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{{npov|date=September 2010}}
{{Infobox criminal
{{Infobox criminal
|name = Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin
|name = Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin
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|conviction_penalty = 27 years imprisonment, $27 million in restitution.
|conviction_penalty = 27 years imprisonment, $27 million in restitution.
}}
}}
'''Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin''' (b. 1959) is the former [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of [[Agriprocessors]]<ref name="nyt2010-04-28">{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/us/29postville.html|title=Life Sentence Is Debated for Meat Plant Ex-Chief|date=2010-04-28|publisher=New York Times|accessdate=20 September 2010}}</ref><ref name="ct2010-06-21">{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/who-story-sholom-rubashkin-sentencing-062110,0,669420.story |title=Judge To Sentence Rubashkin To 27 Years In Prison |publisher=Chicago Tribune.com |date=2010-06-21 |accessdate=2010-09-20}}</ref><ref name="wp2008-10-31">{{cite web|author=Kari Lydersen |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/30/AR2008103004617.html |title=Former CEO of Iowa Kosher Meatpacking Plant Is Arrested |publisher=Washington Post|date=2008-10-31 |accessdate=2010-09-20}}</ref><ref name="jc2009-11-19">{{cite web|url=http://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/22145/guilty-kosher-abattoir-owner-faces-1255-years-prison-after-giant-fraud |title=Guilty: kosher abattoir owner faces 1,255 years in prison after giant fraud |publisher=Jewish Chronicle |date=2009-11-19 |accessdate=2010-09-20}}</ref>, a now-bankrupt slaughterhouse and meat packing plant in [[Postville, Iowa]] owned by the Rubashkin family. In November 2009, he was convicted of 86 counts of financial fraud, including bank fraud, mail and wire fraud and money laundering. In June 2010, he was sentenced to 27 years in prison. In a separate trial, he was acquitted of 83 counts of knowingly hiring underage workers.
'''Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin''' (b. 1959) is the former [[Vice President]]<ref name="vice-pres-1">{{cite web|url=http://easterniowanewsnow.com/2010/08/09/sholom-rubashkin-transferred-to-otisville-federal-prison |title=Sholom Rubashkin Transfered to Otisville Federal Prison}}</ref><ref name="vice-pres-2">{{cite web|url=http://www.lewrockwell.com/anderson/anderson290.html |title=Free Sholom Rubashkin}}</ref><ref name="vice-pres-3">{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/who-story-rubashkin-appeal-070210,0,4848662.story |title=RUBASHKIN APPEAL: Lawyers for Sholom Rubashkin have filed an appeal to his conviction and sentencing on federal financial fraud charges}}</ref> of [[Agriprocessors]], a now-bankrupt slaughterhouse and meat packing plant in [[Postville, Iowa]] owned by the Rubashkin family. In November 2009, he was convicted of 86 counts of financial fraud, including bank fraud, mail and wire fraud and money laundering. In June 2010, he was sentenced to 27 years in prison. In a separate trial, he was acquitted of 83 counts of knowingly hiring underage workers.


During his directorship of the plant from 1987 to 2008, Agriprocessors grew into the largest [[kosher foods|kosher]] meat producer in the United States.
During his directorship of the plant from 1987 to 2008, Agriprocessors grew into the largest [[kosher foods|kosher]] meat producer in the United States.
Line 24: Line 23:
author= Brian Ross |date= April 26, 2010| accessdate=June 21, 2010}}</ref>
author= Brian Ross |date= April 26, 2010| accessdate=June 21, 2010}}</ref>


