Five more defendants in Minnesota’s infamous Feeding Our Future scandal pleaded guilty this week, bringing the total number of convictions in the case to 63.
The COVID-era scheme saw fraudsters steal hundreds of millions of dollars from a federal child nutrition program which reimbursed participants for feeding hungry children.
Fraudsters claimed they provided meals to hungry children when few, if any, meals were actually given. A nonprofit called Feeding Our Future was at the center of the scheme.
The five defendants — Ikram Yusuf Mohamed, Aisha Hassan Hussein, Sahra Sharif Osman, Shakur Abdinur Abdisalam, and Fadumo Mohamed Yusuf — all pleaded guilty to wire fraud for their roles in the scheme.
“I am proud of our team of prosecutors, federal agents, and law enforcement partners who continue to expose the rampant fraud in Minnesota,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen.
The group of defendants — which included Ikram Mohamed’s husband, sister, and mother — worked together to steal and launder a total of $14.6 million in nutrition program funds.
The group was set to go on trial in April. A sixth defendant charged with the group is still scheduled to participate in that trial, while a seventh has a change-of-plea hearing next week.
Rosen’s office said the 63 convictions represent the largest number of convictions in a single fraud investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in recent memory.
Sentencing hearings for the five defendants will take place at a later date.
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
