The man who founded Agriprocessors Inc. testified today that he spent “every penny” he could gather to keep his kosher meat plant afloat after it was raided by immigration agents.

Abraham Aaron Rubashkin, who opened the Postville slaughterhouse in 1987 to process kosher meat, told jurors that he mortgaged his home, two buildings that he owned and his store in Brooklyn, N.Y after the May 2008 raid.

The effort ultimately failed, as the plant run by his two sons slipped into bankruptcy the following November. Rubashkin spoke during his son’s 91-count financial fraud trial in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Sholom Rubashkin, Aaron’s son, is charged with mail, wire and bank fraud, money laundering and failing to pay livestock providers on time. Sholom Rubashkin has pleaded not guilty.

Defense lawyers called the elder Rubashkin, who goes by “Aaron,” to contest the charges.

Aaron Rubashkin said he managed to gather between $4 million and $5 million from his personal assets after the raid. “We tried to get all the help we could,” he said.

He said he was unaware of any illegal immigrants working at the plant, and had trusted the plant’s human resources manager, Elizabeth Billmeyer before the raid that snagged 389 illegal workers.

“I used to trust her. She is a very strong woman,” Aaron Rubashkin said. “I cannot understand how this happened.”

Aaron Rubashkin stirred whispers from supporters in the public gallery as he entered the courtroom. The Rubashkin family patriarch was sworn in, and smiled and waved at jurors as he stepped to the witness stand.

Attorneys also showed Aaron Rubashkin photos, outside the jury’s presence, of the Rubashkins with prominent politicians. Included in the images were U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, and former U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle.

U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade has not allowed the photos into the trial for several reasons, including prosecutors objections that the photos lacked a legal foundation to be included in trial.

Aaron Rubashkin will continue to testify this afternoon.

(Source: Des Moines Register)