==CEO of Agriprocessors==
==Vice President of Agriprocessors==
In 1987 Aaron Rubashkin opened the Agriprocessors plant in [[Postville, Iowa]] and appointed his son Sholom its CEO. During his tenure as CEO<ref name="nyt2010-04-28"/><ref name="ct2010-06-21"/><ref name="wp2008-10-31"/><ref name="jc2009-11-19"/>, Agriprocessors became the United State's largest kosher slaughterhouse and meat packing plant and the only one authorized by Israel's Orthodox rabbinate to export beef to Israel.<ref name="meat">{{cite news |title=USDA Investigating Kosher Meat Plant|publisher=Washington Post|
In 1987 Aaron Rubashkin opened the Agriprocessors plant in [[Postville, Iowa]] and appointed his son Sholom a co-Vice President. During his tenure as Vice President<ref name="vice-pres-1"/><ref name="vice-pres-2"/><ref name="vice-pres-3"/>, Agriprocessors became the United State's largest kosher slaughterhouse and meat packing plant and the only one authorized by Israel's Orthodox rabbinate to export beef to Israel.<ref name="meat">{{cite news |title=USDA Investigating Kosher Meat Plant|publisher=Washington Post|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37569-2004Dec30.html|
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37569-2004Dec30.html|
author=Alan Cooperman|date=December 31, 2004|accessdate=June 21, 2010}}</ref> According to statistics that Rubashkin gave to [[Cattle Buyers Weekly]], Agriprocessors sales increased from $80 million in 1997 to $180 million in 2002. In 2002 Agriprocessors was ranked as one of the 30 biggest beef-packing plants in America. The Rubashkins brought modern industrial methods to the kosher-meat-production and made (glatt) kosher meat available both in supermarket chains and in small, local grocery stores and meat markets across the United States.<ref name="change">{{cite web |url=http://www.forward.com/articles/14716/ |title=How the Rubashkins Changed the Way Jews Eat in America |author=Nathaniel Popper |date=December 11, 2008|accessdate=June 17, 2010|publisher=[[Jewish Daily Forward]]}}</ref>
author=Alan Cooperman|date=December 31, 2004|accessdate=June 21, 2010}}</ref> According to statistics that Rubashkin gave to [[Cattle Buyers Weekly]], Agriprocessors sales increased from $80 million in 1997 to $180 million in 2002. In 2002 Agriprocessors was ranked as one of the 30 biggest beef-packing plants in America. The Rubashkins brought modern industrial methods to the kosher-meat-production and made (glatt) kosher meat available both in supermarket chains and in small, local grocery stores and meat markets across the United States.<ref name="change">{{cite web |url=http://www.forward.com/articles/14716/ |title=How the Rubashkins Changed the Way Jews Eat in America |author=Nathaniel Popper |date=December 11, 2008|accessdate=June 17, 2010|publisher=[[Jewish Daily Forward]]}}</ref>


Under Rubashkin's leadership, Agriprocessors was cited for issues involving animal treatment,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/10/national/10kosher.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin&oref=slogin |title=Inquiry Finds Lax Federal Inspections at Kosher Meat Plant|publisher=New York Times|author=Donald G. McNeil Jr.|date=March 10, 2006| accessdate=June 21, 2010}}</ref> food safety,<ref>Nathaniel Popper, [http://www.forward.com/articles/11401/ "Kosher Slaughterhouse’s Food-Safety Record Criticized by Regulators"], ''The Forward'', 17 August 2007</ref> environmental safety,<ref>[http://environment.lawyersandsettlements.com/case/agriprocessors_wastewater AgriProcessors Inc. Wastewater Settlement] LawyersandSettlements.com. Retrieved June 21, 2010</ref> child labor,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/us/08immig.html?scp=3&sq=rubashkin%20state%20trial&st=cse |title=Former Manager of Iowa Slaughterhouse Is Acquitted of Labor Charges |last=Preston |first=Julia |date=2010-06-07 |accessdate=2010-06-23 |publisher=The New York Times}}</ref> and hiring of other illegal workers.
Under Rubashkin's leadership, Agriprocessors was cited for issues involving animal treatment,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/10/national/10kosher.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin&oref=slogin |title=Inquiry Finds Lax Federal Inspections at Kosher Meat Plant|publisher=New York Times|author=Donald G. McNeil Jr.|date=March 10, 2006| accessdate=June 21, 2010}}</ref> food safety,<ref>Nathaniel Popper, [http://www.forward.com/articles/11401/ "Kosher Slaughterhouse’s Food-Safety Record Criticized by Regulators"], ''The Forward'', 17 August 2007</ref> environmental safety,<ref>[http://environment.lawyersandsettlements.com/case/agriprocessors_wastewater AgriProcessors Inc. Wastewater Settlement] LawyersandSettlements.com. Retrieved June 21, 2010</ref> child labor,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/us/08immig.html?scp=3&sq=rubashkin%20state%20trial&st=cse |title=Former Manager of Iowa Slaughterhouse Is Acquitted of Labor Charges |last=Preston |first=Julia |date=2010-06-07 |accessdate=2010-06-23 |publisher=The New York Times}}</ref> and hiring of other illegal workers.


