The 70th defendant in the Feeding Our Future scandal has pleaded guilty in a scheme that diverted federal child‑nutrition money, with federal investigators and prosecutors detailing falsified records, inflated meal counts, and coordinated fraud tied to Minnesota nonprofits.
The 70th defendant, Abdirashid Bixi Dool, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in the Feeding Our Future case, which officials describe as part of a larger conspiracy that siphoned funds meant for feeding children. Court filings say Dool’s involvement related to more than $330,000 in fraudulent reimbursements submitted on behalf of nonprofit entities. The scheme sits inside a much broader investigation into pandemic‑era child‑nutrition fraud.
Dool entered his plea on July 13, 2026, and faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison; sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Prosecutors say his role was limited to a specific stretch of time but tied to a pattern of fabricated documentation and inflated claims. The guilty plea marks another conviction in a sprawling case that federal authorities continue to pursue across jurisdictions.
According to court documents, between about March 2021 and December 2021, Dool and others submitted reimbursement claims to Feeding Our Future on behalf of two Minnesota nonprofits, Bilaal Mosque, Inc. and Multicultural Resource Center, Inc. The filings allege those organizations claimed to operate meal sites in Pelican Rapids and Moorhead, Minnesota, and to serve tens of thousands of meals to children. Investigators say the actual number of meals served was only a fraction of what was reported.
Officials allege Dool knowingly turned in falsified meal count sheets, inflated food purchase invoices, and fabricated rosters of children purportedly served at those sites. On some occasions, he allegedly claimed the sites served over 40,000 meals per week, figures investigators found to be impossible based on local capacity and records. “This guilty plea is another step toward restoring integrity to programs meant to support children and families, and it highlights the importance of strong interagency cooperation to stop the fraud and seek accountability for taxpayers,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
Investigators describe a pattern of paperwork designed to create the appearance of large, legitimate feeding operations where none existed. The fraudulent paperwork was used to secure federal reimbursements through Feeding Our Future, which then passed funds to the nonprofits. Those funds, prosecutors say, should have supported children in need but instead ended up redirected through a chain of false claims.
“Programs like the Federal Child Nutrition Program were created to help children at a time when many families were struggling just to put food on the table,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Exploiting that hardship for personal gain is a betrayal of the public’s trust. Working shoulder to shoulder with our federal law enforcement partners, IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to follow the financial trail, expose these schemes, and hold accountable those who steal from programs meant to help our most vulnerable.”
Federal authorities highlighted the scope of the reporting the nonprofits submitted. Between approximately March 2021 and February 2022, Bilaal Mosque and the Multicultural Resource Center claimed to have served over 505,000 meals to children, according to documents. Those submissions prompted the Minnesota Department of Education to pay nearly $1.1 million in federal child‑nutrition funds to the two entities before the fraud came to light.
“The conviction of Abdirashid Dool reflects the FBI’s commitment to protecting Minnesotans and holding offenders accountable wherever they attempt to operate. The FBI, alongside our partners in the IRS‑CI and the United States Attorney’s Office, will continue to aggressively pursue cases across the state to ensure those who misuse American taxpayer dollars are brought to justice,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. The agency emphasized ongoing work to identify additional actors and recover misused funds.
Postal inspectors also played a role in tracing how fraudulent claims moved through the system and how funds were solicited and documented. “Today’s guilty plea showcases our commitment to holding accountable the criminal actors who abused the U.S. Mail in an effort to commit widespread fraud and to divert funds intended for those most in need,” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Denver Division. “We stand ready with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who exploit taxpayer-funded benefit programs through fraud schemes.”
Homeland Security Investigations stressed its part in the interagency effort. “Financial fraud threatens the integrity of our communities, and HSI is unwavering in our commitment to confront it,” said Homeland Security Investigations St. Paul Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy. “By working side by side with our partners, we ensure those who commit these crimes are held accountable and justice is served.” The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline, Matthew C. Murphy, and Austin L. Bowyer.
Federal law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Authorities say the probe remains active, with attention on other defendants and on tracking financial flows tied to pandemic‑era programs that were temporarily expanded to serve vulnerable children. As the federal process continues, additional charges and proceedings could follow against other participants identified by investigators.
