• Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, of Burnsville, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Eidleh was an employee of Feeding Our Future who solicited and received bribes and kickbacks from individuals and sites under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Eidleh also created his own fraudulent sites.
• Salim Ahmed Said, of Plymouth, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Said was an owner and operator of Safari Restaurant, a site that received more than $16 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Abdulkadir Nur Salah, of Columbia Heights, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Abdulkadir Salah was an owner and operator of Safari Restaurant, a site that received more than $16 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Ahmed Sharif Omar-Hashim, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Omar-Hashim created a company called Olive Management Inc., a site that received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Plead Guilty 14 December 2023
• Abdi Nur Salah, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Abdi Salah registered Stigma-Free International, a non-profit entity used to carry out the scheme with sites throughout Minnesota, including in Willmar, Mankato, St. Cloud, Waite Park, and St. Paul.
• Abdihakim Ali Ahmed, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Abdihakim Ahmed created ASA Limited LLC, a site that received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Ahmed Mohamed Artan, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Artan registered Stigma-Free International, a non-profit entity used to carry out the scheme with sites throughout Minnesota, including in Willmar, Mankato, St. Cloud, Waite Park, and St. Paul.
• Abdikadir Ainanshe Mohamud, of Fridley, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Mohamud ran the Stigma-Free Willmar site. This site claimed to have served approximately 1.6 million meals and received more than $4 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Abdinasir Mahamed Abshir, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Abdinasir Abshir ran the Stigma-Free Mankato site. This site claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals and received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Asad Mohamed Abshir, of Mankato, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Asad Abshir ran the Stigma-Free Mankato site. This site claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals and received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Hamdi Hussein Omar, of St. Paul, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Omar ran the Stigma-Free Waite Park site. This site claimed to have served more than 500,000 meals and received more than $1 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Ahmed Abdullahi Ghedi, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Ghedi created ASA Limited LLC, a site that received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Abdirahman Mohamud Ahmed, of Columbus, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. Abdirahman Ahmed was an owner and operator of Safari Restaurant, a site that received more than $16 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, of Savage, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, and false statements in a passport application. Abdiaziz Farah was an owner and operator of Empire Cuisine and Market LLC, a for-profit restaurant that participated in the scheme as a site, as a vendor for other sites, and as an entity to launder fraudulent proceeds. Empire Cuisine and Market and other affiliated sites received more than $28 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Mohamed Jama Ismail, of Savage, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Ismail was an owner and operator of Empire Cuisine and Market LLC, a for-profit restaurant that participated in the scheme as a site, as a vendor for other sites, and as an entity to launder fraudulent proceeds. Empire Cuisine and Market and other affiliated sites received more than $28 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Mahad Ibrahim, of Lewis Center, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Ibrahim was the president and owner of ThinkTechAct Foundation, a Minnesota non-profit organization that also operated under the name Mind Foundry Learning Foundation. ThinkTechAct and Mind Foundry created dozens of sites throughout Minnesota, including in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Burnsville, Faribault, Owatonna, Shakopee, Circle Pines, and Willmar. ThinkTechAct received more than $18 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, of Shakopee, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Abdimajid Nur created Nur Consulting LLC to receive and launder Federal Child Nutrition Program funds from Empire Cuisine and Market, ThinkTechAct, and other entities involved in the scheme.
• Said Shafii Farah, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Said Farah, the brother of Abdiaziz Farah, was an owner of Bushra Wholesalers LLC, a shell company used to launder fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Abdiwahab Maalim Aftin, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Aftin was an owner of Bushra Wholesalers LLC, a shell company used to launder fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Mukhtar Mohamed Shariff, of Bloomington, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Shariff was the chief executive officer of Afrique Hospitality Group, a shell company used to fraudulent obtain and launder Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Hayat Mohamed Nur, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Hayat Nur, the sister of Abdimajid Nur, participated in the scheme by creating and submitting fraudulent meal count sheets, attendance rosters, and invoices.
• Qamar Ahmed Hassan, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Hassan was the owner and operator of S & S Catering Inc., a for-profit restaurant and catering business that participated in the scheme as a distribution site and as a vendor for other sites. S & S Catering received more than $18 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Sahra Mohamed Nur, of Saint Anthony, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Nur ran a site called Academy For Youth Excellence that used S & S Catering as a vendor.
• Abdiwahab Ahmed Mohamud, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Mohamud ran a site called Academy For Youth Excellence that used S & S Catering as a vendor.
• Filsan Mumin Hassan, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Hassan ran a site called Youth Higher Educational Achievement that falsely claimed to serve up to 4,300 meals a day.
• Guhaad Hashi Said, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Hashi ran a site under the name Advance Youth Athletic Development that falsely claimed to serve up to 5,000 meals a day.
• Abdullahe Nur Jesow, of Columbia Heights, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Jesow ran a site called Academy For Youth Excellence that used S & S Catering as a vendor.
• Abdul Abubakar Ali, of St. Paul, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Abdul Ali ran a site called Youth Inventors Lab that falsely claimed to have served a total of approximately 1.5 million meals in a seven-month period.
