Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, a Somali-American businessman, was sentenced Wednesday to 28 years in prison for orchestrating one of the largest COVID-19 fraud schemes in U.S. history. He stole tens of millions of dollars meant to feed children during the pandemic, marking the longest sentence handed down so far in the Feeding Our Future case. It’s also Minnesota’s second-longest white-collar prison term—only Tom Petters’ 50-year sentence for a massive Ponzi scheme tops it.
Farah, 36, must pay $47.9 million in restitution and will serve three years of supervised release after his prison term. Federal prosecutors identified him as a key figure in the scheme, which involved dozens of defendants across Minnesota.
Court documents reveal Farah falsely claimed to have served 18 million meals through sites run under Empire Cuisine & Market. In truth, many “meal sites” were vacant lots or empty buildings. Prosecutors said Farah exploited the program early and recruited others, positioning himself as a central coordinator.
Last year’s trial ended with Farah convicted on 23 counts, including wire fraud, money laundering, and federal programs bribery. Prosecutors said he used over $8 million—more than any other defendant—from stolen taxpayer funds to buy luxury cars, real estate in Minnesota and Kentucky, and even a 12-story apartment complex in Nairobi, Kenya.
In a failed attempt to evade prosecution, Farah applied for a new passport after federal agents seized his original one in 2022, claiming it was lost. He then bought a one-way ticket to Kenya before his arrest.
During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel called Farah’s crimes “breathtakingly elaborate” and driven by “pure, unmitigated greed.” She noted Farah’s rise from refugee camp to opportunity, highlighting his public housing, full-ride scholarship funded by UnitedHealth, and roles in state government before turning to fraud.
Updated investigations estimate the total fraud at $300–400 million, making it the largest pandemic-era scam involving child nutrition funds in the U.S.
Farah tearfully apologized in court, expressing regret for hurting his family and community. “I destroyed my family structure,” he said. “I let down the state and judicial system that saved me from a refugee camp.”
However, prosecutors and the judge pointed out his apology mostly focused on his later attempt to bribe a juror, rather than the original crimes. Near the trial’s end in June 2024, Farah and others tried to bribe a juror by delivering $120,000 in cash to her home. The juror was dismissed and the jury sequestered. All involved have pleaded guilty. Farah faces separate sentencing for this offense.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson said Farah’s actions damaged public trust and the Somali-American refugee community. “He viewed the system as something to be gamed,” Thompson said. “He didn’t want the American dream; he wanted the money.”
The case remains one of the country’s largest pandemic fraud prosecutions. Authorities have recovered $60–75 million, but funds sent overseas, including to Kenya, are unlikely to be recovered.
Farah is among more than 70 defendants charged in the scheme. He was tried alongside Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock and Salim Said, both convicted in March 2025 but not yet sentenced. Prosecutors say the three led the fraud.
On Wednesday, federal prosecutors announced the 73rd defendant charged: Hussein Mohamed Farah, executive director of St. Paul’s New Vision Foundation. He’s accused of falsifying meal counts to claim $2.7 million in federal reimbursements for meals allegedly served through New Vision’s Feeding Our Future sites.
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