Latest news with #AbdiazizShafiiFarah
New York Times
2 days ago
- New York Times
Minnesota Man Is Sentenced to 28 Years in Federal Food Aid Fraud
A Minnesota man was sentenced this week to 28 years in prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded program meant to feed hungry children during the Covid-19 pandemic. The man, Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 36, of Savage, Minn., played a leading role in the scheme, which involved a nonprofit called Feeding Our Future, federal prosecutors said. Mr. Farah, who was the co-owner of a business called Empire Cuisine & Market, and other defendants stole more than $47 million from the program by claiming to have served 18 million meals to children at more than 30 food distribution sites, prosecutors said. After enrolling Empire Cuisine in the Federal Child Nutrition Program in April 2020, Mr. Farah opened several food sites and began falsely claiming to have served thousands of children a day, prosecutors said. In fact, many of the sites served no meals at all, prosecutors said. As part of the scheme, he created bogus paperwork, submitted fraudulent claims, doled out proceeds to others involved and paid kickbacks, prosecutors said. Mr. Farah personally stole than more than $8 million from the program during the 18 months he was involved in the scheme, prosecutors said. He used the money to buy a Porsche, a GMC truck and a Tesla, as well as real estate in Minnesota and Kentucky, prosecutors said. He also diverted more $700,000 to a Kenyan real estate partnership, they said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Minnesota man gets 28 years for $48 million COVID-era food fraud scandal
A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a leader of a sprawling, pandemic-era food fraud plot in Minnesota to 28 years in prison. Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 36, must also pay nearly $48 million in restitution. He faces potentially more years in prison at a later sentencing hearing after previously pleading guilty in a juror bribery case involving a bag of $120,000 in cash. Farah is one of dozens of people charged in the Feeding Our Future case in which prosecutors alleged a scheme to steal $300 million from a federally funded program meant to feed children during the coronavirus pandemic. Advertisement Defendant Abdiaziz Shafii Farah walks into United States District Court during the third day of jury selection in the first Feeding Our Future case to go to trial in Minneapolis, April 24, 2024. AP Farah and several co-defendants went to trial last year where he was convicted of 23 of 24 counts against him. Those offenses include multiple counts of federal programs bribery, wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors said Farah exploited the program by opening fraudulent sites where he claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day. Advertisement Farah and his associates falsified meal counts and invoices, including fake children's names, prosecutors said. He directed the stolen money to others and perpetuated the fraud through a 'pay-to-play' system,' prosecutors said. He and his associates stole more than $47 million in program money, and Farah took more than $8 million over a year and a half period, according to prosecutors. He used that money to buy five luxury vehicles and real estate, including property in Kenya, prosecutors said. That overseas property and money prosecutors say Farah laundered via China are out of reach of U.S. law enforcement. In a statement, Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said Farah 'has done untold damage to this state' by 'robbing us blind' after finding opportunity in Minnesota. Advertisement The Associated Press left a phone message with and sent an email to an attorney for Farah for comment. Seventy-three people have been charged in connection with the Feeding Our Future case; 51 have been found guilty.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Minnesota man gets 28 years for pandemic-era food fraud
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a leader of a sprawling, pandemic-era food fraud plot in Minnesota to 28 years in prison. Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 36, must also pay nearly $48 million in restitution. He faces potentially more years in prison at a later sentencing hearing after previously pleading guilty in a juror bribery case involving a bag of $120,000 in cash. Farah is one of dozens of people charged in the Feeding Our Future case in which prosecutors alleged a scheme to steal $300 million from a federally funded program meant to feed children during the coronavirus pandemic. Farah and several co-defendants went to trial last year where he was convicted of 23 of 24 counts against him. Those offenses include multiple counts of federal programs bribery, wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors said Farah exploited the program by opening fraudulent sites where he claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day. Farah and his associates falsified meal counts and invoices, including fake children's names, prosecutors said. He directed the stolen money to others and perpetuated the fraud through a 'pay-to-play' system,' prosecutors said. He and his associates stole more than $47 million in program money, and Farah took more than $8 million over a year and a half period, according to prosecutors. He used that money to buy five luxury vehicles and real estate, including property in Kenya, prosecutors said. That overseas property and money prosecutors say Farah laundered via China are out of reach of U.S. law enforcement. In a statement, Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said Farah 'has done untold damage to this state' by 'robbing us blind' after finding opportunity in Minnesota. The Associated Press left a phone message with and sent an email to an attorney for Farah for comment. Seventy-three people have been charged in connection with the Feeding Our Future case; 51 have been found guilty.
The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
Minnesota man gets 28 years for pandemic-era food fraud
A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a leader of a sprawling, pandemic-era food fraud plot in Minnesota to 28 years in prison. Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 36, must also pay nearly $48 million in restitution. He faces potentially more years in prison at a later sentencing hearing after previously pleading guilty in a juror bribery case involving a bag of $120,000 in cash. Farah is one of dozens of people charged in the Feeding Our Future case in which prosecutors alleged a scheme to steal $300 million from a federally funded program meant to feed children during the coronavirus pandemic. Farah and several co-defendants went to trial last year where he was convicted of 23 of 24 counts against him. Those offenses include multiple counts of federal programs bribery, wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors said Farah exploited the program by opening fraudulent sites where he claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day. Farah and his associates falsified meal counts and invoices, including fake children's names, prosecutors said. He directed the stolen money to others and perpetuated the fraud through a 'pay-to-play' system," prosecutors said. He and his associates stole more than $47 million in program money, and Farah took more than $8 million over a year and a half period, according to prosecutors. He used that money to buy five luxury vehicles and real estate, including property in Kenya, prosecutors said. That overseas property and money prosecutors say Farah laundered via China are out of reach of U.S. law enforcement. In a statement, Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said Farah 'has done untold damage to this state" by 'robbing us blind' after finding opportunity in Minnesota. The Associated Press left a phone message with and sent an email to an attorney for Farah for comment. Seventy-three people have been charged in connection with the Feeding Our Future case; 51 have been found guilty.
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Associated Press
Minnesota man gets 28 years for pandemic-era food fraud
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a leader of a sprawling, pandemic-era food fraud plot in Minnesota to 28 years in prison. Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 36, must also pay nearly $48 million in restitution. He faces potentially more years in prison at a later sentencing hearing after previously pleading guilty in a juror bribery case involving a bag of $120,000 in cash. Farah is one of dozens of people charged in the Feeding Our Future case in which prosecutors alleged a scheme to steal $300 million from a federally funded program meant to feed children during the coronavirus pandemic. Farah and several co-defendants went to trial last year where he was convicted of 23 of 24 counts against him. Those offenses include multiple counts of federal programs bribery, wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors said Farah exploited the program by opening fraudulent sites where he claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day. Farah and his associates falsified meal counts and invoices, including fake children's names, prosecutors said. He directed the stolen money to others and perpetuated the fraud through a 'pay-to-play' system,' prosecutors said. He and his associates stole more than $47 million in program money, and Farah took more than $8 million over a year and a half period, according to prosecutors. He used that money to buy five luxury vehicles and real estate, including property in Kenya, prosecutors said. That overseas property and money prosecutors say Farah laundered via China are out of reach of U.S. law enforcement. In a statement, Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said Farah 'has done untold damage to this state' by 'robbing us blind' after finding opportunity in Minnesota. The Associated Press left a phone message with and sent an email to an attorney for Farah for comment. Seventy-three people have been charged in connection with the Feeding Our Future case; 51 have been found guilty.
