Charges Against 10 Additional Defendants in Fraud Scheme

MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota announced federal criminal charges against 10 additional defendants for their alleged roles in the fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 10 defendants are charged across two separate indictments and one criminal information with charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery.

The defendants participated in a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program by obtaining, misappropriating, and laundering millions of dollars in program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to children. The defendants exploited changes in the program intended to ensure underserved children received adequate nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than feed children, the defendants enriched themselves by fraudulently misappropriating millions of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

The following defendants are named in the two indictments:

• Ikram Yusuf Mohamed, 41, of Minneapolis, worked as a consultant for Feeding Our Future. Ikram Mohamed opened several food sites that were enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future.Shakur Abdinur Abdisalam, 45, Ikram Mohamed’s husband, created a company called Inspiring Youth & Out Reach LLC (“Inspiring Youth”), which he enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future.
• Aisha Hassan Hussein, 27, Ikram Mohamed’s sister, was the principal of United Youth of MPLS LLC (“United Youth”). Hussein enrolled her company in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and purported to operate two sites in MinneapolisFadumo Mohamed Yusuf, 57, Ikram Mohamed’s mother, ran Active Mind’s Youth LLC (“Active Minds”), another company that enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future.Sahra Sharif Osman, 41, of Savage, was the principal of Youth International Club LLC (“Youth International”). Youth International operated two Federal Child Nutrition Program sites under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future.
• Suleman Yusuf Mohamed, 39, Ikram Mohamed’s brother, was the owner of Star Distribution LLC, which purported to be a food distribution business in Minneapolis.
• Gandi Yusuf Mohamed, 43, Ikram Mohamed’s brother, was the owner of GAK Properties LLC and GIF Properties LLC, companies used to receive and launder the proceeds of the fraud scheme.Said Ereg, 45, and was the owner and operator of Evergreen Grocery and Deli, a for-profit grocery and deli in south Minneapolis. Ereg’s wife, Najmo Ahmed, 34, worked for Evergreen Grocery and Deli.Hoda Ali Abdi, 53, was the owner of Alif Halal LLC (“Alif Halal”), a grocery store located in Burnsville, which she enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor 

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