Somali-American COVID-19 fraud schemers bought luxury houses in Nairobi and Turkey-FBI

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MINNESOTA: At least 40 Somali-Americans have been charged in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme in the US after the FBI linked them with siphoning federal funds which they received to run children feeding programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the FBI indictments, the 43 individuals of Somali origin based in Minnesota state which harbours most Somali immigrants colluded with five other individuals to divert the money for personal use. The scheme, under the Feeding Our Future organisation conned the U.S government of $240 million.

The defendants, the FBI said, spent the money to ‘purchase luxury vehicles, residential and commercial real estate in Minnesota as well as property in Ohio and Kentucky, real estate in Kenya and Turkey, and to fund international travel.’

According to the indictments, the defendants opened feeding sites across Minnesota but instead used them as conduits to defraud the government and turn their backs on the needy children.

“These sites, created and operated by the defendants and others, fraudulently claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day,” the Justice Department said.

The Justice Department added that the defendants claimed to have opened 250 sites in Minnesota state and to cover up their fraud scheme, they submitted false invoices and fraudulent meal count sheets using fake names of children.

The Justice Department listed the 43 Somali-Americans thus:

Salim Ahmed Said, 33, of Plymouth, Minnesota: Owner and operator of Safari Restaurant, a site that received more than $16 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Abdulkadir Nur Salah, 36, of Columbia Heights, Minnesota: Owner and operator of Safari Restaurant, a site that received more than $16 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Ahmed Sharif Omar-Hashim, 39, of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Created a company called Olive Management Inc., a site that received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Abdi Nur Salah, 34, of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Registered Stigma-Free International, a non-profit entity used to carry out the scheme with sites throughout Minnesota, including in Willmar, Mankato, St. Cloud, Waite Park, and St. Paul.

Abdihakim Ali Ahmed, 36, of Apple Valley, Minnesota: Created ASA Limited LLC, a site that received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Ahmed Mohamed Artan, 37, of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Registered Stigma-Free International, a non-profit entity used to carry out the scheme with sites throughout Minnesota, including in Willmar, Mankato, St. Cloud, Waite Park, and St. Paul.

Abdikadir Ainanshe Mohamud, 30, of Fridley, Minnesota: Ran the Stigma-Free Willmar site. This site claimed to have served approximately 1.6 million meals and received more than $4 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Abdinasir Mahamed Abshir, 30, of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Ran the Stigma-Free Mankato site. This site claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals and received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Asad Mohamed Abshir, 32, of Mankato, Minnesota: Claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals and received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Hamdi Hussein Omar, 26, of St. Paul, Minnesota: Ran the Stigma-Free Waite Park site. This site claimed to have served more than 500,000 meals and received more than $1 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Ahmed Abdullahi Ghedi, 32, of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Created ASA Limited LLC, a site that received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Abdirahman Mohamud Ahmed, 54, of Columbus, Ohio: Owner and operator of Safari Restaurant, a site that received more than $16 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 33, of Savage, Minnesota Abdiaziz Farah: Owner and operator of Empire Cuisine and Market LLC, a for-profit restaurant that participated in the scheme as a site, as a vendor for other sites, and as an entity to launder fraudulent proceeds. Empire Cuisine and Market and other affiliated sites received more than $28 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Mohamed Jama Ismail, 49, of Savage, Minnesota: Owner and operator of Empire Cuisine and Market LLC, a for-profit restaurant that participated in the scheme as a site, as a vendor for other sites, and as an entity to launder fraudulent proceeds. Empire Cuisine and Market and other affiliated sites received more than $28 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Mahad Ibrahim, 46, of Lewis Center, Ohio: The president and owner of ThinkTechAct Foundation, a Minnesota non-profit organization that also operated under the name Mind Foundry Learning Foundation. ThinkTechAct and Mind Foundry created dozens of sites throughout Minnesota, including in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Burnsville, Faribault, Owatonna, Shakopee, Circle Pines, and Willmar. ThinkTechAct received more than $18 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, 21, of Shakopee, Minnesota: Created Nur Consulting LLC to receive and launder Federal Child Nutrition Program funds from Empire Cuisine and Market, ThinkTechAct, and other entities involved in the scheme.

