Minneapolis, MN (KROC-AM News) - Federal prosecutors in Minnesota have secured three more convictions in the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.

The number of people found guilty or who have entered guilty pleas to charges connected to the case now totals over 50.

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“This milestone marks an extraordinary achievement by our team and our law enforcement partners,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “For years, these elite federal agents and forensic accountants have tracked stolen money, cut through layers of deceit, and exposed a sprawling network of shell companies and fake meal claims. Their pursuit of justice has been relentless. Because of their work, we’ve uncovered not just one scheme, but a far-reaching fraud crisis that’s swamping Minnesota. This is public service at its finest. And this team is nowhere near finished.”

Jeffrey Thompson-US Attorney for Minnesota photo

The latest convictions resulted from guilty pleas entered by 46-year-old Mahad Ibrahim, 39-year-old Hamdi Hussein Omar, and 51-year-old Hibo Salah Daar.

According to the Office of the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, Ibrahim defrauded the federal child nutrition program during the COVID pandemic through a nonprofit called the ThinkTechAct Foundation, also known as the Mind Foundry Learning Foundation. He was accused of receiving substantial payouts from other conspirators in exchange for allowing the nonprofit to be used to further the fraud scheme and of using an LLC he controlled to launder his fraud proceeds. He entered guilty pleas to wire fraud and money laundering charges.

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A news release says Omar admitted to a wire fraud charge for her involvement in a fake food distribution site in the St. Cloud area. Prosecutors say that over the course of several months, Omar and her co-conspirators falsely claimed to have served half a million meals from the site to collect approximately $1.4 million in reimbursements through the child nutrition program.

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Daar was prosecuted for her participation in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme by falsely claiming to serve 40,000 meals to children every week through an entity called the North Side Wellness Center Corporation. She was also accused of authorizing $72,000 in bribes to a Feeding Our Future employee. A news release concerning her case says the operation resulted in $2.4 million in taxpayer losses. Daar also admitted to a wire fraud charge.

Sentencing hearings for all three individuals have not yet been scheduled.

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