The dominoes continue to fall in Minnesota. Another five individuals have pled guilty in a massive fraud scandal in Minnesota, including one individual who met with the state’s attorney general, Keith Ellison.
One of those who pled guilty was Ikram Yusuf Mohamed, 42, a consultant for Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit at the center of one federal fraud investigation. Feeding Our Future was deeply involved in the massive fraud scheme.
In the case of United States v. Mohamed et al, Mohamed was purported to run food program sites in Minneapolis and its suburbs, as well as a food distribution business. The DOJ said the defendants, Mohamed and her family and friends, worked together to steal and launder $14.6 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program money. This money was intended to feed hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Justice Department press release, “Mohamed opened several food sites that were enrolled in and received over $6.9 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future.”
The Justice Department said that Mohamed created entities under the names of family members and created a food distribution company with her brother called Star Distribution LLC. This business went on to create fraudulent invoices for the family-controlled entities.
“At Mohamed’s advice, other program sites sponsored by Feeding Our Future used Star Distribution, causing it to receive $1.4 million for fraudulent invoices,” the Justice Department said. “Star Distribution also received $4.9 million directly from Feeding Our Future for the meals allegedly served at the family-controlled sites.”
Along with Mohamed, four other individuals pleaded guilty. The four were Aisha Hassan Hussein, Sahra Sharif Osman, Shakur Abdinur Abdisalam, and Fadumo Mohamed Yusuf. Mohamed and Abdisalam pled guilty on March 18, while Hussein, Osman, and Yusuf pled guilty on March 20, all before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel of the District of Minnesota.
The real question here is how close to the top of the pile is the DOJ getting?