former Agriprocessors Inc. plant in Postville, Iowa, Rubashkin intentionally deceived the company's lender.

Former Agriprocessors employees testified that Rubashkin personally directed them to create fake invoices to show St. Louis-based First Bank that the plant had more money flowing in than it really did.

Cook argued Rubashkin never read the loan agreement with First Bank and tried to portray Rubashkin as in over his head.

U.S. District Judge Linda Reade also let former employees testify that days before the immigration raid, Rubashkin scrambled to get new documents for his workers, at least 389 of whom were found to be illegal immigrants.