Minnesota Man Sentenced to 10 Years in $250M COVID Child-Nutrition Fraud Scheme

MINNEAPOLIS (VINnews) — A 24-year-old Minnesota man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a massive fraud scheme that stole more than $250 million from federal programs intended to feed low-income children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, of Somali descent, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to wire fraud and money laundering charges. U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel also ordered Nur to pay $48 million in restitution.

Court documents unsealed this week in the ongoing “Feeding Our Future” investigation reveal Nur and his co-conspirators used dozens of sham nonprofits and shell companies to submit fraudulent claims to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Federal Child Nutrition Program between 2020 and 2022. Prosecutors say the stolen funds — meant to reimburse meals for needy children — were instead spent on luxury vehicles, real estate, and overseas money transfers.

The case is part of a broader federal probe that authorities say has uncovered more than $1 billion in total fraud across Minnesota involving child-nutrition programs, rental assistance, and autism services.

Seven defendants were convicted at trial earlier this year in the Feeding Our Future case, with dozens more awaiting trial or having already entered guilty pleas. Federal prosecutors have called it one of the largest pandemic-related fraud schemes in the country.