A whistleblower who asserts he was demoted for revealing a $250 million coronavirus fraud in Minnesota is now pursuing compulsory testimony from Rep. Ilhan Omar. This follows the release of an audio clip where a scammer claims that Omar played a significant role in promoting the bait program, which has since been exposed as a large-scale scam.
Faye Bernstein, an employee at the Minnesota Department of Health, was among the first to report fraud incidents back in 2019.
“It’s hard to believe she was totally unaware while appearing from a restaurant that turned out to be part of the Feeding Our Future scam,” Bernstein remarked. “Her grades seem a bit concerning, too.”
Bernstein’s comments referred to an infamous video from 2020, where the owner of the Minneapolis Safari Restaurant, Salim Said, was convicted of defrauding the government out of $16 million related to the program.
Her thoughts echoed those of Amy Bock, the founder of Feeding Our Future, who was recently sentenced to 40 years. Bock expressed skepticism about Omar’s knowledge of the fraud. Omar has dismissed the allegations as “entirely false.”
“If she truly was clueless, she ought to dismiss her entire staff responsible for evaluating the program, because they conducted no background checks,” Bernstein added.
“I’d really like to see her testify. There’s a clear lack of accountability on both her and Attorney General Ellison’s parts, and their dismissive attitudes during these inquiries haven’t served them well.”
“Respect goes both ways, and sometimes you have to acknowledge when you haven’t done your job properly.”
Bernstein, who leads contract specialists, testified before a Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee this week, sharing her experience of being labeled a racist and demoted after sounding the alarm on the fraud.
“Currently, I’m working on a document. It’s been nine years since college, and I’m noting some serious issues in it,” she explained to the committee.
She felt that the Somali scammers took advantage of Minnesota’s reputation for community kindness and civility, as well as the prevalent “white guilt” in a state with an overwhelmingly white population.
“That feels really disingenuous to me,” Bernstein remarked.
Recently, an audio clip surfaced where one of the convicted fraudsters blamed Rep. Omar for the rapid expansion of the fraudulent meal program during the pandemic.
This clip features a conversation between Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and scammers who alleged that state officials cut funding for fraudulent sites while hinting at campaign contributions.
“They’re saying the program is growing too quickly,” said convicted fraudster Ikram Muhammad in a recording discussing the Minnesota Department of Education, which handled the federal child nutrition program.
Ellison responded, “That’s unfortunate, but it may not be intentional.”
“No, it will be intentional,” Muhammad protested, using racial slurs during a secretly recorded 54-minute meeting.
In the recording, Muhammad continued, “With COVID, a lot of Somalis stepped up—‘I’m a restaurant. Safari is making it work. Congressman Ilhan Omar is contributing there! I want to do that too!’”
Muhammad, a former consultant for Feeding Our Future, pleaded guilty in March for stealing nearly $15 million through fake meal websites established with her family members’ names. She’s currently awaiting sentencing.
Calls for Omar to testify before Congress have intensified, with demands for her to disclose her communications with the fraudsters.
“She has skirted accountability for far too long,” House Majority Leader Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) stated, claiming that Omar’s associates were responsible for stealing from the very funds she helped establish.
“So the idea that nothing is worth scrutinizing here… She claims it’s just racism or bullying aimed at her because of her background, but it’s more complex than that,” he added.
“I hope she eventually faces a criminal jury.”
As of now, Omar is not under investigation nor has she been charged in connection with the fraud. Meanwhile, Vice President J.D. Vance revealed that he is being probed by the Justice Department concerning immigration fraud allegations, which he vehemently denies.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) pointed out, “Congress members posed for photos at a crime scene—the Safari restaurant in Minnesota that falsely claimed to have provided millions of meals.”
“She should have the chance to clarify her name by cooperating with law enforcement and sharing information on the fraudsters who deprived hungry kids.”
The scrutiny on Omar has intensified following an increase in her wealth, reportedly soaring to as much as $30 million last year, which she later corrected after an ethics complaint and questionable accounting emerged.
Federal authorities recently charged 15 individuals in connection with $90 million in Medicare fraud, marking the beginning of broader investigations into fraudulent operations in Minnesota.
Omar did not respond to requests for comments.
Ellison, who received $10,000 in campaign funds shortly after a rally, rejected claims of bribery, maintaining he attended to honor principles of justice, unaware he was engaging with fraudsters at the time.
