Five people accused in the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scheme pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges this week, admitting they stole $14.6 million in federal child nutrition funds that were intended to feed hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background
The defendants were among a group scheduled to face trial next month in U.S. District Court. They were connected to Ikram Yusuf Mohamed, 42, who allegedly opened multiple food distribution sites across the Twin Cities under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future, using the names of family members to submit claims.
The scheme centered on Federal Child Nutrition Program funds designed to provide meals to children during school closures and pandemic-related disruptions. Prosecutors have described Feeding Our Future as the largest pandemic fraud case in the country.
Shakur Abdinur Abdisalam, 46, Aisha Hassan Hussein, 29, Sahra Sharif Osman, 43, and Fadumo Mohamed Yusuf, 59, each claimed their companies had served hundreds of thousands of meals to children in the Minneapolis area. Instead, records show their businesses received more than $1 million each in federal nutrition funds.
The Investigation
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota announced the guilty pleas this week. Each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. All four will be sentenced at a later date.
One defendant remains in the trial, which is still scheduled to begin next month. A seventh defendant is set for a change of plea hearing next week, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
The Feeding Our Future scheme unraveled beginning in 2021, when federal investigators began examining irregularities in the child nutrition program claims. The program was expanded during the pandemic to address food insecurity among school-age children.
Key Takeaways
- $14.6 million stolen from Federal Child Nutrition Program meant to feed hungry children during COVID-19
- Four defendants pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud each
- Defendants claimed to have served hundreds of thousands of meals but received over $1 million each
- One defendant remains scheduled for trial next month, another has change of plea hearing upcoming
- 63 people have now been convicted in the Feeding Our Future scheme, described as nation's largest pandemic fraud case
What's Next
Sentencing dates for the four defendants who pleaded guilty have not yet been scheduled. The remaining defendant facing trial is expected to begin proceedings next month, with a seventh defendant's change of plea hearing scheduled for next week.
The convictions represent the latest developments in an ongoing prosecution that has now secured guilty pleas from more than 60 individuals connected to the Feeding Our Future organization.