Andrew M. Luger, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota
Four individuals have admitted guilt in connection to a $250 million fraud scheme involving the misuse of federal child nutrition funds during the COVID-19 pandemic, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
Court documents reveal that between October 2020 and January 2022, Abduljabar Hussein, from Shakopee, Minnesota, participated in a fraudulent operation aimed at acquiring millions in federal funds intended for child nutrition programs. In October 2020, his wife, Mekfira Hussein, enrolled her non-profit organization, Shamsia Hopes, in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. This was done with guidance from an employee of the organization named Abdikerm Eidleh.
Mekfira Hussein applied to Aimee Bock, executive director of Feeding Our Future. By December 2020, Abduljabar Hussein had registered his company, Oromia Feeds LLC, which also took part in the program as a food vendor for sites managed by his wife. The couple submitted false claims for meal reimbursements and provided inflated invoices and attendance records. They paid kickbacks disguised as "consulting fees" to Eidleh and Bock for their support.
Abduljabar Hussein admitted to obtaining up to $8.8 million through this scheme. Some of these funds were used for personal expenses such as paying off a mortgage and purchasing vehicles like a Porsche and a GMC truck. He has been ordered to forfeit these assets along with other properties purchased using fraudulently obtained money.
Additionally, Zamzam Jama, Mustafa Jama from Rochester, Minnesota; and Asha Jama from Lakeville, Minnesota pleaded guilty to laundering fraudulent proceeds through Brava Restaurant's participation in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under Feeding Our Future's sponsorship. They set up shell companies to misappropriate funds meant for child nutrition.
The Jamas collectively deposited large sums into bank accounts associated with these shell entities and spent the money on personal items unrelated to feeding children. Each has forfeited various assets acquired through these illicit activities following their guilty pleas.
These proceedings occurred separately before Judge Nancy E. Brasel at the U.S. District Court where Abduljabar Hussein pleaded guilty on February 5th last year; Zamzam Jama on February 5th this year; Mustafa Jama on February 6th this year; and Asha Jama on February 7th this year—all charged with either conspiracy or money laundering offenses.
This investigation was conducted by multiple agencies including FBI Criminal Investigations Unit alongside assistance from IRS - Criminal Investigations Division & US Postal Inspection Service while prosecution duties are handled jointly by Assistant US Attorneys Matthew S Ebert Joseph H Thompson Harry M Jacobs Daniel W Bobier Craig Baune is responsible specifically towards asset seizures forfeitures connected case
