Somali suspect in $250 million U.S. COVID fraud case brought back to face charges
WASHINGTON — A Somali man accused of playing a central role in a $250 million COVID-19 fraud scheme has been returned from Somalia to the United States, where he will face federal criminal charges, U.S. authorities announced Friday.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota said Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, arrived in Minnesota on July 16 after surrendering to authorities in Somalia.
A federal indictment filed in September 2022 charges Eidleh with 31 offenses stemming from the sweeping Feeding Our Future case. The counts include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, bribery involving federal programs, and money laundering.
Prosecutors describe Eidleh as one of the scheme’s principal figures, alleging that participants fraudulently siphoned off millions of dollars earmarked to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eidleh left the United States after the charges were brought and remained a fugitive until law enforcement authorities located him in Somalia in June 2026, officials said.
His transfer resulted from coordination among the FBI, Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), the Somali Police Force, and the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. FBI agents and officials from IRS Criminal Investigation escorted Eidleh to Minnesota.
U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen called Eidleh “second only to Aimee Bock” in the alleged operation and said his return underscored the determination of U.S. authorities to track down defendants wherever they go.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the transfer as another significant step in the investigation, which has already led to guilty pleas from more than 70 defendants connected to Feeding Our Future.
The FBI credited Somali authorities with helping locate Eidleh and arrange his return, specifically thanking NISA, the Somali Police Force, and Somalia’s Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Eidleh is due to appear in court for the first time on Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty in Minnesota.
The Feeding Our Future prosecution ranks among the largest pandemic fraud cases in U.S. history. Defendants are accused of stealing money from a federally funded child nutrition program at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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