Abdulkadir Afrah let it be known that he could make no-proof-of-insurance tickets disappear — for a price. Then investigators found out. On Monday, the former Hennepin County senior court clerk admitted to accepting bribes. Afrah, 43, of Hastings, pleaded guilty to failing to provide the state and its citizens with honest services by dishonestly dismissing traffic tickets and keeping that cash motorists would have paid in fines.

From 2008 through 2011, he unlawfully dismissed at least 22 tickets, worth more than $6,000 to the Hennepin County District Court. To hide his scheme, Afrah made false entries in the court’s computer system.

Afrah, who began working as a court clerk in March 2003, reviewed and processed traffic citations at the Violations Bureau in Hennepin County Government Center. Specifically, he handled “no proof of insurance” tickets that drivers brought in to pay. If presented with such a citation — and an insurance card — Afrah had the authority to dismiss the ticket if the insurance company named on the card confirmed that the policy was good at the time of the ticket.

Afrah entered the information, including the insurance policy number, into the court’s computer system. But in March of last year, authorities heard that Afrah was fixing tickets for people. On Jan. 10 of this year, investigators sent an undercover witness with a “no proof” ticket to meet with Afrah and ask for his help.

The man told Afrah he had no insurance. Not a problem, Afrah said. He could help him in exchange for $278 — the amount the fine would have been. According to an affidavit filed in the case, Afrah met with the man again later in the day and Afrah accepted $280 in cash. Afrah told the man that the ticket would not go on his record. A review of the court’s electronic records show that Afrah dismissed the ticket that day.

A grand jury indicted Afrah on Feb. 22. U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank will sentence him at a later date. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison. James Walsh • 612-673-7428

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