Feds Arrest ‘Most Wanted Fraudster’ Accused Of Using Taxpayer Dollars For ‘Lavish Lifestyle’

The FBI arrested a Somali-born man accused of stealing $4 million from a federal food program for children in need through his participation in the nation’s largest COVID-era scam. 

FBI Director Kash Patel announced Wednesday that 47-year-old Said Abdullahi Ereg surrendered to federal authorities after being wanted since 2024 on fraud charges. Ereg was placed on the “Most Wanted Fraudsters” last week over his alleged involvement in the massive $250 million Feeding Our Future scam.

“When [Vice President] Vance led the way for the Most Wanted Fraudsters list through the [White House Fraud Task Force] — this was exactly the righteous goal the Task Force had in mind — to bring to justice all those who have stolen money from hardworking American taxpayers,” Patel said. “This historic result is only the beginning — and let it be a message to any fraudster who takes advantage of America, this team will find you.”

The FBI said that Ereg took $4.2 million in government payments to his Minneapolis-based grocery and deli to supposedly provide meals through the Federal Child Nutrition Program between April 2020 and April 2021. Ereg’s grocery was sponsored by the fraudulent Feeding Our Future program. 

“Ereg allegedly transferred most of the money to fund his family’s lavish lifestyle,” the FBI said. “He also allegedly transferred money to foreign accounts controlled by foreign companies.”

Ereg’s grocery store purported to serve “3,000 meals, twice a day, seven days a week” but in actuality only served a “fraction of those meals,” according to prosecutors. In total, he claimed to have served 1.4 million meals to children. 

The money was instead used for purchases of high-end brands like Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and Canada Goose and sent to a foreign textile company, according to the indictment. Ereg transferred some $2.5 million funds received from government payouts to foreign accounts controlled by foreign companies, prosecutors said. 

Hundreds of thousands of dollars went toward the purchase of a home in New Hope, Minnesota, and the Somali-founded Quick Chain Trading Company and the Chinese-based Shaoxing Aifan Textile Company, according to the indictment. 

The suspected fraudster faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. The criminal proceedings for Ereg will take place in federal court in Minnesota. 

Aimee Bock, the founder of Feeding Our Future, was sentenced last month to 500 months in prison for her role in the exploitation of the child nutrition program during COVID. She and others created dozens of shell companies to funnel federal dollars that were supposed to go toward feeding kids. 

Under the direction of Vice President JD Vance, the Trump administration is focusing on cracking down on fraud. Federal officials are investigating in Ohio after The Daily Wire reported on the state’s questionable payments for a taxpayer funded home healthcare program.