A fugitive accused of helping mastermind a $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federal child nutrition program has been captured in Somalia after nearly four years on the run, the Justice Department announced Friday.
Federal authorities said Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was taken into custody Thursday in Mogadishu, bringing an end to an international manhunt tied to one of the largest fraud cases in Minnesota history.
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Eidleh was first charged on Sept. 13, 2022, in connection with the sprawling “Feeding Our Future” fraud investigation.
He now faces 31 federal charges, 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.
Federal prosecutors allege Eidleh played a central role in a scheme that diverted taxpayer money intended to feed low-income children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald said Eidleh’s alleged actions harmed both taxpayers and the children the program was designed to help.
“This defendant was a central figure in one of the largest fraud schemes in Minnesota history,” McDonald said in a statement.
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“He not only stole taxpayer dollars, but he also robbed vulnerable children of critical resources they desperately needed.”
McDonald also praised investigators for locating the suspect after years as a fugitive.
“Rather than answer for his crimes in the United States, he fled to Somalia in a futile attempt to evade justice,” McDonald said.
“That attempt ended thanks to the exceptional work of our FBI partners.”
According to court documents, Eidleh worked as an employee of Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit organization that sponsored sites participating in the Federal Child Nutrition Program.
Prosecutors allege he helped recruit and support meal sites that ultimately became part of the fraudulent operation.
Investigators claim Eidleh and others solicited and accepted bribes and kickbacks from individuals and businesses seeking approval to operate purported child nutrition sites.
According to the indictment, the organization operated what prosecutors described as a “pay-to-play” system.
Operators of fraudulent meal distribution sites allegedly funneled portions of their illicit proceeds back to Feeding Our Future employees, including Eidleh, often disguising the payments as consulting fees routed through shell companies.
Federal prosecutors further allege Eidleh established meal sites using nominee owners to conceal who actually controlled the operations.
Those sites then allegedly submitted false claims stating they were serving meals to thousands of children each day when, according to prosecutors, many of the meals were never provided.
Investigators also accuse Eidleh of creating shell companies that falsely appeared to operate as meal vendors for the fraudulent sites.
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Those companies allegedly generated fake invoices that were submitted to obtain millions of dollars in federal reimbursement funds.
According to prosecutors, Eidleh deposited more than $5 million in fraud proceeds, kickbacks and bribes into bank accounts connected to shell companies in an effort to hide the origin of the money.
The Feeding Our Future investigation has become one of the largest pandemic-related fraud prosecutions in the country.
Federal authorities have charged dozens of defendants, alleging they collectively stole approximately $250 million from programs intended to feed children during the COVID-19 emergency.
With Eidleh now in custody, prosecutors are expected to begin the process of returning him to the United States to face trial on the federal charges.
Abdikerm Eidleh was an alleged ringleader of one of the largest fraud scandals in the history of the country – orchestrating a massive $250 million scheme to steal critical food resources from vulnerable Americans who needed it and spent the money on luxury cars and mansions, as… pic.twitter.com/PInzNPBp0D
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) June 27, 2026
If convicted, he faces potentially lengthy prison sentences on multiple counts related to fraud, bribery and money laundering, Fox News reported.
Federal authorities have not yet announced when Eidleh is expected to make his first appearance in a U.S. courtroom.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
