Feeding Our Future: 78th person charged with fraud during pandemic scheme
Feeding Our Future verdict: Defendants found guilty
The jury has reached a verdict in the trial of the suspected ringleader in the massive $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud case in Minnesota.
(FOX 9) - A 78th defendant has been charged as part of a pandemic-era scheme that stole more than $250 million in funds intended for food services for those in need.
Feeding Our Future fraud
What we know:
Abdirashid Bixi Dool, 36, is charged in a seven-count indictment with wire fraud and money laundering for his participation in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme — the 78th person to face charges since COVID-19 began.
According to the indictment, Dool co-operated and served on the boards of two Minnesota non-profits, Bilaal Mosque Inc. and Multicultural Resource Center Inc (MRC).
Dool and an accomplice allegedly ran the two food sites — the Bilaal food site in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, and the MRC food site in Moorhead — through which they participated in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future.
At those sites, Dool falsely claimed to be serving over 40,000 meals to children every week — more than 6,000 meals a day at the Bilaal site alone.
The daily estimates were more than double the entire population of Pelican Rapids, but remained unchecked by state officials as the fraud continued to occur.
In support of his false claims, Dool submitted fraudulent invoices, despite actually purchasing little food, the charges allege. He also submitted fake rosters of names of children he claimed to have fed.
Between March 2021 and February 2022, Bilaal and MRC received about $1.1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
Dool and an accomplice are alleged to have spent the proceeds on themselves, including for both travel and real estate in Minnesota.
The backstory:
Of those that have been charged in connection with Feeding Our Future, 56 people have pleaded guilty to their role in the scheme, and seven others have been convicted in two separate trials.
Aimee Bock, the executive director and founder of Feeding Our Future, was convicted of orchestrating the $250 million fraud scheme earlier this year.
Jurors found her and co-defendant Salim Said guilty on all counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery after they enlisted meal site operators who falsely claimed to serve meals to as many as 60,000 kids each day, collecting millions in fraudulent federal assistance in the process.