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REFERENCE Agriprocessors produced Kosher meat and poultry in Iowa. It was founded by Brooklyn butcher Aaron Rubashkin, and managed by his son Sholom. In the affidavit filed as part of the 60-page application for a search warrant of the premises, details were revealed of the government's investigation including numerous allegations of health and safety violations, mistreating workers, and using controversial slaughter practices.

A former supervisor at the plant --identified as Source #1- told investigators that some 80% of the workforce was illegal. The source also said he believed rabbis responsible for Kosher supervision entered the United States from Canada without proper immigration documents. The rabbis are believed to be Israelis.

Sources related stories of fraudulent documents and Social Security numbers presented for employment. Several said they were aware of undocumented workers paid by supervisors in cash. The affidavit says the government has probable cause to believe that an Agriprocessors supervisor assisted workers in acquiring fake documents in exchange for a cut of the proceeds.

The Des Moines Register headlined that methamphetamine (AKA crystal meth) was discovered in active production at Agriprocessors (a substance that has been linked to Israeli suppliers).

In another notorious case, Rubashkin apparently "sold" $2 million worth of meat to Allou Healthcare (a company controlled by the Rubashkin's Hasidim brethren) Only problem is, Allou distributes health and beauty items------and is not in the food business. Authorities might consider that Allou paying Rubashkin for a product it did not sell might be a kickback, money laundering or tax evasion scheme.

Money laundering or tax evasion might be integrated into bank fraud schemes----diverting millions of dollars in customer payments that were part of First Bank’s collateral and instructing an Agriprocessor employee to delete evidence of the scheme from the company’s computers........for which Rubashkin was arrested and charged with bank fraud.

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REFERENCE---Rubashkin Denied Bond On Bank Fraud Charges; Tension High In Town
November 21, 2008, by Dave Westheimer, Des Moines Register

After a Wednesday bond hearing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, US Magistrate Judge Jon Scoles ruled on Thursday that former Agriprocessors CEO Sholom Rubashkin must remain in federal custody pending his trial on bank fraud charges. Scoles ruled that Rubashkin is a serious flight risk, citing substantial evidence against Rubashkin and the $20,000 in cash and passports found in a travel bag in the Rubashkin home.

Agriprocessors is the giant kosher slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa that was raided in May by immigration officials, resulting in the arrest and detention of about 400 illegal immigrants.

Rubashkin was arrested last Friday on the bank fraud charges (earlier); he is accused of diverting millions of dollars in customer payments that were part of First Bank’s collateral and instructing an employee to delete evidence of the scheme from the company’s computers.

Rubashkin's arrest came just one day after he posted bond on criminal immigration charges resulting from the May raid. His trial on the immigration charges is scheduled for January 20, but no date has been scheduled on the bank fraud charges (Des Moines Register, Iowa Independent).

Meanwhile tensions are reportedly very high in Postville, where the plant sits idle and workers have not been paid as promised. Threats of violence have been reported (Iowa Independent).

SOURCE http://letterofapology.com/2008/11/21/rubashkin-denied-bond-on-bank-fraud-charges-tension-high-in-town/ http://richmond.indymedia.org/newswire/display/15336/index.php