Suspect in Minnesota fraud case arrested in Somalia after 4 years on the run, officials say

Suspect in Minnesota fraud case arrested in Somalia after 4 years on the run, officials say reports the overseas arrest of Abdikerm Eidleh, 42, tied to the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation. Federal officials said he was taken into custody Thursday in Mogadishu, Somalia, during a daytime raid coordinated by the FBI and Somali intelligence agencies. Eidleh was indicted in September 2022 as part of a probe into a reported $250 million scheme during the pandemic-era. Prosecutors allege he functioned as a key leader who bribed and recruited businesses, including collecting $5 million in bribes and kickbacks by directing restaurants and catering firms to inflate receipts submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education. The indictment includes wire fraud, federal programs bribery, money laundering and conspiracy. Officials said 79 people have been charged so far, with 66 convicted or pleading guilty, and the Minnesota total could exceed $1 billion.