A federal judge has sentenced Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 36, to 28 years in prison for leading a $300 million fraud scheme that targeted a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sentencing was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and took place in Minneapolis before United States District Judge Nancy E. Brasel. Farah will also serve three years of supervised release and must pay restitution of $47,920,514.
Farah was identified as a central figure in the Feeding Our Future case, which authorities have called the largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the country. According to court documents, Farah and his co-defendants stole more than $47 million by falsely claiming to have served 18 million meals to children at over 30 food distribution sites.
In June 2024, after a seven-week trial before Judge Brasel, a federal jury convicted Farah on multiple charges: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, false statements in a passport application, conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of federal programs bribery, six counts of wire fraud, and 11 counts of money laundering.
Farah co-owned Empire Cuisine & Market and enrolled it in the Federal Child Nutrition Program in April 2020. He then opened several fraudulent sites and submitted false claims for thousands of meals purportedly served daily—many at locations that were parking lots or vacant spaces. Authorities found that he and his associates created fake rosters with names like “Serious Problem” and “Britishy Melony,” which did not match actual students.
Prosecutors said Farah managed the distribution of stolen funds among his co-conspirators through bribes and kickbacks involving Feeding Our Future and Partners in Nutrition personnel. He personally gained more than $8 million from the scheme over an 18-month period.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Farah used taxpayer funds intended for needy children to buy five luxury vehicles within six months—including a Porsche—and spent about $4.2 million on real estate across Minnesota and Kentucky. He also bought property overseas in Kenya—including a high-rise apartment building—and laundered money through China; these assets remain outside U.S. law enforcement’s reach.
After authorities seized his passport during search warrants executed in January 2022, Farah applied for a new one by falsely claiming it was lost. Less than two weeks after obtaining it, he tried to leave for Kenya but was arrested on passport fraud charges.
Following his conviction in June 2024, Farah was implicated in an attempt to bribe a juror with $120,000 cash for a not guilty verdict. He has pleaded guilty in this separate case and awaits sentencing before Judge David S. Doty; today’s sentence does not include punishment for this offense.
During sentencing, Judge Brasel remarked that Farah “came to this country as a refugee” who benefited from public support such as housing and education: “Given that background, it is ironic at best that, as the government aimed no child went hungry during the pandemic, you saw the opportunity to fraudulently make money.” She added: “You achieved successes here in the United States and yet you’ve shown utter and flagrant disregard for the laws of the United States.” Judge Brasel described his crime as “breathtakingly elaborate” motivated by “pure unmitigated greed,” stating its repercussions would be felt throughout Minnesota’s refugee community.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson argued for a lengthy sentence: “This country gave Farah everything. A home. Citizenship. A free college education. After that he went on to public employment with the state of Minnesota. And how did he repay this country and this state? By robbing us blind. He has gotten every opportunity, and this is how he used it. Farah didn’t want the American dream. He wanted to be rich. He wanted to be wealthy. He thought he was entitled to it. He won the lottery of life, he was given everything by this country, and he repaid us with a life of crime. He has done untold damage to this state.”
Special Agent Alvin M. Winston Sr., FBI Minneapolis said: “Abdiaziz Shafii Farah’s conviction serves as a stark reminder of the moral decay that can arise when individuals exploit systems designed to protect the most vulnerable among us... Today’s sentence not only underscores the legal repercussions of such greed but also sends a resounding message: Justice will not only be swift but also unyielding.”
The investigation involved collaboration between FBI Minneapolis, IRS – Criminal Investigations division (https://www.ci.internalrevenue.com), and U.S Postal Inspection Service (https://www.uspis.gov/). The prosecution team included Acting U.S Attorney Joseph H Thompson along with Assistant U.S Attorneys Harry M Jacobs Matthew S Ebert Daniel W Bobier; asset seizure proceedings are being handled by Assistant U.S Attorney Craig Baune.
