Authorities have arrested a Minnesota man accused of playing a central role in a $250 million fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen announced. Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was taken into custody Thursday in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Eidleh is one of dozens of individuals indicted in 2022 in connection with a large-scale scheme to defraud a federal child nutrition program. Prosecutors allege that Eidleh, an employee of the organization Feeding Our Future, created fake program sites and shell companies to launder federal funds. According to court documents, the funds were intended to provide meals for children during the pandemic but were instead used for property, luxury cars, and travel.
Eidleh faces 31 counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. He has not yet had an opportunity to enter a plea, and court documents do not indicate if he has an attorney.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald stated that Eidleh was a key figure in what he described as “one of the largest fraud schemes in Minnesota history.” McDonald added that Eidleh not only stole taxpayer dollars but also deprived vulnerable children of essential resources, and that his flight to Somalia was a futile attempt to evade justice.