Said Shafii Farah, 40, of Minneapolis, Minnesota: The brother of Abdiaziz Farah, was an owner of Bushra Wholesalers LLC, a shell company used to launder fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Abdiwahab Maalim Aftin, 32, of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Owner of Bushra Wholesalers LLC, a shell company used to launder fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Mukhtar Mohamed Shariff, 31, of Bloomington, Minnesota: The chief executive officer of Afrique Hospitality Group, a shell company used to fraudulent obtain and launder Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Hayat Mohamed Nur, 25, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota: Participated in the scheme by creating and submitting fraudulent meal count sheets, attendance rosters, and invoices.

Qamar Ahmed Hassan, 53, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota: The owner and operator of S & S Catering Inc., a for-profit restaurant and catering business that participated in the scheme as a distribution site and as a vendor for other sites. S & S Catering received more than $18 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Sahra Mohamed Nur, 61, of Saint Anthony, Minnesota: Ran a site called Academy For Youth Excellence that used S & S Catering as a vendor.

Abdiwahab Ahmed Mohamud, 32, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota: Ran a site called Academy For Youth Excellence that used S & S Catering as a vendor.

Filsan Mumin Hassan, 28, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota: Ran a site called Youth Higher Educational Achievement that falsely claimed to serve up to 4,300 meals a day.

Guhaad Hashi Said, 46, of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Ran a site under the name Advance Youth Athletic Development that falsely claimed to serve up to 5,000 meals a day.

Abdullahe Nur Jesow, 62, of Columbia Heights, Minnesota: Ran a site called Academy For Youth Excellence that used S & S Catering as a vendor.

Abdul Abubakar Ali, 40, of St. Paul, Minnesota: Ran a site called Youth Inventors Lab that falsely claimed to have served a total of approximately 1.5 million meals in a seven-month period.

Yusuf Bashir Ali, 40, of Vadnais Heights, Minnesota: Ran a site called Youth Inventors Lab that falsely claimed to have served a total of approximately 1.5 million meals in a seven-month period.

Haji Osman Salad, 32, of St. Anthony, Minnesota: The principal of Haji’s Kitchen and received approximately $11.6 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Fahad Nur, 38, of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Principal of The Produce LLC, a vendor and purported food supplier who received more than $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Anab Artan Awad, 52, of Plymouth, Minnesota: The president of Multiple Community Services, MCA. Awad claimed more than $11 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Sharmarke Issa, 40, of Edina, Minnesota: Created a company called Minnesota’s Somali Community and was the manager of Wacan Restaurant LLC. Issa fraudulently caused MDE to pay out more than $7.4 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Farhiya Mohamud, 63, of Bloomington, Minnesota: The principal and CEO of Dua Supplies and Distribution Inc., a shell company that laundered millions of dollars of fraudulently obtained Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Liban Yasin Alishire, 42, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota: The president and owner of Community Enhancement Services, Inc., a company located in the JigJiga Business Center in Minneapolis. Community Enhancement Services was a cultural mall owned and operated by Alishire and co-defendant Khadar Jigre Adan. Community Enhancement Services received more than $1.6 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Ahmed Yasin Ali, 57, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota: Created a second program site, run by Lake Street Kitchen, and located in the JigJiga Business Center in Minneapolis.

Khadar Jigre Adan, 59, of Lakeville, Minnesota: The CEO of Lake Street Kitchen, which was a program site located in the JigJiga Business Center in Minneapolis.

Sharmake Jama, 34, of Rochester, Minnesota: Principal of Brava Restaurant and Café LLC. Brava Restaurant received approximately $4.3 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Ayan Jama, 43, of Rochester, Minnesota: Principal of Brava Restaurant and Café LLC. Ayan Jama also created shell companies to launder fraudulent proceeds.

Asha Jama, 39, of Lakeville, Minnesota: Worked for Brava Restaurant and created shell companies to launder fraudulent proceeds.

Fartun Jama, 35, of Rosemount, Minnesota: Worked for Brava Restaurant and created shell companies to launder fraudulent proceeds.

Mustafa Jama, 45, of Rochester, Minnesota: Worked for Brava Restaurant and created shell companies to launder fraudulent proceeds.

Zamzam Jama, 48, of Rochester, Minnesota: Worked for Brava Restaurant and created shell companies to launder fraudulent proceeds.

Hadith Yusuf Ahmed, 34, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.