More defendants sentenced in Feeding Our Future fraud, ordered to repay funds
Three more defendants in the Feeding Our Future fraud were sentenced in federal court in Minnesota and ordered to repay millions in stolen child nutrition funds.[1]
Abdihakim Ali Ahmed was sentenced to 54 months in prison and must report to prison on October 6 at noon, with Judge Nancy Brasel recommending a Minnesota minimum-security facility.[2] Brasel told Ahmed, "This was a global pandemic. Instead of helping, you did the opposite of helping and you stole." FOX 9 Minneapolis man Ahmed Abdullahi Ghedi, 37, received a 65-month prison term, two years of supervised release and will forfeit a Park Avenue mansion and a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee.[3] Prosecutors say Ghedi funneled more than $2 million into a shell company, spent heavily on vehicles and credit cards, and paid kickbacks while billing for more than 1.6 million fake meals.[3] Hussein Mohamed Farah was sentenced to 20 months, ordered to pay $471,000 in restitution and given two years of supervised release.[1] Ahmed Sharif Omar-Hashim, also known as Salah Donyale, drew 36 months for wire fraud tied to his company Total Financial Solutions.[1]
In spring 2020, as COVID-19 shut schools, the U.S. Department of Agriculture expanded child nutrition rules and allowed nonprofits to sponsor hundreds of new meal sites. Minnesota education staff flagged implausible reimbursement claims in April 2021, and the FBI opened a formal probe soon after. Federal agents executed search warrants on January 20, 2022, and prosecutors announced the first indictments against dozens later that year.
Court filings and testimony showed Feeding Our Future-sponsored ASA Limited LLC falsely claimed to serve thousands of children at a fake deli and billed for more than 1.6 million meals, causing an estimated $7.2 million loss to child nutrition programs.[3] Investigators also found roster spreadsheets that used an Excel formula to randomly assign ages to fabricated children.[2]
Federal prosecutors had secured dozens of convictions in the sprawling case by early 2026. As of March 2026 they report 63 convictions, though of more than $250 million alleged stolen only about $75 million had been recovered as of early 2025.
The mainstream summary does not mention that federal prosecutors have secured a total of 63 convictions in the Feeding Our Future scheme, marking it as the largest number of convictions in a single fraud investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in recent memory. This context highlights the extensive nature of the fraud beyond the three defendants currently sentenced, indicating a broader systemic issue within the program. Furthermore, while the summary notes the substantial amounts of restitution ordered, it fails to address that of the more than $250 million alleged stolen, only around $75 million had been recovered by early 2025, as much of the money was spent on unrecoverable expenses or transferred overseas. This significant detail underscores the challenges in recouping the funds and the lasting impact of the fraud on child nutrition programs.[4][5]
Show source details & analysis (4 sources)
📊 Relevant Data
Federal prosecutors have obtained 63 convictions in the Feeding Our Future scheme, the largest number of convictions in a single fraud investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in recent memory.
Five More Plead Guilty in Minnesota Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme — United States Department of Justice
Of more than $250 million alleged stolen in the Feeding Our Future case, only around $75 million had been recovered as of early 2025, as much of the money was spent on unrecoverable expenses or transferred overseas.
Feeding Our Future — Wikipedia (citing federal estimates)
📌 Key Facts
- Feeding Our Future–sponsored ASA Limited LLC falsely claimed to serve 2,000–3,000 children per day at Gurey Deli, billed for more than 1.6 million meals from September 2020 to September 2021 and caused an estimated $7.2 million loss to child nutrition programs; investigators say the entity was used as a shell to receive roughly $5 million in fraudulent payments, with more than $2 million paid directly to a co‑conspirator (ASA Limited LLC).
- Abdihakim Ali Ahmed was sentenced to 54 months in prison (prosecutors had asked for 57 months); Judge Nancy Brasel imposed 54 months, recommended a Minnesota minimum‑security facility and ordered Ahmed to report to prison on October 6 at noon — Brasel said, “This was a global pandemic. Instead of helping, you did the opposite of helping and you stole,” and Ahmed apologized in court (Abdihakim Ali Ahmed).
- Court evidence included roster spreadsheets for a supposed after‑school program that used an Excel formula to randomly assign ages between 7 and 17 for each fabricated child (roster spreadsheets).
