A federal judge in Minneapolis has sentenced Abdiaziz Farah, one of the main defendants in the Feeding Our Future food distribution program, to 28 years in prison.
Abdiaziz Farah was convicted of 23 counts of fraud, money laundering, and bribery of federal funds, totaling more than $40 million, the court said.
Judge Nancy Brasel said there was no clear motive for Farah’s actions other than “unbridled greed.” Prosecutors said Farah was one of the ringleaders in a $300 million scheme that was intended to help vulnerable children affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Farah, who is accused of sending large sums of money to Kenya and elsewhere, also admitted to trying to bribe a member of the jury during his trial.
The case has become one of the largest financial scandals ever to occur in Minnesota.
Prosecutors said the ruling would allow the federal government to seize Farah’s assets to return them to the public.
