Feeding Our Future: 10 more people charged in massive fraud case

Ten more people have been charged in connection to the massive Feeding Our Future fraud case, bringing the total number of people charged thus far to 60 people.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Ten more people have been charged in connection to the massive Feeding Our Future fraud case, bringing the total number of people charged thus far to 60 people.

Fifty people were previously charged in the scheme federal officials have called the largest pandemic fraud in the country. Authorities allege the fraud scheme took at least $250 million from the federal child nutrition program — money that was intended to help feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The charges against those allegedly involved include conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and bribery.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger on Monday held a news conference announcing the new charges, noting the new defendants used similar tactics to those previously charged to carry out their scheme by falsely claiming they were feeding thousands of children.

They allegedly submitted false reimbursement sheets with phony names of children, and used false invoices to make it appear they were purchasing large amounts of food when they were not, Luger said.

Those charged are alleged to have operated fake food sites in Pelican Rapids, Faribault, Burnsville, Minnetonka, Bloomington, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Luger said.

Kawsar Jama, who is among those charged Monday, allegedly claimed to operate a number of feeding sites in towns in Minnesota, including in Pelican Rapids, Luger said. At that site, Jama claimed to be serving 2,560 meals per day to needy children despite the town having a population of 2,500.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger outlined the charges against the 10 people charged Monday in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.

Luger said Jama would use phony invoices to make it look like she was buying food for all those people, despite not serving any children. None of the children on the reimbursement forms matched the children in the schools in Pelican Rapids.

Like those previously charged, Luger says the 10 charged on Monday spent most of the money they stole on themselves, including on luxury vehicles and in one case an aircraft that was to be sent to Kenya. One person allegedly laundered the money they stole by buying a laundromat.

So far, investigators have seized $66.6 million in assets, including property, bank accounts, real estate, and $4 million worth of vehicles.

More charges are expected in the future as the investigation continues, Luger said. Six people have already pleaded guilty in connection to the scheme.

Authorities detail charges against 10 defendants in Feeding Our Future scheme

The U.S. Attorney's Office outlined the charges against the 10 defendants:

Ayan 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sharon 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.
Mohamed Hussein, 53, and Lul 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.
Mulata Ali, 38, of Minneapolis, is charged with theft of government funds involving the Federal Child Nutrition Program from December 2020 through January 2022.