The United States government says it has arrested Abdikarim Eidle in Mogadishu, accused of being one of the leaders of a massive corruption scandal linked to the “Feeding Our Future” program, which embezzled nearly $250 million during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to federal officials, Abdikarim Eidle, 42, was arrested on Thursday after a joint operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). He had been on the run for more than four years.
Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said Abdikarim Eidle was a key figure in organizing and directing the scheme to defraud U.S. taxpayers.
Investigations say Eidle received more than $5 million in bribes and kickbacks, allegedly by encouraging businesspeople to create false documents to obtain compensation payments from the Minnesota Department of Education.
The charges include wire fraud, bribery, money laundering and conspiracy.
FBI officials said Abdikarim’s arrest demonstrates that people accused of serious crimes cannot escape justice in the United States, even if they are in other countries.
The “Feeding Our Future” case is considered the largest corruption case involving COVID-19 relief funds in the United States. So far, 79 people, most of whom are of Somali origin, have been charged, with 66 of them pleading guilty or being convicted at trial.
US officials also said that investigations into corruption in Minnesota are still ongoing, and the total loss could exceed one billion dollars.
