Thread: IA:Feds Go After Rubashkin Trademarks, Property

Feds go after Rubashkin trademarks, property

By Lynda Waddington 12/11/08 5:37 PM

Federal authorities have upped the ante for Agriprocessors and four former members of plant management. Not only will the parties face the penalties originally outlined in a Nov. 21 indictment, but they may have to forfeit a host of items that have been defined as proceeds of criminal activity.

The modified indictment, which was filed today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, specifies that the Agriprocessors, Inc. corporate name, trademarks and corporate stock are subject to forfeiture. The trademarks would include such well-known brands as Iowa Best Beef, Shor Habor, Aaron’s Best and Rubashkin.

Sholom M. Rubashkin, son of company founder A. Aaron Rubashkin and a former chief executive at the Postville plant, remains in federal custody pending trial in this case and others. He is charged with various immigration and bank fraud-related charges.

Brent Beebe, Hosam Amara, and Zeev Levi, all former members of plant management, also face immigration-related charges. Amara and Levi fled the jurisdiction after a May 12 immigration raid at the plant and are currently been sought by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Human resources employee Karina Pilar Freund signed a plea agreement yesterday while admitting to one misdemeanor count of aiding and abetting a pattern or practice of hiring undocumented aliens. The charges she previously faced as a part of the November indictment have been dropped.

Federal authorities allege in the complaint that the company name, trademark and stocks were proceeds of the believed offenses of harboring undocumented aliens for profit and conspiracy to harbor undocumented aliens for profit. In addition, the modified complaint also seeks the forfeiture of all property used to facilitate the alleged offenses.

Agriprocessors has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is unclear how this move by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa will affect the bankruptcy or the claims of numerous creditors. In addition, the plant in Postville, which briefly ceased production following Sholom Rubashkin’s arrest and detention, has resumed limited poultry production as bankruptcy trustee Joseph Sarachek negotiates with potential buyers. It is not publicly known if Sarachek’s negotiations have involved the facilities, corporate name and trademarks the government is seeking.

http://iowaindependent.com/9607/feds-go ... s-property

This has actually made another type of kosher classification. I have posted an article about it several months back. This new classification adds moral issues to it such as using illegal slave labor. It is becoming more popular within the various Jewish communities. I know that Publix in Florida sold Aaron's Best and Rubashkin meat products for those who prefer one stop shopping.

The system can work. All your calls, emails and letters etc we asked, demanded and pleaded "punish the employers" great work activists.

Jail time big fines put um out of business

Thursday, December 18, 2008 12:31 PM CST
Agriprocessors' former CEO, manager plead not guilty

By JEFF REINITZ, Courier Staff Writer
CEDAR RAPIDS --- Two Agriprocessors officials have pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging visa fraud and harboring illegal aliens.

Sholom Rubashkin, the former CEO for Agriprocessors' Postville plant, and operations manager Brent Beebe had been scheduled to appear for arraignment in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids today on charges levied in a Dec. 11 indictment.

But the hearing was canceled because the two filed written waivers acknowledging they received a copy of the indictment and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Another Agriprocessors employee charged in the indictment, human resources worker Karina Pilar Freund, has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

Two other employees who are charged, poultry managers Hosam Amara and Zeev Levi, remain at large.

The charges stem from the immigration raid at Agriprocessors plant in May where some 389 workers from Guatemala and Mexico were detained.

Court records allege company officials, suspecting a crackdown was in the offing, arranged to "fire" illegal workers with bad employment documents.

The employees then bought new documents so they could continue working.

www.wcfcourier.com