Saturday August 1, 2026
Minneapolis (AX) — A Minnesota man accused of helping lead the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme pleaded not guilty to federal charges Friday after his extradition from Somalia ended four years on the run.
Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, appeared in federal court following his return from Somalia, where authorities arrested him June 26 during a joint operation by the FBI and Somali intelligence agencies, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
Federal prosecutors describe Eidleh as a principal organizer and the effective second-in-command of the far-reaching conspiracy. Investigators say the operation siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars from programs intended to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eidleh is charged with 31 federal offenses, including wire fraud, bribery involving federal programs, money laundering and related crimes. Prosecutors allege he collected roughly $5 million in bribes and kickbacks from the scheme.
After his arrest in Mogadishu, FBI agents escorted Eidleh to Minnesota. He remains in custody at the Sherburne County Jail while awaiting further court proceedings.
The indictment alleges Eidleh helped coordinate fraudulent reimbursement claims submitted through Feeding Our Future, a Minnesota nonprofit responsible for administering meal programs financed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Feeding Our Future probe ranks among the largest pandemic-era fraud investigations in U.S. history. Federal authorities have charged 79 people in the alleged conspiracy, which they say obtained reimbursements for millions of meals that were never provided.
