Federal officials say alleged Feeding Our Future scheme leader arrested in Somalia after four years on the run
Abdikerm Eidleh, accused of leading a $250 million pandemic-era fraud scheme, was captured in Mogadishu in a joint FBI-Somali operation, officials said.
Federal authorities announced Thursday that Abdikerm Eidleh, 42, an alleged senior figure in the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation, was taken into custody in Mogadishu, Somalia. The arrest followed a daytime raid coordinated by the FBI and Somali intelligence agencies. Eidleh had been indicted in September 2022 as part of a sweeping probe into a $250 million scheme that involved inflating receipts submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education for reimbursement.
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said Eidleh was a “key leader” who oversaw bribery and recruitment of businesses to defraud taxpayer funds, describing him as “second in command” to Aimee Bock, the convicted ringleader who received a sentence of more than 40 years. Prosecutors allege Eidleh collected about $5 million in bribes and kickbacks from restaurants and catering firms.
The indictment includes charges of wire fraud, bribery of federal programs, money laundering and conspiracy. Christopher Dotson, FBI Special Agent in Charge in Minneapolis, said the operation demonstrates the reach of American law enforcement, noting that Somalia is not a safe haven for fugitives.
The Feeding Our Future case has resulted in charges against 79 individuals, most of Somali descent, with 66 already convicted or having pleaded guilty. State officials said the total fraud in Minnesota could exceed $1 billion and that while the Feeding Our Future chapter may be closing, efforts to protect taxpayer funds continue.