MOGADISHU — Abdikerm Eidleh was arrested in Mogadishu, Somalia, following a joint operation by the FBI and Somali intelligence agencies. His arrest stems from an indictment in September 2022 related to the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation.

Daniel Rosen, U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, stated, "This is a big fish." Rosen said Eidleh was a "key leader and was responsible for bribing and recruiting business to steal from the American taxpayer." Investigators allege Eidleh personally collected $5 million in bribes and kickbacks. He is also alleged to have instructed restaurants and catering businesses to inflate receipts submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education for reimbursement.

Christopher Dotson, FBI Special Agent in Charge at FBI Minneapolis, commented on the collaborative effort. "This shows the global reach and outstretched arm of American law enforcement," Dotson said, adding, "Somalia is not the safe haven you may think it is."

Aimee Bock was convicted as the ringleader of the Feeding Our Future scheme and received a sentence of more than 40 years in prison. Rosen noted that the total amount of fraud in Minnesota related to this case could exceed $1 billion.

Prosecutors have charged 79 individuals in the Feeding Our Future case, with 66 of them having been convicted or pleaded guilty. "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.

Why It Matters

The arrest of Abdikerm Eidleh is a development in the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation, which has involved numerous charges and convictions. The case involves alleged schemes involving the inflation of receipts and collection of bribes and kickbacks from government programs.

The collaborative effort between the FBI and Somali intelligence agencies in this arrest indicates an international scope of law enforcement operations aimed at addressing financial fraud cases. The magnitude of the alleged fraud, potentially exceeding $1 billion, and the number of individuals charged reflect the scale of the investigation.