MINNEAPOLIS, Caasimada Online) – Federal prosecutors in Minnesota announced on Monday that 10 more suspects had been charged in connection to the criminal fraud case involving Feeding Our Future.  

This brings the total number of people charged in the case to 60, with allegations that more than $250 million was siphoned away from programs intended to feed underserved children during the pandemic.

At a news conference, U.S. Attorney for the Minnesota District, Andrew Luger, explained that the newly charged defendants are accused of using similar tactics to the first 50 defendants charged last fall.  

Luger stated, “These defendants, just like the first 50 announced last fall, falsely claimed to feed thousands of children daily. They submitted false reimbursement sheets with phony names of children. They often used false invoices to make it appear they were purchasing large amounts of food when they were not.” 

The indictment alleges that the new defendants, like their predecessors, used the money obtained through the fraudulent scheme to purchase property, real estate, luxury vehicles, and even an airplane delivered to Kenya. 

In one instance, a defendant allegedly purchased a laundromat to launder illicit funds. 

The indictment includes three new unsealed indictments and a superseding indictment that adds new defendants to the case, with some previously charged.  

The defendants are scheduled to appear in court today and tomorrow. 

New defendant Kawsar Jama

At the press conference, Luger singled out one of the newly charged defendants, Kawsar Jama, as an example of the brazen fraud that allegedly took place. 

Jama claimed to be serving 2,560 meals per day at a site in Pelican Rapids, a city with a total population of 2,500. She received $3.7 million from the federal meal programs. 

Jama allegedly forged a phony lease and submitted it with her application to make it appear that she was serving at a place in Pelican Rapids. 

Luger explained, “She claimed to be serving everyone living in Pelican Rapids every day, whether they were children or not, whether they were needed or not.” 

Jama then submitted phony invoices to make it appear that she was buying food. However, Luger stated that there was no food and no children.  

Jama even invented fake names for the kids she claimed to serve. 

The charges against the new defendants 

Three of the 10 new suspects are charged through “information” rather than a grand jury indictment.  

Typically, when a suspect is charged through information, they are expected to plead guilty and cooperate with the authorities.

Mohamed Ali Hussein and Lul Bashir Ali are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a detailed information document.  

Hussein was the president and owner of Somali American Faribault Education, a nonprofit in Faribault called “SAFE.” 

According to the information, Hussein falsely claimed to serve meals to as many as 2,500 children a day, seven days a week, totaling 1.2 million meals between February and November 2021. 

Hussein is also accused of paying more than $100,000 in kickbacks to Abdikerm Eidleh of Feeding Our Future, the nonprofit that sponsored SAFE as a meal site. 

On the other hand, Ali owned Lido Restaurant in Faribault, which also operated as a Federal Child Nutrition Program site under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future.  

Lido Restaurant also provided and served meals at the SAFE site. 

According to the information document, Ali falsely claimed that Lido Restaurant was serving meals to as many as 1,600 children per day, seven days a week, totaling 700,000 meals.

Hussein and Ali received more than $5 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds as part of the fraud scheme. 

Another suspect charged through information is Mulata Ali, with few details released now. Ali is accused of stealing government funds between December 2020 and January 2022.  

The charging document alleges that Ali “willfully and knowingly” stole and purloined funds from the Federal Child Nutrition Program. 

List of defendants named in the indictments 

The following defendants are named in the four indictments:

• 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. 22-CR-226 (NEB/TNL)
• 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. 22-CR-226 (NEB/TNL)
• 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. 22-CR-226 (NEB/TNL)
• 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. 22-CR-226 (NEB/TNL)
• Ayan Farah 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. 23-CR-80
• 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. 23-CR-81
• Sharon Denise 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. 23-CR-82

Criminal informations:

• Mohamed Ali Hussein, 53, and Lul Bashir 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. 23-CR-91
• Mulata Yusuf Ali, 38, of Minneapolis, is charged with theft of government funds involving the Federal Child Nutrition Program from December 2020 through January 2022. 23-CR-92