NEW YORK (AP) — Three men were arrested Monday for allegedly offering to pay $100,000 in cash to a juror at the Brooklyn drug trial of former heavyweight boxer Goran Gogic, prompting a federal judge to dismiss the jury right before opening statements.
According to federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, an anonymous jury will be selected when Gogic’s trial resumes after a 30-day hiatus, as announced by spokesperson John Marzulli. A conference has been scheduled for December 17.
Gogic, a Montenegrin ex-boxer, faces charges of conspiring to smuggle approximately 20 tons of cocaine from Colombia to Europe through U.S. ports via commercial cargo ships, a claim he has denied. His attorney did not respond to requests for comments.
The trio was apprehended after allegedly approaching a juror and offering him a bribe to return a not guilty verdict, Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Navarro informed the judge.
Prosecutors suggested the individuals may have acquired the jury list or pertinent juror information from someone associated with the case.
Mustafa Fteja, one of the arrested, secured release on a $150,000 bond following a court hearing, while his co-accused Valmir Krasniqi and Afrim Kupa remain imprisoned pending further court action.
The men were not required to enter pleas during their initial court appearances, and their lawyers had not provided comments at the time. Describing Gogic as a major drug trafficker, law enforcement officials underscored the scale of his operations.
Gogic, who fought professionally in Germany between 2001 and 2012, faces a potential sentence of 10 years to life if convicted under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act.
Federal prosecutors said Gogic and his associates worked closely with crew members aboard ships to smuggle cocaine, and multiple significant shipments have been intercepted by authorities, including a record-setting seizure in 2019.