Plead Guilty 27 October 2022
• Yusuf Bashir Ali, of Vadnais Heights, Minnesota is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Yusuf Ali ran a site called Youth Inventors Lab that falsely claimed to have served a total of approximately 1.5 million meals in a seven-month period.
• Haji Osman Salad, of St. Anthony, Minnesota, is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Salad was the principal of Haji's Kitchen and received approximately $11.6 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Fahad Nur, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Nur was the principal of The Produce LLC, a vendor and purported food supplier who received more than $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Anab Artan Awad, of Plymouth, Minnesota, is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Awad was the president of Multiple Community Services, MCA. Awad claimed more than $11 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Plead Guilty 4 November 2022
• Sharmarke Issa, of Edina, Minnesota, is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Issa created a company called Minnesota's Somali Community and was the manager of Wacan Restaurant LLC. Issa fraudulently caused MDE to pay out more than $7.4 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Farhiya Mohamud, of Bloomington, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Mohamud was the principal and CEO of Dua Supplies and Distribution Inc., a shell company that laundered millions of dollars of fraudulently obtained Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Liban Yasin Alishire, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, and money laundering. Alishire was the president and owner of Community Enhancement Services, Inc., a company located in the JigJiga Business Center in Minneapolis. Community Enhancement Services was a cultural mall owned and operated by Alishire and co-defendant Khadar Jigre Adan. Community Enhancement Services received more than $1.6 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program Plead Guilty 24 January 2023 Guilty Plea
• Ahmed Yasin Ali, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Ali created a second program site, run by Lake Street Kitchen, and located in the JigJiga Business Center in Minneapolis.
• Khadar Jigre Adan, of Lakeville, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Adan was the CEO of Lake Street Kitchen, which was a program site located in the JigJiga Business Center in Minneapolis.
• Sharmake Jama, of Rochester, Minnesota, is charged with wire fraud, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Sharmake Jama was a principal of Brava Restaurant and Café LLC. Brava Restaurant received approximately $4.3 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
• Ayan Jama, of Rochester, Minnesota is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Ayan Jama was a principal of Brava Restaurant and Café LLC. Ayan Jama also created shell companies to launder fraudulent proceeds.
• Asha Jama, of Lakeville, Minnesota is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. Asha Jama worked for Brava Restaurant and created shell companies to launder fraudulent proceeds.
• Fartun Jama, of Rosemount, Minnesota is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. Fartun Jama worked for Brava Restaurant and created shell companies to launder fraudulent proceeds.
• Mustafa Jama, of Rochester, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. Mustafa Jama worked for Brava Restaurant and created shell companies to launder fraudulent proceeds.
• Zamzam Jama, of Rochester, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. Zamzam Jama worked for Brava Restaurant and created shell companies to launder fraudulent proceeds.
• Bekam Addissu Merdassa, of Inver Grove Heights, used a non-profit entity called Youth Inventors Lab as a shell company to carry out his scheme. Merdassa and his co-conspirators enrolled Youth Inventors Lab in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Youth Inventors Lab claimed to have served over 1.3 million meals between December 2020 through June 2021 and fraudulently received $3,029,786 in reimbursements from Feeding Our Future. Plead Guilty 13 October 2022 Guilty Plea
• Hanna Marekegn, of Medina, enrolled her company, Brava Cafe, in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. In total, the company claimed to have served over 2 million meals to children between September 2020 and fall 2021 and obtained approximately $7.1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Plead Guilty 13 October 2022 Guilty Plea
• Hadith Yusuf Ahmed, of Eden Prairie, was an employee of Feeding Our Future and was responsible for monitoring and supporting sponsor sites. Ahmed solicited and accepted kickback payments from several sites under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Ahmed created and used a shell company, Mizal Consulting LLC, to receive and conceal the kickback payments, which were often disguised as "consulting fees." In all, Ahmed solicited and received more than $1 million in bribe and kickback payments from individuals and companies involved in the scheme under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Ahmed also created a site under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future called Southwest Metro Youth. Ahmed and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent invoices for reimbursement in which they claimed to be serving meals to 2,000 children a day at Southwest Metro Youth. In support of these fraudulent claims, Ahmed and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted fake paperwork, including fake meal counts and fake invoices purporting to document the purchase of food from a vendor. In total, Ahmed's company Southwest Metro Youth obtained more than $1.1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Plead Guilty 13 October 2022 Guilty Plea
• Mohamed Muse Noor is accused of taking nearly $500,000 from the Federal Child Nutritional Program and sending most of it to his cousin, who is no longer in the United States Charged ~Indicted
• Mekfira Hussein & Abduljabar Hussein from Shakopee Minnesota, charges say they stole $6.8 million in federal meal program money and spent little, if any, on meals for kids. Hussein was arrested at MSP Airport before she could take a one-way flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Prosecutors say Hussein is a key role in an alleged scheme, led by the nonprofit and its founder Aimee Bock, to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from the U.S. government that should've been spent on feeding hungry kids in Minnesota. That mission to feed those kids still continues with nonprofits like Youthprise playing by the rules. Charged ~ Indicted
