Prosecutors accuse former manager of kosher slaughterhouse of funneling cash to conceal fraud

Prosecutors: Kosher plant manager funneled money

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Federal prosecutors say a former manager of an Iowa kosher slaughterhouse that was the site of a massive immigration raid funneled money through a school and grocery store to avoid suspicions of his bank about outstanding loans.

Assistant U.S. Attorney C.J. Williams said in opening statements Wednesday that former Agriprocessors, Inc., manager Sholom Rubashkin paid some employees at the plant more than three times their salaries off the books to conceal alleged fraud.

Rubashkin faces 91 financial charges. A jury was chosen late Tuesday. Rubashkin’s trial was moved from Iowa to South Dakota because of pretrial publicity.

The Agriprocessors plant in Postville, Iowa, was raided in May 2008 and 389 illegal immigrants were arrested.