Key facts
- Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, has been taken into custody in Mogadishu, Somalia.
- Eidleh is charged in connection with a $250 million fraud scheme targeting a federal meals program.
- Prosecutors allege that a small portion of federal funds went to feeding children, with the rest laundered.
- Eidleh is accused of creating fake meal sites and shell companies to claim funds.
- He faces 31 counts including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
Authorities have apprehended Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, in Mogadishu, Somalia, who is accused of playing a key role in a $250 million fraud scheme. Eidleh, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was taken into custody on Thursday, according to U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen.
Eidleh is one of many individuals indicted in 2022 for their alleged involvement in defrauding a federal meals program. Prosecutors claim that Eidleh, a former employee of Feeding Our Future, created fake child nutrition program sites and shell companies. These entities allegedly falsely claimed to serve thousands of children daily, while only a small fraction of federal funds were used for meals, with the remainder laundered and spent on luxury items.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald described Eidleh as a central figure in what he called one of Minnesota's largest fraud schemes. McDonald stated that Eidleh not only stole taxpayer dollars but also deprived vulnerable children of necessary resources. President Donald Trump has referenced this case as part of his justification for implementing a significant immigration crackdown in Minnesota.