FBI arrests fugitive Abdikerm Eidleh in Somalia over massive Minnesota fraud scheme

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Abdikerm Eidleh, an alleged senior figure in the sprawling $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme in Minnesota, was arrested Thursday in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu during a joint operation conducted by the FBI and Somali intelligence agencies, according to U.S. federal officials.

The arrest marks a major development in one of the largest pandemic-era fraud investigations in U.S. history and comes more than four years after Eidleh allegedly fled while federal authorities expanded their probe into the scheme.

Eidleh, 42, was indicted in September 2022 as part of the federal Feeding Our Future investigation, a case that prosecutors say involved the fraudulent diversion of millions of dollars intended for child nutrition programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen described Eidleh as a central figure in the operation.

“This is a big fish,” Rosen told CBS News. “Eidleh was a key leader and was responsible for bribing and recruiting business to steal from the American taxpayer.”

According to federal prosecutors, Eidleh served as the second-in-command to Aimee Bock, the convicted founder of Feeding Our Future, who was recently sentenced to more than 40 years in prison.

Investigators allege that Eidleh personally collected approximately $5 million in bribes and kickbacks after directing restaurants and catering businesses to inflate receipts and reimbursement claims submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education.

Federal prosecutors have charged Eidleh with wire fraud, federal programs bribery, money laundering, and conspiracy.

Authorities said the operation that led to his capture demonstrated the continued international reach of the investigation and the cooperation between U.S. and Somali law enforcement agencies.

“This shows the global reach and outstretched arm of American law enforcement,” said Christopher Dotson, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Minneapolis. “Somalia is not the safe haven you may think it is.”

The Feeding Our Future investigation has become one of the most significant fraud prosecutions to emerge from the pandemic era. Federal authorities have charged 79 individuals in connection with the case, the majority of whom are of Somali descent. Prosecutors say 66 defendants have either been convicted or pleaded guilty.

The case centers on allegations that funds intended to provide meals to children were fraudulently claimed through a network of businesses and individuals seeking reimbursement for meals that prosecutors allege were never served.

Beyond Feeding Our Future, federal authorities have also pursued numerous investigations into alleged fraud involving taxpayer-funded programs across Minnesota, including childcare, housing, and behavioral health services.

Rosen previously stated that the total scale of fraud involving Minnesota social service programs could exceed $1 billion, making it one of the most consequential public fraud investigations in the state’s history.

“The chapter for Feeding Our Future might be closing, but we’re still in the beginning of making sure we protect the American taxpayer,” Rosen said.

The arrest of Abdikerm Eidleh in Mogadishu represents one of the most significant enforcement actions in the Feeding Our Future case since the convictions of several high-profile defendants and signals that authorities remain committed to pursuing individuals accused of participating in the massive fraud scheme regardless of where they are located.

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