Sholom Rubashkin left his post in September 2008.<ref>Lynda Waddington, [http://iowaindependent.com/9069/agriprocessors-could-face-extinction "Agriprocessors could face extinction"] ''The Iowa Independent'', 29 November 2008</ref> Agriprocessors plants stopped operating in October 2008. On November 5, 2008 the firm filed for bankruptcy,
It was reported in the media that Sholom Rubashkin left his post in September 2008<ref>Lynda Waddington, [http://iowaindependent.com/9069/agriprocessors-could-face-extinction "Agriprocessors could face extinction"] ''The Iowa Independent'', 29 November 2008</ref>, however, that appeared to be based on the false presumption that he was CEO<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yankton.net/articles/2009/01/31/news/doc4983fc7180ad0860074393.txt |title=Former Iowa Meatpacker Manager Wants Trial Moved}}</ref>. and Agriprocessors sent a press release which referred to Bernard Feldman as the "new chief operating officer"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CR&z=CRGB&p_theme=cr&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=12621F2DA0D49250&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Attorney: Wrong title could affect trial}}</ref>. Agriprocessors plants stopped operating in October 2008. On November 5, 2008 the firm filed for bankruptcy,


==Raid and arrests==
==Raid and arrests==

Revision as of 03:38, 29 September 2010

Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin
Born1959
NationalityAmerican
OccupationKosher meat plant manager
EmployerAgriprocessors
Criminal statusFederal Bureau of Prisons Register #10755-029, scheduled date of release: unknown; currently imprisoned at Federal Correctional Institution, Otisville
SpouseLeah Rubashkin
Children10
Criminal chargebank fraud
Penalty27 years imprisonment, $27 million in restitution.

Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin (b. 1959) is the former Vice President[1][2][3] of Agriprocessors, a now-bankrupt slaughterhouse and meat packing plant in Postville, Iowa owned by the Rubashkin family. In November 2009, he was convicted of 86 counts of financial fraud, including bank fraud, mail and wire fraud and money laundering. In June 2010, he was sentenced to 27 years in prison. In a separate trial, he was acquitted of 83 counts of knowingly hiring underage workers.

During his directorship of the plant from 1987 to 2008, Agriprocessors grew into the largest kosher meat producer in the United States.

Biography

Sholom Rubashkin is the second-youngest son of Rivkah and Aaron Rubashkin, a Lubavitcher Hasidic butcher from Brooklyn, born in Nevel, Russia.

In 1981, Sholom Rubashkin, a Lubavitcher Hasid like his parents, married Leah Goldman and spent a year learning in kollel. Afterwards he worked in his father's butcher shop, until he and his wife were sent to Atlanta, Georgia as emissaries (shelihim) in the Chabad-Lubavitch outreach program.[4] A year later the couple moved to Minnesota, from where Rubashkin commuted to his father's new meat-packing plant in Postville for approximately three years before they relocated to Postville.[5] The couple has ten children.[6]

Vice President of Agriprocessors

In 1987 Aaron Rubashkin opened the Agriprocessors plant in Postville, Iowa and appointed his son Sholom a co-Vice President. During his tenure as Vice President[1][2][3], Agriprocessors became the United State's largest kosher slaughterhouse and meat packing plant and the only one authorized by Israel's Orthodox rabbinate to export beef to Israel.[7] According to statistics that Rubashkin gave to Cattle Buyers Weekly, Agriprocessors sales increased from $80 million in 1997 to $180 million in 2002. In 2002 Agriprocessors was ranked as one of the 30 biggest beef-packing plants in America. The Rubashkins brought modern industrial methods to the kosher-meat-production and made (glatt) kosher meat available both in supermarket chains and in small, local grocery stores and meat markets across the United States.[8]

Under Rubashkin's leadership, Agriprocessors was cited for issues involving animal treatment,[9] food safety,[10] environmental safety,[11] child labor,[12] and hiring of other illegal workers.

