A top suspect in one of Minnesota’s high-profile pandemic fraud cases has been tracked down to his hideout in Somalia. After four years, Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh was located with the help of multiple branches of law enforcement, and he has now been extradited to the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Justice reports he was successfully transferred on July 16 from Mogadishu, Somalia, to Minnesota to face charges for a role in the “Feeding Our Future” fraud scheme.
FBI Director Kash Patel reported, “Today is a historic moment in the FBI’s war on fraud. The Foreign Transfer of Custody of Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh brings to justice one of the alleged ringleaders of the $250 million ‘Feeding our Future’ fraud scandal out of Minnesota, where the FBI has already helped secure over 70 guilty pleas from fraudsters in partnership with the Justice Department.”
Eidleh, 42, is accused of acting as the second-in-command in the “Feeding Our Future” fraud ring. He’s facing 31 charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
“Thanks to the leadership of the Trump administration, our partners at the Justice Department, and counterparts in Somalia, this FBI got him. Criminals around the world should note: this is the 25th such transfer executed by this FBI in the last month alone, meaning no matter where you try to hide, we will find you,” Patel said.
Another suspect in the Feeding Our Future case, Aimee Bock, has already been sentenced in federal court in Minneapolis for orchestrating what prosecutors called a $250 million fraud operation. They say the fraud was enabled in part by COVID-era emergency protocols that allowed organizations to bypass normal inspections and oversight measures.
*** Minnesota Scammer Sentenced to 41 Years in $250M COVID Fraud Scheme
As CBN News reported earlier this year, fraud allegations against Minnesota daycares have also resulted in the Trump administration putting centers nationwide under the microscope. It kicked into high gear after a YouTuber uncovered alleged daycare fraud in Minnesota.
*** Daycares Under Microscope as Prosecutors Stamp Out Fraud After Minnesota Firestorm
“They literally spelled the word wrong on their sign. This is open and blatant fraud taking place here,” Nick Shirley says in one of his videos as he stands in front of the “Quality Learing Center.”
Shirley drew attention specifically to a number of daycares run by Somali immigrants receiving millions in taxpayer assistance.
“Where there are daycare centers where there are no kids, it’s a scam. It’s a big scam. It’s, like, a horrible thing,” President Trump said at an event at the White House.
Trump has hammered outgoing Gov. Tim Walz, the Democrats’ 2024 vice presidential nominee, as incompetent and accused his administration of allowing rampant fraud in federal spending on childcare. Walz has rejected those accusations.
But Joe Thompson, a former U.S. Attorney in Minnesota, said, “The magnitude of fraud in Minnesota cannot be overstated. It’s staggering amounts of money that have been lost.”
On April 7, the DOJ announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”) to support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, an effort chaired by Vice President JD Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to receive the latest news from a Christian perspective.***