• Kawsar Jama, 41, of Eagan, was the principal of Gedo Community Services and Ahlan Childcare Center, Inc., both of which Jama enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. As alleged, between September 2020 through February 2022, Jama falsely claimed to have served approximately 1.46 million meals to needy children at sites in Pelican Rapids, Burnsville, and Minneapolis. In total, Jama submitted $3.7 million in fraudulent claims for Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, some of which she spent on living expenses, real estate, and vehicles, including a Tesla Model X and an Infiniti QX56 SUV. Jama is charged with five counts of wire fraud and four counts of money laundering. 22-CR-226 (NEB/TNL)
• Abdikadir Kadiye, 51, of Minneapolis, was the president of Hobyo Health Care Foundation, which he enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Sponsor A. As alleged, throughout 2021, Kadiye falsely claimed to have served at least 445,000 meals to needy children at his sites in Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Minneapolis. In total, Kadiye submitted more than $1.1 million in fraudulent claims for Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, some of which he spent on vehicles (including a $105,000 2022 BMW sport utility vehicle), airline tickets, real estate, and $20,000 towards the purchase of a laundromat. Kadiye is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of wire fraud. 22-CR-226 (NEB/TNL)
• Abdulkadir Awale, 50, of Bloomington, was the principal of Karmel Coffee, LLC and Sambusa King, Inc., and the CEO of Nawal Restaurant. All three of Awale’s businesses were enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. As alleged, between April 2020 through January 2022, Awale falsely claimed that through his businesses he provided food for more than 3.6 million meals to various sites in Minnesota, totaling approximately $11.8 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Awale also paid at least $83,000 in kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future employee. Awale used some of funds to make mortgage payments, cash withdrawals, and purchase vehicles, including a Freightliner Cascadia truck. Awale is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, five counts of money laundering, three counts of wire fraud, and four counts of federal programs bribery. 22-CR-226 (NEB/TNL) Charged. Guilty Plea. Plead Guilty Tuesday, 13 June 2023
• Khadra Abdi, 41, of Minneapolis, was the principal of Shafi’I Tutoring & Homework Help Center, which she enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. As alleged, between April 2020 through December 2021, Abdi falsely claimed to serve 1.1 million meals to needy children at her site in Hopkins. In total, Abdi submitted more than $3.4 million in fraudulent claims for Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Abdi also paid at least $17,000 in kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future employee. Abdi used some of funds to make credit card payments, cash withdrawals, and purchase clothing. Abdi is charged with two counts of wire fraud and three counts of federal programs bribery. 22-CR-226 (NEB/TNL)
• Ayan Farah Abukar, 41, of Savage, was the founder and executive director of Action for East African People, a non-profit which she enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. As alleged, between October 2020 through 2022, Abukar falsely claimed to be serving as many as 5,000 children a day at her various sites in Bloomington, Minneapolis, Savage, and St. Paul. In total, Abukar fraudulently received approximately $5.7 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Abukar also paid more than $330,000 in kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future employee. Abukar spent millions on real estate, including a 37-acre commercial property in Lakeville and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars towards the purchase of an aircraft to be delivered to Nairobi, Kenya. Abukar is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, three counts of federal programs bribery, and three counts of money laundering. 23-CR-80
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• Sade Osman Hashi, 45, of Minneapolis, was the principal of Great Lakes Inc. and Safari Express, entities which he enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. As alleged, between September 2020 through 2022, Hashi falsely claimed to be serving as many as 2,500 meals each day to needy children at his site in the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. In total, Hashi fraudulently received approximately $5.7 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Hashi also paid more than $150,000 in kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future employee. Hashi used some of the funds to make cash withdrawals and converted approximately $133,000 to cryptocurrency. Hashi is charged with four counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, three counts of federal programs bribery, and one count of money laundering. 23-CR-81
• Sharon Denise Ross, 52, of Big Lake, was the executive director of House of Refuge Twin Cities, a non-profit which she enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. As alleged, between October 2021 and January 2022, Ross falsely claimed to be serving thousands of children each day at her House of Refuge sites. In total, Ross fraudulently received approximately $2.8 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, some of which she spent on real estate, vehicles, and payments to family members. Ross is charged with ten counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. 23-CR-82
Criminal informations:
• Mohamed Ali Hussein, 53, and Lul Bashir Ali, 57, both of Faribault, enrolled their entities Somali American Faribault Education (SAFE) and Lido Restaurant in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. As alleged, Hussein falsely claimed that the SAFE site in Faribault was serving as many as 2,500 children a day, seven days a week. Lul Ali falsely claimed that the Lido Restaurant site in Faribault was serving as many as 1,600 children a day, seven days a week. In total, Hussein and Lul Ali received more than $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Hussein also paid more than $100,000 in kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future employee. Hussein and Lul Ali are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 23-CR-91 Charged Guilty Plea
BOTH Guilty Plea Tuesday, 6 June 2023
• Mulata Yusuf Ali, 38, of Minneapolis, is charged with theft of government funds involving the Federal Child Nutrition Program from December 2020 through January 2022. 23-CR-92