Minnesota man captured in Somalia after alleged involvement in $250 million child nutrition fraud scheme

Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, a 42-year-old man from Burnsville, Minnesota, was captured in Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 27, 2026, after being a fugitive for nearly four years. He is accused of being involved in a fraud scheme that exploited a federal child nutrition program, with alleged losses totaling $250 million. Eidleh was charged on September 13, 2022, with 31 counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The Justice Department describes the scheme as one of the largest fraud cases in Minnesota's history. Eidleh allegedly played a key role in recruiting and supporting sites under the Federal Child Nutrition Program while employed by Feeding Our Future. Prosecutors claim he solicited bribes and created fraudulent meal sites, falsely reporting that they served thousands of meals daily. He is accused of depositing over $5 million in illicit funds into accounts linked to shell companies to hide the money's origin.