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Feeding Our Future fraud: 2 set for sentencing
Two more people convicted in the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme will learn how much time they will spend in prison. Najmo Ahmed pleaded guilty to receiving more than $4.2 million after fraudulently claiming to serve 1.4 million meals to children, with prosecutors stating the laundered money was used to fund a lavish lifestyle. Another defendant, Asha Jama, will also be sentenced for defrauding the child nutrition program of more than $5 million.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Two people convicted in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme will soon learn how long they will spend behind bars.
Sentencing hearings begin for major fraud case
What we know:
Najmo Ahmed and her husband falsely claimed to feed more than 3,200 kids twice a day at their Minneapolis grocery and deli – Evergreen Grocery and Deli. Ahmed pleaded guilty last year to receiving more than $4.2 million in payments from Feeding Our Future based on these fraudulent claims.
Authorities said between April 2020 and April 2021, Ahmed claimed to serve over 1.4 million meals to children.
Big picture view:
Federal prosecutors say Ahmed laundered nearly $1.4 million through her personal bank accounts, using the money to fund her lavish lifestyle.
The U.S. Attorney's Office is asking that Ahmed be sentenced to just over two years in prison. Meanwhile, her defense is seeking a lighter sentence of just six months behind bars, nine months of home confinement and two years of supervised release.
Ahmed will appear in court at 2 p.m. on Monday for sentencing.
The other side:
Ahmed's defense is pushing for a much lighter sentence than what prosecutors are seeking. They are requesting six months in prison, followed by nine months of home confinement and two years of supervised release.
Another defendant faces sentencing
What's next:
On Tuesday, another defendant, Asha Jama, will be sentenced in a separate case. Jama was convicted of using a restaurant in Rochester to defraud more than $5 million from the child nutrition program.
Prosecutors are seeking a 16-month sentence for Jama in this case.