It was reported in the media that Sholom Rubashkin left his post in September 2008[13], however, that appeared to be based on the false presumption that he was CEO[14]. and Agriprocessors sent a press release which referred to Bernard Feldman as the "new chief operating officer"[15]. Agriprocessors plants stopped operating in October 2008. On November 5, 2008 the firm filed for bankruptcy,

Raid and arrests

Main article: Postville Raid

On May 12, 2008, the FBI and US Dept. of Homeland Security agents raided the plant and arrested 389 workers that lacked documentation. At that time, it was the largest raid into a workplace in the US.[6]

On October 30, 2008, Rubashkin was arrested on federal conspiracy charges of harboring illegal immigrants and aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft. The same day, after making an initial court appearance, he was released on the following conditions: He must wear an ankle bracelet that tracks his movement, limit his travel to northern Iowa, surrender his passport and his wife's passport and provide a $1 million appearance bond. [16]

Rubashkin was arrested again on November 13, 2008, at his Postville home on federal charges of bank fraud. The charges claimed that under his direction, millions of dollars that were supposed to be deposited in an account as collateral for a loan were fraudulently diverted to another account, and were used to fraudulently increase the value of Agriprocessors accounts receivable. After the money was diverted, Rubashkin ordered the records of these transactions removed from company computers. Rubashkin faced up to 30 years in prison on these new charges.[17]

On January 27, 2009, Judge Linda Reade released Rubashkin on $500,000 bond. Rubashkin was ordered to surrender all passports and birth certificates, and agree to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet. He was not allowed to leave Allamakee County, nor was allowed on any of Agriprocessors’ property and was barred from contacting a list of people related to the case.[18] Defense attorneys successfully argued that Rubashkin was not a flight risk and had strong ties to the community, despite prosecutors' fears that he would flee to Israel, which grants expedited citizenship under its Law of Return. Upon searching Rubashkin's house, federal agents found $20,000 in cash and silver coins packed along with passports in his bedroom.[19]

Trials

Rubashkin was convicted in November 2009 on 86 charges of financial fraud, including bank fraud, mail and wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors had claimed the company intentionally defrauded St. Louis based First Bank on a revolving $35 million loan by faking invoices from meat dealers, inflating the value of the company.[20]

On November 23, 2009, Rubashkin's second trial on 72 immigration charges was canceled following the government's request to dismiss. In its motion to dismiss, the U.S. Attorneys Office said any conviction on the immigration charges would have no impact upon his sentence, writing, "dismissal will avoid an extended and expensive trial, conserve limited resources, and lessen the inconvenience to witnesses."[21] Federal Judge Linda R. Reade dismissed the immigration charges without prejudice.

On March 3, 2010, Judge Reade denied Rubashkin's motion for dismissal of the financial corruption charges and a request for a new trial.[22]

Rubashkin's sentencing hearing took place on April 28–29 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Prosecutors asked Judge Reade to impose a life sentence. After that request came under fire from former Justice Department officials,[23] Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Deegan said in court that the government would seek 25 years, while the defense asked for no more than six years.[24]

On June 22, 2010, Judge Reade handed down a sentence of 27 years, two years more than prosecutors had requested.[25] According to a 52-page memorandum which she released the day before sentencing, the judge imposed a 324-month prison term followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered Rubashkin to pay $18.5 million to First Bank Business Capital, the plant’s largest lender; $8.3 million to MB Financial Bank, another lender; and $3,800 to Waverly Sales, Inc., which received late payments from the plant for cattle.[26] On July 2, 2010, an appeal was filed with the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.[27] As part of that appeal on August 5, 2010, lawyers for Rubashkin filed a motion claiming that "Judge Reade acted improperly by participating in repeated ... meetings with the U.S. attorney's office" in connection with planning for the Postville Raid. [28]

