Said Abdullahi Ereg, a Minneapolis man accused of stealing $4 million from the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic, surrendered to the FBI on Thursday. Ereg was indicted on June 24, 2024, on charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Federal officials allege he misappropriated and laundered funds meant to feed children in need.
Ereg was added to the Justice Department’s “Most Wanted Fraudster” list last week and is the first person arrested under this designation. FBI Director Kash Patel called the arrest “historic,” emphasizing the agency’s commitment to prosecuting pandemic-era fraud.
Ereg operated a grocery store and deli in Minneapolis that participated in the Federal Child Nutrition Program through Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit organization at the center of a broader federal investigation. Prosecutors allege Ereg submitted false reimbursement claims, obtaining over $4.2 million between April 2020 and April 2021. His spouse, Najmo Ahmed, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to one count of money laundering.
The Feeding Our Future scheme is described by federal officials as the largest COVID-19 fraud case in the country. Aimee Block, a former leader of the organization, was convicted last month in a $250 million fraud case. The scheme involved fake distribution sites, kickbacks, and false lists of children supposedly being fed.