A woman named Muna Wais Fidhin has been charged for her alleged role in the $300 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. The 44-year-old is facing three counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, and four counts of federal programs bribery.
Fidhin is the 75th person to be charged in connection with the COVID-era scheme that saw fraudsters steal hundreds of millions of dollars from a federal child nutrition program which reimbursed participants for feeding hungry children. Fidhin was arrested Thursday morning.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota, Fidhin enrolled both a company and nonprofit in a federal child nutrition program in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The company was sponsored by Feeding Our Future. Fidhin reportedly claimed to be serving hundreds of meals to children, seven days a week at her food distribution sites.
However, the U.S. Attorney’s Office says “Fidhin served few, if any, children at her sites,” and she “submitted fake invoices purporting to document the purchase of food for use in feeding these children.”
“In all, Fidhin fraudulently claimed to have served more than 300,000 meals at her two food sites, for which she claimed to be entitled to approximately $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds,” said a press release from prosecutors.
Fidhin allegedly used the funds to purchase a car, “fund her lifestyle,” and pay off her home mortgage. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also said she wired money out of the country and paid roughly $27,000 in kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future staffer.
The indictment against Fidhin was the result of an investigation by the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the IRS. The case is being prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson and his assistant U.S. Attorneys.
“With the 75th defendant charged in the Feeding Our Future scandal, the message could not be clearer,” said Thompson. “Feeding Our Future is only one of the many frauds against the state we are pursuing. If you touched these frauds in any way, pick up the phone and call the FBI today. You will still be held accountable, but it will be far better for you than if you wait until we come knocking.”
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
