Alleged Feeding Our Future fraud ringleader extradited from Somalia to face US charges

One of the alleged ringleaders of the monolithic Feeding Our Future pandemic alleviation fraud strategy successful Minnesota has been brought backmost to the United States to look charges, authorities said.

Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was arrested connected June 26 successful Somalia and extradited backmost to the U.S. connected Thursday, the FBI said.

Federal prosecutors allege Eidleh was the mastermind who bilked taxpayers retired of $250 cardinal by exploiting national kid nutrition programs meant to provender susceptible children. Authorities person described it arsenic 1 of the largest fraud cases successful Minnesota history.

"Today is simply a historical infinitesimal successful the FBI’s warfare connected fraud," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "The Foreign Transfer of Custody of Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh brings to justness 1 of the alleged ringleaders of the $250 cardinal ‘Feeding our Future’ fraud ungraded retired of Minnesota—where the FBI has already helped unafraid implicit 70 blameworthy pleas from fraudsters successful concern with the Justice Department."

MINNESOTA MAN CAPTURED IN SOMALIA AFTER ALLEGEDLY HELPING ORCHESTRATE $250M CHILD NUTRITION FRAUD SCHEME

Federal authorities allege Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh helped orchestrate a $250 cardinal fraud strategy that exploited a national kid nutrition programme successful Minnesota. Eidleh was brought backmost to the United States pursuing his apprehension past period successful Somalia. (Getty Images; FBI)

Eidleh faces 31 counts, including conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud, ligament fraud, conspiracy to perpetrate national programs bribery, national programs bribery, conspiracy to perpetrate wealth laundering, and wealth laundering.

Federal prosecutors said Eidleh was an worker of the Feeding Our Future (FOF) nonprofit, liable for recruiting and supporting Federal Child Nutrition Program sites nether Feeding Our Future’s sponsorship.

MINNESOTA FRAUD MASTERMIND GETS NEARLY 42 YEARS IN PRISON IN MASSIVE $250M 'FEEDING OUR FUTURE' SCHEME

FBI agents raided the offices of Minnesota nonprofit Feeding Our Future aft accusations the group's partners defrauded the national authorities of millions of dollars, grounds of the raid is seen successful the offices connected Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, successful St. Anthony, Minn. (Shari L. Gross/Star Tribune via Getty Images)

He and different FOF employees allegedly solicited and received bribes and kickbacks from radical and companies seeking support to run fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program sites.

Feeding Our Future allegedly operated a "pay-to-play" strategy successful which operators of fraudulent repast sites kicked backmost a information of their illicit proceeds to employees, including Eidleh, often disguising the payments arsenic consulting fees done ammunition companies, according to an indictment antecedently reported by Fox News Digital.

FBI raid Twin Cities nonprofit Feeding our Future, successful St. Anthony, Minn., connected Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via Getty Images)

Prosecutors besides said Eidleh created Federal Child Nutrition Program sites utilizing nominee owners, past falsely claimed the sites were serving meals to thousands of children each day.

FBI CAPTURES $1.2B MEDICARE FRAUD FUGITIVE IN PHILIPPINES, SECOND ARREST FROM MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS LIST

"These are individuals who stole critical, taxpayer-funded resources from kids successful request during the COVID pandemic—and Eidleh was allegedly close astatine the apical of the operation," Patel said.

According to prosecutors, Eidleh deposited much than $5 cardinal successful fraud proceeds, kickbacks, and bribes into accounts associated with ammunition companies helium created successful an effort to conceal the root of the money.

In 2022, Eidleh fled the U.S., Patel said, noting that criminals should beryllium alert that "no substance wherever you effort to hide, we volition find you."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In May, Aimee Bock, who headed the Feeding Our Future nonprofit, was sentenced to astir 42 years successful prison for her relation successful the fraud.

Fox News Digital's Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.