Separate from the federal trials, Rubashkin and his associates went on trial on the child labor charges in state court in Waterloo, Iowa starting May 4, 2010.[29] Charges against Agriprocessors corporate officer Aaron Rubashkin and plant human resources employee Laura Althouse were dismissed, and the number of charges in the indictment was amended to 83 from 9,311.[30] He was acquitted of all charges on June 7, 2010.[31]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Sholom Rubashkin Transfered to Otisville Federal Prison".
  2. ^ a b "Free Sholom Rubashkin".
  3. ^ a b "RUBASHKIN APPEAL: Lawyers for Sholom Rubashkin have filed an appeal to his conviction and sentencing on federal financial fraud charges".
  4. ^ "Sholom Rubashkin: Community Patron Deals With Adversity". Hamodia. 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  5. ^ Jeff Reinitz, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier (June 1, 2010). "Testimony Complete in Rubashkin Child Labor Trial". KCRG-TV News. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  6. ^ a b Brian Ross (April 26, 2010). "Kosher Meat Plant Owner Wages Behind-the-Scenes Campaign to Limit Jail Time". ABC News. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  7. ^ Alan Cooperman (December 31, 2004). "USDA Investigating Kosher Meat Plant". Washington Post. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  8. ^ Nathaniel Popper (December 11, 2008). "How the Rubashkins Changed the Way Jews Eat in America". Jewish Daily Forward. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  9. ^ Donald G. McNeil Jr. (March 10, 2006). "Inquiry Finds Lax Federal Inspections at Kosher Meat Plant". New York Times. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  10. ^ Nathaniel Popper, "Kosher Slaughterhouse’s Food-Safety Record Criticized by Regulators", The Forward, 17 August 2007
  11. ^ AgriProcessors Inc. Wastewater Settlement LawyersandSettlements.com. Retrieved June 21, 2010
  12. ^ Preston, Julia (2010-06-07). "Former Manager of Iowa Slaughterhouse Is Acquitted of Labor Charges". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
  13. ^ Lynda Waddington, "Agriprocessors could face extinction" The Iowa Independent, 29 November 2008
  14. ^ "Former Iowa Meatpacker Manager Wants Trial Moved".
  15. ^ "Attorney: Wrong title could affect trial".
  16. ^ Kari Lydersen (October 31, 2008). "Former CEO of Iowa Kosher Meatpacking Plant Is Arrested". Washington Post. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  17. ^ David Franzman (November 14, 2008). "Agriprocessors Former Plant Manager Arrested Again". KCRG-TV News. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  18. ^ Pat Curtis (January 27, 2009). "Former Agriprocessors executive expected to get out of jail Thursday". Radio Iowa. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  19. ^ Katie Wiedemann (January 27, 2009). "Rabbis Speak out for Sholom Rubashkin". KCRG-TV News. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  20. ^ "Slaughterhouse Manager Convicted in Fraud Case". New York Times. November 13, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  21. ^ "Charges Dismissed: Judge dismisses 72 immigration charges against former Agriprocessors CEO". AP. Octobre 23, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ Jacqueline Palank (March 4, 2010). "Judge denies Motion for New Trial". The Wall Street Journal Blogs. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  23. ^ Julia Preston (April 29, 2010). "Life Sentence Is Debated for Meat Plant Ex-Chief". New York Times. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  24. ^ Nigel Duara, AP (May 3, 2010). "Feds Back Off From Life Sentence for Slaughterhouse Fraud Case. In dispute, the amount of money lost by First Bank Business Capital is key because it could affect Rubashkin's sentence". Law.com. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  25. ^ Preston, Julia (2010-06-21). "27-Year Sentence for Plant Manager". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
  26. ^ "Sholom Rubashkin to receive 27-year prison sentence". Des Moines Register. june 21, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ "Lawyers for Rubashkin file appeal". Associated Press. July 2, 2010.
  28. ^ Nelson, Josh (August 5, 2010). "Rubashkin asks for new trial after judge's role in raid is detailed". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier.
  29. ^ AP (January 7, 2010). "May trial scheduled for Rubashkin". Dubuque Herald. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  30. ^ Jeff Reinitz (May 4, 2010). "Child labor case won't be delayed". WCF Courier. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  31. ^ Jeff Reinitz (June 8, 2010). "Jury foreman explains Rubashkin verdict". WCF Courier. Retrieved June 21, 2010.

Further reading

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