Former owner of kosher meatpacking plant in Iowa guilty of massive fraud

A jury in the US state of South Dakota has convicted Sholom Rubashkin, the former owner of the leading Iowa-based kosher slaughterhouse AgriProcessors, of 86 out of 91 fraud charges. The decision means that Rubashkin, 50, will spend likely the rest of his life in prison as the combined sentences could reach over 1,250 years. Jurors declared the former AgriProcessors vice-president guilty of bank fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering. He also was convicted of 15 of 20 charges that he ignored an order to pay livestock providers in the 24-hour window required by law.

Former Agriprocessors employees testified that Rubashkin had personally directed them to create false invoices to show First Bank, which is based in St. Louis, that the plant had more money flowing in than it really did. Rubashkin will also have to stand a second trial, in which he is charged with 72 counts of immigration fraud.