January 1, Pandemic Food Fraud Tied to Omar Insider

Wyatt’s Take

• A former campaign aide to Ilhan Omar admitted to federal crimes in a pandemic food fraud scheme.
• Millions meant for hungry kids were stolen through fake meal claims and money laundering.
• These kinds of schemes hurt working families and drain trust in programs supposed to help kids.

Guhaad Hashi Said, once linked to Rep. Ilhan Omar, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for exploiting the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the pandemic.

The U.S. Attorney in Minnesota called this the 52nd conviction in the massive Feeding Our Future case, underscoring how deeply rooted this fraud was in the state.

“These crimes are not isolated events. They are part of a web of schemes targeting programs that are intended to lift up Minnesotans and bleeding them dry,” Joseph H. Thompson, acting U.S. Attorney, stated.

Court records show Said set up a fake nonprofit site in Minneapolis and claimed he was feeding thousands of kids daily, but only a small number of meals were truly provided.

He filed phony documents and moved the stolen money through shell companies, buying personal items and property with the proceeds.

In total, Said and his partners took in nearly $3 million meant for children and hid the cash by passing it through fake businesses.

He faces up to 25 years in prison, with sentencing at a later date.

Years ago, Said had tried for public office in Minnesota’s 62A district.

If our public programs aren’t watched closely, this kind of abuse becomes all too common.

Full story here

Wyatt Matters

When crooks steal from programs meant for children, it hurts working communities the most. Protecting resources for our families means keeping a sharp eye on where tax dollars go and holding cheats accountable.