- Minneapolis man Ahmed Abdullahi Ghedi, 37, was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison plus two years of supervised release; prosecutors say he funneled more than $2 million in federal nutrition funds into shell company AG Limited LLC, spent over $245,000 on vehicles and more than $200,000 on credit cards, sent roughly $560,000 to Cosmopolitan Business Properties LLC toward a Park Avenue mansion, and the mansion and a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be forfeited — his guidelines were 63–78 months and he drew a longer sentence than co‑conspirator Abdihakim Ali Ahmed because of his criminal history (Ahmed Abdullahi Ghedi).
- Prosecutors say Ghedi paid at least $49,000 in kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future employee and that Feeding Our Future collected nearly $400,000 in administrative fees for sponsoring ASA Limited (Ahmed Abdullahi Ghedi).
- Hussein Mohamed Farah was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, ordered to pay $471,000 in restitution and given two years of supervised release after prosecutors say his nonprofit, New Vision Foundation, received about $2.7 million between February 2021 and January 2022 by submitting bogus meal count sheets and rosters for two claimed Feeding Our Future sites (Hussein Mohamed Farah).
- Ahmed Sharif Omar‑Hashim (aka “Salah Donyale”) was sentenced to 36 months in prison for one count of wire fraud tied to his company Total Financial Solutions; investigators say he fraudulently claimed to serve more than 1.6 million meals to children between September 2020 and September 2021 as part of the scheme (Ahmed Sharif Omar-Hashim).
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Hussein Mohamed Farah was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison and two years of supervised release for wire fraud and ordered to pay $471,000 in restitution.
- Prosecutors say Farah’s nonprofit, New Vision Foundation, received about $2.7 million between February 2021 and January 2022 by submitting bogus meal count sheets and rosters for two claimed food-distribution sites under Feeding Our Future’s sponsorship.
- Ahmed Sharif Omar-Hashim (aka “Salah Donyale”) was sentenced to 36 months in prison for one count of wire fraud tied to his company Total Financial Solutions.
- Investigators say Omar-Hashim fraudulently claimed to serve more than 1.6 million meals to children between September 2020 and September 2021 as part of the scheme.
- Identifies Minneapolis man Ahmed Abdullahi Ghedi, 37, as a second key operator in the Maplewood Gurey Deli scheme and reports he was sentenced to 65 months (about 5½ years) in federal prison, plus two years of supervised release.
- Details that ASA Limited LLC, sponsored by Feeding Our Future, falsely claimed to serve 2,000–3,000 children per day at Gurey Deli and billed for more than 1.6 million meals from September 2020 to September 2021, causing a $7.2 million loss to child nutrition programs.
- Reports that Ghedi funneled more than $2 million in federal nutrition funds into shell company AG Limited LLC, used over $245,000 on vehicles and more than $200,000 in credit card spending, and sent roughly $560,000 to Cosmopolitan Business Properties LLC toward a mansion at 2722 and 2742 Park Avenue South in Minneapolis.
- Notes that the Park Avenue mansion and a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be forfeited, and that Ghedi paid at least $49,000 in kickbacks to Feeding Our Future employee Abdikerm Eidleh while Feeding Our Future collected nearly $400,000 in administrative fees for sponsoring ASA Limited.
- Clarifies that sentencing guidelines for Ghedi were 63–78 months and that he drew a longer sentence than co‑conspirator Abdihakim Ali Ahmed because of his criminal history.
- Confirms ASA Limited LLC as the shell company used by Ahmed and co‑conspirators to receive approximately $5 million in fraudulent child nutrition payments, with more than $2 million going directly to Ahmed.
- Specifies that roster spreadsheets for a supposed after‑school program used an Excel formula to randomly assign ages between 7 and 17 for each fabricated child.
- Adds Judge Nancy Brasel’s on‑record quote: “This was a global pandemic. Instead of helping, you did the opposite of helping and you stole.”
- Details that prosecutors asked for a 57‑month sentence at the top of the guideline range and that Judge Brasel instead imposed 54 months.
- States that Ahmed must report to prison on October 6 at noon and that Brasel recommended a minimum‑security facility in Minnesota.
- Quotes Ahmed’s courtroom apology: “This was a terrible moment in my life. I am extremely sorry.”