Authorities this week arrested in Somalia one of the “orchestrators” in a $250 million Minnesota welfare fraud scheme, ending the fugitive’s four year run from federal law enforcement, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday.
Abdikerm Eidleh, 42, was one of the original suspects charged in 2022 for his role in the now notorious Feeding Our Future scam, which federal prosecutors say stole Covid pandemic relief funds from the Federal Child Nutrition Program meant to feed hungry children.
They also describe it as a pay-to-play scheme in which operators of some 200 fraudulent child meal sites kicked back a portion of their illicit proceeds to employees, including Eidleh.
The nutritional help never got to the kids, according to federal indictments.
Eidleh’s 31-count indictment included “conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota said in a Friday statement.
He was taken into custody Thursday in Somalia’s capital city of Mogadishu, authorities said.
Assistant Attorney General and President Donald Trump’s fraud czar Colin McDonald described Eidleh as “a central figure in one of the largest fraud schemes in Minnesota history.”
He said in the Friday statement:
He not only stole taxpayer dollars, but he also robbed vulnerable children of critical resources they desperately needed. Rather than answer for his crimes in the United States, he fled to Somalia in a futile attempt to evade justice. That attempt ended thanks to the exceptional work of our FBI partners. The Department of Justice will continue to track down and prosecute fraudsters wherever they run and wherever they hide.
Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen also weighed in on the capture.
“Eidleh’s capture shows that, if you commit fraud against the American taxpayer, and try hiding across the globe, the long arm of justice will find you,” he said. “We salute the FBI’s work in finding Eidleh, and are grateful to all our federal and international partners that help us hold accountable those who defraud our government.”
Eidleh’s indictment charged him with recruiting and supporting criminals who set up fake food sites and vendor networks which then billed the government for millions of dollars in meals that were never actually served to children.
He and other employees then solicited and received bribes and kickbacks from people and companies that sought to operate fraudulent meal distribution sites, according to the DOJ.
Eidleh also created his own fraudulent food sites which claimed they were serving meals to thousands of children per day, his indictment alleged.
“Eidleh deposited more than $5 million in kickbacks, bribes, and other fraud proceeds into accounts associated with his shell companies, using them to conceal the true nature and source of the illegally obtained funds,” prosecutors said.
The Feeding Our Future scam is one of the several alleged social welfare schemes originating in the large Somalian community in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota currently under investigation by federal authorities.
Aimee Bock, described by the New York Post as the “mastermind” behind the Feeding Our Future scam, was slapped with a 41-year prison sentence in May after being convicted on all counts.
At least 79 people have reportedly been charged in connection with the Feeding Our Future scheme and more than 60 have been convicted of crimes, the outlet reported.
Breitbart contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the author of the New York Times true crime best seller House of Secrets and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more.