Abdikerm Eidleh, 42, was taken into custody Thursday in Mogadishu, Somalia, in connection with the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. Federal officials described the arrest as the result of a joint operation with Somali authorities.
Eidleh had been indicted in September 2022 as part of a $250 million investigation into pandemic-era fraud. Prosecutors allege he played a key role by collecting $5 million in bribes and kickbacks while recruiting businesses to submit inflated claims to the Minnesota Department of Education.
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen called Eidleh "a big fish" and said he was second in command to Aimee Bock, who was recently sentenced to more than 40 years in prison. FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson noted the operation demonstrated the reach of U.S. law enforcement.
So far, 79 people have been charged in the case, with 66 convicted or having pleaded guilty. Rosen said the broader fraud in Minnesota could exceed $1 billion across multiple programs.
