A Minnesota man accused of orchestrating a $250 million fraud scheme targeting a federal child nutrition program has been captured in Somalia after nearly four years as a fugitive. Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was taken into custody on June 25 in Mogadishu, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. Eidleh is one of the central figures in the "Feeding Our Future" scandal, described by authorities as one of the largest fraud cases in Minnesota history.
Eidleh was indicted in September 2022 on 31 counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, federal programs bribery, and money laundering. Prosecutors allege he recruited operators to enroll fraudulent meal sites under the program, solicited bribes, and laundered millions through shell companies. According to court documents, he deposited over $5 million in fraud proceeds into accounts linked to his shell companies, including a $95,000 mortgage payment on his Burnsville home.
The scheme involved Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit that claimed to provide meals to children in need during the pandemic. However, prosecutors say only a small portion of the federal funds went toward feeding children, with the rest diverted for personal gain. Eidleh is accused of creating fake meal sites, falsely claiming they were serving thousands of children daily, and using shell companies to launder the money.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division called Eidleh a "central figure" in the fraud scheme, stating he "stole taxpayer dollars" and "robbed vulnerable children of critical resources." U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen emphasized that Eidleh’s capture demonstrates the government’s commitment to pursuing fraudsters, regardless of where they flee.
Eidleh fled the U.S. roughly two months before agents executed search warrants in the case. His arrest was the result of a joint effort between the FBI and Somali intelligence officers. The case remains ongoing, with dozens of other defendants, many of Somali descent, also charged in connection with the scheme.